Adrian Peterson Workout: A Knee Injury Can’t Keep Him Down
The Adrian Peterson Workout has kept him strong throughout his career. Even when he went down with a season-ending knee injury, he recovered very quickly. Adrian Peterson has developed into the premier running back in the game. Peterson is known for his strength, burst, speed, muscle mass, and ability to destroy any defenders in his path.
Adrian Peterson admits that the most important thing to an NFL running back is footwork. His favorite lift is single leg squats, because of how well he can carry over that exercise into an on-the-field workout.
To recover quickly after his 2011 knee injury, Adrian Peterson and his trainer used HydroWorx pool therapy. Adrian Peterson ran on a treadmill underwater to gain leg strength, while weighing only 1/6th his body weight.
As Adrian Peterson got stronger, they slowly displaced the water in the pool, so Adrian gained confidence in his legs and knee. Adrian Peterson came back much quicker, and stronger, than most athletes recovering from an ACL injury. Adrian especially used the underwater treadmill during weeks 3-12 of his recovery. His trainer, Eric Sugarman, says:
Adrian was a frequent user of the HydroWorx pool, especially during the early phases of the rehabilitation process. The HydroWorx pool was a huge asset and certainly played a role in Adrian’s safe recovery.
Adrian had to re-train his body to support his weight. Soon, he was back on land, performing agility drills. And then, 8 months after rehabilitation started, he was back playing in the NFL. On his first day back, Adrian Peterson says:
I just went out and played. I knew the structure of the ligament was good.
Adrian Peterson Workout Routine
Adrian Peterson works with strength coach and personal trainer, Eric Sugarman. Best charachterized by his Oklahoma Sooner’s athletic director, the intangible that Adrian Peterson has is his intrinsic drive. Adrian Peterson workouts can last for up to six hours!
Sources for the Adrian Peterson workout routine include:
- Interviews with Adrian Peterson
- Interviews with his trainer, Eric Sugarman
- Muscle and Fitness Magazine
- NFL Network and ESPN News stories
Some of the keys to Adrian Peterson’s workout:
- Focus on proper form, over heavier weight.
- Add a weight vest to your running and conditioning workouts.
- Use a foam roller for pre-and post-workout stretching.
- After practice, continue to run on the field, even when your teammates are done.
- Get access to a cold tub, to cool your muscles after practice.
Monday Workout Routine = Conditioning & Upper Body
- 5 x 400 yard sprints
- 4 x 300 yard sprints
- 3 x 100 yard sprints
- 10 x 10 yard starts
- 1 hour break for recovery
- Dumbbell Shrugs (1 set of 10)
- Barbell Bench Press (3 sets of 10)
- Incline Bench Press (3 sets of 10)
- Shoulder Press (3 sets of 10)
- Triceps Push-downs (3 sets of 10)
- Cable Crossovers (3 sets of 10)
- Reverse Flys (3 sets of 10)
Tuesday Workout Routine = Lower Body & Agility Drills
- Lunges
- Single-leg Squats
- Barbell Squat
- Hamstring Leg Curls
- Calf Raises
- 1 hour break followed by Agility drills:
- Cone drills, (Circle, Square, sideline to sideline)
- Direction change drills
- Knee box ups
- Half-gashers
- Three-trippers
- 4×20 yard Shuffles
On Squats, Adrian Peterson says he maxxed around 540 lbs. in college, but hasn’t tried since. Usually, he is focused on proper form and higher reps. Therefore, he usually stick to 315 lb. reps when doing squats.
Wednesday Workout Routine = Conditioning & Back and Biceps
- 5 x 400 yard sprints
- 4 x 300 yard sprints
- 3 x 100 yard sprints
- 10 x 10 yard starts
- 1 hour break for recovery
- Pull-Ups (2 sets of 20)
- Chin-Ups (2 sets of 20)
- Lateral Raise (3 sets of 10)
- Seated Cable Rows (3 sets of 10)
- Lat Pull-downs (3 sets of 10)
- Dumbbell Bicep Curls (3 sets of 10)
Thursday Workout Routine = Conditioning & Upper Body
- 5 x 400 yard sprints
- 4 x 300 yard sprints
- 3 x 100 yard sprints
- 10 x 10 yard starts
- 1 hour break for recovery
- Dumbbell Shrugs (1 set of 10)
- Barbell Bench Press (3 sets of 10)
- Incline Bench Press (3 sets of 10)
- Shoulder Press (3 sets of 10)
- Triceps Push-downs (3 sets of 10)
- Cable Crossovers (3 sets of 10)
- Reverse Flys (3 sets of 10)
Friday Workout Routine = Lower Body & Agility Drills
- Lunges
- Single-leg Squats
- Barbell Squat
- Hamstring Leg Curls
- Calf Raises
- 1 hour break followed by Agility drills:
- Cone drills, (Circle, Square, sideline to sideline)
- Direction change drills
- Knee box ups
- Half-gashers
- Three-trippers
- 4×20 yard Shuffles
Great story thank you thank you thank you to all those who put work into this. This is so inspiring for those who have things in their lives to over come. Adrian is my new favorite sports Man!!!
Thanks Brian! He has my vote for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year. Though, I wouldn’t mind him sharing either award with Peyton Manning.
Thank you a lot for sharing this, didn’t know about all the trouble in his personal life.
What is the reps and set range on the legs workout ?
Adrian Peterson never revealed what reps and ranges he used for his leg workouts. This could be because, due to his injury, it evolved over time. Opt for the traditional bodybuilding routines:
Training for Strength: 2-6 reps for 4-6 sets. Rest 2 min.
Training for Muscle Growth: 8-12 reps for 3-5 sets. Rest 1 min.