Cover Story | Fitness

Tackle Your Fitness Goals

Pro tips from the Patriots' Kerry Taylor

Posted

Name: Kerry Taylor
Sport: Football

Background

  • Tight end for UMass Amherst
  • New England Patriots practice squad in 1999 and active roster in 2000
  • Played in the XFL and arena football for the Dallas Desperados, New York Dragons and Arizona Rattlers

Now
He owns 212 Health and Performance in Rumford, a fitness studio offering personal training and a variety of classes and specialty training programs.

How do you stay fit?

“I try to get in at least 30 minutes of working out three to four days a week. I usually will take one of our classes here at 212 Health and Performance or get something in on my own.”

What motivates you to keep it up?

“Just to stay in the best shape I can to be a role model to my team and members at 212, my family and my daughter. If I don’t put in the effort, why would they listen and follow my lead?”

What’s your advice to those who dream of gridiron glory?
“Your training needs to have a great combination of strength, power, speed and agility. Incorporate one or two explosive movements in each workout – barbell cleans or jerks, box jumps, heavy kettlebell swings, to name a few. Big barbell lifts – bench press, squat or deadlift – create some size and strength to make you more durable and resilient. For speed, focus on running 100 meters or less as fast as possible and also do some hill sprints. For agility, bring out some cones and work on short bursts: run to a cone, plant your foot, change direction and explode to another cone. Don’t do much slow, drawn out cardio, like miles or the elliptical machine; it will not really help you move the needle towards being a better football player.”

What challenges you?
“I have always struggled with running long distances. I could sprint all day, but tell me to go run a few miles and I would laugh in your face. I’ve actually been working on it a lot lately – two to three times per week. What helped me stay consistent is sharing it with others so they keep me accountable. I think I may commit myself to a half marathon or full marathon one of these days to challenge myself even further. Great things happen when you make yourself uncomfortable.”

212 Health and Performance, 20 Newman Avenue, Suite 2002, Rumford. 383-5959, 212HealthandPerformance.com

212 Health and Performance, East Providence, Rumford, Kerry Taylor, football, fitness, gym, umass amherst, XFL, NFL, New England Patriots, Patriots, Dallas Desperados, New York Dragons, Arizona Rattlers, running, sprinting, milses,

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here



X