On the Ball: New York Jets Player Quincy Enunwa Shares His Tips for Keeping Fit on the Road

Whilst travel is not possible for most of us in the current situation, these tips on keeping fit from a pro NFL player can still help you stay fit and active during lockdown.

Travel is without doubt a privilege. However, for all the joy it can bring, it often disrupts the routines of daily life. For those who travel regularly for business or pleasure, it can be tough to maintain your commitment to fitness and regular exercise.

With that, imagine the challenges of being a professional athlete. Their fitness level is critical to their livelihood and their profession requires them to be in peak physical shape when traveling for an away game. Even on vacation, athletes simply cannot ignore their fitness.

We spoke with the New York Jets standout receiver Quincy Enunwa, to get his insider secrets on how to balance keeping fit with the demands of traveling.

About Quincy

At 26 years old, Quincy has been the top wide receiver for the New York Jets since being drafted in 2014, after a record setting career at Nebraska. He possesses unique speed and strength, and that’s why he’s recognized as one of the toughest wide receivers to defend in the NFL.

With the demands of the NFL season, Quincy travels to numerous cities away from his base in New York which means he’s on several flights and stays at different hotels every year. Despite this, Quincy aims to maintain his peak performance by sticking to a routine of flexibility and exercise. Here are his tips:

Hotel Room Exercises

Quincy says “I don’t often work out in a hotel room, because we are usually on a pretty rigorous training schedule when we travel, but when I’m on vacation or if I have twenty minutes to spare, I will usually just drop to the floor and do a few stretches. Flexibility is so important to a long healthy career and sitting for long periods of time on flights can make your hips very tight.”

Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch
Seated Hip Stretch
Reclining Angle Bound Pose

On a Plane

According to Quincy, not being cramped on a flight can be tricky: “We’re all big guys in a small space for long hours. I’m not a nervous flyer, but I do like to put my headphones on and zone out to my favorite music – either some RnB like Khalid or some hip hop like Kendrick Lamar. Every hour I try to do some simple exercises like neck rolls, shoulder rolls, calf raises and sometimes even single leg knee hugs, just to make sure I keep my body nice and relaxed.”

Equipment

“For short trips without training involved, I sometimes pack small pieces of equipment to help me stay in shape, like a collapsible roller, a lacrosse ball to really pinpoint the right areas, or resistance bands to get a nice stretch in during my downtime” says Quincy. “The water given on flights usually isn't enough to stay hydrated so I carry my own large water bottle that I fill as I walk through the airport.”