Marsh column: Strength workouts for football players

Q. Getting ready for football season, should a receiver have the same strength workout as a linebacker?

A. Absolutely not. When you develop a strength program for your athletes, you look at the purpose of your strength workout. For example: The main need for your running backs, receivers, cornerbacks, and safetys is strength and speed. The purpose for your offensive and defensive lineman, tight ends, linebackers and half backs is mainly strength and power.

I was talking to one of our Salisbury Speedsters sprinters who is also getting ready for football season (by the way, look for awesome results from AAU State championships and the USATF Jim Law invitational of our Salisbury Speedsters coming soon!).

He started a program which is completely geared toward strength and power, meaning short bursts of strength and power. Continuing this workout would actually defeat the purpose of him creating more strength and speed as a receiver but also as a Salisbury Speedster 100m and 200m track star! If I were working with a football team in a pre-season strength workout, this is what I would do:

For strength and speed:

No less than 10 reps per exercise, preferable 12-15 reps for 3 sets no more than 1 minute rest in between.

Squats

Lunges

Leg extensions

Leg curls

Knee ups (for hip flexors)

Calf raises

Bench press

Incline d-bell press

Cable row

Lat pull

Shoulder press

Front lateral raises

Hammer curls

Triceps push down with rope

Crunches, 4 sets of 25 reps

Obliques, 4 sets of 20 reps (each side)

Leg raises 4 sets of 20 reps

I would hit the weights with them two or three times a week, preferably full body with at least one day in between. Other days, I would work on cardio drills, push- ups, plyometrics.

Now our "big" boys:

No more than 8 reps per exercise focusing on 4-6 reps per exercise, 4-5 sets. Three to five minutes, rest in between. Split body parts example can be: Legs and shoulders, chest and triceps, Back and biceps, core each day

Day one

Squats

Hack squats

Thrusts

Lunge squats

Leg extensions

Leg curls

Calf raises

Barbell shoulder press

Side lateral raises

Front lateral raises

Bent over flies

Day two

Dead lifts

Clean and press

T-bar rows

Lat pull

D-bell rows

Barbell curls

D-bell curls

Seated concentration curls

Day three

Bench press

Incline bench press shoulder width grip

D-bell flies

Cable cross over

Chest expanders (also called pull-overs)

Reversed grip shoulder width bench press

Triceps "skull crushers"

Triceps push down

Core added each day, every other day add neck strengthening exercises. Put LOTS of emphasis on flexibility (yes, even your big power guys). It will help prevent injuries.