Zettel wants to help others fight their way into the pros
Football success, they say, starts with your hands.
That's the way former Nittany Lion Anthony Zettel and his State College trainer see it.
Well-conditioned, violent hands.
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"It's all about gaining an extra inch. ... It's just about getting an edge," said Bruce Lombard, 46, who trains mostly college students in mixed martial arts at the LionHeart Fitness gym — some who just happen to be standout Penn State football players.
In the simplest terms, it's a unique way to improve balance, hand-eye coordination and hand speed, which is critical for offensive and defensive linemen. Such an edge, "might make you a starter, it might earn you a scholarship, it might make you millions," Lombard said.
He believes so much in what he teaches that he's created an instructional video and training manual on how mixed martial arts can help transform football players — with a particular focus on hand-fighting.
Zettel believes so much in the training he helped to create Lombard's video ($149) and 150-page manual ($49) and will begin to market them at the Glazier Football Coaching Clinic in Pittsburgh in a couple of weeks.
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Zettel believes the four or five hours of weekly MMA training, on top of his Penn State football requirements, are what pushed him into the NFL. He's preparing for his second season with the Detroit Lions.
"I'm a country guy from West Branch (Michigan), a small town," Zettel said. "I wasn't 6-foot-8 and a freak like that. I had to find different stuff that worked for me. I was always looking to find an advantage. I knew I didn't have those long arms, so you had to become violent with your hands."
Lombard's overall program is called MMAFx (Mixed Martial Arts Football cross-training). When mandatory football training slows, especially in the summers, a select group of Lions seek him out for extra work.
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The lessons combine boxing, wrestling and wing chun, a close-combat form of Chinese martial arts.
Lombard's biggest believers are Zettel and Baltimore Ravens' offensive lineman John Urschel. The goal now is to spread these training ideas across the country, particularly to high school coaches and players.
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Although he was a productive fan-favorite at Penn State, Zettel's NFL future was uncertain. He didn't seem big enough to play on the interior of the defensive line where he succeeded most in college. Was he quick enough to play defensive end or as a hybrid linebacker?
He wasn't drafted until the sixth round, but he's already created a niche with resilience and hard work.
That's why he's so excited about spreading the football word about MMA.
"This is more for the kids who want to do extra, kids who are hard workers," Zettel said. "It's not for everybody. But it definitely gives an advantage to kids who don't have much of a chance, gives them a little more of a shot."