Bigtex
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- Aug 14, 2012
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I was a strength coach for D-1AA and high school football for many years Here is a program that I used before retiring. We trained in the weight room 4 days/week and went heavy year round. D-1AA played games on Saturday and HS was either Friday or Saturday. We trained by position and position coaches were in the gym pushing the kids.
Week 1
Monday
(15 min) Squats – 3 warm up sets to x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Bulgarian Split squat – x 8 x 5
(10 min) RDL – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
(10 min) Deadlift – x 8 x 5 superset with bench jumps
Total – 45 minutes
Tuesday
(15 min) Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 (MAX
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Wednesday
(15 min) Power Clean – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Front Squat - x 8 x 5
(10 min) Split squat – x 8 x 5 superset with manual glute/ham raises
(10 min) Power pulls – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
Total 45 minutes
Thursday
(15 min) Incline Bench Press – 3 warm up sets max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Week 2
Monday
(15 min) Squats – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Bulgarian Split squat – x 8 x 5
(10 min) RDL – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
(10 min) Deadlift – x 8 x 5 superset with bench jumps
Total – 45 minutes
Tuesday
(15 min) Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Wednesday
(15 min) Power Clean – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Front Squat - x 8 x 5
(10 min) Split squat – x 8 x 5 superset with manual glute/ham raises
(10 min) Power pulls – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
Total 45 minutes
Thursday
(15 min) Incline Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Week 3
Monday
(15 min) Squats – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Forward lunges – x 8 x 5
(10 min) Good mornings – x 8 x 5 superset with glute/ham raises
(10 min) Deadlift – x 8 x 5 superset with bench jumps
Total – 45 minutes
Tuesday
(15 min) Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Split jerk – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) JM Press – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Modified Pull-ups – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Wednesday
(15 min) Hang Clean – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Front Squat - x 8 x 5
(10 min) Split squat – x 8 x 5 superset with manual glute/ham raises
(10 min) Power pulls – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
Total 45 minutes
Thursday
(15 min) Incline Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Incline Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Week 4
Monday
(15 min) Squats – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Forward lunges – x 8 x 5
(10 min) Goodmornings – x 8 x 5 superset with glute/ham raises
(10 min) Deadlift – x 8 x 5 superset with bench jumps
Total – 45 minutes
Tuesday
(15 min) Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Split jerk – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) JM Press – x 8 x 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Modified Pull-ups – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Wednesday
(15 min) Hang Clean – 3 warm up sets to x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Front Squat - x 8 x 5
(10 min) Split squat – x 8 x 5 superset with manual glute/ham raises
(10 min) Power pulls – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
Total 45 minutes
Thursday
(15 min) Incline Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Incline Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Week 5
Monday
(15 min) Squats – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Single leg step ups – x 8 x 5
(10 min) RDL – x 8 x 5 superset with glute/ham raises
(10 min) Deadlift – x 8 x 5 superset with bench jumps
Total – 45 minutes
Tuesday
(15 min) Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Wednesday
(15 min) Power Clean – 3 warm up sets to x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Front Squat - x 8 x 5
(10 min) Split squat – x 8 x 5 superset with manual glute/ham raises
(10 min) Power pulls – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
Total 45 minutes
Thursday
(15 min) Incline Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5 superset with band face pulls
Total 45 minutes
Week 6
Monday
(15 min) Squats – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Single leg step ups – x 8 x 5
(10 min) RDL – x 8 x 5 superset with glute/ham raises
(10 min) Deadlift – x 8 x 5 superset with bench jumps
Total – 45 minutes
Tuesday
(15 min) Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups superset with band face pulls
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5
Total 45 minutes
Wednesday
(15 min) Power Clean – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Front Squat - x 8 x 5
(10 min) Split squat – x 8 x 5 superset with manual glute/ham raises
(10 min) Power pulls – x 8 x 5 superset with plate wood chopper
Total 45 minutes
Thursday
(15 min) Incline Bench Press – 3 warm up sets to max x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2
(10 min) Push Press – x 8 x 5 super set with plyo push ups superset with band face pulls
(10 min) Close Grip Bench – x 8 x 5 5 superset with DB curls
(10min) Bent over row – x 8 x 5
Total 45 minutes
Snachito1
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- Jan 12, 2018
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DYS it's worst than I thought, so lifting schedule is 2 x week lifting after school, for weight all they have is 10 superman racks with barbells, plates and I believe benches also. There will be 40 kids in there all at once.
They hired a strength and conditioning coach but that will be once the season is over in the next 2-3 months.
