By Jon Agiato 

The Program 
This program is designed to be performed three times per week (example: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) during the off season, and twice a week during game season (example: Monday and Thursday).  Do not attempt to train three times a week during the season, you will just waste time and energy better spent on the field. 

There are 2 minutes of rest between each set and exercise.  Use a stopwatch and don't dawdle.  

The first exercise is called the Power Clean and Push Press.  This movement consists of taking a loaded barbell from the floor to the chest, and then using full body strength to push the barbell overhead to arm length.  Take a shoulder width, overhand grip on a loaded barbell on the floor, arms relaxed, elbows pointing out to the sides, not to the back.  Keep your back flat (slightly arched upwards), shoulders back, and head up facing forward.  Your legs should be approximately shoulder width apart, knees bent.  In this ready position your upper body should be angled slightly above parallel to the floor .  Maintain that back position as you break the bar from the floor. When it is about to reach your upper thighs, begin to straighten out explosively  .  At the same time you want to quickly thrust your hips forward.  This begins the pull to the chest.  Using upper back and arm strength shrug the bar straight up and back towards your body until it reaches chest height.  At this point you have to whip your elbows under the bar and out in front of your body (quickly!), racking the bar across your front deltoid.  That was the clean.  With the bar steady across your front deltoids, bring your elbows down and under the bar.  Bend your knees and dip your body, being sure to keep your bodyweight on your heels, not your toes.  When you reach a partial knee bend quickly reverse the motion and squat up as fast as you can.  This squatting motion is to be performed very, very quickly.  When your knees lock out ram the bar overhead as hard and quickly as you can.  Lock out your elbows and hold it overhead for two seconds, then lower it back to your chest, your thighs, and finally the floor.  Repeat the whole sequence for three sets of five repetitions without a belt, straps, or any other support gear.  Perform three warm-up sets of five repetitions pyramiding up in resistance before your main working sets. 

Next, you will be performing the Full Back Squat.  Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, toes pointed slightly out, stomach sucked in and tight, shoulders back, back arched, head facing forward with a loaded barbell across your trapezius muscles.    Begin your decent into a full squatting position.  Be sure that your knees flare out away from the midline of your body.  Maintain the tight upper body position that you began with keeping your back arched and body upright.  Keep descending until your knees are just under your chest in position  you are trying to jump as high and as fast as you can.  As your knees approach lockout, slow down your ascent and maintain control.  Do not lock out the knees completely, but rather achieve a “soft” lock.  Steady yourself, then begin again performing two sets of five to ten repetitions in perfect form with absolutely no support gear, not even a belt.  There are two warm-up sets (1x12, 1x8) before your main sets. 

About this time everyone is looking for the Flat Barbell Bench Press.  Well, stop looking because it isn't here.  Remember that you are looking for results on the field, NOT worthless ego gratification or bravado.  Your chest work consists of two exercises, alternated each session (Incline one workout, Decline the next).  These exercises are the Decline Barbell Bench Press and the Incline Barbell Bench Press.  Use a shoulder width grip on the bar, bringing it down to your sternum-decline / clavicle-incline area gently , then ramming it back up and over your face to lockout .  Keep a nice arch in your back, elbows out to the sides, and don't even think about bouncing, bridging or even rebounding slightly off your chest.  Keep this movement strict and legitimate for real gains.  Repeat for two sets of five to ten repetitions.  Perform two warm-up (1x12, 1x8) sets before your working sets. 

Injury prevention is very important in Football, especially in the shoulder area, so we perform the Lying Fly.  Lie on your side lengthwise on a flat utility bench with your arm straight out in front of your body and hanging to the ground.  Holding a light dumbbell, raise your arm out in front of your body , and then continue to raise it until your hand is directly over your head pointing toward the ceiling.  Lower it slowly and under control until your arm is once again hanging down across your body pointing toward the ground.  Repeat this motion for one set of twelve to fifteen repetitions without a warm-up.  Be sure to use a very light weight on this exercise and do not strain.  Most people can get away with using a five or ten pound dumbbell at first and there is rarely a need to go above thirty pounds. 

To finish off the day, take a shoulder width overhand grip on a chinning bar and hang for time.  You can have your friends time you each time and make a contest out of it.  Try to relax the body fully when hanging with your head hanging down in front of you.  After your done there, stretch your body out completely, taking at least ten to fifteen seconds per stretch.  Take an alternating hot and cold shower and go home! 

As you can see, proper strength training for Football requires so much more than just showing up, and can make the difference between being a winner or a loser on the field.  A strong nutritional foundation is a big part of it, but I won't go into detail about that here.  Suffice to say that protein intake should be kept high (at least 1g. of Protein per LB/LBM, and as much as 2g. of Protein per LB/LBM) utilizing a good Milk and Egg protein powder as a supplement to your daily intake.  Carbohydrate intake is usually best at approximately two times one's daily protein intake when training for Football.  If one has extra money in the cookie jar, Creatine Monohydrate can help with mass and strength gain when taken in sufficient doses (10-20g. daily).  Androstenedione (400-1,000mg. /day) can be very productive in increasing aggression and BM, although I wouldn't recommend it to anyone under eighteen years of age, as it isn't necessary at that stage. 

In the end let the game be decided on the back of your dedication, hard work, and logical use of science.  Genetics are the one thing in life we can not change; it is up to you to be the one who takes responsibility for your destiny.  Proper strength training and nutrition go hand in hand with a strong mind.  Make that choice to WIN! 

Special thanks go to Toni @ World Gym (65-75 Woodhaven Blvd., Rego Park, NY 11374, (718) 459-3249) for permission to take the photos.  

Additional thanks to Chris Gerard for his assistance in spotting (pictures Iba and Ibb), and for taking photographs Fsa, Fsb, Lfa, Lfb, and Lfc. 
 

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Reproduction of this article, whole or in part, for any purpose other than personal use is prohibited without prior written consent from Jon Agiato.  Copyright 1998 Jon Agiato.