The Baltimore Ravens middle linebacker dishes out punishment like fresh bread at a soup festival. If you wonder why the 16-year veteran is still going strong, check out this workout. Email More by Roger Lockridge Jan 20, 2012 You're a rookie tailback for the Cleveland Browns. You've been riding pine all season, but the starter just went down with a broken clavicle. You're up. The QB calls your number: iso up the strong-side A gap.
Your football life flashes before you: pee-wees with your dad, high school outrunning those chumps from across the valley, university where you broke records, tore your hammy and met all those girls, draft day, training camp, practice squad ... and this.
Your entire life built to this moment, and you know with all certainty who awaits you on the other side of the scrimmage line, the abominable Ray Lewis.
Lewis puts into question the life of every skill player on every team he faces. He's taken grown men to the ground 2,000 times in his hall of fame career (more than 1,500 solo tackles). He pulverizes receivers and smashes through blocks like a freight train through a phone booth.
The ten-time All-Pro, 13-time pro-bowl linebacker has roamed NFL grids since 1996. He's a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and the second linebacker in history* to win the Super Bowl MVP Award.
Ray Lewis is the baddest badass.
Becoming one of the best linebackers to ever cleat a field isn't easy, and it doesn't happen by accident. Like any stage-worthy bodybuilder, Ray Lewis knows the importance of consistent training, nutrition and supplementation.
He dials all three to max levels. He must reach peak performance whenever the pigskin flies. Even during the offseason, Lewis's life and livelihood depend on his athletic preparation and ability.
Lewis is a legend for a reason. During the offseason, he rests on neither haunches nor laurels. He strives to better his performance each and every day. To get there, he personally develops his own plans.
Elite Athletic TrainingMost workout plans cover weight training and cardio; they cater to people training to lose weight or build muscle. The general populace schedules these workouts around work and commitments. Guys like Ray Lewis work out because it IS work. NFL work days can last as long as eight, ten, or even 12 hours (with breaks) or more when you include film study.
Football players drill plays, moves, alignment, adjustments, footwork, handwork, and brain work. They lift weights, run coordination drills, lift weights, run cardio, stretch, lift weights, hit the training room (ice baths!) and then add more cardio.
Nothing but world-class training is acceptable. You are required to train with world-class effort and intensity or you won't last a minute behind "The Shield."
Athletes train more for function than aesthetic effect. Lewis said, "I can train and diet to make my abs look good, but my position calls for me to have a strong core, which means I need to focus more on function than looks."
Ray Lewis on His WorkoutsWatch The Video - 00:58
Touchdown Nutrition
Lewis preached his entire career about the importance of healthy nutrition. The philosophy you hear him constantly reiterate is that "the body is a temple." He takes care of his body. He feeds it quality calories. He drinks at least a gallon of water per day, if not two.
Lewis keeps his protein high to feed his muscles, spur growth and facilitate exercise and workout recovery. All of his meals contain carbohydrates, the body's preferred source of energy, to fuel the repeated sprints demanded by football.
Ray Lewis on Nutrition: "Your body's your temple"Watch The Video - 01:05
Sport Supplementation
It's no secret that dietary supplements have come under a lot of scrutiny over the years, especially for pro athletes. One misstep can end a career. In some cases, even certain legal supplements are banned by the NFL, which makes the subject especially tricky to navigate.
Ray Lewis uses only league-approved supplements. These are foundational supplements like a multivitamin, protein and pre-workout. Such products support the intense training and grueling practice of a pro baller. Lewis specifically uses a pre-workout formula from Twinlab, called Power Fuel.
TwinLab Power FuelInspired by the passion of legendary football star Ray Lewis, this pre-training formula is designed to help get you in 'the ZONE' - the perfect intersection of intensity, strength, stamina, focus and electric energy that helps you achieve a maximum state of peak performance.** The Ray Lewis WorkoutHow hard does Ray Lewis train? Running backs and receivers steer clear of him on the playing field, and his friends avoid training with him in gym. It's too hard, too intense.
