Offseason Workouts for Football Players

All of the tools and workout templates you’ll need to be ready this fall.

It’s the middle of May, which means but one thing for football players: you’re just one month away from the start of summer camp. If you haven’t put on size and strength by now, it’s going to be tough to do it at this point. Not impossible, but certainly tough.

At this point in the off-season we’d ideally be taking your newfound size and strength you’ve and developing it into explosive power and blazing speed. Our focus, in other words, will have shifted from bigger/stronger to faster/more powerful.

But, if you haven’t been successful in adding slabs of muscle, or simply haven’t been able to train because you’re a multiple sport athlete, you must first develop some foundational size and strength, before you can think about speed and power. A small, weak, muscle has no chance of being powerful, so get in the weight room! We need to condense what your teammates did in 5 or 6 months into a month and a half, so here’s a six week crash course - stick with this 3 day/week program until about late June.

*Note: for all of you who have been diligently adding mass this off-season, skip to the second portion of this piece for your plan.

Crash Course Day 1

1. Short sprints
a. No more than 75 total yards: 3x 5 yards sprints and 5x 10 yard sprints

2. Back Squat – 5x5+ superset with 5x5 pull ups
a. Do 4x5 of challenging weight, then leave the last set open ended and bang out as many quality reps as you can.
b. Pair with mixed grip pull ups for submaximal reps: leave 1-2 reps in the tank

3. RDL – 4x12
4. Reverse Lunges – 4x8 each leg
5. Heavy Sled Work – 4 x 30 yards

Crash Course Day 2

1. Max Jumps
a. No more than 15 total jumps: 3x5 max vertical jumps

2. Bench Press – 5x5+ superset with 5x3-5 weighted pull ups
a. Do 4x5 of challenging weight, then leave the last set open ended and bang out as many quality reps as you can.
b. Pair with mixed grip pull ups for submaximal reps: leave 1-2 reps in the tank

3. Kroc Row – 3x15-20 on each arm
4. Dumbbell Overhead press – 3x10-15
5. Heavy Farmers Carry – 4 x 30 yards

Crash Course Day 3

1. Short sprints
a. No more than 100 total yards: 5 x 20 yard sprints

2. Deadlift – 5x5+ superset with 5x5-10 pull ups
a. Do 4x5 of challenging weight, then leave the last set open ended and bang out as many quality reps as you can.
b. Pair with mixed grip pull ups for submaximal reps: leave 1-2 reps in the tank

3. DB Bench Press – 3x12-15 superset with 3x20 facepulls
4. Dips x100 in as few sets as possible
5. Inverted Row x100 in as few sets as possible
6. Heavy Sled Work – 4 x 30 yards

Keep your main exercises heavy with low volume, and your accessory lifts medium weight with high volumes. That combination should get you some quality strength and size relatively quickly. On your off days, stick to mobility and flexibility work. Remember not to get too crazy – your non-lift time is to be reserved for recovery and getting bigger. Oh yeah, and EAT BIG!

Now, for those of you who have been diligently adding size and strength this off-season, it’s now time to shift your focus to developing explosive powerful. Size and strength will do no good if you can’t use it on the field. Power, after all, is the ability to display your strength in a short bout time, which is really the definition of football. Here then is a template for you to use to develop the explosive power to run through and/or around your opponents.

Exercise categories with the same number should be performed as supersets.

Diligent Day 1

Linear sprints

1a. DB Olympic lift
1b. Med Ball Rotational Scoop Throws

2a. Squat with chains (see video)
2b. Quick jump

Single leg hip dominant
Anti-Rotation Core
Loaded Carry

Diligent Day 2

Change of direction (COD) sprints

1a. DB Olympic lift
1b. Mb push throws

2b. Press with chains (see video)
2b. PUPP (Push-Up Position Plank) Hand Speed Drill (see video) – x20 total

Horizontal pull
Core work
COD sprint conditioning

Diligent Day 3

Max jumps
Med Ball Reaction throws

1a. Weighted Jump
1b. Short sprint

2a. Submaximal Lower Body
2b. Pull ups

Strongman Finisher

For good measure, I’ve included a template below that’ll help you design your own explosive power development programs. Just insert exercises that work for you or your team, and allow plenty of time for recovery between sets – especially during the complexes. I tell my athletes that they should never start a set while still breathing heavily. You need to be fresh and recovered to begin a set because you need to exert maximum effort and power. Do NOT turn your power training into conditioning.

Here is an inside look at the month of May for F.A.S.T. football players. See video for all demos of exercises.

Day 1

10 x 5 yard sprint and 5x 10 yard sprint

1a. DB Snatch – 4x3 each arm
1b. Med Ball Side Scoop – 4x3 each side

2a. Back Squat with chains – 6x3
2b. Line jump – x20 total

3a. Single leg RDL 2x12/12
3b. Band Pallof Press – 3x5 each side

4. Overhead to Rack Carries 2x30s each side

Day 2

Box Drills

1a. DB Push Press – 4x3 each arm
1b. Mb Shot Put Throws – 4x3 each side

2a. Bench with chains– 6x3
2b. PUPP Push-Up Position Plank) Hand Speed Drill (see video) – x20 total

3a. Rotational Band Row – 3x12 each arm
3b. 3-5 Push-ups to 2 Leg Pikes x5

5 yard shuttle run – x6-10 times x 10seconds on/30seconds off

Day 3

Vertical Jump into Broad Jump x12
Med Ball Reaction Chest Passes – 3x6

1a. Jump Squat – 6x3
1b. 10 yard sprint – 6x 10 yards

2a. Submaximal Sumo DL – 4x5
2b. Mixed Grip Pull-ups x30-40 total reps

Strongman Finisher

These three training plans are designed to help the crash course athletes, the ready to become explosive athletes, and those looking for a template of their own. All will allow you to train your body to be a powerful machine! Of course, if you have questions on this template, or on anything else football-related, please contact me at flahivetraining@gmail.com.