Colts' Andrew Luck

Andrew Luck On Learning To Take Hits

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Even after extensive scouting, the NFL combine, interviews and all of the hype, first overall draft picks sometimes just don’t work out. It’s rare but it happens. Rarer still is that sometimes those highly scrutinized picks are even better than advertised. Thankfully for the Indianapolis Colts, Andrew Luck is one of the latter. As one of the best young players in the game, the Colts second-year quarterback is surpassing expectations in a big way.

The Colts have a below average defense and an offensive line than allows too many pass rushers get their hands on Luck (he’s one of the most sacked QBs in the NFL). They’re also without future hall-of-famer Reggie Wayne for the season and are missing several other key offensive starters. The big mid-season trade that brought in running back Trent Richardson has been a bust. In spite of all of that, the Colts have a winning record.

With everything wrong with the Colts right now, Luck cannot be blamed for their losses. Their wins however — especially the come-from-behind nail-biters — can be accredited in large part to the 24-year-old. Luck’s good — and he’s getting better.

A lot of his success can be attributed to his attention to detail, his nutritional habits and his dedication to fitness. Along with players like Steve Smith and Alfred Morris, he’s a big supporter of healthy initiatives and has been working closely with Quaker Oats and Fuel Up To Play 60 to promote healthier habits. We recently chatted with Luck about the gear he uses during training, the aspects of his game that he wants to improve and why he puts so much emphasis on a healthy lifestyle.

AskMen (AM): Have you changed your workout routine at all to deal with the hits that you’ve been taking?

Andrew Luck (AL):That’s a really good question. I think I feel fortunate to have been very well educated in terms of strength and training while I was at school at Stanford and I think our strength coaches here on the Colts do a great job. A big part of being able to withstand hits is making sure that you’ve got a good base. You have to make sure that your legs are strong enough to handle getting hit and beat up. If you do get hit, hopefully you can stay up and still get the ball out. You also need to be sure your shoulders — your scaps and everything around your shoulders — are strong so they can withstand getting hit in that area and you can continue to throw the ball. A big part is the day after games when I really try to get in a total body lift to help flush out some of the lactic acid and the bruising that occurs after games. I’ve always felt better doing that lift rather than skipping it and then having the soreness really settle in.



AL: That’s a good idea by Matt — maybe I’ll have to confer with him to see with him what I should do. I’d love to work on balance — balance in all positions.



AM: You gave a big speech at halftime against Tennessee – do you find that you’re evolving as a presence in the locker room?

AL: I think that was a bit of a sensationalized story. There’s a natural evolution as you get older and as you continue to play the position — you become more vocal. I like to think that I’m improving in that area as well as improving my play on the field.



AM: Have you given any fitness advice in locker room? Have you asked for tips?

AL: There’s always good dialogue in the locker room. I like to talk to some of the wide receivers and running backs. I’ve asked Donald Brown, one of our running backs, about running and training in the off-season and about improving quickness and how he handles getting ready. To me it’s amazing how those running backs can play, get hit thirty times and come back the next game and run as hard, if not harder.

AM: Which of your teammates do you think is most dedicated to his conditioning?

AL: LaRon Landry, a safety, is in incredible physical condition — really impressive. Also Anthony Castonzo, the left tackle — I’m very impressed with him. He really sets a great example for how to stay in shape — not only during the off-season but throughout the season, which can be a struggle because of the rhythm of the way things work.



AM: Do you use any nutritional supplements?

AL: I drink a lot of Body Armor — it’s a sports drink. It offers great hydration and it’s the best before/after drink for workouts. Orange mango is my favorite. Strawberry banana is a close second.

AL: Anything that has to do with core. I know it’s so important. It’s vital playing quarterback or doing anything athletic — your core is your base for any movement. But sometimes it’s still hard to work up the motivation to really get after it.



AM: Are there any fitness monitors that you use?

AL: The Nike Fuel Band is interesting — it measures your movements and how far you’ve walked and how hard you’ve worked that day. I prefer using when I travel. It's a fun way to see how far I’ve walked — how many steps I’ve taken when I’m walking around different cities.