This workout hits your entire body. Save for dips, every move uses dumbbells. He starts with 80-pound dumbbells and bumps the weight up 10 pounds per side for each subsequent set - until the fifth set, when he goes back to his original weight for a final burn set.
Lewis doesn't rest between sets. He jumps rope or bounces on a mini-trampoline. "I don't train for a sport and I don't train to a number of reps," he says. "I train to failure." When all is said and done, workouts like this take the Baltimore Basher a good 120 minutes.
Ray Lewis Workout:
Dumbbell Bench Press5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps (80, 90, 100, 110, 80 lbs)
Incline Dumbbell Press5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps (80, 90, 100, 110, 80 lbs)
Dumbbell Bicep Curl5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps (80, 90, 100, 110, 80 lbs)
Dumbbell Shrug5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps (80, 90, 100, 110, 80 lbs)
Bench Dips5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps 
Dumbbell Squat5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps (80, 90, 100, 110, 80 lbs)
Bent Over Two-Dumbbell Row5 sets of 22, 12, 10, 8, 22 reps (80, 90, 100, 110, 80 lbs)
*Chuck Howley was named MVP of Super Bowl V (1971) for the Dallas Cowboys.
** These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Related Articles Tips & Drills For Football Receivers! Denver Broncos Flexibility Development! Bodybuilding During Football Season! View All Football Articles About The Author Roger Lockridge VIEW AUTHOR PAGE Bodybuilding is the reason I am who I am today. I am more confident in myself, actually looking for the next challenge, and inspiring others. 
View All Articles By This Author --> RATE THIS ARTICLE POOR 12345678910 EXCELLENT OVERALL RATING N/A Out of 10
3 Ratings
Rep Power: 10
rep this user Asgardian I'm a huge Ravens fan! So I just might try this at some point!
Article Rated: 6 Jan 21, 2012 2:31am | report BodyStats 5 '10", 165 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user megaman1983 I think this looks like a great workout and ill probably do it today or tommorow.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 2:52am | report BodyStats 6 '2", 330 lbs 35% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 32
rep this user ask4itall I love the concept of: "I don't train to a number of reps...I train to failure."
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 6:11am | report BodyStats 5 '11", 186 lbs up 13 lbs 11% BF Permalink You, wrightbody, jackknife, and 4 others like this
Rep Power: 10
rep this user Pacaveli27 So do I. I also love the fact that he said "you have to keep your body guessing". There's so much truth in that statement.
Jan 21, 2012 5:12pm | report BodyStats 6 ', 287.6 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user alexw87 Def gonna try this workout today
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 8:59am | report BodyStats 6 '2", 332.2 lbs 24% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user SupaDwatsgood That's what I'm talking about!! He is a football monster who scares the crap out of opponents by Dancing!!!
Article Rated: 10 Jan 21, 2012 9:59am | report BodyStats 6 ', 225 lbs Permalink You, wrightbody, jackknife, and 4 others like this Rep Power: 10
rep this user SupaDwatsgood watch a Ray Lewis highlight video and see if you can keep from tearing some steel apart!!!
Jan 21, 2012 10:03am | report BodyStats 6 ', 225 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user jedwardflores Ray Lewis is the epitome of intensity! God fearing mind you! That many years in the league is god given talent!! Then for someone to come on here and say a idiot remark about Ray Lewis is just childish. Young man you need to be more respectful. RECOGNIZE BOY!!! You need to learn a lot about respect. Youngsters...Wtf!
Jan 22, 2012 5:46pm | report BodyStats 5 '4", 139 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user CAMARODANABLE Ray Lewis is exactly what an athlete should be: Motivated, Intense, Respectful but Opinionated, Team Oriented and Consistently A BEAST on the field!!
Jan 24, 2012 4:51pm | report BodyStats 5 '9", 182 lbs 7% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user krysztof He is more than a football player he is an entertainer, a showman.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 11:15am | report BodyStats 5 '6", 210.32 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user proxlamus Interesting article..
but that's all he does for leg and core strength? dumbbell rows squats?! I feel like this workout is incomplete.. missing a few pages?
