All positions in football require strength, but football strength training workouts vary significantly depending on the position. An offensive lineman, for example, needs much greater absolute strength that a wide receiver, while a receiver needs much greater speed (a function of strength and power). Nevertheless, a well-designed strength training program in football should be periodized — that is, it should vary in volume and intensity throughout the year to allow athletes to rest and recover for important competitions. The renowned exercise scientist, Dr. Tudor Bompa, originally coined the term periodization, and his training philosophy is easily the most widely-used in sports today. As a rule, a periodized football program should begin in the off-season, with high amounts of volume and raw strength building. As competition draws near, the program should cut down on volume and focus on more high-intensity speed and power workouts.

Strength and Hypertrophy

Beginning in the off-season/pre-season, the strength training program should emphasize developing first hypertrophy, the increase in size and strength of the actual muscle fibers, and then raw strength, an increase in the load you can lift for a given exercise. An increase in muscle size and strength are related, but not in a linear fashion.

To build hypertrophy, perform sets of 6 to 12 repetitions of a variety of resistance training exercises, using a load of about 65 to 75 percent of your 1RM. The types of lifts don’t matter as much during this phase, as the goal is to target all major muscle groups. Perform about 6 exercises per training session, and at least two (and up to 4 for highly-trained athletes) sessions per week. While you should aim to hit all major muscle groups, opt for free weights over machines, as machines do not force smaller stabilizer muscles to do any work. The extra balance and coordination needed to maintain posture while using free weights makes for better transfer to real-life athletic performance.

After about a two to three months of hypertrophy, the football training program should shift to an emphasis on developing raw strength. The muscles should now have the size and support to withstand heavier loads. Similar to hypertrophy, the specific exercises you choose during this phase do not matter as much, as the aim is to develop general strength in the entire body. Improve raw strength beginning with sets of 5 repetitions of each exercise, using moderately-heavy loads (about 75 percent of your 1RM). Over time, increase the load of each exercise, working your way up to 95 to 105 percent of your previous 1RM, and perform only 1 repetition per set. Squats, bench press, dead lifts, shoulder presses and rows are all effective for developing general strength needed for football. Increase load when you can perform two additional repetitions beyond your target number for two sets in a row.

Power

Power is perhaps more relevant to football than raw strength. Power, a function of raw strength and movement speed, provides football players the ability to not just move heavy loads, but to move them quickly and explosively.

Focus on power during the pre-competitive season, about one to two months before competition starts. During this phase, the exercises you choose should become more specific to your position and the actual movements you’ll perform during a game. For example, a defensive lineman might work on sled-pushes to replicate driving an offensive lineman back, while a wide receiver should perform squat jumps to improve power in the legs. All football players should focus on the Olympic lifts during this phase (cleans, jerks and snatches).

Improve power using just moderate weight ( 75 to 90 percent of your 1RM) for each exercise, but perform lifts quickly and explosively. Perform sets of 1 to 2 repetitions, and focus on technique and intensity during this phase — not increasing load. In fact, some studies show that lifting heavy loads actually decreased power because of the sacrifice the lifter must make in the velocity of the lift.

Plyometrics

Plyometrics are specific power lifts that take advantage of the muscles’ stretch-shortening cycle — a phenomenon in which the muscle is lengthened and then contracts with an exponentially greater rate of force. Savvy coaches use this phenomenon to develop a level of power in certain muscle groups that regular strength and power training cannot.

Plyometrics include exercises such as box jumps, depth jumps, leaps and bounds. Plyomterics may be harmful on underdeveloped joints, tendons and ligaments, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association recommends being able to squat 1.5 times your body weight before beginning a plyometrics program. Aim for about 100 contacts per plyometric training session (e.g., 5 sets of 20 repetitions). Plyometric training is a highly-specific method for developing sport-specific power, and should be performed in the later stages of the pre-season.

Speed

Wide receivers, running backs, defensive backs, linebackers, and to a lesser extent, linemen and the quarterback, need to have maximal speed, or the ability to cover a certain distance in a minimal amount of time. Speed is a function of both strength and power. Because strength can increase maximal force production, raw strength is critical for maximizing your speed.

Speed drills in football are generally the most fun. They include ladder and cone drills, sprints, backwards sprints and a variety of other fun games. You can be creative when designing speed workouts, but make sure to time everything. Your goal should always be able to cover the required distance in as little time as possible. Speed is also highly-specific to football performance, and you should shift to primarily a speed focus during the competitive season and all the way through to the most important competitions during the year, such as the playoffs.

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Additional Notes

Don’t forget the importance of flexibility throughout the year, both to increase joint mobility and range of motion, and to boost recovery and prevent injury. Perform a dynamic warm-up before every lifting session, and static stretching after working out. Periodization is a complicated and highly-individualized training theory. For more information on specific ways to incorporate periodization into your football training program, refer to http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/football-training-program.html

Photo © Jordan Fischer

Most distance runners don’t strength train. In fact, most US olympic marathon runners do very little, if any strength training. The physiologicalargument against strength training for distance runners makes sense. Distance running is an aerobic activity, that is limited by the body’s ability to carry and deliver oxygen to working muscles. It is an endurance activity. Strength training is generally anaerobic, and no studies have been done that have shown an increase in the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to working muscles following a strength training program. Other contradictions exist between strength training and endurance training. For example, strength training causes increased muscle mass (hypertrophy), which is not ideal for runners. It all comes back to sport-specific training. The best way for a distance runner to train is to run long distances. BUT, I’d like to argue that strength training can increase running performance by preventing injuries and increasing power production.

Injury Prevention:

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  Photo © Victor Zastol'skiy

  Strength training may increase bone mineral density, which may help decrease running-related injuries to the bones (stress reactions, stress fractures, etc.).

