NFL Players Will Spend Suspensions Training in MMA

While NFL players serve league-imposed suspensions, they're ineligible to practice, work out at the training facilities, or participate in any other team activities, which means it's up to them to stay in shape on their own. But for three players who are suspended for the start of the 2009 season, they'll be training at former UFC champion Randy Couture's mixed martial arts gym in Las Vegas.

Rich Cimini of the New York Daily News reports that Jets outside linebacker Calvin Pace and Saints defensive ends Will Smith and Charles Grant -- all of whom will serve four-game suspensions for using banned supplements -- are going to spend that time working out at Xtreme Couture, a gym widely regarded as one of the best MMA training facilities in the world.

Here's a look at what they'll be doing:

Pace makes clear that while he'll be working hard, he won't do anything to risk injury:

"The reason why I'm doing MMA is it's probably the closest thing you can find to football as far as conditioning, cardiovascular and the physical aspect," Pace said after the Jets' 38-27 win over the Eagles Thursday night in their final preseason game. "I'm not going to be fighting and I'm not going to be getting hit. I'm just going to be training my behind off."

"I want to come back the way I left - in shape and focused,"

Having spent some time at Xtreme Couture myself, I think this is a great idea on the part of Pace, Smith and Grant. The conditioning work they'll do at Xtreme Couture is as high-quality as they'd get from any strength and conditioning coach in the NFL. They'll return in good shape for the fifth game of the season.