Aaron Donald is an American Football player. He is a defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). Donald has been named Defensive Player of the Year numerous times and he is considered among the best defensive players in the sport. This is his complete profile, biography, workout, diet as well as statistics.
Aaron Donald Statistics
| Full Name: Aaron Charles Donald |
||
| Weight | Height | Age |
| 280 lbs (127 kg) | 6’1” (185 cm) | 34 years |
| Date of Birth | Place of Birth | Nationality |
| May 23rd, 1991 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | American |
Aaron Donald Biography
Early Life
Aaron Charles Donald was born on May 23rd, 1991 to working class parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended Penn Hills High School where he played high school football. However, it was not a natural progression of his interests. As a kid, Aaron was lazy and did not have a fruitful routine in his day. His father introduced him to training to add structure to his daily routine. By the time Aaron turned 12, he and his father used to wake up as early as 4:30 AM and train in the basement of their house. The discipline thus imbibed in Aaron helped him pursue the athletic career.
During his collegiate athletic career, Aaron Donald played as a reserve defensive end. As a sophomore, Donald moved up in the starting lineup in 2011 and turned it into a breakthrough campaign. In the senior season, the Pittsburgh native became one of the most effective defensive players in the NCAA. He received the ACC Defensive Player of the Year honor and was also an All-American.
Related: Strongest NFL Players in the World
Career
Aaron Donald was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round in the 2014 NFL Draft. The Pittsburgh native signed a $10.3 million four-year rookie contract with the St. Louis Rams. Donald made the regular season debut against the Minnesota Vikings in the 2014 season and also got his first career start against the San Francisco 49ers. He became one of the rookies selected for the 2015 Pro Bowl and also won the 2014’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
His career has only progressed after that point. Donald is regarded as one of the greatest defensive players in the history of the NFL. He has won several awards for his contribution to the sport. Some of which include:
- Super Bowl Champion
- 3-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award – 2017, 2018 and 2020
- 2-time Sporting News NFL Player of the Year Award – 2018 and 2020
- 5-time Pro Football Focus Defensive Player of the Year – 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020
- 7-time First Team All-Pro selection – 2015 to 2021
- 9-time Pro Bowl Selection – 2014 to 2022
Aaron Donald Workout Routine
Aaron Donald was accustomed to a fitness and health oriented lifestyle even as a child. He woke up at 4 AM every single day to work out with his father. These training sessions lasted two hours and took place in the basement of their family house. This discipline developed in early life stayed with Aaron for the rest of his life and kept his interest in training alive.
In spite of the naturally gifted athletic frame and immense strength, Aaron always strived to be the hardest worker in the room. He keeps committed to the craft. A lot of this can be attributed to the tough and disciplined upbringing his father gave him.
Aaron Donald follows a six-day training week followed by one rest day for recovery. He draws motivation from his team members who have a similar drive and level as him.
A typical training week in Aaron Donald’s off-season routine looks like this:
Monday – Abs Workout
Core strength is of utmost importance in Aaron Donald’s athletic endeavours. It requires a lot of hard work but develops Aaron’s core strength, stability and balance. It includes:
- Medicine Ball Crunches – 5 sets of 20 reps
- Bicycle Crunches – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Toe Touches – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Side Planks – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Heel Taps – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Planks – 1 minute hold, 3 reps
Tuesday – Lower Body Workout
One cannot ignore the lower body and still be a top XX player. Aaron Donald dedicates Tuesday’s training session to the lower body and ensures that all the major muscles like quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves get the necessary amount of work.
- Squats – 4 sets of 12 reps
- Deadlifts – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Burpees – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Lunges – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Calf Raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
Wednesday – Speed and Agility Training
Aaron is a defensive tackle and it is essential for him to react quickly, be fast and flexible. Agility training helps improve posture and endurance. It also reduces the chances of injury. The speed and agility training includes:
Sprints
- 10 meter sprints (3 reps)
- 25 meter sprints (3 reps)
Agility
- Suicide Sprints (3 reps)
- Agility Ladder (3 reps)
- Burpees (3 sets of 10 reps)
Thursday – Cardio Session
To increase endurance and stamina, Aaron Donald performs cardio exercises on Thursday. These are typically exercises like treadmill, exercise bike or elliptical machines that get the heart rate up, burn fat and strengthen the cardiovascular system.
Friday – Upper Body Strength Workout
Aaron Donald dedicates the Friday training session to upper body strength exercises. This training session is a combination of compound and isolation movements that help gain muscle mass and strength.
- Bench Press – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Military Press – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Shrugs – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Dips – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Dumbbell Curls – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Skullcrushers – 4 sets of 20 reps
- Triceps Dips – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Overhead Triceps Extensions – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Incline Bench Press – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell Flyes – 4 sets of 10 reps
Saturday – Full Body Strength Training
A full body strength training session follows the upper body workout and Aaron Donald does following exercises:
- Box Squats – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Split Squats – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Dumbbell Side Bends – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Sit Ups – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Bent Over Dumbbell Rows – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Lateral Raises – 3 sets of 10 reps
- Zottman Curls – 3 sets of 15 reps
- Reverse Lunges – 4 sets of 10 reps
- Planks – 1 minute hold, 4 reps
- Weighted Sit-ups – 3 sets of 15 reps
Sunday – Rest Day
Giving the body time to recover from the wear and tear is also equally important, especially when you have to aim for performance longevity as a professional athlete. Aaron Donald takes rest on Sunday to let his body recuperate. However, he might go out for easy walks or do some active recovery drills like stretching.
Aaron Donald Diet
Most NFL players include high amounts of protein in their diet. The total share of protein may be as high as 40 percent of the total caloric intake in most cases. However, Aaron Donald takes a much more balanced approach. His diet consists of 20 percent protein, 30 percent fat and nearly 50 percent carbohydrates.
He has to eat nearly 5000 calories every single day to sustain and provide energy to his large and muscular frame. Getting that many calories involves a lot of eating throughout the day.
Los Angeles Rams dietician Joey Blake guides Aaron through the diet and helps him adjust the caloric intake based on his observations.
A typical day of eating in Aaron Donald’s routine looks like this:
Breakfast
- 2 Protein Smoothies with Greens
- 5 Cups of Milk
Morning Snacks
- 2 Protein Smoothies
- 5 Cups of Milk
Lunch
- 2 Protein Smoothies
- 5 Cups of Popcorn
- 8 Cups of Rice
- 25 Ounces of Lean Fish Like Salmon
- 5 Cups of Milk
Afternoon Snacks
- 2 Protein Smoothies
- 5 Cups of Popcorn
- 5 Cups of Milk
Dinner
- 2 Protein Smoothies
- 5 Cups of Popcorn
- 7 Cups of Rice
- 30 Ounces of Fish
- 5 Cups of Milk
Late Night Snacks
- 2 Protein Smoothies
- 5 Cups of Popcorn
- 5 Cups of Milk
Supplements
- Whey Protein
- Multivitamins
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin B12
Personal Life
Aaron Donald’s desire to help his parents retire has been one of the major driving forces in his career. He has also received a degree in Communications from the University of Pittsburgh. Aaron Donald is married and has a son born in 2021. Additionally, he has two children, a son and a daughter, born from a previous relationship.
To Conclude…
At 32 years of age, Aaron Donald is in the absolute prime of his physical and mental abilities. He has risen to the ranks of one of the greatest defensive players in the history of the sport through sheer will, hard work and unwavering commitment to the craft. The Pittsburgh native is a shining example of what one can achieve with discipline and consistency.
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