New York Giants’ punter and TRAIN magazine cover star, Steve Weatherford, gives TRAIN an insight into how he keeps his body match-ready and jacked all year-round. Are you ready for the Steve Weatherford workout to take your body to the next level?
The man and mindset behind the Steve Weatherford workout
What makes Steve Weatherford so unique? Well, rather than attribute it to having an exceptional genetic code pulsating through his veins, it’s actually his tireless work ethic that’s endowed him with his incredibly chiseled and symmetrical physique.
His impeccable definition and year-round low body fat percentage has set him apart from the rest of the NFL’s field. This is even more impressive considering the league is filled with young guns that are famed for giving their training militant attention.
The cherry on top of Weatherford’s cake is that he’s actually an NFL punter, a position you wouldn’t expect to be filled by a physical specimen like he is. With bags of potential and a keen athlete from a young age, it was always a given that he’d go on to become a gifted sportsman. “Growing up I was lean and my endurance was first-class, and I actually ran distance and eventually track in college,” Weatherford tells TRAIN. “I wanted to be more well-rounded. My motivation comes from wanting to be the best I can be each game day.”
He’s clearly winning the mental game but what comes on the following page is his playbook for turning those powerful thoughts into tangible results.
Steve Weatherford’s Training Principles
NFL special team players, like punters, are traditionally average-looking guys who have to make a big impact in a very small window of opportunity. They don’t normally look like Weatherford, but he has certainly broken the mold and his cleats have taken the New York Giants to Super Bowl finals and helped the team become a force to be reckoned with in the NFL.
As he helps push his team forward, Weatherford also has to employ the optimal training methods to take his body and performance to the next level.
“I love traditional bodybuilding; it’s a passion of mine,” he explains. “Actually, a good friend of mine is Mike O’Hearn (four-time Mr. Natural Universe holder) and we train together from time to time. There’s nothing like hitting a huge back session and feeling like an absolute beast. So I do a lot of functional strength training with some classic bodybuilding exercises mixed in.”
If you take a look underneath his pads, Weatherford is a six-foot-two, 210lb lean and shredded machine. He has a multi-million dollar contract with the ‘Big Blue Wrecking Crew’ and aims to be in stellar shape every time he runs onto the field.
His training mantra, like many other world-class athletes, is one of laser-like focus and is something that will resonate with anyone who pushes themselves to the limit on a daily basis.
“To give anything less than your best is like not giving at all,” he says. “There are days when I’m sore and don’t feel up to it, but if you only trained on the days when you felt good you wouldn’t be training too much. It’s easy to make excuses and sleep in or hit that snooze button. The people who separate themselves from the pack are the ones who are willing to train when they don’t feel up to it.”
If you read that and felt motivated then that’s a clue to one of the 32-year-old’s other passions – helping others. “The greatest investment you can make in this life is taking care of yourself,” he explains. “It’s so easy to let your career, family or hobbies take precedence over your health. But in order to truly be your best in those facets in your life, you need focus, energy and vitality. It’s a careful balance few can manage and fewer can master. All I can see are my goals. I love motivating others, it’s where I find my energy, in sharing with others.”
His teammates will testify to this and they’ve often drawn inspiration from Weatherford’s mental determination.
The 4-Day Steve Weatherford Workout Split
Day 1 – Lower Body A
| Exercise | Sets + Reps |
|---|---|
| Decline Crunch (or Roman Chair sit-up) | 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps |
| Front barbell squat | 3-4 sets of 4-6 reps |
| Dumbbell lunge | 3 sets of 10-12 reps |
| Leg press | 4 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Leg extension | 2 sets of 10 reps |
| Seated leg curl | 2 sets of 10 reps |
| Standing calf raise | 3 sets of 12-15 reps |
Day 2 – Upper Body A
| Exercise | Sets + Reps |
|---|---|
| Hanging leg raises | 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Dumbbell bench press | 3-4 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Dumbbell shoulder press | 3 sets of 8-10 reps |
| One-arm side lateral raise | 3 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Weighted bench dips | 3 sets of 10-12 reps |
| Overhead dumbbell triceps extension | 3 sets of 8-10reps |
| Concentration curls | 3 sets of 10-12 reps |
Day 3 – Lower Body B
| Exercise | Sets + Reps |
|---|---|
| Side bridge | 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps each |
| Front barbell squat | 3-4 sets of 4-6 reps |
| Power Clean | 3 sets of 3-5 reps |
| Deficit sumo dumbbell deadlift | 3 sets of 8 |
| Dumbbell snatch | 3-4 sets of 4-6 reps |
| Dumbbell scissor jumps | 3 sets of 6-8 reps, each side |
| Leg extention | 2 sets of 10 reps |
| Seated leg curls | 2 sets of 10 reps |
| Standing calf raise | 3 sets of 12-15 |
Day 4 – Upper Body B
| Exercise | Sets + Reps |
|---|---|
| Decline Crunch | 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps each |
| Weighted pullup | 4 sets of 8-12 reps |
| Lat pulldown | 3 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Seated cable row | 3 sets of 8-10 |
| Biceps circuit | 6 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Upright barbell row | 2 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Barbell shrug | 2 sets of 8-10 reps |
| Single-leg box jump | 4 sets of 10 reps each |
Edible gains
If you’re going to have one of the most idolized physiques in the NFL you’d better believe you have to have your diet locked down. The Steve Weatherford workout doesn’t work on its own – it requires the right fuel to drive results.
“I eat small balanced meals every three hours,” he explains. “This teaches your metabolism to always burn calories and not store carbs as fat. Some people eat low-carb diets but this actually does your body a disservice because then you build up a tolerance, and when you reintroduce them into your diet you blow up.
“I like to get a lot of carbs right before and right after I train. Eating carbs and protein before is where your endurance comes from and then right after to help with recovery and rebuilding and repairing the muscles. My favorite pre-workout meal is chicken and vegetable lasagna with whole-wheat pasta, and my favorite post-workout meal is grilled chicken, brown rice and broccoli.”
Weatherford has mastered his profession as a football player but he’s also sculpted a healthy body and mind that give him the ability to become one of the greats. We’re willing to bet that when retirement eventually comes, he’ll still be keeping up the same dietary and exercise routine.
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