Embarking on his seventh season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, offensive lineman Mike Filer knows a thing or two about staying healthy and productive. After being released by the Calgary Stampeders in June of his rookie campaign, the Brantford, Ont. native was picked up by the Ticats two months later, appeared in four games that season and has never looked back.
Filer credits years of weight room knowledge as a main reason why he’s had success on the field in his first six Canadian Football League seasons. With the offensive line being a position that demands a great deal of physical strength, workouts, nutrition and good mental preparation are all factors Filer notes as keys to his success.
Q: What is your favourite exercise?
A: “I love working out legs. Squats for me have always been one of my favourite lifts. There was something an old university coach told me back when I was at Mt.A (Mount Allison University). He said, “your worst lift should become your favourite exercise or your best.”-
Q: Do you follow a bodybuilding program or more of a powerlifting program?
A: “The beauty of offensive linemen is that there are so many programs. You’re going to find some guys are strongman, powerlifters, Olympic lifters and all over the map. It comes down to what you personally believe in. This year, I have focused a lot on Olympic lifting and it’s got us more explosive. For Linemen,-you have to be big and strong and you have to be explosive. Really, it’s a verity of everything.”
Q: How does nutrition as a lineman differ from other positions?
A: “It’s about what each player needs specifically. It’s all over the map. It depends on what you need. For me, this year was about maintaining a good healthy weight and making sure I was putting good whole foods into my body.”
Q: How does cardio fit into your training?
A: Well, we’re not long-distance sprinters by any means, but we need to be able to do short sprints and short buts. As o-linemen, out feet never come together and we’re never up on our tippy toes. All of our cardio is short-burst sprints and more stuff that’s going to be translated to the field.
Q: What would you recommend to a young player who aspires to play offensive line?
A: The biggest thing with offensive linemen is technique. You see a lot of kids who are lacking the technique, and with this position needing that, it comes down to be a game of inches. If you overstep or shoot your hands too early, that can translate to winning and losing. You’re really just reacting instead of thinking about what you’re doing.
Q: If you could only do one exercise for the rest of your training career, what would it be?
A: “I’ve always loved being in the gym. I love moving weights and being in that atmosphere and doing squats and some bench. I know when football is over, I’ll still be moving weights and being in the gym, for sure.”
To do Filer’s barbell squat, you’ll need:
-An Olympic weight barbell
-A squat/power rack
To do Filer’s barbell squat:
-Begin with the barbell on your traps. The chest should be up and head facing forward.
-Descend by flexing the knees, making sure you move the hips back as much as possible.
-Continue all the way down, keeping the weight off the toes and heels. At the moment when you are at the bottom, reverse the movement and drive the weight upward.
Training and nutrition are key pieces to the make-up of a pro football player. Thanks to the trainers in the locker room, Filer and the rest of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are in good hands,
