Training for the NFL Combine: Effects on Muscle Mass, Strength, and Body Composition

Lia Jiannine, Kevin Leung, and Jose Antonio. This study examined the effects of a 6-week training program for the National Football League (NFL) Combine on body composition and muscular strength in collegiate football players. Thirty-eight participants completed a structured program of resistance training, position-specific drills, and conditioning. Body composition was measured pre- and post-intervention using bioelectrical impedance analysis (InBody 770), and muscular strength was assessed with dominant-hand grip dynamometry. Paired sample t-tests compared pre- and post-training values. Skeletal muscle mass increased (51.87 ± 5.98 kg to 52.40 ± 5.66 kg; P = 0.050), and grip strength improved significantly (56.24 ± 9.97 kg to 61.08 ± 11.42 kg; P = 0.006). Lean body mass demonstrated a non-significant trend toward improvement (88.85 ± 10.00 kg to 89.69 ± 9.44 kg; P = 0.061). No significant changes were observed in body fat mass or body fat percentage. These findings suggest that short-term, structured Combine training can increase muscle tissue (specifically, strength in collegiate football players), but meaningful reductions in fat mass may require longer training interventions or additional nutritional strategies.