One thing is my buddy has it in his head that the lineman should be lifting heavy, but his wide receivers, cornerbacks, etc should only work on speed and I don't know what he means by that, or if he is stuck on an
old fashioned type of training.
R
rawdeal
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- Nov 29, 2013
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OUCH.
Don't know your buddy, or his mindset, but that does indeed sound old fashioned. Might be helpful to research the training programs of some NCAA and NFL teams if you can. It may be their Linemen and their speedy guys do follow similar-but-not-identical programs, but they have unlimited time and equipment most High Schools do not.
One* piece of equipment you didn't list that is cheap and requires minimal storage space would be a good weight sled, the kind that can be pushed or pulled, and that accomodates the weight plates they already have. Its resemblance to the blocking sleds most coaches of any mindset have seen and/or used for decades might be a plus.
* multiple sleds, rather than just one, would still take up relatively little money and space ... and enable races among teammates that appear to be sport-specific for any position. Decades ago, my first home gym "Rack" was a simple squat "step rack" that required no drilling ... only welding. I had it built by the local High School Industrial Arts class for a very small donation. Your buddy's place could probably do that with sleds if money really is tight.
Don't know your buddy, or his mindset, but that does indeed sound old fashioned. Might be helpful to research the training programs of some NCAA and NFL teams if you can. It may be their Linemen and their speedy guys do follow similar-but-not-identical programs, but they have unlimited time and equipment most High Schools do not.
One* piece of equipment you didn't list that is cheap and requires minimal storage space would be a good weight sled, the kind that can be pushed or pulled, and that accomodates the weight plates they already have. Its resemblance to the blocking sleds most coaches of any mindset have seen and/or used for decades might be a plus.
* multiple sleds, rather than just one, would still take up relatively little money and space ... and enable races among teammates that appear to be sport-specific for any position. Decades ago, my first home gym "Rack" was a simple squat "step rack" that required no drilling ... only welding. I had it built by the local High School Industrial Arts class for a very small donation. Your buddy's place could probably do that with sleds if money really is tight.
DieYoungStrong
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- May 27, 2013
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I'm assuming this is a smaller program? Break the kids down or their lifting times by front 7 and OTB (oustide the box).
OL/DL, Linbackers and RB's will lift together.
Then WR/DB/QB/Specialists.
Most small high school teams have more WR/DB types then anything so you should get a pretty even split.
And the coach isn't entirely wrong. Speed is more importan then bench press for WR/DB types. Speed/agility/footwork is huge in general. The big sexies up front have to be able to move too.
OL/DL, Linbackers and RB's will lift together.
Then WR/DB/QB/Specialists.
Most small high school teams have more WR/DB types then anything so you should get a pretty even split.
And the coach isn't entirely wrong. Speed is more importan then bench press for WR/DB types. Speed/agility/footwork is huge in general. The big sexies up front have to be able to move too.
Bigtex
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- Aug 14, 2012
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Here is my theory on the weight room, get all the muscles as strong as you can and then let the position coaches teach them how to use it on the field. I had a long talk with the LSU strength coach a few years back and they had complete stopped agility and speed training. No more agility drills and no more running 40's or 100's. All of their speed and agility training came in actual sport specific drills with their position coaches. We tried the same thing and actually cut time off 40's without doing any speed training. LSU says what I believe is that these drills do not transfer to the playing field. So instead, having WRs routs and DB's cover you can increase speed/reaction time and it has a positive transfer to play. Hitting squats and better yet box squats build up the hip complex and get the muscle involved in running stronger. We cut back on the days we trained weight during season but not on the intensity and weight. We always hit a mx weight on either sets of 5, 4, 3, or 2. So our guys were stronger at the end of the season than they were at the end of offseason. Many teams cut weight training to very little and get weaker as the season progresses. This also increases the incident of injury. We use more of a conjugate style of training and stayed about from periodiaztion.
OL/DL, Linbackers and RB's will lift together. - YES
Skill positions all train together but by position
I use to have 160 kids in the gym at the same time, we have 5 rows of 7 power racks with benches. We converted an old basketball gym to a weight room and had plenty of room for everyone to train at once. We also had the luxury of having an athletic period during school. So after school it was all practice.
DieYoungStrong
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You training is almost exactly the training at my sons High School. But he is also at a large budget football prep school - they have 18 racks and platforms in the weightroom. Their weightroom is better then a lot of the colleges I have been too. Your experience is coming from Texas highschool and major college football - even through the goals are the same, it's a different animal then the lower budget small town high school program that Snachito seems to be involved with.
