TRICKS & TIPS FOR FOOTBALL TRAINING

Video: Best NFL Training Drills.

Power is a combination of strength and speed. A player who can bench press 300lbs is not necessarily more powerful than a player who can bench press 250lbs for example.

And in football, with all other factors equal, the player with the greater power will come out on top.

Of course, maximal strength training still plays a key role in a football training program. In the articles below we’ll look at other forms of training that can help to convert maximal strength into explosive power.

What other football-specific elements of fitness are important in becoming the best player you can?

• Maximum speed, acceleration and agility
• Muscular endurance
• Flexibility and mobility

While endurance IS important, long distance running to build an aerobic base can be detrimental to the football player. Football-specific interval training is much more beneficial.

Take a look through the articles below as we uncover some of the key principles involved in the complete football training approach…

Different Phases of Strength Training for Football
Over the course of a year your football strength training program should follow some well-defined phases or cycles.

Unlike the recreational bodybuilder who follows a variation of the same routine week after week after week, strength training for football varies significantly depending on the time of year.

Usually, the football season is broken into 3 major phases…

• Off-season – 6 months
• In-season – 5 months
• Transition – 1 month

During the off-season the objective is to build the maximum of strength, size and power possible. But because the off-season is so long it’s broken down into small macrocycles. We’ll see exactly how later…

In-season strength training for football is about maintaining the gains in strength gained over the off-season. Volume and intensity is reduced considerably.

The transition phase is all about rest and recuperation. It’s good to have some time off each year from weight training, to allow the body (and mind) to fully recharge.

Even within each phase, the intensity and volume of each session varies…

For example, over a 6 week period intensity might start off lower at week 1, reach a peak by week 3, taper off at week 4 and reach a peak again at week 6. This way you are proactively avoiding overtraining and burnout. If you try and train at 100% every session, sooner or later your body will force you to rest – and it’s usually just before a big game!

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