To be able to handle world-class wide receivers and tight ends, like Redskins cornerback Josh Norman does on a weekly basis during the regular season, he has to be able to handle the physical portion of the game of football, not just the mental.
Norman's already shown himself to be a gym rat since arriving with the Redskins back in April. In a series of "NFL Up!" videos, Norman puts his physical talents and gifts on display, giving fans an inside look at how he prepares for battle each and every Sunday.
The first video shows Norman, and one of his brothers, working through an "Upper Body Circuit," with Eric Johnson from Georgia Sports Performance. The first part of the circuit consists of Norman doing pushups.
Norman begins in pushup position with his hands at shoulder width, then he lowers his body to the floor in a controlled motion for 10 reps.
The next part of the circuit has Norman in a single arm roll.
He begins the exercise with one hand and one knee on the workout bench, while his other foot is on the ground, and the weight is in his free hand. Norman bends his arm and lifts the weight, holding it in for two seconds. Norman then lowers the weight down in a controlled motion. He does five reps of this for each arm.
The third part of the circuit has Norman doing a shoulder press.
Norman begins the exercise in a seated position on the bench with the weights resting on his shoulders. Norman then pushes the weights straight up in the air and holds them for two seconds. Norman then lowers the weights down to head height and holds them for another two seconds. He repeats this for 10 reps.
The fourth part of the circuit has Norman working on his triceps.
Norman has his arms behind him, and he has his feet planted on the ground and his knees at a 90-degree angle. Norman then lowers his body until his elbows are at a 90-degree angle. He returns to the starting position and does this for 25 reps.
The final part of the circuit has Norman doing bicep curls.
In this exercise, Norman lifts the weights over his head with his arms bent. Norman then lowers his arms and immediately performs a bicep curl for 10 reps.
"That workout we just did, it's dynamics of how you do a low-impact workout with your upper body," Norman said. "I didn't have no injuries, or no setbacks in my arms because I worked at them almost every single day. I was able to see that transition into my game. To see the workout I just did, do that and put it on repeat, and just see the results from it."
The second video features Norman taking part in a "Reactive Wall Ball Drill."
In this drill, Norman stands anywhere between 5-10 feet away from the wall that Johnson bounces the tennis balls off of. Norman then has to react to the balls coming off the wall and catch them.
This is a drill that Norman's been doing for about two years, and he says it's helped him tremendously.
"They [tennis balls] pretty much help me in my game: hand-eye coordination, [and to] go up and get the ball, and pinpoint it and come down at the right time," Norman said. "Everything that I've done, I'm pretty much implementing this into my regimen of training, and it's [proved] out to be a huge success. As you see, these turnovers don't happen by chance. You've gotta work at [them] man."
