Off-Season Football Workouts, Part 5: Developing Power

There are only a few weeks left until the high school football season begins, so your football training workouts need to be ramping up and getting you ready to play at game speed. Through the first four installments of my series on off-season football workouts, I have discussed building strength, endurance, stability and increasing lean body mass. (Get caught up by reading Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.) Since you have now completed the muscular strength part of your training and your body is at is strongest, it is crucial to take advantage of your new strength by focusing the last phase of your training on power development.

Football is a game of strength, often requiring you to out-muscle your opponent. However, the man who has an ideal combination of strength and power will win out. This power training phase of your pre-season football workouts will condition your body to generate a higher rate of force production. Simply put, you will be able to apply more strength in a faster burst.

Power training uses supersets, in which you perform a strength exercise followed immediately by a power exercise that works the same body part or plane of motion. Within each superset, the intensity variables of your lifts will differ between strength to power exercises. Use between 85 to 100 percent of your power during strength exercises and about 30 percent intensity for power exercises. Perform one strength and one power exercise for each major body part, focusing on speed of the bar and amount of force produced. Sets will decrease, but due to the different intensities, you'll do fewer reps for strength exercises and higher reps for power. Since gaining strength remains a goal of this phase, one to five reps at max weight loads are commonly used.

Having a spotter present is essential. Also, never sacrifice technique to make maximum gains. This will help you stay injury-free.

Phase 5: Power Training

• Reps: 1-5 (Strength) (Decrease by two reps per week)
• Sets: 8-10 (Power) Decrease by two reps per week
• Percent of Max: 85-100 percent (Strength) / 10-45 percent (Power)
• Frequency: 2 to 4 times per week
• Duration: 3 to 4 weeks
• Exercise Selection: 1 Strength and 1 Power per body part or plane of motion

DAY 1

Chest

• Barbell or Dumbbell Bench
• 2 Knee Medicine Ball Power Chest Press

Legs

• Barbell Parallel Squat
• Lunge Jumps

Shoulders

• Dumbbell Split Press
• Resistance Band Standing Reverse Deltoid

Back

• Dumbbell Alternating Row
• Medicine Ball Soccer Throw-ins

Explosive

• Kettle Swings

Core and Reactive

• Medicine Ball Front Oblique Throws
• Bear Crawl Sled Pull
• Depth Jump to 10-yard Sprint

DAY 2

Chest

• Single-Arm Dumbbell Close-Grip Bench
• Total Body Plyo Push Up

Legs

• Deadlift
• Seated Medicine Ball Box Jumps

Shoulders

• Dumbbell Front Deltoid Raise
• Power Shrug

Back

• Plank Dumbbell Rows
• Power Pull-Ups Alternating Grip

Explosive

• Hang Clean

Core and Reactive

• Medicine Ball Reverse Oblique Throws
• Later Bear Crawl Sled Pull
• Depth Jump to Lateral Jump and Sprint

DAY 3

Chest

• Dumbbell or Barbell Incline Bench
• Medicine Ball Rotational Side Chest Pass

Legs

• Barbell Front Squat
• Single-Leg Band Good Mornings

Shoulders

• Side-to-Side Jackknife Push-Ups
• Thera-Band Speed Scaptions

Back

• Cable High Pulls
• Medicine Ball Overhead Throws on Stability Ball

Explosive

• Barbell Snatch

Core and Reactive

• Standing Band Core Power Rotations
• Reverse Kick Throughs
• Back Pedal Turn and Sprint

Full Off-Season Football Workout

Part 1: How to Begin Your Program
Part 2: Building Strength and Endurance
Part 3: Building Lean Muscle Mass
Part 4: Maximum Strength Training
Photo Credit: touchdownskills.com