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 By: Curtis Schultz
Building an effective strength and conditioning program for football requires analyzing your needs and objectives. Then choosing the exercises that will best help you on the field, it also offers unique opportunities for coaches who can look beyond normalcy and develop tradition. Don't you think it's time for you aspiring football players to begin preparing for next season? And you wonder why some are better on the field then others. It's called dedication. Your dream is to be a dominant player on the field. To claim your turf you must push your limits in the weight room so you can push your opponents around on the Gridiron.
  Click Image To Enlarge. Push Your Limits In The Weight Room So You Can Push Your Opponents Around On The Gridiron. The Power Athlete Football Program was designed for football players. This program has gained in popularity over the years; some high schools and small colleges have adopted this program. While most programs are based on maintenance, or only gaining during off-season prep, the Power Athlete Football Program is based on GAINING year round! What will follow are many important steps you need to take to be successful. The Power Athlete Football Strength and Conditioning Program is designed to get you stronger, bigger, faster, quicker, and more flexible. Each workout is important to your success. The program is designed to improve you as a football player, not a weigh-lifter or bodybuilder. Our philosophy: Train the body to perform work for an undetermined amount of time so to be overpowering on the gridiron. This routine is based on a 4-day a week training regiment, using percentages of your 1-Rep Max in Main lifts listed in the routine. After each 4-week interval re-test your 1 rep max.
Flexibility is a key component in avoiding injury, by increasing the joints range of motion. It is also a factor in increasing strength and speed. There are two types of stretching, dynamic and static. 1. Dynamic Stretching: Dynamic stretching involves exercises that require movement, usually some sort of bouncing. These tend to be better suited for warming up rather than increasing flexibility. In order to increase long-term flexibility, static type stretching is better suited. 2. Static Stretching: Static stretches should be held for a period of 20-seconds. You should attempt to stretch as far as possible without any pain. Do not force stretches or have a partner push you through your stretches this can result in injury. Your stretching should be done systematically similar to your approach to any type of training. For your stretching program to be successful you must work at it. On the following is a variety of stretching exercises that you may choose from. PNF Stretching: Another type of static stretching is called PNF (proprioreceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching. This stretching must be done with a partner. The athlete should assume the stretch position and hold it for 6-10 seconds. After the 6-10 seconds the partner will apply force to hold the athlete in his stretch position, the athlete should try to overcome this force and be held in an isometric contraction. This pattern should be followed for 3 cycles and the athlete should increase the stretch for each one. . Remember, utilize the static type stretches, only stretch when warm and make flexibility one of your goals.
When you start talking about SAQ training, there are several things that come into play, such as form, building strength, raising work capacity, recuperation, exercise selection, and rotation of those exercises to avoid adaptation, and of course, speed work. So, to begin developing these tools you should first strength train the lower body for at least 3 months specializing in core work then hips, quads, and hamstrings. Here are just some of the exercises you will be doing for strength training the lower body: Now, most commercial gyms/fitness centers do not have a Glute-Ham or a Reverse Hyper machine so I'll try and show you a couple exercises that will only imitate the exact functions of these machines. Let's get started.
To build SAQ explosiveness you should train for the specifics of football and your position. As you do the strength work, you should also begin doing plyometric routine too (jumping) and some changing direction jumps too. The running program has been designed to accomplish several goals that apply specifically to football. The areas that are incorporated are form, speed work, conditioning, and plyometrics . A description of drills will be supplied for each aspect of the running workouts. For the first six weeks the running will be done two times per week; while the last six weeks, running will be done three times per week. These workouts should not take more than one hour to complete. If scheduling is a problem, running days can be combined with lifting days. It is important that you wait about 2-3 hours between these workouts.
Catching and throwing of medicine balls can also be used to develop arms and upper body explosiveness. These are just a few to get you started for the upcoming spring practice.
Take them slow and work your way up into the movements doing them quicker and faster. Some of the exercises that can be done are as follows:
This program is designed and incorporates multiple joint exercises, implements explosive training movements, utilizes the progressive overload principle with also a splash of periodization forged into a split routine. Each module will last four weeks. These phases will constitute a cycle. At the end of each cycle you should get tested or test yourself to determine your improvement or possible areas you might need more work on. There are also many goals that MUST be obtained during the off-season strength and conditioning program, first and foremost the need to increase the players lean body weight. The following are all standard. First to increase your strength, increase your speed, increase your stamina, and build confidence.
Butt Kicks- 2x10 Interval- 45 seconds - Windows Media - MPEG
Butt Kicks- 2x10 Interval- 45 seconds - Windows Media - MPEG
At the End of Each 8 weeks do TESTING: Power Tests (1 Rep Max) & SAQ Tests
Basically re-do above program with new 1RM numbers
Apply ALL of the above SAQ principles through Summer Pre-Season ALSO: Apply the above workout too using % from last max-out prior to end of school.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 1:
Day 2:
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Day 2:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 1:
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Day 3:
PLEASE NOTE: Any questions or if you need to replace a exercise with one already in the routine contact me for the best one to use in your individual case. If you prefer a more personalized routine by position please email me at behind_the_iron@yahoo.com for details.
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