Train like an NFL Pro - Accelerate your Recovery with Nate Stupar of the Atlanta Falcons

When your job is to deliver peak athletic performance week in and week out, the methods you take to recover from your workouts are crucial to your profession.  NFL linebacker Nate Stupar of the Atlanta Falcons is no stranger to the world of elite athletics.  Nate spent his collegiate career at Penn State University amassing 80 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 interceptions in the 2011 season alone.  He entered the NFL in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders after an impressive showing at the 2012 NFL Combine.  Going into his third season in the NFL, he knows what it takes to achieve success in the realm of athletics and training.  Recently Nate shared with us his advice on how he accelerates his  recovery to consistently deliver at his peak with the Atlanta Falcons:

 

After a long week of training and games, how do you adjust your diet and supplementation to help you recover most efficiently?

 

After a long week of training or games, I tend to try to stay in my healthy diet to increase recovery. After a game you are extremely worn out and want to recover as quickly as possible. I get in my boots, which are compression leg sleeves that moves blood in and out of my legs creating healing. I get into our cold tubs to help recover as well. Eating right and getting protein to create healing is also the main way that I try to recover after a rigorous week.

 

What is your “go-to” post workout meal or supplementation routine?

 

My go-to post workout supplement has to be the G6 protein and recovery powder (Replenish). It’s light in calories and high in protein and gives me what I need to help me fully recover. During camp I might go with a higher calorie protein but for me I like not consuming so many calories. I want to stay light and be able to run down other fast guys on other teams. Gaining weight is not my goal during the season; I actually lost 13 pounds by the beginning of this season.

 

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Besides nutrition and supplementation, what other methods do you find effective to maximize and expedite your recovery?

I do all kinds of extra recovery tactics to improve my health. I constantly do foam rolling, ice baths, my compression boots, band stretches, calf stretches, acupuncture at times, massages and most importantly getting the right amount of sleep every night. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to try and keep my body as healthy as possible. Taking care of your body in this professional is your job. No healthy body, no NFL job.

 

Want more workout and training advice from Atlanta Falcons star Nate?  Stay tuned for more blog posts in the “Train like an NFL Pro” series with G6 Sports Nutrition and Nate Stupar.  If you can’t wait for the next edition – be sure to follow Nate on Instagram @thenastynate52  and check out the Atlanta Falcons website   for the inside scoop on how Nate is performing every week!

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