When we spoke with Garden of Life ® brand ambassador and New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings during preseason training camp , he sounded happy , relaxed and optimistic about the upcoming season . Coming off career-high stats last year with 863 total yards on 195 rushing attempts , he ’ s earned the starting spot in the backfield and is expected to be the team ’ s primary ball carrier this season . And for those who have any doubts about his ability to stay healthy at an age when many running backs are slowing down , the 31-year-old laughs and insists his best years are ahead of him .
Photo credit Associated Press
“ I did everything I could do in the offseason to prepare for this ,” he said . “ I practiced yoga , played my guitar , got massages , wrote poetry and stayed relaxed . I felt like keeping things as stress-free as possible was the best way to get ready for this season .”
The eight-year veteran also stayed in shape by using Garden of Life supplements , including a daily RAW Organic Meal shake .
“ I ’ ve had RAW Organic Meal every morning for several years now ,” he said . “ I like the coffee and vanilla flavors the best . I mix it with almond milk and throw in a banana , chia seed , flaxseed , peanut butter and some ice . It ’ s great for breakfast because it gets me through practice or whatever I have going on in the afternoon .”
Along with following a nutritious diet , Jennings is big on maintaining healthy blood flow and staying pressurized . He naps and sleeps in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber , does aquatic work outs in water above his chest , and is not taking any chances when it comes to chiropractors .
“ I went to see a chiropractor a few weeks ago ,” Jennings explained . “ He said he was an Eagles fan . I got off the table and left before he said another word .”
In the right hands , Jennings thrives . This year he ’ s pumped the Giants should benefit from their third year with the same offensive system and a new head coach , Ben McAdoo , who was the former offensive coordinator . The team also acquired veteran free agent Bobby Rainey and drafted Paul Perkins from UCLA in the offseason , but Jennings knows he ’ ll be counted on to carry the workload . If there ’ s one thing he ’ s learned after years of playing football , it ’ s to always be ready to go when your number is called .
“ In high school , I was this chubby kid with glasses and asthma ,” he recalled . “ I was on the football team , but I never played and sat on the bench with a can of soda and some candy to enjoy the show . I had a . 6 grade point average and wasn ’ t expected to do much of anything .”
Everything changed when his high school team played a local rival in Forest , Virginia , and several college scouts were in the stands . Jennings had his usual spot on the bench when the first string running back went down with an injury . In short order , the second running back got hurt and the third running back limped off the field . Desperate to put anyone in the game the coach looked around for the water boy , but there was only Jennings .
Incredibly , on the first play he ran for a 40-yard touchdown . After that he scored another touchdown and the coach decided it might be good to play him on defense as well , where he proceeded to rack up sacks . After the game , a scout from the University of Tennessee told him he had “ potential ,” and needed to work on his grades . Jennings enrolled in a preparatory school , received a college scholarship and never looked back .
“ Something clicked for me that day ,” he said . “ I learned that when opportunity presents itself , it ’ s too late to prepare for it . You have to always be ready .”
Jennings proved his point in the Giants ’ first preseason game against Miami when he scored the team ’ s first touchdown of the year on a three-yard run up the middle . And although it was just a preseason game , he celebrated as joyfully as if there was a championship at stake .
“ I ’ ve learned to appreciate the moment instead of just the endresult ,” he said . “ I ’ ve enjoyed training camp this year because I believe we should respect the fact that it is work — the process of personally tending to something meaningful — that germinates fulfillment within us .”
Vol 28 • Extraordinary Health ™ 41