It doesn't matter how good your Quarterback is, if your team doesn't have some awesome wide receivers then your chances of scoring points are going to be badly affected. To be a wide receiver you have to have a number of standout qualities. You have to be quick, strong and agile and this means they have to train and eat in a particular way to make sure to perform at their best.
Eat Like A Wide Receiver
Wide receivers have to maintain a lean physique, as it is important for them to retain the ability to change direction quickly and be one of the fastest players on the pitch. To make it as a pro, a wide receiver has got to be able to run the 40 yard dash in consistently less than 4.5 seconds. To do this they can't be carrying a lot of body fat. This means they have to stick to strict diet to maintain their lean physique.
? Protein
This will keep from lean protein sources, such as chicken and tuna. Processed meat certainly won't be part of a wide receivers diet. The average wide receiver weighs 215 lb. The recommended daily amount of protein for those involved in physical activity is 1 g per lb of bodyweight, so a wide receiver will be looking to consume around 215 g of protein everyday to maintain lean muscle mass.
? Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are important as the main source of energy for the body, but where you get your carbohydrates can vary. There are 'good' carbohydrates and 'bad'. You should be looking to consume a majority of 'good' carbohydrates, such as brown rice, wholemeal pasta and sweet potatoes. These complex carbohydrates will provided the body with an excellent source of energy.
The recommened daily intake (RDI) for carbohydrates is 3.5 g per lb of bodyweight. This means a wide receiver will be looking to consume 753 g of carbohydrates per day.
? Fats
Despite looking to maintain a lean physique, fats will still be an important part of a wide receivers diet. You should be looking to consume 0.4 g of fat per lb of bodyweight, meaning a 215 lb wide receiver will be consuming 86 g of fat. This can come from a variety of sources.
A wide receiver needs to track what they eat on a daily basis carefully to make sure they're consuming the right sort of nutrients and the right amount. So if you want to eat like a wide receiver, make sure you're calculating your macros everyday.
Train Like A Wide Receiver
For a wide receiver they have to train for strength, speed, agility and jumping to catch the ball. These are a variety of skills, which are developed through a specific way of training.
? In The Gym
The most important for a wide receiver is maintaining a lean, muscular physique. To do this involves higher reps and focusing on an explosive rep, followed by a controlled, slow decline. This means less training will be focused on heavy lifts in the low rep range, as the main goal of a wide receivers training will be focused on explosive power.
This doesn't mean that the weight they lift is light, definitely not. Wide receivers will be able to bench over 240 lbs and squat over 315 lbs.
? Sprints & Catching
Sprinting and footwork will make up a great deal of a wide receivers time during practice, alongside catching the ball on the move.
The most important skill to develop is the ability to run whilst paying attention to the ball and making the catch. This is one of the hardest things as a wide receiver, especially when you know you could get crunched by the opposition if you fail to find space.
A great way to work on this is to get a friend to act as the QB and just practice running various plays and practice catching the ball. To make it harder you can do one handed catches. The main thing is practice, practice, practice.
If you're struggling to catch the ball a lot of the time it comes down to loosing eye contact with the football. It sounds simple, but this is the most common mistake. If you're struggling draw a white X on the ball and every time you go to catch a throw focus on the white X. This will help to force you to always look at the ball.
Take Home Message
To be one of the leagues best wide receivers you need to get it right off the field as well as on it. This means you need to get your nutrition spot on and train in the right way. In the gym work on your explosiveness and on the field work on your speed and catching. Touchdowns win football games.
