Austin Ekeler, like all of us, stays at home while America continues to practice social distancing in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus (get the latest information on the coronavirus pandemic from CBS News). And as we all adjust to the new standard, Ekeler has found new ways to stay in shape while staying at home.
Ekeler, who recently signed a $ 24 million, four-year deal with the Chargers, has started broadcasting and sharing his workouts on social media, providing options for people looking for new workout ideas during this period.
“Finding a gym is almost impossible. I can run, but I have to keep my weight – not by eating, but by lifting,” said Ekeler in a recent interview with Jeff Tomko of GQ. “I have a few small weights at home. It is not the type of training that I would like to do, but I always engage my muscles.”
Ekeler’s workouts are done by his girlfriend, Taylor Frick, who is a personal trainer. Frick’s plan for Ekeler is “aerobic workouts all over the body, using lots of basic grips and different athletic moments,” said Ekeler. “We did one the other day, and my legs were like Jell-O. You push it all the time. When I finished, I was soaked.
“We did burpees, different types of lunges, pushups and hired our core, all for 30 second intervals. She also likes to do different types of jumps – star jumps, torsional jumps. good functional workouts that increase your heart rate after about 30 seconds. They fit into the type of aerobic movement that I should do as a football player. “
Although training is part of the routine, Ekeler also has a specific diet.
“Taylor is 100% vegan, and I recently became more vegetable in my diet,” said Ekeler. “For me, if you eat things in moderation, your diet should be good. I cut as many fatty and sweet things as possible, processed foods. But every now and then I will have pizza or ice cream. “
While staying at home has its restrictions, that hasn’t stopped Ekeler from doing what he can to prepare for what should be a great year for the future fourth-year veteran. With the departure of Melvin Gordon, Ekeler, who has received 11 starts in his first three seasons, is now back for the Chargers. Ekeler deserved promotion after taking advantage of his ability to start last season during Gordon’s recession. Although he has only started half of the Chargers’ games yet, Ekeler still has a significant impact, totaling 1,550 versatile yards and 11 touchdowns. Ekeler was instrumental in the Chargers’ passing game, capturing 93 passes for 993 yards and eight touchdowns.
Gordon was not the only top teammate Ekeler has lost in recent weeks. Philip Rivers, the Chargers’ quarterback since 2004, signed a one-year contract with the Colts shortly after the start of the new championship year. After playing with a seasoned veteran, it looks like Ekeler will now be mentoring a young quarterback in 2020. While several veteran quarterbacks (including Cam Newton and Jameis Winston) are currently on the market, analysts at CBS Sports, Ryan Wilson and Chris Trapasso both have the Chargers selecting former Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert with the sixth pick overall in their recent simulation projects. This will likely result in a heavier workload for Ekeler, who averages just 148 hits in his first three seasons.
As he continues to prepare (and share) his home workouts for the 2020 season, Ekeler has an answer to the one thing every wearer should do to stay fit during this time.
“Run,” he said, laughing. “I would say running just because you sit so much, and this will engage your whole body. I wouldn’t say that lifting would be absolutely necessary. I think you would need more aerobic activities.”