| Football has specific demands that need to be | | | | quickness in running or jumping. Power is displayed in |
| addressed when training. As you are working to | | | | the speed of your motion. |
| become a better player focus on training the following | | | | When training to increase your power focus on the |
| areas. | | | | speed of the lift as well as the amount of weight that |
| * Explosive acceleration and fast sprinting speed. | | | | you lift. Now, this may seem contradictory to those of |
| * Muscular endurance and strength in the lower body. | | | | you who were always taught to lift weights slowly. |
| * Muscular balance and high levels of neuromuscular | | | | However, the important difference with power training |
| coordination. | | | | is that you lift explosively but WITH control. Controlling |
| * Body awareness and agility, the ability to know | | | | the weight is essential to proper power development. |
| where your body is, and be able to move it. | | | | The theory is that moving a heavy weight very fast |
| * Good flexibility to avoid injury, football players are | | | | requires more power than moving that same weight |
| prone to poor hamstring flexibility. | | | | slowly. If you are looking to develop serious power and |
| * Correct balance between your quadriceps and | | | | improve your athleticism there are many power |
| hamstrings, as well as strength imbalances between | | | | routines that you can incorporate into your workout. |
| your left and right leg. | | | | Understand that these routines are different from |
| Set Your Goals: | | | | training for muscle mass or bodybuilding. |
| *****Get better- Work harder | | | | Speed training is equally important for football players. |
| *****Standout from the rest in all competition | | | | The secret to speed training is to apply power to good |
| *****Become the best you can through effective | | | | running mechanics. Knowing the proper sprinting |
| training | | | | technique is crucial. |
| *****Raise your personal bar of excellence with each | | | | Maximum velocity isn't achieved until 30-35 meters into |
| routine | | | | your run. So for a sport like football where you are |
| *****Leave nothing on the field- give everything you | | | | more interested in shorter sprints, maximum speed |
| have. | | | | may not be the number one goal of your speed |
| Follow a football training conditioning program. There | | | | training. |
| are four components necessary to prepare for | | | | Acceleration becomes the desired outcome of your |
| football season: | | | | training. However, training to improve maximum speed |
| Strength, Power, Speed, and Agility. | | | | also will improve your acceleration, power, coordination, |
| Fundamentals, speed, strength, agility, power, and | | | | and dynamic flexibility. |
| endurance are what coaches are looking for in their | | | | Agility is the ability to change direction quickly, as well |
| high school football players. If you can build these | | | | as accelerate and decelerate at a moments notice. |
| areas to their maximum potential then you will be | | | | Football is an examples of an "open-skill" sport. This |
| noticed by coaches and recruiters.Use the football drills | | | | means there is ever changing movement required |
| to improve your ability and talent. Then learn to | | | | from the athlete. |
| incorporate the benefit of the drills into your game. | | | | When one player is covering another the critical factor |
| Develop the ability to showcase your talents and skills | | | | becomes which player can move faster into a |
| on demand. | | | | superior position. The competitive edge goes to the |
| Strength training is important to prevent injury and to | | | | player with the most agility. |
| improve your athletic performance. It is strength training | | | | Think of agility as applying speed, accelerating, |
| that will make you a stand out player... continuous, | | | | decelerating, maintaining balance, maximizing power |
| effective, sport-specific training. If you have the desire | | | | and changing direction while your surrounding |
| to play at the next level, know that it will require hard | | | | environment continues to change. |
| work , determination, and a great strength training | | | | You can improve your agility through drills. However |
| program. | | | | drills will only be effective if you have a foundation of |
| Power, on the other hand, may be viewed as | | | | strength, power, and speed already in place. |