Football training

One easy way to think of what training is required for football is to look at the typical tests performed at scouting combines. In addition to measuring your height and weight, most combines will test the following:

• Vertical jump
• 40-yard dash
• 20-yard Agility Shuttle
• Bench press for reps.
• A combination of power, sprinting speed, agility, and brute strength.

Any football program should combine those elements. One of the best places to start is with body weight exercises. If you're not convinced how effective they can be, just look at football great Herschel Walker who developed and honed his speed and strength via sprinting and bodyweight resistance exercises.

The key bodyweight exercises are push-ups, pull-ups, bodyweight squats, calf raises, and dips. Sprints need to incorporate various distances, from twenty yards through to one hundred yards. You need to ease into any program like this, allowing plenty of time for recovery. Three times per week would be more than enough.

When you move to weight-training, be aware that it stresses the body very differently, so begin with a general whole body workout for the first couple of months, working in the 8 to 12 reps range. Once you have prepared your body in this way, you are ready to move into a heavier phase of training. Key exercises will be those that develop the most strength, such as:

• Bench Press
• Front Press
• Rows
• Squats
• Calf raises
• Core work

These exercises focus on strengthening the legs, hips, back and shoulders. This will not only increase your strength, but also increase your resistance to injury when contact work begins. For explosive power you will need to perform some plyometrics - these are best done under the supervision of a coach, as improperly performed they can lead to injury.

A program like this will set you up for the season, and allow you to perform at your best where it really counts - on the field.