I agree box squats are better for football players then any comp style squat, and I am a conjugate guy through and through. But, I'm also a believer that new lifters need to learn the skills of the main lifts before they start moving on to variations.
Snachito sounds like he's walking into proverbial lions den of an almost non existent strength program, and trying to work with kids who have barely been in the gym. And you will be very very hard pressed to find postion coaches who have time to be in the weightroom in the offseason in these kinds of programs. It's generally 1-2 coaches in the weightroom, and Snachito is going to be doing gods work from the sounds of it. Just my opinion that simple training that will work well for the masses will be the easiset way to get them up and lifting - which is the most important thing.
Bigtex
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Yea, our high schools in Texas are better equipped than many colleges and universities. Once I started kids on the conjugate system we really started making improvements on and off the field. Plus the kids loved being able to do squat, bench and deadlift at pretty heavy weights. We also did just enough repetitive effort stuff that they looked good in a uniform. I put my program in the Texas HS Coach Magazine back in 2015 and had over 1000 responses from all levels of football.
On Snachitos guys, they need to stick with the basics, squat, bench, and deadlift. They are easy to learn and will quickly put on some size and strength. The Oly stuff is much more technical and I personally think you can accomplish the same explosiveness doing th e big three as long as you teach guys to be explosive from the beginning. It goes back to Fred Hatfields compensatory training. I would have them do regular squats and then progress to squats off a bench. Eventually they can alternate each week between regular squats, below parallel box squat and above parallel box squats. Arched back good mornings and reverse hypers on a bench having a partner holding their heels down.
I agree that simple training is best, all of this complex Oly stuff is way too complicated for football where you have limited time in the gym. It takes up all of your time teaching form. You absolutely need to get to work putting on mass and strength. Lots of coaches don't understand you are not training Olympic lifters.
Yes, we had trouble getting position coaches to get their asses in the weight room. All of them eventually had excuses planning for games. Most of the time, I ended up running the whole show with 160 kids by myself, even though I was also a position coach. No big deal, I got two strength coach stipends and eventually was given the job as dedicated strength coach which kept me out of the damn classroom. Let me know fi you guys need any help on this project. I am always available for questions. I am retired now and work as an adjunct professor of kinesiology, which means I work about 2 hours a day.
DieYoungStrong
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You want kids to be explosive on the concentric. I honestly think of the negative as like a backswing in golf - it depends on the kid. Everyone kind of has their own individual natural tempo. Look at powerlifting squatters - I know guys who look like kamakaze's dropping into the hole, and then guys you sit back so slow that it's like watching paint dry.
I don't get into Mike Mentzer style negatives and rest-pause and all that stuff with high school kids training for sports. You have to seperate the wheat from the chaff and work on what's important.
With a lot of kids you're going to get everything from kids who need to be dragged into the weightroom to get their training done, to other kids that will do the team program , and then sneak off to a commercial gym at night to do bodybuilding work and check out the chicks.
Bigtex
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Explosive, which is as fast as possible on the concentric. This trains the muscles to fire quickly coming off the line. Concentric is controlled. With Fred Hatfields compensatory acceleration training, you teach the muscles to explode 100%, even with lighter weights. Force = mass x acceleration ....so the quicker we move a give mass, the more force is produced. In the end, this will produce a stronger, more explosive athlete. Its the same principle Oly lifters use but it can be done with the easier to learn powerlifts.
Competition in the gym help gets these guy moving. When we did testing in the spring, I grouped the kids on the squat racks according to their total of the deadlift, squat and bench press. So you got guy working together that are about the same strength. It also put some pressure on some of the guys who are not as strong to work harder and move up a rack or two. Always try to make the weight room fun. Put on some music that gets the kids fired up.
Bigtex
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I wanted to add this for any coach, regardless of the level. I always use Usan Bolt and an example as Bolt is the definition of speed. Usan believe that weights were very important to building speed, he also believed strongly in plyometric training that help reactions off the blocks In the end he had to get out on the track and put it all to work running 200mtrs.
Bolt and other sprinters recognize the value of using weights as a way to build muscle and explosive speed. Lifts such as power cleans, squats, medicine ball throws, and others help to work the body this way.
Weight training of course played a major role in Bolt’s explosive development. See below for a typical session.
Power Clean (5 sets, 3 reps)
Explosive Barbell Step-Ups (4 sets, 6-8 reps)
Romanian Deadlift (4 sets, 10 reps)
Sled Drag (3 sets, 10 reps)
Barbell Ab Rollout (3 sets, 10 reps)
Drills are another good tool. Most drills help the athlete to focus on the form necessary to run strong. Some drills have the runner focusing on speed movements.
