Running on flat surfaces increases the risk of hamstring injury compared to running at an incline.
Last updated on August 12th, 2025
Derrick Henry, known as “King Henry,” is a powerhouse running back for the Baltimore Ravens in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2016 draft and signed with the Ravens in 2024. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 247 pounds, Henry’s combination of size, strength, and agility forces to be reckoned with on the field.
Henry is the only player in history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season at every level — high school, college, and the NFL — thanks, in part, to his signature stiff arm.
Henry’s trainer, A.J. Billings, offered a glimpse into the rigorous off-season training regimen that keeps Henry at the top of his game. Henry enters his 10th pro season in 2025.
Derrick Henry’s Off-Season Training
A few weeks before training camp, Henry hits the ground running by 9 a.m., incorporating three to four hill sprints to build endurance and aerobic capacity. Research shows that hill running enhances aerobic fitness and overall athletic performance. (1)
- Hill Back Runs
- Hill Sprints
- Hill Side Steps
- Hill Chain Runs
- Hill Ball Carrying Runs
Hill Runs
Henry’s warm-up routine includes dynamic stretches and jumping exercises to reduce injury risk. (2) He started his hill workout by running backward uphill for 150 yards. He transitioned to traditional sprints, followed by a series of hill run variations designed to challenge strength, speed, and stamina.
“There are few like [Derrick Henry],” A.J. Billings addressed. “He’s one of the 1%ers who runs toward adversity and fight-or-flight situations.”
Henry’s running performance on the field stems from his work during the off-season. Many consider hill workouts grueling, but Billings argued for them as the safest part of Henry’s training regimen. Flat-surface drills can increase the risk of hamstring injuries, but hill workouts are more controlled and reduce that risk.
Training on hills minimizes ground contact time and improves reaction speed, strengthening the ankles, calves, soleus, and Achilles. Adding resistance chains to uphill sprints builds strength, explosiveness, and power.
Guys hanging off Henry’s back, trying to pull him down from the side, have no chance. He’s trained to break those tackles.
Henry ensures his legs are fully prepared and conditioned to finish strong when he arrives at camp. “It ain’t going to be done by nobody else,” Henry said. “I got to do it. I like pushing myself. That’s how I have always been. Push myself to the limit and getting the work done.”
Derrick Henry’s Circuit Routine
After hill runs, Henry headed to the gym for resistance training via circuit training designed to build strength , muscular endurance, and cardiovascular health. (3)
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References
- Barnes, K. R., Hopkins, W. G., McGuigan, M. R., & Kilding, A. E. (2013). Effects of different uphill interval-training programs on running economy and performance. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 8(6), 639–647. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.8.6.639
- Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0
- Ramos-Campo, D. J., Andreu Caravaca, L., Martínez-Rodríguez, A., & Rubio-Arias, J. Á. (2021). Effects of Resistance Circuit-Based Training on Body Composition, Strength and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Biology, 10(5), 377. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10050377
Featured image: @last_king_2 on Instagram
