Nicknamed as the G.O.A.T (Greatest of All Times), Tom Brady is arguably one of the best quarterbacks ever, if not the best. He, rightfully so, has played a significant role in football and is famous among National Football League lovers. His success in football is evident given the fact that he has won 7 Super Bowls, which is the highest number of wins among all all-time players.
Tom Brady continues to perform against the odds at the National Football League despite being 44 years old.
Who Is Tom Brady?
Tom Brady is a professional football player. He was born on 3rd August 1977 in San Mateo, California, where he grew up and went to school. His full birth name is Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.
Tom currently plays for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, during which he won his most recent and 7th Super Bowl. Previously, He played for New England Patriots, fondly known as Patriots, for 20 seasons, during which he won the other six Super Bowls. He is well known for excellent passing, quarterback intelligence, and leadership skills in leading the team to win championships.
He went to college at the University of Michigan, where he wore number 10 and played quarterback. Then, he wasn’t the legendary player he is today. It was not until his second season that he replaced Drew Bledsoe, who had sustained an injury. During this season, Tom led the Patriots to the playoffs. It was during this time that they also got their first Super Bowl to win.
In addition to winning 7 Super Bowls, Tom Brady has also received titles such as Super Bowl M.V.P. (Most Valuable Person) 5 times. Some of his other most notable records and awards as a professional quarterback include;
- The highest number of a quarterbacking career wins – 263
- The highest number of career Super Bowl competitions – 277
- The highest number of completions in one Super Bowl – 43
- The highest number of to have played at Super Bowls – 10
- The highest number of touchdown passes – 661
- The highest number of passing down touches in a single quarter – 5
Tom Brady’s workout routine and diet plan have played a significant role in helping him achieve remarkable results. Let’s look at the two to understand how he has done it in his 20 years career.
He weighs 225 pounds, and his height is 6’4”. Tom has been a professional player since 2001.
Tom Brady Workout Routine
Alex Guerrero is Tom’s personal trainer. Alex and Brady have been working together for more than 13 years. Alex, together with Tom, founded a company known as TB12. Tom is known for using the TB12 Method, through which he builds muscle flexibility by working out with a variety of resistance bands.
Tom attributes his success as a quarterback to remaining consistent over the last two decades. He has a strict workout routine for enhanced performance and quick recovery. He still works out even during the off-season.
This football legend depends on nine exercise workouts during the football season. In addition, together with his coach, they have built an off-season workout routine that keeps him fit and helps with a quicker recovery process. He performs a set of each of the nine exercises quickly, aiming to reach the maximum number of reps till he is tired. Tom does not count the number of reps and keeps going with the particular exercise till he breaks down.
In his exercises, Tom is very keen on maintaining a proper form. He says that failing to be in proper form conditions the body out of balance. As such, he starts his exercises in a biometrically neutral position by having his shoulders over hips, hips over his knees, knees over feet, and a firm core.
Here are seven exercises that Tom Brady incorporates in his workout routine and are a part of the TB12 Method.
Warm-Up
Warm-up is a crucial part of all kinds of exercise. It helps the body relax and increases blood flow in readiness for intense workouts.
Tom starts his warm-ups using a TB12 Vibrating Pliability Roller to rejuvenate and prepare his muscles and nervous system for the workouts.
The second part of his warm-ups is attaching resistance bands on his shoulders, forming an X shape across his chest. He then runs in place till his body thoroughly warms up.
Banded Standing Row
Standing rows are highly effective in getting the body moving pretty fast. Its primary focus is on making the upper body pretty energetic while keeping the lower body stable.
He anchors the handle looped bands to his chest achieving a high chest posture and a straight spine. He then maintains an athletic position with tight glutes, a tight core, and the elbows tight towards the body in a position similar to when doing rows.
Banded Push-up
He loops a band behind his back and beneath the armpits in this exercise. He then holds the band’s two ends of the loops below the palms as if in a push-up position. The next step is to tighten the glutes and abs upon achieving this position. The sequence of exercises in this exercise makes it excellent and functional training for conditioning and strengthening.
