The workout Patrick Mahomes relies on to stay an offensive weapon relies on medicine balls and a cable machine. Try it on for size.
Most football workouts require heaving heavy metal. The workout Patrick Mahomes relies on to stay lightning fast and keep his arm firing like a cannon revolves around explosive power. That’s not to say the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback doesn’t lift heavy; he’s deadlifting 550 pounds. But his long-time trainer, Bobby Stroupe, founder of APEC in Texas, prioritizes medicine ball work for its ability to train Mahomes to generate power from all angles. He implements med ball training two times a week, year round, whether in-season or off. They’ll work through roughly 20 different med ball exercises (think throws, rotational passes, and shot-puts), with weight ranging from heavy to light.
“It’s a great way to engage the same muscles as the football with a different kind of implementation,” Stroupe says.
It appears to be working. In 2020, when Patrick Mahomes was just 24 years old, he became the youngest quarterback in NFL history to nab the holy trinity: a Super Bowl title, Super Bowl MVP award, and a league MVP award. He’s a naturally gifted athlete, totaling 2,159 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns, and a 109.5 quarterback rating in the 2022-23 season, but he’s also a voracious competitor.
“Patrick doesn’t want to lose at anything,” Stroupe says.
His NFL record is a good indicator of that. Mahomes secured his second ring with a 38-35 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII. The game was a nail-biter, with the lead volleying back and forth between the two well-matched teams. We spoke to Stroupe all about Mahomes’ prep work, including training strategies, recovery methods, and on-field rituals. Read what it takes to build a Super Bowl MVP, and try one of Mahomes’ very own workouts.
Patrick Mahomes’ Explosive Power Workout
What you’ll need: Access to a cable machine and medicine balls (10 to 20 pounds).
What it works: These exercises mobilize the thoracic spine (upper and middle part of back), increase core and arm strength, improve rotational force, and foster explosive power.
How to do it: This workout is broken down into supersets, which means you’ll do two paired exercises back-to-back with no rest. Complete 3 sets of 6 reps for the pair before moving onto the next superset. Rest 1 minute between supersets.
