Jake: Hey I’m Jake of Body by Jake. Welcome to our motivational minute with Willie Bloomquist. Man, we’re here at Chase Field. Really great to see you man!
Willie: You as well!
Jake: 14 years in the bigs. Started with the Mariners they did terrific. Ended career here with the Arizona Diamondbacks. How did you keep yourself in physical shape?
Willie: It’s pretty grueling man! 14 years of a career is a long time, you know.
The main thing is try to establish a good diet, obviously.
In the off-season especially. It’s trying to try to gain. Muscle strength and flexibility is a big thing, but throughout the year, to maintain that and not let it fall off the cliff, so to speak. You got to try and maintain that throughout the year. Diet is a big thing, hot and cold tub. And this is a career man, this is our job! So you have to put in, like I said, you get out what you put in.
Jake: How do you keep yourself a shape today because you look at pretty tight man?
Willie: Well, I mean fear is a big thing because as I’m getting older, you know, you can’t exactly eat what you want anymore, you kind of got to be careful about things because you can lose it pretty quickly. So for me, it’s just a matter of, you know, I feel better when I work out and a lot of time, my lingering injuries from playing feel better when I work out and stay in shape. And if I let it go, those things start flaring up and popping up and I don’t feel as good getting out of bed during you know every day.
Jake: So, favorite food?
Willie: Binge food has got to be pizza!
Jake: I love it, great, good deal! Favorite exercise that you do?
Willie: You know, I like to do a lot of the interval training on an elevated incline, so, I mean, that seems to do me in pretty well. But at the end of it, I feel outstanding once I recover.
Jake: Is there a message, you know, when you speak…and we’ll go back to this: I’m a big believer in hope, you know, that when you talk to people, you leave them with a final thought. What would that be Willie?
Willie: Well, it’s “look at me, I’m an average human being. I’m nothing special.” But I think if you put your mind to something, and are mentally strong enough, and willing to sacrifice, you can get a lot out of life.
I was able to fulfill my dream of playing and being a major league baseball player and there’s guys that are way more talented than me throughout the years.
But you know when it comes to beating me, you better pack a lunch. So you go into things with that mindset, I think you can you can accomplish great things.
Jake: Beautiful! Well done, man! Willie.
