The main goal of our strength and conditioning program is to prepare our players for the physical demands of football. The athletes must possess acceptable levels of strength and conditioning in order to prevent and lessen injury, and compete consistently at a high level. By moving forward a little bit each day and not taking giant leaps backward when injuries occur, we provide the building blocks for creating a strong, healthy, and passionate team.
There is a lot of time and effort invested trying to make gains of 10 to 20 percent between strength tests. If we over-train or allow injuries to develop during training, they could quickly loose 25 percent or more. The principles of classic periodization guide us as we progressively stress our players with strength and conditioning training. We use a twelve-week program that is split into three phases (General, Special, and Specific) and follows the classic periodization model with non-linear or “undulating” aspects. The general and specific periods are four weeks long, while the specific phase is three, allowing for an initial Active Rest Week that doesn’t include any lifting or structured conditioning. These guidelines are by no means set in stone. Again, if we observe overtraining or stagnation, we will change our volume in order to recover and move forward.
We have found that while it is difficult to get over 100 athletes to peak for 1RM testing on a specific date, this program is ideal for preparing athletes to avoid injury during the season and optimally improve strength, muscular endurance, and power.
Active Rest
The Active Rest week or weeks allows athletes to perform recreational exercises to prepare mentally and physically for the stresses of the coming workouts by not lifting weights. We remind players that just because they are not in the weight room does not mean that they are not training. They need to use this time to get ready for the high volume of training that is to come. Active rest drills include bike riding, swimming, basketball, cross country running or any other activity that is enjoyable, raises the heart rate, blood pressure, and maintains general conditioning levels.
General Conditioning Period
During the general conditioning period the volume is high, intensity is low, and technique is a primary focus of all lifting. Rest periods are short in both the lifting and running programs (1.5-3 minutes). The primary objectives of this phase are to increase the size of lean muscle tissues in the body through the large total volume of training, develop global mobility in all lifts and all major joints, and improve functional capacity to produce sub-maximal efforts for the duration of the workout.
The conditioning workouts begin with athletes running at 75 percent of maximal pace through the initial six workouts at which point sprint workouts at 90 to 100 percent effort are incorporated. The program includes Metabolic Speed Drills (see opposite page) once a week. In the first week of metabolic training, the drills are longer with distances ranging from 10 to 60 yards and a focus on training for endurance and speed. By the second week, the focus shifts more toward speed with endurance being a secondary aim. We avoid having athletes use maximal speeds because of the tendency toward hamstring injuries without an appropriate strength and conditioning base. Additionally backward runs are added but we stay away from drills that include changes of direction due to the high volume training of this period.
Special Conditioning Period
The special conditioning period focuses on developing muscular strength and explosive power. All lifts, drills, skill, and conditioning work allows athletes to increase speed of movement, while improving their ability to sprint, dodge, and change directions with their newly developed strength levels. Additionally, position-specific drills will be implemented during this period. At the same time athletes will continue to improve their strength endurance. Most of the weightlifting is performed at 80% or higher at this point. Special attention is given to lifting larger loads while maintaining technique. If the general conditioning phase was not successful, athletes often struggle to recover between sets and workouts.
Specific Conditioning Period
The specific conditioning period is limited to three weeks to allow for the initial Active Rest Week in a twelve-week program, but this can be adjusted according to individual program needs. Workouts will help athletes develop and express speed and power in all movements. Weightlifting intensity is normally above 85% during core exercises such as power cleans and squats. Slightly longer rest periods between sets are used. Undulating high volume and increasing pace of movement during assistance exercises is used during this period to avoid staleness and de-conditioning. This is accomplished by incorporating combination drills.
Undulating Periodization
Undulating our volume of work is present in all three phases of our training. This process was developed empirically. As our athletes closed in on their 1RM testing, we observed a de-training effect. Their muscular endurance decreased as their weight lifting intensity increased and volume decreased. This problem was remedied a few ways.
That is, by increasing the volume of the assistance exercises using straight sets. Also, by performing combination exercises during the second lower and upper body day of the week or by completing the assistance exercises like lunges and glute ham raises in combination format after the core exercises such as power clean or squats are performed.
This method of training is different from classic circuit training for a few main reasons. First, the quantity of exercises are much fewer, five at the most as compared to a circuit that can have 20 or more. Second, the amount of weight that is lifted is controlled by the repetitions, not time, as in a classic circuit. In our case, the rep prescription is normally between 5-12 reps per set, with as many as five exercises per set. Our athletes will go through the combination between 3-5 times with somewhat limited rest between sets. These adjustments resulted in improved 1 RM tests and greater muscular endurance.
