A new way to train: Former NFL player challenged by bodybar

by Chardae Davis

As NFL teams start their training camps for the new season, retired player Jason Hatcher is finding new ways to condition his body. That includes classes at bodybar Southlake, which his wife Natasha opened earlier this year.

The former defensive end recalled taking his first Reformer class almost four years ago at the Plano studio.

“It was one of the toughest workouts I’ve ever done,” he says. “It focuses on the small muscle groups, something NFL guys don’t really target.”

Hatcher credits bodybar’s core-centered workouts as having changed his posture for the better. “When I walk, I feel more upright,” he says. “I don’t feel unbalanced. That’s the biggest impact I’ve seen since doing Pilates. “

And in case you were wondering, Hatcher’s 6-foot-6-inch frame does fit on the studio’s Allegro 2 Reformers.

Hatcher announced his retirement this spring after 10 years in the league. The Dallas Cowboys drafted him in 2006, and he finished his career with the Washington Redskins. The Hatcher family is now back in North Texas, supporting Natasha and her dream of opening a bodybar studio.

Having complete control of your schedule is one of the biggest adjustments to life after the league. As he figures out what comes next, Hatcher is allowing his body to heal after years of wear and tear on the field.

“When you get older—you know my knees aren’t what they used to be—you have to take on different [exercises] like yoga and pilates to substitute,” he says. Indoor cycling classes and power lifting are two of his other favorite workouts.