The legendary Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (nicknamed King Henry) has won several awards for his amazing gameplay.
As a seasoned personal trainer, I instinctively wanted to find out what made Derrick Henry such a powerhouse.
So, I spent a couple of weeks watching his games, studying his interviews, and viewing his social media posts.
In this article, I'll share what I uncovered and how you can use Derrick's workout and diet principles in your fitness journey.
Quick Summary
- Derrick Henry’s training sessions are heavily based on lifting heavy weights for low reps, footwork and sprint drills, and muscle recovery techniques (like yoga and stretching).
- The Derrick Henry diet is simple: three square meals, fresh fruits for snacking, and lots of milk.
- While he’s not public about his supplements, Derrick’s diet shows that he takes whey protein, multivitamins, and pre-workout.
- Henry's diet principles focus on balanced meals, regular milk consumption, healthy snacking, and occasional cheat meals.
Derrick Henry Stats
- Age: January 4, 1994 (29 years old)
- Height: 6’3” (190.5 cm)
- Weight: 247 lbs (112.3 kg)
- Chest: 42 in (106.7 cm)
- Waist: 36 in (91.4 cm)
- Hips: 37 in (94 cm)
- Bicep: 15 in (38.1 cm)
Derrick Henry has won several awards for his incredible gameplay with the Tennessee Titans, including the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, and Walter Camp Award.
Derrick Henry’s Workout Routine
Monday: Leg Day
- Hex bar deadlifts: 4 sets x 5–8 reps
- Squats: 4 sets x 5–8 reps
- Lunges: 4 sets x 5–8 reps
- Split squats: 4 sets x 5–8 reps
- Speed training: 20-minute sprint on a treadmill or running track
Tuesday: Cardio Session
- Elliptical warm-up
- Uphill speed drills
- Footwork drills
- Medicine ball slams
Wednesday: Upper-Body Power Training
- Power cleans: AMRAP
- Bench press: AMRA
Thursday: Sprint Training
- Running with a football followed by a 20-yard uphill sprint
Friday: Upper-Body Power Training
- Power cleans: AMRAP
- Bench press: AMRAP
- Light yoga followed by an ice bath
Saturday and Sunday: Rest with Active Recovery
Workout Principles
Here are training principles based on Derrick Henry’s workout routine.
- Heavy weights with low reps: Derrick’s weight-training workout routine focused on lifting heavy weights for low reps to maximize strength gains [1].
- AMRAP training: Twice a week, Derrick will train his upper body with as many reps of bench press and power cleans as possible to build muscular endurance.
- Muscle recovery: Derrick takes his muscle recovery seriously by dedicating weekends and post-games to muscle recovery, like active release therapy, hot and cold tubs, and dry needling. He also opts for some of the best post-workout recovery supplements to fast-track the process further.
- Footwork drills and hill sprints: Henry does high-intensity footwork and hill sprints to build leg strength and conditioning for the season and training camp.
“After the games, I don’t eat much. I'll sit around with my family, watch some games and then the next day, I start my recovery stuff. That’s hot tub, cold tub, massage, dry needling, ART (Active Release Therapy) and just the whole nine so I can get my body back ready for practice and then the game.”
- Derrick Henry, American Football Running Back
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Derrick Henry’s Diet Plan
Here’s a breakdown of the Derrick Henry diet plan:
- Breakfast: Eggs, fresh fruit, protein shake with greens, oatmeal, and milk.
- Lunch: Grilled chicken with mashed potatoes, green salad, and milk.
- Dinner: Grilled steak with vegetables, brown rice, pasta with shrimp, and milk.
“I’ve been drinking milk all my life and I love it. I drink chocolate milk after I work out—it's great for recovery—and I drink milk when I'm at the house.”
- Derrick Henry
Diet Principles
After watching a few interviews and studying Derrick Henry’s diet plan, I’ve put together four of his key diet principles:
- Milk with every meal: Derrick drinks more than two glasses of milk with every meal. Research shows that milk makes an excellent post-workout drink and helps with muscle-protein synthesis [2].
- Regular diet: Unlike many athletes who eat more than five meals a day, Derrick Henry’s diet is only three meals. I’ve come across people who claim eating more meals boosts your metabolism, but there isn’t enough research to back this up [3].
- Cheat meals: Derrick indulges in an occasional cheat meal to control his cravings.
- Healthy snacking: To avoid weight gain from unhealthy calories, Derrick ensures he snacks on something nutritious between meals. His go-to snack is fresh fruit.
“I don’t really have any strict eating ways. I think everyone deserves a cheat day. I snack here and there but not too much. I really enjoy eating fruit if I’m going to have snack.”
- Derrick Henry
Derrick Henry’s Supplements
While Derrick Henry isn’t too public about his supplement use, his workout and diet routine give us a hint about what he takes:
- Whey protein: This helps Derrick supplement his protein intake for the day.
- Multi-vitamins: Since Derrick eats only three meals a day, multivitamins supplement his meals to meet his nutritional requirements.
- Pre-workout: Derrick’s workout routine is highly taxing, so he may be taking pre-workout to enhance his endurance.
FAQs
How Many Calories Does Derrick Henry Have?
Derrick has at least 3,500 calories a day. He is allowed to eat whatever he wants, as long as it’s low-carb. This lets him maintain a healthy weight and a lean physique.
How Much Weight Can Derrick Henry Bench Press?
Derrick Henry can bench press 440 lbs (200 kg). The bench press is one of Henry’s go-to exercises, which is why he’s good at it.
How Many Miles per Hour Can Derrick Henry Run?
Derrick Henry can run 21.8 miles per hour (35 km/h). This was his fastest ball-carrier speed, according to the NFL’s NextGen Stats.
References:
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25853914/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30379113/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4391809/
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