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Under the Helmet: Alex Melvin
9/12/2019 3:33:00 PM | Football
By Emily Polglaze, Athletic Communications Student Assistant
Alex Melvin knows the importance of weights, drills and power when it comes to football. But when those are finished, you might find him taking another approach to training: through yoga, meditation and music.
Melvin has learned through both his studies and his football career that wellness of the mind and body is key in the life of a college athlete.
"When you're in an environment where you're playing in front of thousands of people, it's important to be within yourself and not lose your sense of control," Melvin said. "I have a more active brain, so being able to quiet that down has been very useful in the competitive environment."
Before transferring to Minnesota, Melvin earned a bachelor's degree in biology from SMU, which is where he said he started to understand the benefits of training that went beyond the typical methods.
The punter took a liking to yoga, especially, as it has helped him with flexibility and mindfulness. Since coming to Minnesota in 2018, he has gotten teammates on board, and he's hoping to earn his yoga teaching certification in the spring.
"In a way, I commend my interest in that to the culture here," Melvin said. "They really embrace the idea of being elite on the field and off the field, it's something we talk about all the time. It's a culture that motivates me to pursue different things."
Melvin is also using that motivation off the field. His daily exposure to elite athletes and his knowledge of the body have created a perfect storm for his master's program in biomedical engineering.
He is using that combination to develop supplements that could improve muscle synthesis to better serve his teammates and what their bodies need.
"I've been able to use my bio background from my first degree and understand the pathways that are common for muscle development and that kind of thing," Melvin said. "There's certain nutrients and pathways that are not as active as they could be."
Melvin is entering in his fifth year this season, and while he hasn't been at Minnesota the entire time, he says the journey has helped shape him into the well-rounded person and player that he has become.
"Being around a culture like this, it's been inspiring for me in all aspects of my life," Melvin said. "Continuing to use that and to be around the great guys that I am, it's really nice."
Alex Melvin knows the importance of weights, drills and power when it comes to football. But when those are finished, you might find him taking another approach to training: through yoga, meditation and music.
Melvin has learned through both his studies and his football career that wellness of the mind and body is key in the life of a college athlete.
"When you're in an environment where you're playing in front of thousands of people, it's important to be within yourself and not lose your sense of control," Melvin said. "I have a more active brain, so being able to quiet that down has been very useful in the competitive environment."
Before transferring to Minnesota, Melvin earned a bachelor's degree in biology from SMU, which is where he said he started to understand the benefits of training that went beyond the typical methods.
The punter took a liking to yoga, especially, as it has helped him with flexibility and mindfulness. Since coming to Minnesota in 2018, he has gotten teammates on board, and he's hoping to earn his yoga teaching certification in the spring.
"In a way, I commend my interest in that to the culture here," Melvin said. "They really embrace the idea of being elite on the field and off the field, it's something we talk about all the time. It's a culture that motivates me to pursue different things."
Melvin is also using that motivation off the field. His daily exposure to elite athletes and his knowledge of the body have created a perfect storm for his master's program in biomedical engineering.
He is using that combination to develop supplements that could improve muscle synthesis to better serve his teammates and what their bodies need.
"I've been able to use my bio background from my first degree and understand the pathways that are common for muscle development and that kind of thing," Melvin said. "There's certain nutrients and pathways that are not as active as they could be."
Melvin is entering in his fifth year this season, and while he hasn't been at Minnesota the entire time, he says the journey has helped shape him into the well-rounded person and player that he has become.
"Being around a culture like this, it's been inspiring for me in all aspects of my life," Melvin said. "Continuing to use that and to be around the great guys that I am, it's really nice."
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