Rookie LB Courtney Upshaw learned a valuable lesson on his first day of training camp: Be prepared.
Upshaw, drafted 35th overall by the Ravens in the Draft, failed his first attempt at passing Baltimore's conditioning test, which immediately placed him on the non-football injury list. Upshaw passed on his second attempt and was present Tuesday for Baltimore's first practice, which featured rookies, quarterbacks and injured veterans from 2011.
Upshaw wasn't the only one to fail the conditioning test on the first try. It also took undrafted rookie tight end Bruce Figgins two attempts before being cleared to practice.
"A couple of guys will learn their lesson the hard way, as far as the conditioning test and practicing at our pace," coach John Harbaugh said.
Baltimore's conditioning test consists of six sets of running 150 yards. Depending on certain variables with each individual player, there is a set time to finish these sets, which are broken down into 25-yard runs. The idea is to assess a player's recovery time between sets and how well the player's body changes direction while placing stress on the muscles.
The test is a tough one to get through, which is why rookie running back Bernard Pierce spent his time off in July working on conditioning. Pierce got through his conditioning test in one try.
"That's all I've been focused on," Pierce said. "I wanted to make sure I came back to make sure I could do the conditioning test just one time and get it done right then and there."
