This is not your father's blocking sled

One of the most helpful tools of the Vikings' offseason strength and conditioning program can be built for about $953,999,971 less than the team's proposed new stadium.

"It's nothing fancy, nothing state-of-the-art," said Tom Kanavy, Vikings head strength and conditioning coach. "It looks like you could make one of them at Home Depot for about $29. We've done it for three years now, and we don't even have a purple pad on it."

Nor is there an exotic name for this form of torture, er, exercise.

"Not really," Kanavy said. "We just call them the 'Wood Sled Pushes.' "

Typically used by offensive linemen to build leg muscle, cardiovascular strength and positioning technique, the wooden sled is pushed by a single player the width of a football field to a waiting teammate. The teammate turns the sled around and pushes it back across the field to another waiting teammate, who, well, you get the idea.

Push downward on the sled and it won't move. Push upward and it may tip over. Push it just right and you're looking at 53 yards with your butt low, back straight and legs bent into the perfect lineman's position.

"And that's no picnic, either," Kanavy said. "It's mainly for the big guys up front. But sometimes, we even put the receivers and DBs in there to mix things up and ruin their day."

"I got it from Denver," Shultz said. "I think everybody tries to steal stuff from everybody else.

"And when it comes to training, there are so many ways to do it. What may work for one team probably is going to be picked up by other teams."

The NFL is a copycat league. Even in March, when the league annually allows the start of 14 weeks of team-structured strength and conditioning.

For the most part, all 32 teams follow the fundamental weightlifting and running philosophies that have been the staples of NFL offseason programs since the 1980s. Or, as Kanavy put it, "You want to keep things fresh and provide variety, but you also don't want to stray too far from the basics."

But teams do like to spice things up and/or provide unconventional twists to traditional exercises.

"It really helps with grip strength, which is a vital part of playing football," Shultz said. "There are no handles, so a guy has to grab on to a sandbag that weighs up to 150 pounds, lift it and maintain stability."

The Bengals also like to mix things up. For example, Morton teaches players how to use something called a Russian Kettlebell. It's basically a heavy metal ball with a thick handle on it. And if you believe russiankettlebells.com, the United States encountered an "invasion" of these things 10 years ago.

Bears players have been known to lift chains heavy enough to anchor a battleship. Browns players are among those who use martial arts training.

Ravens future Hall of Fame middle linebacker Ray Lewis became a devoted kick boxer when Shultz was his personal trainer years ago. Today, Shultz teaches kick boxing to 12 Bucs players.

"They're allowed to spar, but only if they spar with me," Shultz said.

Shultz also has about 20 Bucs players who go with him to the local YMCA to swim on Fridays during the offseason.