August is a great time of year. My annual fishing trip to Canada is in August (I'll be posting some pics on my Fan page - click here to visit). My daughter is starting back to school (which means the house in Columbus, Ohio will be a little quieter). But to most Americans, August signals that football is beginning. A time when we will soon see these awesome athletes running faster than their opponents for a touchdown. Or with blazing speed smashing into a helpless running back to make the tackle. At all levels, football teams are starting their August practices so that the season can begin in a few weeks and we can have another fun filled season of football.
A little more than 30 years ago, these August sessions were used for football players to get back in shape from their lazy off-season. Training to run faster, get stronger, and get tougher were the big reasons for these August sessions because the players really let themselves go in the off-season. You played your way into shape.
Nowadays, you are expected to be in tip top shape when training camp begins. Your speed and quickness should be at their optimal best. You should already be as strong as possible when you walk into camp. The training camp is then used to weed out the people who AREN'T in shape, and to fine-tune all the plays you are going to run during the season.
What I'm going to share with you today is a workout I used with a couple of my older football players (18 and older) to get them stronger and faster for football. Specifically, I wanted to make them be the fastest and strongest wide receivers for their team. This workout is designed for a lifter who is older and has been part of a team strength program for several years. The knowledge of the lifts and exercises I'm going to discuss is imperative and should have already been exposed to the athlete as a younger lifter.
This strength workout, specific to wide receivers, is for making them run faster and to get stronger for the game of football. It is designed to be a three day a week workout. Ideally, you should have a day's rest in between workouts. Those off days should be used to do any speed training or conditioning that you would need for your team.
So here is the workout:
Day 1
Core - Superset Planks, then Side Planks
Power Cleans, then superset Reverse Hypers
1 Leg Squats, then superset a Glute Ham machine (if you have read my newsletters you know this is one of my favorites for improving your speed)
Dumbbell Stability Ball Chest Press, then superset a Ball One Legged Dumbbell Row
Combo Lateral/Front Raise, then superset Manual Neck Exercises (so you would need a partner for these)
Day 2
Core - Stability Ball Pikes, then Med Ball Rotational Twists on a Stability Ball
Hang Cleans, then superset Hyperextensions
Bench Press, then superset a Bent Over Row
Plyometric (or Clapping) Push-ups, then superset Pull-Ups
1 Arm Shoulder Press, then superset a 1 Arm Shrug (with your opposite arm holding onto something to keep that trapezius from moving)
Day 3
Core - TRX Jackknives, superset with Sliders (using moving discs and you are in a pushup position with your hands on the sliders and you move one arm out as far as you can, return it, then move the other arm out - a great core exercise. You can watch a Youtube video of it by clicking here)
Split Jerks, then superset a Birddog (for the lower back)
Squats, then superset a 1 Leg Hamstring Curl
Walking Lunge, then superset a Romanian Deadlift (RDL)
A couple items of note:
- Once again, I will reiterate that this is a workout for the older wide receiver. Someone who is around 18 and older.
- When you see "superset" what that means is you do the first exercise and immediately, when you are done, start the second exercise, then rest before the next set.
- The athlete should have had several years of strength training experience prior to working on this program. That way their system isn't shocked when starting this routine. The muscle memory will kick in and they should have an easier time adapting to this program.
- You will notice that I do core everyday. The core is the foundation for a strong and fast wide receiver. The longer I can prevent that area from getting tired during a game, the longer his running mechanics will stay sharp and help him do what he needs to do on the field effectively.
- I like doing an Olympic lift for every workout. I think they are great total body lifts and really help develop the athlete's overall strength, power, fast twitch muscle fibers, and explosiveness. Make sure you have had proper instruction prior to doing these. Technique is everything. Sacrifice putting weight on so that you can learn the proper form at conservative weights.
- Finally, with the receiver's legs, a solid plan for strengthening them is key to improve speed and get him running faster. I like doing an overall strength developer with the squats, but I really try to emphasize single leg strengthening with the lunges and 1 leg squats. When you sprint it is a series of single leg explosions, so we need to train it accordingly. You will also notice that I have my hamstring work in there as well. We need to keep them strong to get you running at maximum speed and help prevent injuries.
So there you have it. A strength workout for a wide receiver to get him stronger and ready to handle the rigors of football (college or NFL). This program is also designed to develop the fast twitch fibers in your body and recruit as many muscles as possible to develop the speed and power you need to run faster.
I think I stated earlier that this workout probably should have already been accomplished by now. What you need to do is save this newsletter, print it off, or store it however possible and pull it out once your off-season conditioning starts next year. If you want to be prepared for that next level, then this is the strength program for you. Take it, thank me later, and I'll look forward to watching you dominate your competition.
No comments:
Post a Comment