Dominate the Super Bowl-Chapter 524

Chapter 524: 523 Rest Training Chapter 524: 523 Rest Training First, not everyone trains during the off-season.

In fact, most don’t start until just before the team’s mini-camp, gradually getting their bodies back into shape, especially veteran players in the League.

Second, off-season training is divided into two types: physical training and technical training.

However, regardless of the type, avoiding injury is the primary condition.

Physical training is simple and straightforward, primarily comprising weightlifting in the gym, gaining weight, building muscle, increasing speed, and enhancing stamina, often with the help of a personal trainer.

Technical training, on the other hand, involves refining techniques without designing plays, such as quarterbacks passing, wide receivers catching, defensive ends tackling, running backs footwork, and so on.

Football, a sport that involves physical contact, has a significant amount of technical content.

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When Burns first brought Li Wei into the team, he had said that entering football was not highly technical, and there wasn’t a huge difference in skills between the different positions.

But that was just the basics; if one wanted to advance further, honing skills was just as important as enhancing physical combat ability—

Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers quarterback, has very rough passing skills.

After several seasons in the League, he showed no improvement, relying more on his physique.

Since he could break through on the ground with the ball, why bother spending time grinding on passing skills?

If it’s technical training, relying solely on oneself won’t be enough, so during the off-season, a group of buddies often gather together to train.

Moreover, they are not limited to their own teams.

After all, this is the Professional League, which always maintains fluidity; players come and go, and friendships formed outside the team are not few.

Clearly, Watt’s call was an invitation for Li Wei to join his mini-camp—

Focused on technical training, but physical training would certainly not be neglected.

The gentleman on the other end of the phone was well known throughout the League as a gym freak.

A bit of surprise, a bit of delight.

But.

The first reaction in Li Wei’s mind was, “How is your body holding up?”

His second reaction was, “Do the Houston fans know you’ve invited the very person responsible for ending your season to join your mini-camp?”

The first question was slightly somber.

But the following one lightened the mood, and Watt couldn’t help but chuckle.

“They’ll get through it.”

The jesting tone in his words made Li Wei laugh as well, but the smile on his lips quickly faded as he sincerely asked, “JJ, I’m serious, are you okay?”

On one hand, Berry, after a long rehabilitation finally able to return to the field, discovered even worse issues, and had to put aside all his ambitions, returning to a prolonged and uncertain treatment.

On the other hand, Watt had a bumpy and terrifying three seasons.

In the 2015 season, Watt played while wearing a cast, and astonishingly, he racked up 17.5 sacks, but those were just the visible injuries.

Fans didn’t see the countless others—

At the start of the season, partial tearing in the left and right abdominal muscles, partial tearing in the right leg adductor, complete tear in the left leg adductor, complete tear in the major adductor of the left leg; midseason disc herniation in the back; end of season groin strain.

Playing through injuries, he still completed a remarkable season, earning him the praise of being a “real man” off the field, but at a particularly hefty cost.

That off-season, Watt underwent two back surgeries within three months and still didn’t fully recover, ending the 2016 season after just three games.

Barely making it through a long period of rest and rehabilitation into the healthy start of the 2017 season, he never imagined he would end the season again after just five games.

Even though Li Wei was only a spectator, he could feel the frustration, agony, and even anger.

How much more for Watt, who experienced it all firsthand?

In fact, Li Wei and Watt had never met and weren’t exactly friends, but Li Wei always admired Watt for his resilience and perseverance.

After the American League finals, a reporter asked Li Wei if he thought superstars on the defensive line like Watt or Aaron Donald were outdated, and if teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, who relied on collective strength, posed a greater threat?

At that time, Li Wei did not answer the technical question, as his understanding of football was still superficial and not enough to make predictions about the future; but Li Wei believed in Watt.

“If anyone thinks the era of Watt and Donald has passed, that is undoubtedly ridiculous.”

As a player, as a warrior, Li Wei admired the character that Watt displayed both on and off the field, which was also an interpretation of the spirit of competitive sports.

Watt was slightly taken aback, he could tell the care in Li Wei’s words was not just polite small talk but a genuine concern from the heart.

Subconsciously, Watt wanted to say “I’m fine,” as it had become a habit—whether it was his mother, his brothers, fans, teammates, team staff, including hospital orderlies and physical therapists, everyone was asking about his condition, their words of concern carrying a touch of pity unintentionally revealed, and he had developed a conditioned response—

He did not need pity.

But Li Wei did not offer it.

The kinship and warmth of a comrade made the words gentle and light.

Perhaps because of this, or perhaps because Li Wei was a relative stranger, some things became simpler.

“I’m not okay.”

Watt said.

After saying it, he felt relieved, as if a heavy burden on his shoulders had been dropped.

“I’ve been trying to reconcile with myself, with my own anger, disappointment, and pain, and it’s bad, I look like a mess.”

“Rationality, I understand, believe me, Li Wei, I understand it all.”

“I need to fight against my own body.

Persisting in rehabilitation and training every day, making progress bit by bit, I am moving in the right direction.”

“I know I shouldn’t get discouraged because of slow progress, or angry because of the inconveniences caused by injuries, as getting upset and delaying rehabilitation, preventing me from playing in September, would be a real disaster.”

“I know people often adopt two common attitudes toward these issues, either complaining or getting angry, but that doesn’t help; even if upset or complaining, I must stay positive and not delay my progress.”

“The past two years have scarred both my body and soul, but I shouldn’t let injuries define me.

I don’t want to become the ‘tough guy’ people talk about, nor do I want to become that ‘if’ in people’s eyes.”

“If I weren’t injured, how things would be.”

“If I changed my style of play, how things would be.”

“Look, I understand the logic, but…”

Taking a deep breath, Watt suddenly fell silent, and although he did not speak, the sense of loss and confusion could be felt over the phone.

Li Wei understood.

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Even if one understood all the logic, life seemed still not to become simpler; because life isn’t a math problem where applying the right formula can find the answer.

Or perhaps, life inherently has no right answer.