Banded Core Rotations
Here, he starts by maintaining an ideal athletic posture by having the core engaged and hips back. Next, both hands will grip the loop or handle, and he will bring the arms out towards the front while keeping them straight. As he pulls the band across his chest, he at the same time rotates his torso and increases the frequency of doing so.
Deadlift
Brady starts by placing both his feet over a band and proceeds to hold the band’s ends with his hands and manipulates its slack till it gets taut. Next, he assumes a squat position while keeping his back flat and pushing the hips forward while pulling up using the band.
Bicep Curl
This exercise involves placing the band on the floor and placing feet on it, with the feet being shoulder-width apart. Next, hold the band using the hands and bring it up towards the waist line. Once in this position, do curls.
Banded Triceps Extension
As with the bicep curls, this exercise involves placing the feet on the floor apart in width, similar to the shoulders. However, one extends the band overhead via triceps press while keeping the knees bent for this exercise.
Deceleration Lunges
Loop a resistance band around a solid spot and loop it around the waist. Next, the exercise, step backwards using one knee till it almost hardly touches the ground, then return to the initial position. Keep switching the legs while repeating the exercise.
Banded Shoulder Press
Step on the band on the ground and pull it upwards towards your shoulders. Keep the glutes and core engaged to ensure that you benefit from functional strengthening.
X Band Squat
Brady places a small looped band around the legs but above the knees. Having another band on the floor, he steps on it and, sticking the butt outwards, performs squats. Keep squeezing the glutes while in this position.
Check out Tom’s setup, a great video by Men’s Health:
Tom Brady Diet Plan
Tom has a slim physique despite his younger days’ body being famous for looking lanky and awkward when he started playing for N.F.L. Over the years, he has worked on his form and fine-tuned it to look significantly better as he does today. His dedication to a proper diet has played a significant role in addition to his regular workouts.
His TB12 diet mainly consists of whole foods. It helps reduce inflammation, bolster performance, and improve energy levels, among other benefits.
Here are the guiding principles of Tom Brady’s diet plan that have worked for him.
- Eat whole foods that are organic, seasonal, and locally grown as much as you can
- Do not eat your fruits with other foods
- Avoid added sugars, processed foods, caffeine, trans fats, artificial sweeteners, iodized salt, alcohol, dairy, monosodium glutamate, foods with G.M.O.s, soy, or gluten, and nightshade vegetables
- Try to schedule your meals and mealtime. In addition, avoid eating within 3 hours before going to bed
- Daily, drink the water of an amount equal to a minimum of half your body’s weight. You should also avoid taking water when eating or around your meal times
- Don’t eat high protein foods with carb-heavy foods such as bread and brown rice
Here’s an idea of what Tom Brady’s daily meals looks like.
Breakfast- A fruit smoothie
Post-workout – A protein shake
Lunch – Vegetables plus fish
Dinner – Soup broth plus vegetables
What Tom Brady Avoids
Tom avoids a variety of food items, including;
- Iodised salt
- Processed foods
- Dairy
- Artificial ingredients
- M.S.G.
- White flour
- White sugar
Tom Brady Supplements
Tom takes supplements to weigh in on his diet and workout program. The leading supplements he takes are electrolytes, protein shakes, and multivitamins.
- Electrolytes: They keep his body hydrated before, during, and after the workout sessions. They play a role in aiding many functions of the body and help it retain fluids during the exercises. In addition, electrolytes keep his joints lubricated to help him keep going for longer before fatigue kicks in.
- Multivitamins: These supplements are a part of most bodybuilders’ diets. They protect his body from suffering from oxidative stress. Further, they promote the repair and synthesis of new muscle tissues.
- Protein Shakes: Protein shakes have a ton of benefits for builders. They enhance performance, speed up recovery, and also promote muscle gain. In addition, they also prevent muscle loss which is vital for Tom Brady.
Conclusion
Tom Brady is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable quarterbacks ever. He has various awards to show for it and has made incredible wins in the football game. His diet and workout routine are a core part of helping him achieve this immense success.
We trust you have learnt more of Brady’s exercises and diet plan from this article. In his book ‘The TB12 Method’, released in 2017, he also covers this in detail.
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.