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A quick Pre-Season Football Strength Training Workout...4-Days Pre-Game...
Pre-Season football workouts are a source of a lot of anxiety for many football players...they simply don't know what to do or how much of it to do! To make things easier, here is a pre-season football strength workout. This will also help you hold on to the muscle and bulk you gained in the off-season.
This was a hybrid session, part Rep Effort Upper and part Sub-Max Effort Upper.
Because we have out first actual game situation scrimmage Saturday, I went easy.
One thing people tend to forget about pre and in-season training is that you have to adjust your workouts constantly. Even if the practices are fairly "easy" they are still taking their toll on your joints. But, you can't just skip your workouts...you worked all year for strength and speed, don't blow it by being lazy at this critical time.
Most football players fall into two groups:
1. Those who do no training at all and lose their strength and speed
2. Those who Train to hard, too heavy, too frequently and lose their strength and speed
Don't lose your focus, all of your training is aimed at:
Getting Stronger
Getting Faster
Getting Bigger
Becoming a better football player..
While we borrow from their sports, we are not Powerlifters or Strongmen or Bodybuilders...we are football players and all efforts must be focused on improving your game.
So, you need to find that medium where you are still getting stronger and faster pre and in-season without over doing it and hurting your football skills.
A good rule of thumb is to shoot for 80 - 85% on ME Movements during this time. Beginners can get away with 75 - 80%, more advanced guys will fall in around 85. This allows you to go fairly heavy without burning out. But, if you jammed your shoulders all day on the field, don't feel bad if you don't get your planned numbers on the Bench! Eitehr go light or find an alternate movement.
So, on to today's workout...as I said, this was a hybrid, so pay attention.
Bench - 320 x 2-minutes x 2
That's two, two-minute sets.
Some of you have probably seen video of me doing 320 x 25...but, my shoulders are beat up from football so, this is a good way to get a good amount of reps without further beating down my poor shoulders. Plus, my forearms cramped up terribly on rep 14, which is quite odd...will have to look into the reason for that.
But, the point is, sometimes this higher rep stuff is great for moving blood around, putting on size and actually recovering from the rigors of football.
Lat Pulls - 3 x 12
Close Grip Pad Press - 365 x 5, 5, 4
We occasionally use a Foam Roller instead of a pad. This makes the movement a cross between a Pad Press and a 4-Board Press. The Roller has a good amount of give so it forces you to produce more force in less time to overcome the bar sinking into the foam.
This is a great tricep movement and is excellent for building explosive hands to block people's faces off.
Neck Harness - Forward & Back - Black Band x 3 x 25
Face Pulls - 3 x 15
That's it...short and sweet. Our in and pre season workouts change constantly, just like our off-season workouts. They are made to match how the body is responding to practice, work, school, family stresses, etc. You have to take all this into account when you plan your training at any time of year.
If you have finals coming up and you're working after school and sleeping for 5 hours a night, your training will suffer. Sucks, but true.
But, the cool thing is, top-end strength (max strength) won't fall off much. So, the key is to get in, warm up to get your mind and body ready, hit up some major strength work, do a few accessories and then go rest. You'll run out of gas faster when times are tough, but, as long as you get in and bang out some good, heavy work quickly, you'll keep getting stronger for football...
And, how strong you are determines how fast you are, how explosive, how big, etc...so get out and get stronger, even when it feels impossible.
