FOOTBALL STRENGTH & SPEED

FEET & COURAGE BOYS, FEET & COURAGE
 1. Comments
  • Remember this: You need to lift weights, do your sprints etc. However, don't forget you play football and you need to practice your craft. We all watch the NFL Combine and see players posting great scores that allows them to rise up the draft board. "Great upside" as they say. And I say, "Not very often." You might be a WR that runs a 4.4 but if you can't run a route, or catch the ball, or take a hit it won't mean "doodly squat". Brady Quinn benched 24 x 225 and the draft gurus went crazy. I wonder what Joe Montana benched? Quinn may turn out to be a great QB but it will have nothing to do with his bench.
  • Programs: There are many different approaches that work. Olympic Lifts or no Olympic Lifts; Powerlifting squats or Front Squats; Strongman, Kettlebells etc. etc. If you're doing things with your Bodyweight, an Olympic Bar, Barbells, Dumbbells or Pulleys you're on the right track.
  • Templates: At one time I had my strength programs on this site. I've removed them. You should always be careful when taking a template from another coach and applying it to your team. When a coach puts a strength & speed program on paper it's much like a playbook on paper. It can't include all the adjustments he makes on a yearly, monthly, weekly & daily basis. Ex: If a coach is new to the team he may have to make up for deficiencies in the previous program.
  • Plyometrics: They have great value. I have included them in programs for the past 25 years. However, in many situations they are simply overdone. Plyos have gone from being a part of athletes programs to the point where in many cases they are the athletes training program. Dumb!
  • Medball & Strongman: Same comment as for Plyos.
  • Olympic Lifts: Be sure you know the modern style of cleans. Don't use the old style that looked like an upright row.
  • Following a Plan: Have a plan but don't be a slave to the plan. You might be scheduled for a 5RM day but feel great. Go after your 1RM that day instead. Or maybe the template say 1RM and you have nothing. Rep out, stretch and go home. Or just go home.
 2. Periodization/Plan
 Summer Program 10-12 weeks prior to Training Camp
Here's some splits I've used over the past 25 years or so. Use whichever one works best for you.
Linemen Option 1 Linemen Option 2
M Speed: Total distance = 200 yds
Strength: Lower Body		 M Strength: Lower Body
Football Position Skills
T Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: Total distance = 500 yds		 T Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: Total distance = 750 yds
W Speed: Total distance = 300-400 yds
Strength: Upper Body		 W Speed: Total distance = 200 yds
Strength: Upper Body
TH Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: Total distance = 750 yds		 TH Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: Total distance = 500 yds
F Strength: Total Body
 		 F Speed: Total distance = 300-400 yds
Strength: Total Body
SAT Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: Total distance = 1000 yds		 SAT Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: Total distance = 1000 yds
SUN OFF SUN OFF
Note: Pushing trucks, flipping tires, pulling sleds are good on the 1000 yd Tempo days. Reduce the total distance of Tempo Runs or eliminate them completely on this day depending on what you have done. After pushing the truck around the parking lot for awhile some of our guys would rather just puke than run any Tempos
 
Backs Option 1 Backs Option 2
M Speed: Total Distance = 450-600 yds
Strength: Upper Body		 M Speed: Total Distance = 300-450 yds
Football: individual; 7 on 7
T Football: individual; 7 on 7
Tempo: Total Distance = 0-900 yds		 T Strength: Upper Body
Tempo: Total Distance = 0-900 yds
W Speed: Total Distance = 300-450 yds
 		 W Football: individual; 7 on 7
 
TH Football: individual; 7 on 7
Tempo: Total Distance = 0-1200 yds		 TH Speed: Total Distance = 450-600 yds
 
F Football: Individual Position Skills
Strength: Total Body - maintenance		 F Football: Individual Position Skills
Strength: Total Body - maintenance
SAT Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: 1500-1800 yds		 SAT Football: Individual Position Skills
Tempo: 1500-1800 yds
SUN OFF SUN OFF
 
 3. Speed & Conditioning Principles & Explanation
When I first started planning speed programs for football in 1979 I leaned heavily on the Soviet Review of Sport by Michael Yessis. Later, when Charlie Francis' programs and principles were available I began applying anything Charlie had to say. I recommend you make use of his website and the products that he has available. Charlie Francis.com
 

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