Combining these things help the sprinter become faster.
The first phase of the drills aimed at building explosive power, while the second focused on hip flexibility to lengthen his stride.
Phase 1:
Bunny Hops (5 sets, 20 reps)
Box Jumps (4 sets, 8 reps)
Bounding (3 sets, 10 reps)
Phase 2:
Cable Knee Drives (3 sets, 10 reps)
Hanging Leg Raises (3 sets, 10 reps)
Track work focuses on starting out of the blocks, explosive speed to begin the race and finishes. These are technical pieces to help with the beginning and end of the race.
Sprint workouts often have components of varying distances, each with a different goal in mind. Working on reaching top speed and holding for a predetermined amount of time helps with your muscle memory.
The runner also needs to learn to lean into and embrace the discomfort of this hard effort. Of course, for men like Bolt, it is a short time you have to embrace that discomfort!
Starting Blocks:10×2 point starts for 10-20m (rest: 2mins), 6×3 point start for 10-20 m (rest: 3mins), 4×2 block starts for 10-30 m (rest: 5mins)
Acceleration: 10×20m with weight vest (rest: 4mins), 5×15m 2-point start using weight sleds (5mins recovery)
Top End Speed: 5×30m acceleration, 75 per cent speed for 15-20m, sprint for 10-15m (rest: 4-5mins)
Deceleration: 2×100m (2-3 reps), 95 per cent of 200m pace (rest: 2-3mins between reps, 5-8mins between sets)
Speed endurance work would also get regular attention including sessions such as 6-8 reps of 150m at 80-90% of 200m pace with 3-4 minutes rest.
Strength and Resistance Training
When diving into Usain Bolt’s training schedule, you will find resistance training tops the list. Bolt spends about 90 minutes, 3 days each week, devoted to this part of his workout. Workouts include a strong focus on core, but that is not where it ends.Bolt and other sprinters recognize the value of using weights as a way to build muscle and explosive speed. Lifts such as power cleans, squats, medicine ball throws, and others help to work the body this way.
Weight training of course played a major role in Bolt’s explosive development. See below for a typical session.
Power Clean (5 sets, 3 reps)
Explosive Barbell Step-Ups (4 sets, 6-8 reps)
Romanian Deadlift (4 sets, 10 reps)
Sled Drag (3 sets, 10 reps)
Barbell Ab Rollout (3 sets, 10 reps)
Drills and Plyometrics
Plyometrics will build muscle strength in an active and dynamic way. This portion of the workout takes the static exercises to a whole new level. Box jumps, burpees, lunges, and movement-based exercises of this sort are all plyometrics.Drills are another good tool. Most drills help the athlete to focus on the form necessary to run strong. Some drills have the runner focusing on speed movements.
Combining these things help the sprinter become faster.
The first phase of the drills aimed at building explosive power, while the second focused on hip flexibility to lengthen his stride.
Phase 1:
Bunny Hops (5 sets, 20 reps)
Box Jumps (4 sets, 8 reps)
Bounding (3 sets, 10 reps)
Phase 2:
Cable Knee Drives (3 sets, 10 reps)
Hanging Leg Raises (3 sets, 10 reps)
Track Work
We all realize that you don’t get better at your craft unless you practice it. Hitting the track to work on speed is very important for any sprinter, and Bolt is no exception.Track work focuses on starting out of the blocks, explosive speed to begin the race and finishes. These are technical pieces to help with the beginning and end of the race.
Sprint workouts often have components of varying distances, each with a different goal in mind. Working on reaching top speed and holding for a predetermined amount of time helps with your muscle memory.
The runner also needs to learn to lean into and embrace the discomfort of this hard effort. Of course, for men like Bolt, it is a short time you have to embrace that discomfort!
Starting Blocks:10×2 point starts for 10-20m (rest: 2mins), 6×3 point start for 10-20 m (rest: 3mins), 4×2 block starts for 10-30 m (rest: 5mins)
Acceleration: 10×20m with weight vest (rest: 4mins), 5×15m 2-point start using weight sleds (5mins recovery)
Top End Speed: 5×30m acceleration, 75 per cent speed for 15-20m, sprint for 10-15m (rest: 4-5mins)
Deceleration: 2×100m (2-3 reps), 95 per cent of 200m pace (rest: 2-3mins between reps, 5-8mins between sets)
Speed endurance work would also get regular attention including sessions such as 6-8 reps of 150m at 80-90% of 200m pace with 3-4 minutes rest.
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