Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton shares his 6-step fitness routine to build muscle without wearing out his body

• Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton shared his off-season training routine with Insider.
• As well as doing lower body lifts, runs, and mobility work, Bolton does lots of stretching, he said.

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton has shared his off-season training routine for keeping his body strong.

Bolton told Insider's Sarah Kwak, who is in Arizona ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl, that stretching, massages, and mobility work are important to ensure he stays fit and healthy.

Bolton's off-season gym sessions include 15 minutes of stretching, an active warm-up designed by the gym Exos in Phoenix, 45 minutes of lifting and running for a "light sweat," and 30 minutes of recovery.

The main part of the workout involves exercises like five 60-yard runs, split squats and other lower body lifts, followed by mobility exercises to support the ankles, Bolton said.

Bolton's preferred types of recovery include using hot and cold tubs, more stretching, or soft tissue work (applying pressure to certain muscles, ligaments, and tendons), he said.

"One thing I found that I probably didn't do as much as I should was stretch," Bolton said. "Stretching is one thing you can do that doesn't put a lot of strain on your body."

Bolton does cupping to boost recovery

As well as this, Bolton gets massages and does cupping therapy, where suction cups are used to relieve muscle pain in the back, neck, and shoulders.

Bolton previously told Insider that he swears by cupping, a Chinese medicine therapy that has gained mainstream popularity and is used by many NFL players and other elite athletes.

Cupping aims to help ease discomfort, improve range of motion, and boost recovery between intense training sessions, Insider's Anna Medaris reported.

"The most essential part is rest," Bolton said. "The season starts in May regardless of when you end it."