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Saquon Barkley may be the fittest player in the NFL. The New York Giants running back is listed at 6' 0" and 230 pounds, but he plays as if he's much bigger, easily knocking over linebackers and defenders.
Barkley generally gets a lot of attention for his powerful legs as a running back and set a bunch of records as a rookie, thanks to his impressive speed. The Pro Bowler and former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year recently shared a series of photos of his upper body on Twitter.
The shirtless photos, taken during what appeared to be footwork drills at Quest Diagnostics Training Center, show the NFL superstar's defined chest, jacked biceps, and shredded six-pack abs.
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Barkley's offseason training regimen for blasting his chest, back, core, and arms, as well as maintaining his athleticism, appears to be paying off.
Barkley's last two years have been somewhat jinxed — he tore his ACL in a 2020 game against the Chicago Bears and rolled his ankle in a 2021 game against the Dallas Cowboys. However, these photos show that he's fighting fit and raring to return to action.
On that note, let's have a look at his workout routine:
Saquon Barkley's Workout Routine
Saquon Barkley demonstrated his strength in college by setting a football team record with a 405-pound power clean, ranking third in the all-time heaviest squat list. Barkley's nickname in the NFL is "Quads" or "Sa-Quads" because of his muscular legs, and he has discovered some workouts that help him keep them that way over the years.
Squats and hex-bar deadlifts are two of Barkley's favorite exercises, as they help him build explosive leg strength. That's critical for Barkley's position, as he's constantly changing directions and looking for new ways to make big gains.
"Because of the position I play, I try to be an explosive athlete," Barkley says.
Squats are essential for Barkley to build quad strength. He can squat up to 650-700 pounds. He says that his aim isn't to bulk up or become a musclehead; rather, those 650-pound lifts help him run past a 350-pound defensive tackle.
He can make himself explosive enough to make a linebacker miss and jump over tacklers if he can do a 400-pound power clean, Barkey says. All that paid off for Barkley in his rookie season with the Giants, as he led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Saquon Barkley posted his offseason workout routine on the New York Giants' YouTube channel, revealing how he gets so strong. Barkley said in the video that he has changed his training this year and has got a new trainer Ryan Flaherty, who has challenged him with new workouts.
"(He's) making sure I stay on track with my goals. I'm working hard to stay in shape for the entire 20-week season — preseason and postseason," Barkley said.
Let's take a look at some of his favorite exercises to train his legs:
Squats
When most people think of a weighted squat, they think of the back squat. It's an excellent progression from the basic bodyweight squat. You will gain strength in your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core, as well as increase your power.
To get started:
- Load the barbell safely onto your traps and shoulders. Stand with your toes shoulder-width apart, toes slightly out, core braced, and chest lifted.
- Begin with a basic squat — hips back, knees bent, ensuring they fall out rather than in. Stop when your thighs are parallel to the ground.
- To return to the starting position, push through your entire foot.
Hex Bar Deadlifts
Here's how you do hex bar deadlifts:
- Choose your weight. Beginners, practice the form with just the hex bar before adding weight plates. Make sure your hex bar is flipped over if you're not using high handles.
- Step into the hexagon's center to get to the starting position. You should have your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hinge forward at the hips so that your buttocks protrude behind you. Slightly bend your knees so that you can grab the hex bar. Maintain a flat back and a raised chest.
- With a shoulder-width grip, grab the high handles or the hexagon's outsides. With your palms facing your body, use a neutral grip.
- To get the hex bar off the ground, push through the soles of your feet. During the first part of the move, keep your shins perpendicular to the floor and knees stationary.
- Unbend your knees once your upper body is nearly completely straight. Holding the weight in front of your thighs is best.
- Lower the weight in the same manner: hip hinge, butt out, knees bent.
Takeaway
Saquon Barkley's 'tree trunk' quads have inspired numerous memes, and he also uses a variety of other exercises like the Bulgarian split squat to build strength and size, box jump variations for explosive power, and Nordic hamstring curls, a highly challenging move also favored by fellow pro football player Tyreek Hill.
