football workout please look and advise

Expert Discussion Strength Training
1

Hey Guys, Im going to ball football this summer at a Pac-10 school. Due to a ACL injury i suffered i was forced to come into the school as a non-scholorship player who is already on the 105 roster. Due to stupid NCAA rules they cant give there workout program. So the the S&C told me the basics they do and this is what ive come up with for both speed and weights Weights next 3 weeks

Day 1
Power Clean 3 sets 3 reps
Hang Snatch 3 sets 3-5 reps
Back Squats 3 sets 3-5 reps
Good mornings 3 sets 3-5 reps
Glute ham raises 4 sets 5-8 reps
Chest supported row 3 sets 6-10

Day 2
Incline BP work up to a max single
Power press 4 sets 3 reps
Flat DB press 3 sets 8-10 reps
JM press 4 sets 4-8 reps
DB rotator cuff work 3 sets 12 reps
Shurgs 3 sets 10 reps

Day 3
Hang Clean 4 sets 3-5 reps
Box squats w/band tension 6-8 sets 2 reps
Lunges 3 sets 5 reps
Reverse Hyperextensions 4 sets 6-10 reps
Glute ham raises 3 sets 12 reps
Pull-ups 3 sets 8 reps

Day 4
Dynamic BP w/band tension 8 sets 3 reps
4 board press 4 sets 3-5 reps
Plyo-push ups 4 sets 5 reps
Rear-Side-Front DB shoulder raise circuit 3 sets 10 reps each (30 reps total per set)
DB Tri Extension 3 sets 12-15 reps
Bicep Curl 3 sets 8 reps

Abs: will be done 4-6x a week. Using a mix of: Roman chair, Standing Ab Crunches, decline situps, hanging leg raises, stability ball leg raises and crunches.

		Speed, Agility and Conditioing

Day 1- Speed Day
Warm-up, strech
4 sets Flying 10’s
4 sets 10 yard starts
4 sets 20 yard starts
4 sets 30 yard starts
Day 2- agility and tempo
Warm-up
About 30-45 minutes of different footwork and change of direction drills w/45 sec rest between sets and 2 min between exercises
Tempo- 3sets of 4x100, 100 yard walk back as rest 2 minutes between sets

Day 3- Tempo
4 sets 4x4 50, 50 yard walk back is rest.
Practice for conditioning test
2 300 yard shuttles w/ 4minutes rest in 56 sec.

Day 4- Speed
Warm-up
3 sets Flying 20’s
4 sets 10 yards
3 sets 40 yards
2 sets 50 yards
2 sets 70 yards

Day 5- Agility and conditioning
Same as agility day on day 2
8- ½ gassers w/60 sec rest
practice for conditioning test
2- 300 yard shuttles w/4 minutes rest at 56 sec pace.

Plyos: will be done 2x a week

any info would be appreciated. thanks John

2

I think about it in terms of speed reserve: If you can improve your COD quickness by 10%, buy training at full speed with optimal rest, then it should be easy to sustain your COD quickeness/speed at 90% of your max, right?(Note that this 90% of your max is equal to what used to be 100% of your max sicne you improved by 10%) However, when you need to go at 100%, you have it in you. Much of football is played at sub maximal speeds, then once you see the hole or make the read, you go full out…

On the other hand, if you train in the LA zone without full recovery, you are unlikely to be training at more than 90% of your best and you will never improve your top speed (because you never work in that range) So say goodbye to that extra 10%. Then even if you manage to sustain 100% of your ability throughout a game, that is only 90% of what you would have had if you had improved your overall capability. In addition, you never have the ability to kick it into the higher gear.

I don’t ever seem to have a problem recovering between plays in a game and this is how I train. But make sure you do your tempo work for CV fitness. The only exception is after a long kick return or run of more than 70 yards. Of course, then I generally get to rest while they kick the extra point :slight_smile:

3

Originally posted by athlete
yeah,ive been through very similar routines having been at the D1 level of football.personally my observations of these workouts are sometimes based on quantity not quality. i agree that the volume is almost always over proportioned. dont be afraid to tailor the program to your specific needs rather than focussing on whats written on paper.
I feel my speed has greatly improved after switching from the split program to alternating pure speed days and tempo/recovery days.
i think you have to keep in mind that the focus of agility drills are to improve change of direction,not as a conditioning exercise. let your agility exercises improve your change of direction and your conditioning drills improve your conditioning.

Good post! :clap:

4

yeah,ive been through very similar routines having been at the D1 level of football.personally my observations of these workouts are sometimes based on quantity not quality. i agree that the volume is almost always over proportioned. dont be afraid to tailor the program to your specific needs rather than focussing on whats written on paper.
I feel my speed has greatly improved after switching from the split program to alternating pure speed days and tempo/recovery days.
i think you have to keep in mind that the focus of agility drills are to improve change of direction,not as a conditioning exercise. let your agility exercises improve your change of direction and your conditioning drills improve your conditioning.

5

that is something to think about the speed work.
Quick question, why do you recomend such a long rest period during agility drills since im tying to mimic the COD that is experienced in a game situation and between plays you never get a full recovery. thanks man youve been a big help. John

6

Originally posted by aalber9
What adjustments would you make to the running besides drop the LA work and gassers. thanks John

Just watch the volume of speed work. Make sure you are doing everything at >90%, so full recovery between reps. With all of the lifting you are doing, it is going to be a challenge to keep the speed work at a high level of quality.

Since you mentioned Westside, just a quick note…I would question the need for their speed lifting days given the fact that you will be getting your velocity training on the track. Just some food for thought.

