Getty ImagesSteelers defensive lineman Ziggy Hood says he’s gained two pounds this offseason, from 305 to 307. But through intense workouts, Hood says he has radically transformed himself from a fat 300-pounder to a muscular 300-pounder.
According to Hood, his offseason workouts and an improved diet led to him losing 18 pounds of fat and gaining 20 pounds of muscle, and he’s going to be a much different player on the field as a result.
“What better way to help my speed and help my agility but to lose body fat?” Hood told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I play better when I feel good. When I don’t feel good, I don’t do as well as I want, and I didn’t feel good all the time last year.”
Hood and the gym where he’s been working out this offseason have posted videos of his feats of strength on YouTube, including a 50-inch box jump, a 700-pound deadlift and a 1,210-pound sled drag.
Hood said he wants to dispel any notion that defensive linemen need to be fat.
“You can be big and lean and still do your job correctly,” Hood said. “That’s what I am trying to do here. . . . All that big and looking sloppy, that’s out the window,” Hood said. “We are sexy now.”
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Just LOVE this so much!!! Steelers r a force to be reckoned with this year!!!
Sounds like Hood is taking the opening from Aaron Smith pretty seriously.
After the Feats of Strength, does the Airing of Grievances follow? Most importantly, does he have the Festivus Pole?
Doctor: Do you want to lose 10 pounds of ugly fat?
Me: Yes!!!
Doctor: Cut off your head.
307 lb man jumping up 50 inches…good god.
He’ll need the extra strength to break Flacco’s unibrow into two separate brows.
Ratbirds will be swept by the Steelers this season.
Two lbs and some muscle and Steeler trolls proclaim this team is a force to be reckoned with, riiiiighttt. Don’t mind the fact they were ousted by Tim Tebow, you know, the Jets backup QB
This guy was ranked as the worst 3-4 end in the league last year, you stiller fans better hope he gets his act together.
steelers are a team in decline, they have no offensive line and they are getting old on defense. they will be a wldcard team this year at best and eliminated in the first round again
randallflagg52
He was sloppy but he certainly wasn’t the worst.
Keep in mind that he was part of a 2010 defense that only allowed 1000 yards rushing the entire season–the best performance by any defense in over a decade.
I think the lockout messed up his development.
Not to take anything away from him but a 700lb deadlift on a diamond bar, with raised handles additionally, is far different from a 700lb deadlift. Congrats to his transformation though.
I’m not sure who ravenator is more obsessed with, the Steelers or Tim Tebow.
Where did he rank as one of the worst 3-4 ends, if you can provide a link i Would love to see that. Steelers had 1 overall d 1st ahainst pass 8 against run, and 1st scoring, so he must have been a masive weak link, and while I share the opinion that he hasnt quite lived up to a first round pick expectations, I dont for 1 second belive he was one of the worst de in football. Ravenator–A lot of teams got beat by Tebow last year, how many got beat by jacksonville and blaine gabbert, just 3 incase you didnt know, baltimore, indy 2x, and tampa. So while tebow won 8 games playing in less than a season, gabbert won 4, so there goes your rational of judging a season based on one qb played against. I cant wait until next year, because once the ravens start losing, you and your comments will be no where to be found.
Title should of somehow included “We are sexy now”
Hey, B&G fans, ravenator just called us trolls on our own thread. Has anybody noticed that he has exponentially multiplied his stupidity?
As for Ziggy and his enthusiasm, we have to be feeling great that large portion of our future D-line is feeling great.
I feel sorry for the right side of the Ravens Off Line. Then again, Not. Steelers will be a force on the Dline for years to come.
You knew Ravenator was going to show up and put his two cents in. I think he still believes the Ravens won that game against the Patriots and went on to beat the Giants….cry on little man, cry on.
Just LOVE this so much!!! Steelers r a force to be reckoned with this year!!!
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Will 9-7 be a force to be reckoned with?
All of you people who say the steelers are weak and the line is garbage better get ready to eat a big slice of humble pie. Did you guys forget the draft already?
Also, hood has taken a while to develop. Guess who else took a while to develop? Lawerence Timmons and he is now a really good LB.
It’s always good news when players spend their off season working to get themselves in better playing shape. That jump looked impressive to me, and his enthusiasm is even more impressive. This sounds like a guy who wants to step up his game.
Ravenator secretly has a steelers themed dildo tucked underneath his pillow and gives it mouth hugs when his parents go to bed.
I’m 6′ 1, 225lbs. and can deadlift 455 with absolutely no problem. Could add more easily. If 700 is considered amazing for an NFL DT, I think I’m doing pretty good.
I’d rather have an athletic, lean, strong D end than a fat one. This Packers fan would gladly trade the overweight garbage we had on the outside of our line last year and a couple 1st round picks for a guy like Jared Allen any day of the week.
Allen’s a big guy…. but there can’t be much fat there. He’s what 6’6″ or 6’7″ and about 260? I bet the guy has a 6 pack.
And to Ziggy, keep up the work man. As an end, you should feel good. That 20lbs of muscle is going to help force double teams to free up the linebackers so they can make their tackles, or help you beat the edge and get in the QB’s face easier now.
lolb23
Most NFL lineman CAN’T do 700 lbs, so yeah it’s decently impressive.
What’s more impressive was his jump, though. He’s a big man and that takes some explosiveness for even some smaller guys.
Cant wait to see how lebau uses him
Sounds good. Maybe we’ll see more of the Pee Wee Herman dance this year
The Steelers finished 8th against the run, but they were getting burned badly early on, including the opener aganst the Ravens. They significantly improved after Aaron Smith went down for the season and was replaced by Hood. Hood’s play coincided with Lamar Woodley’s tear when he had like 8 sacks in four games, just before he got injured. The job of 3-4 defensive ends is to tie up blockers and he did very well at that. If the defense got better with him in the line up – and it finished #1 in the league at the end of the season – logic says he played rather well. Expect further improvement this year.
Keep on hating haters, it’s tough to swallow when your rival sweeps the division, don’t worry it happened to the browns and bengals too. And when this happens again, I’ll be laughing all over your threads.
Ok raven fans, let’s see how many 15 yard field goals you guys miss this year.
I wonder if Tim Tebow is married? He isn’t married, is he? If not, I plan to propose shortly.
ravenator:
“it’s tough to swallow when your rival sweeps the division”
You’re saying this from experience right, because of how many times the Steelers have swept the Ratbirds? It’s hilarious to watch you Ratbird homers whoop last season up like it was such an unexpected one-time thing. Which, of course, it was. Next time, try acting like you’ve been there before.
I’d much rather lose to Tebow than have my kicker doink a chip shot after my receiver drops a game winning TD.
This guy is a monster
ravenater says:
Jun 11, 2012 9:53 AM
I wonder if Tim Tebow is married? He isn’t married, is he? If not, I plan to propose shortly.
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Oh I get it now. He’s a Jets fan.
Real Ravens fans must be very relieved.
Keep sippin that haterade, this is great!