"Don't just be in the game. Win the game."

The No.1 U.S compression wraps and tapes manufacturer, Healit™, has joined forces with the New England Patriots to bring fans health, fitness and Patriots-inspired content throughout the 2017 season.

Healit™ systems are the next generation of therapeutic sports and medical compression wraps. Their unique self-adhesive compression wraps and tapes are designed to prepare the body, prevent injury, protect against re-injury and enhance performance. Healit™  wraps and tapes help to reduce swelling, improve blood flow and increase oxygen and nutrient delivery to damaged tissues so you can go faster, work harder and last longer.

The "Patriots Wrap-Up presented by Healit™" will be available on Patriots.com and Patriots social media channels throughout the season. Additionally, Healit™ will have a monthly series published right here on the Lifestyle section of Patriots.com, in which Patriots fans are provided with beneficial health and fitness tips.

Preseason Training the Patriots Way

Football is a rare beast. While the season is relatively short, training should never stop if you want to gain that competitive edge. 

The Nature of the Modern Game:

As sports go, football is relentless. The modern game has evolved with players now being faster, the hits bigger, and the action more intense than ever. In a game where the average play lasts about five seconds followed by an average 30-second rest, it has become vital that today's players combine explosive power, with agility, flexibility and aerobic recovery, and that is where a great pre-season comes in. 

How to Pre-Season Like a Pro:

The new breed of coaches understands that running 100-yard sprints and doing endless laps of the field doesn't do much for their players' fitness or morale. The science of football conditioning is now super savvy and focusses entirely upon a perfect balance of aerobic and anaerobic activity combined with balance, agility and flexibility exercises to strengthen that all important core.

The Pillars of a Great Pre-Season

Flexibility and Mobility:

Great flexibility can improve performance and mean the difference between making that game-winning catch and seeing your opponent make a massive return. Good flexibility is also an important factor in preventing injury and keeping you in the game. 

Although it might be dull, dynamic and static stretching before, during and after a session should never be optional. It is necessary if you want to prevent injury and achieve the best results.

3 Of the Best Active Strength and Power Exercises: Walking Knee Hugs, Backward Ninjas and Backward Lunge Reach and Twist

Dynamic Strength and Power:

Football is all about explosive and dynamic power. To achieve this, the whole body has to work as one with every muscle acting to achieve equal impact and maximum force. 

Dynamic strength training creates strong muscles while building healthy bulk, meaning that you remain supple and agile but are able to generate massive power when you need it. Dynamic strength training develops your stabilizer muscles, vital in preventing injury, especially for non-contact players who require strength for changes of direction when running at speed. 

3 Of the Best Active Strength and Power Exercises: Box Jumps, Bulgarian Split Squats and Body Saws

Speed and Lateral Mobility:

Having the linear speed to burn off an opponent is one of the most sought after qualities in football, but be honest, how often do you get to run straight? That's why it is super important to balance linear speed training with training that enhances your ability to change direction. 

If you want to improve your linear speed, all you need to remember is this: the more ground you cover on each step and the more steps you take in a given time, the better. If you want to improve your speed in preseason, concentrating on increasing stride length it is far more effective than increasing stride frequency. 

Changing direction is a trainable skill. By improving posture, changing the center of gravity, and improving footwork we can enhance our ability to explosively break, change direction, and accelerate.

3 Of the Best Speed and Lateral Mobility Exercises: Hill Running, Lateral Sled Drags and Side Squat Walk

Train hard, train smart and remember to compress for success every step of the way with Healit™ compression wraps, available at www.healitwrap.com. Patriots fans get 10 percent off all orders and FREE shipping when you enter the code PATRIOTS10 at checkout. Don't just be in the game. Win the game.