EXCLUSIVE tyrone Mears
# 4 - DEFENDER
CM : In 2015 , you set a new club record with 33 starts and 2,960 minutes played . How do you stay healthy and fit to achieve that ?
TM : Nutrition is really important to me . I know what foods are good for my body . The other most important thing is stretching . We ’ ve started doing yoga and focusing on flexibility rather than working the body . Massages and hydrating help a lot , too .
CM : In 2011 you broke your leg , but you ’ ve been injury free since then . How does Sounder FC ’ s fitness program help you to remain injury free and strong ?
TM : They do a lot of injury prevention and testing throughout the week . You normally get tested during preseason and then at the end of the season , but here we do it through it all . They grade you and can see if you ’ ve dropped a little bit low , along with using Omegawave technology . photo credit Seattle Sounders FC Communications
CM : In 2015 , you set a new club record with 33 starts and 2,960 minutes played . How do you stay healthy and fit to achieve that ?
TYRONE MEARS : Probably , when I was younger in my career . If I played a good game , I would want to remember how I prepared ; maybe think “ I put my shorts on , then my socks on .” think at this age I know it ’ s all mental . Either you are going to play well or you ’ re not .
ZACH SCOTT : With a family , you need to be flexible . I never thought that something outside of soccer was going to dictate how I play . I always just kind of rolled with it . I actually feel better going into home games where I can have a normal day picking my kids up from school .
When we ’ re on the road , we are just in a hotel all day laying around . I guess my ritual is to be active and lead a normal life .
NELSON VALDEZ : I pray before every game . I pray to God to just give me the power to make my feet work , to be healthy , and thank him for the day .
CM : Can you easily bounce back into game play or practice after a night out on the town ?
TM : When I was younger , I could go all night and all morning . Now I know my limit with my body . I do like to go out for meals on my downtime . I ’ ll have a few glasses of red wine , but I ’ ll know I can ’ t go over a certain level because not only will that affect me the next day but also two days after that .
ZS : I ’ m definitely one of the veteran guys on the team . It ’ s a little of both . You definitely can ’ t go out and go crazy , because it takes a little longer as you get older to recover . But that being said , I ’ ve also been through this experience quite a bit so I know to be smart about it .
NV : Maybe 10 years ago , I wouldn ’ t care . After a night out , you still feel fresh and can train . Now at 32 , it ’ s not the same . Also if I have free time I can go , but with two children at home it ’ s a little difficult .
30 l VILLE l HEALTH & FITNESS ISSUE