FOXBORO -- In his two years with the Patriots, Rex Burkhead has struggled to stay on the field, playing in 18 of a possible 32 regular-season games.
Speaking Tuesday at Gillette Stadium following a voluntary offseason workout session, the running back acknowledged he's changed his offseason routine over the years with the hope of preventing injuries.
“You learn from your experiences from the past, and also from some of the older guys," he said. "Like Matthew Slater, he’s been in it for awhile now and how he takes care of his body. There are things. I remember my rookie year, I think I took one week off and then I was right back in it, hard core lifting right after the season. You learn that is not the best way to go about it. Your body takes time to recover, mentally, physically and there’s some little things you can pick up too, whether that is yoga or pilates, things like that just to make sure your body is in the best shape possible. When you make it far you really have to stay on top of that, especially here, you understand your body is your temple and it’s your line of work.”
Burkhead confirmed yoga and pilates are now part of his routine.
“I do a little bit to mix it up to always try and keep your body guessing, make sure your flexibility is on point because I feel like that helps prevents injuries," he said.
The 28-year-old did finish last season strong, totaling 23 carries for 96 yards and three touchdowns in the postseason, while also adding seven receptions for 45 yards out of the backfield.
After spending a good chunk of the season on IR with a neck injury, it was very satisfying, but he's already looking ahead to this coming season.
“It was great. It was a fun season," he said. "To finish off the way we did it was definitely memorable and something I will never forget. But, it’s a new season now. Our goal is to get back there and get in that position again. We have a long way to go, have a lot of work to put in."
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