Most 49ers fans surely have stumbled upon Trent Williams' viral workout videos. You know the clips, where the teams new left tackle squats 585 pounds and then cruises over hurdles and atop boxes like a rabbit with springs in his shoes.
Check them out below if you havent. If scrolling down isnt in your immediate future, trust the fact they show an unreal combination of power and agility for someone so big.
The 6-foot-5, 320-pound seven-time Pro Bowler is an athletic outlier, but genetics alone didnt push the bending barbell up four times with ease. Getting in this type of shape took tons of hard work during a period where he had plenty of time to relax and didnt take it.
James Cooper is a private personal trainer to star athletes. He detailed how the 31-year-old Williams got into the best shape of his life and wants to reward the 49ers for acquiring him in an NFL draft-day trade.
His return to the sport comes after a dark year without playing a football game while withholding services from Washington during a dramatic rift, and then reporting after the trade deadline only to never play a snap.
Even with all this uncertainty and a deal not getting done [last year and earlier this offseason], it was never worry, worry, worry, Cooper said. He kept a good attitude about it. It was positive the entire time.
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Williams said he feels rejuvenated by the fresh start, that he feels 25 at age 31. Thats a product of the work he and Cooper have done over the past year to always stay ready in case a trade came while improving his fitness and agility over the longer-term.
His body has had time not only to rest and heal, but it has had a lot of time to grow, Cooper said. We had time to work on this through a progression far longer than we would do even in a regular offseason.
Williams has known Cooper a long time now, after an introduction facilitated by good friend Adrian Peterson.
Williams and Peterson first met briefly during high school days in Texas, before teaming up at the University of Oklahoma, where they were neighbors. The friendship never ceased. They played together again in Washington and recently opened a massive, full-service gym together in Houston.
Theres a strong bond between Williams and Peterson, so the Cooper recommendation carried serious weight. They started working together after Williams first professional season, when the weight room wasnt his strong suit.
Williams wasnt anywhere near the strength level he retains today but quickly improved under Coopers at-times tough approach. Even as Williams improved, Cooper didnt want over-confidence to shut down his drive.
I like to keep him in check by letting him know about [Hall of Fame left tackle] Orlando Pace, who I used to work with, Cooper said. Id say, Youre not the first big guy with such agility, but I have to say that Trent is more agile and more nimble than Orlando. Hes somewhat freakish. I hate to use that word because I dont want to give him a big head, but he is.
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Williams made steady progress during his work with Cooper, but that connection became vital while he was away from football and NFL strength programs. He had to stay in superb shape should his status change, and he had to be ready to go at a moments notice and without an NFL preseason.
Cooper had experience with that situation, when Peterson was on the commissioners exempt list and then suspended during the 2014 season following a no-contest plea to child abuse charges.
Cooper didnt just work Williams out heading into the 2019 season. It was a lot more involved than that.
I told Trent that we had to have our own camp, Cooper said. We had to be up at a certain time. We had to be consistent with all the little things that are going to matter down the road. We had to keep his body and mind going by developing a routine. It couldnt just be him hitting the weight room. It had to be more, and I had to press on him a little bit.
Williams had film study sessions each day. He and Cooper engaged in an hour of combative movement specific to his position. They hit the weight room hard. They ran and ran, both sprints and long distances up to three miles per day. They were in Los Angeles for a time and would haul through Runyan Canyon on a daily basis and push each day to keep his mind sharp and his body as ready as possible for football.
The workouts continued even as trade rumors swirled but deals were never completed. Williams focused on the strides he could make and continued getting stronger while improving footwork and speed.
Trent is a professional, Cooper said. Hes not one of those guys says he can do whatever he wants because hes Trent Williams. He listens. When I say jump, he says how high?
I have put 600 pounds on the bar, and he has no problem with it. Ive put as much as 700 on there for single and double reps, but he will also willingly run three miles. How many linemen of his age and experience, with all of his accolades, will do something like that? Or 300-meter sprints? Hes competitive with it. He wont beat a receiver, but hell beat every lineman you put up against him. The important part about his mentality is that hes huge but still wants to move like a little guy.
As you can see here (as promised above):
Thats a staple of mine and what has allowed me to play through some of the injuries Ive been able to play through, Williams said. Thats something that has continued to allow me to grow as a player, so I remain heavily invested in sharpening my tools.
They have a razors edge right now, and Coopers ready to see those traits applied in Williams chosen profession.
His body, right now, is rested and ready to go, Cooper said. The 49ers are going to see a refreshed, agile player who can go, go and go. Im excited to see how all of his extra strength and speed will look on the field. I know hes excited about that, too.
See the rest here:
How 49ers' Williams stayed in elite shape during year away - NBCSports.com
