By Jaime Joshi Elder with photos provided by Max Wright
Everything is bigger in Texas.
From the trucks to the churches to the physical size of the state itself – it is the largest in the contiguous United States at over 200,000 square miles with a population of over 30 million proud Texans.
But nothing is bigger in Texas than football.
From Friday night lights to Saturday afternoons tailgating at college games to Sundays supporting the Dallas Cowboys or Houston Texans, football is part of the state culture and no-one reflects this better than Texas A&M tight end Max Wright.
The Katy native played six seasons for the Aggies, competing in 39 games and catching 32 passes for 441 yards and three touchdowns.
These numbers are the result of a strict training regimen and dedication to his craft.
“My training regimen is a combination of lifting, mobility, exercise, and field training,” Max said. “My Monday is usually a leg workout with treadmill sprint work. Tuesdays are an upper body workout and field drills that consist of route running and blocking drills and Wednesday is my recovery and rehab day. I use this day to stretch and recover in order to train hard for the rest of the week.”
Rest and recovery is vital to maintaining peak athletic performance.
“Intense workout routines are designed to physically overload the athlete with the goal of improving athletic performance. To achieve maximal performance and obtain the most out of workout routines, it is important for an athlete to balance a workout routine with periods of recovery,” said John Hinson, M.D., board certified orthopedic surgeon at Palm Beach Orthopedic Institute. “If there is no allowance for recovery between these workouts, the athlete can suffer from the accumulation of physical and psychological stresses of the overload. This can ultimately increase the risk of injury and lead to compromise of athletic performance.”
Maintaining good mental health is as vital to attaining peak athletic performance as exercise and good nutritional practices.
As a sophomore, Max suffered a neck injury which changed the trajectory of his athletic path. Once a part of the Aggie defense as a defensive end, Max’s injury forced him to play offense as a tight end. The rehab was grueling but Max persevered, bolstered by his loved ones, the Texas A&M coaching staff and a strong spiritual center.
“The rehab was difficult from a mental standpoint as neck surgery is hard to bounce back from because of the limitation of mobility,” Max said. “But the staff at Texas A&M was great in helping me bounce back. My faith was a huge part of my recovery. I’m a Christian and it was my dependence on the Lord that helped me stay positive and push through the doubts and frustration.”
Dr. Hinson echoed Max’s statements.
“Focusing on your mental recovery including support from friends and family can help physical recovery and return to sports,” he said. “After having a plan in place there are ways to help speed and maximize your recovery. Appropriate rest and immobilization are important to protect the injured area so it can heal, I recommend continued use of ice, compression and anti-inflammatories if appropriate during the early recovery period, as well as instituting rehabilitation exercises when appropriate.”
For young athletes looking to follow in Max’s footsteps and dream of one day playing professionally, Max has some advice.
“I think the combination of structured workouts and a good nutrition plan put you in a great position to train your body hard and safely,” he said. “It is important to work hard on lifts like power clean and other high mobility lifts that best prepare you for moving in sport. I admire (San Francisco 49ers tight end) George Kittles’ game a lot. He’s a great blocker and also a dynamic route runner.”
Safety and structure are foundational to any young athlete’s burgeoning career and with the proper training, coaching and attention to detail, Palm Beach County’s young football players could achieve their dreams of collegiate and professional glory.
“Research on weightlifting in adolescents has shown that it can be done safely when done properly,” said Dr. Hinson. “The use of specific stretching and strengthening programs of the shoulder can help protect athletes from injuries to the shoulder and elbow. I encourage young athletes in these sports to consider making these exercise programs part of their workout routine.”