7

John,
Are you fully recovered from the injury? Any extra soreness? What are your coaches looking for from you? Are you stretching? Are you familiar with Louie Simmons? I’m down in OC. acudave

8

If this helps my stats are
20 years old
6’1" 230
Linebacker, 40 time 4.71( electronic timed) 4.53(hand timed)
BP- 335
Squat-485
Power Clean-290
Power Snatch-210

thanks again John

9

yeah im fully recovered from the injury, it happened last spring so i had to miss this past season. The coaches seem really excited to get me into camp in august as well as i am to be going. Acutually, im very familiar with louie Simmions as the workout above is a hybird louie’s/ olympic lifting. later

john

10

John what school are you at if you don’t mind me asking. I am very familiar with some of the lifting protocols used by some of the pac-10 schools and most of what you are doing looks very familiar.

11

what is the “4 board press”?

12

4- board press is a assitance bench exercise where you place 4- 2 inch thick boards on your chest and lower the barbell down pause on the boards and press. used to work on top end strength. Westside Barbell exercises.

Viking, I will attending University of Arizona, if you want email me at aalber9@aol.com what schools are you familar and how?

13

Well, if you are going to follow the CFTS, then I would drop the split routine and make sure you do the weight lifting after your speed/agility work. You basically want to go to a one day of speed/lifting, then one day of tempo/recovery. Do a max of three speed/lifting days per week.

Overall the selction of lifts looks pretty good, but there are perhaps too many different lifts…you won’t be able to get them all in after your sprinting. I would also watch the volume and unless you have some particular reason for wanting hypertrophy (possible as a LB) then I would keep the reps less than 6 for all working sets.

I looks like your volume of sprints may be a little on the high side as well, I find that keeping my total volume of speed work per session to around 300m is about right.

Finally, in the agility work I would allow full recovery between reps (3 min ea) after all, you want to work on improving the speed of your change of direction, you can’t do this while tired…you will simply reinforce bad movement patterns. I would also drop the gassers and LA work. I know you will probbly have to do these for the coach, but if you improve your speed overall and keep your conditioning via tempo work, then you should be able to struggle through them when you need to (and only then!)

14

XLR8,
Thanks for the advice, About the lifting, during my rehab from knee surgery i followed the Louie Simmions Westside Barbell philosphy and it worked reall well so im gonna stick with it. I am looking to add a bit of muscle before camp, hence the reason for higher reps on the assistance exercises. I’m going to drop them in about 5-6 weeks though. What adjustments would you make to the running besides drop the LA work and gassers. thanks John

15

John,
Do you do a dynamic bench day. This would be helpful for your hand speed at LB. Do you do backwards walking sled work. This strengthens the knees, IT band and vastus lateralis. This is to make sure your knees are as good as they can be. Are yoy doing the ten exercise Dave Tate rotator series. My shoulders got chopped up when tackling (Strong safety wannabe LB). The ratios of your bdwt to Power clean and snatch look good. For overall power just hit the squat. I do glute ham for sets of 8 rather than 12’s. More white twitch in the hamstrings and fatigue faster. Use that for explosiveness rather than higher rep stamina. I think Mr. Francis or an upper member on this sight, well maybe Poliquin. I don’t know. It has worked for me. Try the holds at the top, partner assisted when doing glute hams. There are more experienced people here on the running. Develope a GOOD stetch program. Is CC your strength coach? Best of luck. I hope you play Penn St(my fav) in the Rose Bowl

16

yeah im doing Dynamic Bench with added band tension and i do a whole rotator cuff/ shoulder stability program.

On the glute hams- i do the 2x a week on week heavy 5 reps and the other time very explosively with a fast negative for higher reps.

When you ask who my strength coach is, Who do yo mean by CC?

John

17

John,
What are your colors? CC is the coach at the red school, while I can’t remember the other schools strength coach, with the blue colors? The red color school has the strength coach of Chris C. Medicine Ball man. Very good coach. Overcame cancer. I have not met him but heard good things.
Other than having someone critic your Oly lift form, and Powerlift form and dynamic speed, it sounds very good. Remember recovery. acudave

18

Originally posted by xlr8
Well, if you are going to follow the CFTS, then I would drop the split routine and make sure you do the weight lifting after your speed/agility work. You basically want to go to a one day of speed/lifting, then one day of tempo/recovery. Do a max of three speed/lifting days per week.

Overall the selction of lifts looks pretty good, but there are perhaps too many different lifts…you won’t be able to get them all in after your sprinting. I would also watch the volume and unless you have some particular reason for wanting hypertrophy (possible as a LB) then I would keep the reps less than 6 for all working sets.

I looks like your volume of sprints may be a little on the high side as well, I find that keeping my total volume of speed work per session to around 300m is about right.

Finally, in the agility work I would allow full recovery between reps (3 min ea) after all, you want to work on improving the speed of your change of direction, you can’t do this while tired…you will simply reinforce bad movement patterns. I would also drop the gassers and LA work. I know you will probbly have to do these for the coach, but if you improve your speed overall and keep your conditioning via tempo work, then you should be able to struggle through them when you need to (and only then!)

I agree with XLR8. Your exercise choices are great (though you have a ton of them :slight_smile: heheh

I think your volume of speed work is a little high. I would consider easing back into it with 250-300 meters total speedwork at first.

Also doing speed 3 times a week with weights immediately afterwards and tempo the day after speedworkouts is a good idea.

Muscularly you might feel fine but your CNS will be a little cooked if you do CNS intensive work nearly every day.

I really like your exercise choices, they are great for power/speed development!

Cheers,

Chris