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 11:24am | report BodyStats 6 ', 162 lbs 9% BF Permalink You, wrightbody, jackknife, and 4 others like this
Rep Power: 257215
rep this user jpladers40 I'd ***ume this is his in-season workout. For football players, training is vastly different depending on the time of year. He probably only uses it to maintain a specified level of conditioning. I'm sure his off-season program is completely different.
Jan 21, 2012 3:14pm | report BodyStats 6 '2", 205 lbs 7% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user mrwill I didn't know he only ate fish, and still maintained his heavy weight. I may slack off the beef now.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 3:43pm | report BodyStats 5 '8", 200 lbs up 5 lbs 19% BF Permalink Rep Power: 10
rep this user Pacaveli27 Being a Steelers fan I'm supposed to hate all things Ravens, but I've been a Lewis fan for YEARS and this will definitely be another workout added to my list to do after I get done with MRT.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 21, 2012 5:10pm | report BodyStats 6 ', 287.6 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user housedealer05 I wish I had Ray Lewis' intensity! What a beast!
Rep Power: 10
rep this user davidboutte No problem until you get to curls with 80-110 lb dumbbells
Article Rated: 0 Jan 22, 2012 12:36pm | report BodyStats 6 ', 208 lbs 8% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user kbrenn9 i love Ray Lewis!!!
Article Rated: 0 Jan 22, 2012 3:54pm | report BodyStats 5 '7", 140 lbs up 15 lbs 25% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user michaelte9910 Just did this workout. Great burn only rested 30 sec. in between sets and 2 mins between excersizes since im trying to burn fat. Thought it was pretty good might be good to incorporate a few times a month.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 23, 2012 7:48am | report BodyStats 6 ', 248.2 lbs up 18.2 lbs Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user rgbyskip He is a beast! But not going to the Super Bowl. No set reps, great concept
Article Rated: 0 Jan 23, 2012 8:28am | report BodyStats 6 ', 219 lbs 13% BF Permalink Rep Power: 10
rep this user rgbyskip If Mr Lewis ever reads that, im probably going to be hunted down.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 23, 2012 8:30am | report BodyStats 6 ', 219 lbs 13% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user islandbwoi18 dude is a beast
Article Rated: 0 Jan 24, 2012 2:50pm | report BodyStats 5 '8", 154 lbs up -13.2 lbs 18% BF Permalink Rep Power: 10
rep this user snowman76 This guy is a monster on the football field, and a really nice guy off of it! I was so sad that he is not going to the Super Bowl. I have been using that Power Fuel that Ray Lewis takes, and it is a really great formula. Not too much caffeine, so I can take it at night. It has a good carb blend, and it has Beta Alanine! I am switching between this pre-workout formula, and ***ault. I like them both.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 24, 2012 4:30pm | report BodyStats 6 '1", 190 lbs 9% BF Permalink Rep Power: 10
rep this user CAMARODANABLE Muscle confusion!! You hit the nail on the head Ray! You motivate me!!!
Article Rated: 0 Jan 24, 2012 4:46pm | report BodyStats 5 '9", 182 lbs 7% BF Permalink
Rep Power: 10
rep this user vanloozen The way he stepped right up to protect his kicker with total sincerity shows that there is still a whole lot right with pro
athletes and I'll be a Ray Lewis fan for life!!
Rep Power: 10
rep this user Orange77 Not a ravens fan but Ray Lewis is a terror on the field and looks like in the gym as well. I love a good workout so I will have to give this a try.
Article Rated: 0 Jan 26, 2012 6:33am | report BodyStats 5 '7", 162 lbs 23% BF Permalink Showing 1 - 25 of 32 Comments Previous 1 Next Previous 1 2 Next Next --> .wicket-modal { padding:5px }.wicket-modal .w_content_1 { background-color:white } Featured Product
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