Chapter 530: 529 Simple Warm-up Chapter 530: 529 Simple Warm-up Something seemed a bit off.
Mahomes had prepared early.
He knew he was still a backup quarterback and needed to continue learning and improving, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to become the starting quarterback.
At the beginning of the Super Bowl, following the team through the rollercoaster of fierce close combat to eventually becoming champions, his blood boiled with a high fighting spirit; he knew he craved the battle and those moments.
But the more he longed, the more aware he became.
Mahomes wasn’t blindly confident, he knew he still needed to grow.
Fortunately, Li Wei had introduced him to a rare opportunity for off-season training, and he was ready to seize it, to surprise everyone during the team’s training camp.
Early in the morning, Mahomes got up on time, energetically ready to face the challenges.
Not seeing Li Wei in the room, Mahomes had an ominous feeling.
Upon arriving at the training field, the sight before him made his heart sink even more—
Indeed, ominous feelings are never wrong.
So, could someone please tell him what on earth was going on?
On the training field, Li Wei, and Watt were doing burpee jumps.
You don’t have to be a professional athlete; even ordinary people who try out sports might have encountered burpee exercises, a full-body aerobic exercise that burns calories through short bursts of high-intensity activity, known as the “fat-burning killer”; but correspondingly, it is also a severe test for cardiorespiratory fitness.
In itself, burpees are already difficult; but what Li Wei and Watt were doing was an upgraded version.
Using both ends of the end zones as the starting point, they proceeded while doing burpee jumps advancing thirty yards, and then started “suicide” sprints—
Starting at the thirty-yard line, sprint to the thirty-five-yard line and back to thirty, then to the forty-yard line and back to thirty, and so on.
This back and forth sprinting was of nightmare difficulty, even for professional athletes, thus earning the nickname “suicide,” indicative of the challenge level.
Running all the way to the midfield line.
Then switching back to burpee jumps, moving to the opposite half’s twenty-yard line, then switching back to “suicide” sprints, finally dashing past the end zone line to put the finishing touch.
This was not just an upgraded version, it was hellish.
What happened to gradual progression?
What happened to starting with a simple warm-up then escalating the challenge?
What happened to relaxing and enjoying the vacation?
Even just standing on the sidelines and watching Li Wei and Watt train, it felt like his own lungs were burning up with them.
It was exactly because he understood how difficult such training was that it felt even more distressing.
Kelsey mumbled, “Two beasts.”
Mahomes looked up at Kelsey, “Is it really okay for you to say that about a rookie?”
Not far away, the victory had been decided.
In terms of speed, Li Wei was still superior and crossed the line first.
But Watt was not far behind, just slightly slower also dashed past the end zone line.
Li Wei showed a smile, gently shaking his head, not satisfied with his performance—
The condition was still so-so.
The regular biological clock of the off-season had been disrupted, plus he hadn’t rested well the night before, which made his body still feel heavy.
Warm-up,” Li Wei insisted to Watt.
Watt grinned, showing a set of neat, white teeth, “Of course, this is just the beginning.”
After saying so, the two high-fived to celebrate.
A breeze carried the conversation of two people, which caught everyone’s eyes.
Mahomes looked at Kelsey in astonishment, nearly choking on his own saliva.
Although he felt the same, was it really okay to say it outright?
Watt and Li Wei also noticed the commotion on the side of the field—
It seemed it was five o’clock.
It’s worth mentioning that everyone had arrived; there were no latecomers or absentees.
Indeed, this was the feature of a small private training camp, where a group of like-minded friends gathered to train at their own pace.
If you wanted to slack off, you needn’t have accepted the invitation in the first place.
“Hey, slackers, finally decided to leave your comfort zone?” Li Wei started with a joke as he faced them.
Kelsey was the first to lead the jeering, with boos all around.
Li Wei didn’t mind at all, spreading his arms wide, “Look, I know it must be hard for you to keep up with real men like Watt and me, but don’t worry, the upcoming training will be toned down.
No need to be scared by that little warm-up just now.”
Kelsey was about to make a retort but swallowed his words instead.
But Hopkins wasn’t buying it, sneering with disdain, “Heh.
It seems only you find it tough.
Typical rookie, always making a big fuss over nothing.”
Everyone expected Li Wei to retort or remain unfazed like he did with Kelsey, but instead, he showed a face full of surprise and admiration, “Wow, really?
You truly are the league’s top receiver.
Following you and learning during the session will be so moving for us.”
Mahomes: Why does this feel so odd?
Hopkins, oblivious, lifted his chin arrogantly, “Glad you know it.”
Stars twinkled in Li Wei’s eyes, “Wow, I’m really looking forward to the training.”
Everyone around could hear the sarcasm in Li Wei’s words, but Hopkins, clueless as ever, became even more smug, almost ready to outright say, “Li Wei is nothing special.”
Kelsey leaned towards Mahomes, “Do you think, Li Wei knows who Hopkins actually is?”
Mahomes, an honest man, didn’t speak but snickered, scratching his head.
Meanwhile, Watt gave Li Wei a grateful look.
Sarcasm aside, Li Wei had skillfully hidden his intentions, and Watt knew that Li Wei was giving face, not wanting conflict on the first day of camp.
Clearing his throat, Watt took on the coach’s responsibility, “Just now, Li Wei and I did a simple test, and we both think it’s a good idea.
Before every training session, including physical and technical drills, let’s start with a two-kilometer run…”
Murmurs and protests immediately buzzed like boiling water.
Watt had to raise his voice, “There’s no time limit, just go at your own pace.”
Watt looked towards Jason Kelce.
Being a center, Jason’s training differed from other positions—6.2 feet tall (191 cm), 295 pounds (134 kg), almost like a small hill.
Expecting Jason to sprint like Li Wei was unrealistic, so training should be adjusted according to individual capability.
However, Jason understood that the two-kilometer run before every session placed a real load on cardiorespiratory health.
In simple terms, it was an additional exercise to enhance physical stamina and endurance, which could play a significant role during the playoffs.
Speed wasn’t important; the key was to persevere and complete the training at your own pace.
This applied not just to the run, but all related drills.
Jason nodded at Watt, displaying a sincere smile, “No problem.”
Watt breathed out softly, “Great, then let us begin.
Before the first training session, two kilometers.”
No sooner had he finished speaking than Hopkins dashed off like an arrow released from its bow, leaving everyone behind and disappearing into the distance.