• Many spine and lower extremity injuries occur or are perpetuated by muscle inhibition and muscle strength imbalances. For example, the multifidi, small muscles responsible for stabilizing the spine, have been shown to stop functioning following prolonged episodes of back pain. Also, many runners develop patellafemoral pain (knee pain) due to poor mechanics and muscle strength imbalances at the hip, usually due to weak abductors and external rotators. If these issues are not addressed running may become increasingly painful or inefficient.

Increased Power Production:

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  Photo © Expert Infantry

  Studies have shown that runners who train for power demonstrate improved performance not associated with any cardiovascular markers. This means something else is responsible for this improvement (possibly increased power). Power = force x speed. It is essentially, “how fast can you produce a given force”. When you run, your feet are only in contact with the ground for a very brief period of time. It is important to maximize the amount of force produced during this ground contact.

• Heavy weight training and plyometric training affect not only the musculoskeletal system, but also the nervous system, by maximizing the number of muscle fibers recruited during training. Heavy weight training affects the force component of power, while plyometric training affects the speed component of power. In summary, strength training should be performed at high intensity with low repetitions to increase neural adaptation, while minimizing muscle hypertrophy.

Distance runners train A LOT, running for hours at a time. So it may be hard to find time to add one more thing to the training schedule. But, in order to make sure that you are running as efficiently as possible, maximizing your power output during ground contact, and preventing injuries, consider adding 1-2 strength training sessions to your weekly routine, and see what happens!

Aerobic Training

Aerobic Training has many benefits, including weight loss, increased stamina, and decreased risk of heart disease and other chronic health conditions. Aerobic training is also the core of many exercise routines for women as many women prefer fat burning over muscle building.

Generally, aerobic training should be performed at a level between 60% and 90% of your heart rate maximum (HR max).  Although not  as accurate as an exercise stress test, a simple way to estimate your HR max is to use the formula: 220 – your age.  For example, if you are 30, your HR max is 220 – 30 = 190 beats per minute (bpm).  So your desirable HR range for aerobic training would be 114 (60%) – 171 (90%).  The duration and intensity of your workout are inversely related.  If you are working out at 60% – 70% of your HR max, aim for a duration of 20 – 30 minutes.  If you are working out at 80% – 90% of your HR max, 15 minutes may suffice.  The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise most days of the week.  The American College of Sports Medicine recommends aerobic exercise at 65% – 90% HR max for 20 – 60 continuous minutes 3 – 5 days per week.

Aerobic Guidelines

• Intensity: 60% – 90% HR max
• Duration: 20 – 30 minutes
• Frequency: 3 – 4 days per week
• Tips: Include exercises that involve large muscle groups, such as walking, jogging, running, biking, swimming, circuit training, etc.  Begin your workout with a 10 minute warm-up  and end with a 10 minute cool-down.

Resistance Training

Some common goals for resistance training are to build strength/size, endurance/tone, and power.  The guidelines for resistance training are based on your 1-repetition maximum (1 RM).  This simply means the total amount of weight that you can lift once (for each particular lift, such as bench press, squat, curls, etc.).  This can be determined directly through testing, or it can be estimated from the number of times you are able to lift a lighter weight.  To estimate your 1 RM, click here.

Resistance Guidelines

• Intensity: this is dependent upon your goal.  Recommended numbers of sets and repetitions are provided for your specific 1 RM.
• Strength/Size: 3 sets of 11 repetitions at 80% 1 RM with 2 – 3 minute rest between sets.
• Endurance/Tone: 3 sets of 24 – 30 repetitions at 60% 1 RM with 1 – 2 minute rest between sets.
• Power: Power = force (% 1 RM) x distance / time.  Based on this formula, increase % 1 RM OR increase the speed of the lift (decrease time) to increase power.  3 sets of 3 – 5 repetitions at >80% 1 RM with 3 – 5 minute rest between sets.
• Frequency: at least 2 – 3 days per week
• Tips: Circuit training is effective in gaining strength and increasing aerobic capacity.  For example, performing bench press, squats, lat pulldowns, hamstring curls, military press, and lunges in sequence allows you to rest one muscle while working another.  This is considered “active” rest.  It is also a great way to expedite a workout if you are in a hurry.  Begin your workout with a 10 minute warm-up  and end with a 10 minute cool-down.

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE BEGINNING YOUR WORKOUT:

• Your training goal: Your body will adapt to the specific demand you place on it.
• Your age and health conditions: Consult a doctor if you are beginning an exercise program.
• Your experience with exercise: If you aren’t familiar with something, be cautious and consult a physical therapist or personal trainer for advice.
• Your safety: When training, start small and increase as you are able.  Remember the need to build a baseline before beginning more advanced activities such as plyometrics.  Always use a spotter when lifting weights.
• The stability demands of the exercise: For example, using free weights requires more stability than weight machines and, therefore, is more advanced.
• Different modes of exercising: Balancing your aerobic and resistance workouts with yoga, pilates, stretching, etc. is a great way to cross-train and maintain fitness.
• Technique: This is crucial to all aspects of training, including running.  If you are doing yoga, pilates, or weight training with incorrect form, you may be doing more harm than good.  If you have questions, ask a physical therapist or qualified personal trainer (or yoga/pilates specialist) for advice.  One-on-one training is the best way to learn correct technique.
• Recovery: Make sure you have some whey protein available for post workout recovery protein shakes.
• Supplements: If your goal is to lose fat, you should look into alternatives to the ECA stack to help jumpstart your goal..

Most importantly, HAVE FUN.  If you are enjoying your workouts, you are more likely to adhere to your exercise program and experience the benefits. If you are new to working out, try using music to compliment your beginner workout routine. It will help you ease your way into a regular exercise routine.