Here are some sample weightlifting workouts for each conditioning period:
General Conditioning
Week 1
Day 1
Power Clean 4 x 5 at 65%
Squat 4 x 12 at 60%
Glute-Ham Raises 4 x 12
DB Clean and Jerk 5 x 5
Snow Angels 4 x 12
Day 2
Bench Press 4 x 12 at 60%
Smith Press 4 x 20
Pro Press 4 x 12
Superman’s 5 x 8
Tricep Press Down 4 x 12
Day 3
Power clean 5x5 at 65%
Glute Ham Raise 4 x 12
Slide Board Abs Drill
Box Jumps 4 x 5
Day 4
Narrow Grip Bench Press 4 x 8 at 60%
Pull Down w/ Low Row Bar 4 x 12
Curl to Press to Upright Row 4 x 12
Low Rows 4 x 12
Lateral Crunch on Bench 4 x 12
Week 2
Day 1
Power Clean 5 x 5 at 70 to 75%
Back Squat 4 x 8 at 70%, 1 x 8 at 75%
Romanian Deadlift 4 x8 at 65% of PC Max
Jump Squat 3 x 5 at 40 Kg
DB Clean Jerk 5 x 5
Day 2
Bench Press 4 x 8 at 70-75%
Pulldown 4 x 8
Pro Press 4 x 12
Superman’s 5 x 8
Tricep Press Down 4 x 10
Day 3
Power Clean 5 x 5 at 68%
Front Squat 4 x 5 at 75% of PC Max
Glute-Ham Raise 4 x 8
Land Mine 4 x 8
Snatch Lunge 4 x 12 at 30 Kg
Day 4
Narrow Grip Incline Press 4 x 8 at 65-70%
Flat Press 4 x 8
Curl to Press to Upright Row 4 x 8
Low Rows 3 x 8 at 70% of BP
Lateral Crunch on Bench 4 x 12
Special Conditioning Period
Week 3
Day 1
Power Clean 5 x 3 at 80-82%
Back Squats 5 x 5 at 72 to 85%
Glute-Ham Raises 4 x 8
Slide Board Hamstring Drill 5 x 12
Day 2
Bench Press 3 x 8 at 72%, 2 x 6 at 80%
Pull Down with Low Row Bar 4 x 8
Flat Press 4 x 5
Pro Press 4 x 8
Superman’s 4 x 8
Slide Board Ab Drill 4 x 20
Day 3
Power Clean 3 x 5 at 70-75%
Front Squat 4 x 3 at 100% of PC Max
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 8 at 70% of PC Max
Lunges Walk 3 x 12
Glute-Ham Raise 5 x 8
Day 4
Narrow Grip Bench Press 4 x 8 at 68-70%
Flat Press 5 x 8
Pulldown 5 x 10
Curl to Press to Upright Row 4x 12
Lateral Crunch on Bench 4 x 10
Week 4
Day 1
Power Clean 4 x 3 at 70-75%
Back Squats 5 x 5 at 72 to 85%
Romanian Deadlift 3 x 8 at 70% of PC Max
Lunges Walk 3 x 12
Glute-Ham Raise 5 x 8
Day 2
Bench Press 3 x 5 at 80-84%, 2 x 5 at 86-88%
Pull Ups x 40
Pulldown 5 x 5 90% of BP Max
Low Row 5 x5 88% of BP Max
Slide Board Ab Drill 4 x 20
Day 3
Power Clean 5 x 3 at 80-85%
Front Squat 4 x 3 at 100% of PC Max
Glute-Ham Raises 4 x 10
Slide Board Hamstring Drill 5 x 12
DB Clean and Jerk 4 x 3
Day 4
Narrow Grip Bench Press 5 x 3 at 85-88%
Flat Press 5 x 8
Pro Press 3 x 6
Tricep Push Down 3 x 8
Lateral Crunch on Bench 4 x 10
Specific Conditioning Period
Week 5
Day 1
Power Clean 3 x 1 at 88-95%
Back Squat 4 x 1 at 90-98%
Snatch Lunge 4 x 12 at 40 Kg
Glute-Ham Raise 3 x 12
Box Jumps 6 x 3
DB Cleans 5 x 3
Day 2
Bench Press 5 x 2 at 90-98%
Pulldown x 8
To
Flat Press x 8
Triceps push down x 8
Slide Board Ab Drill x 20
Complete x 4 fast pace!
Day 3
Power Clean 5 x 1 at 88-98%
Front Squat 3 x 2 at 100% of PC Max
Double Step Up x 8
To
Glute-Ham Raise x 8
To
Big Box Jump x 5
Complete x 4 fast pace!
Day 4
Narrow Grip Bench Press 6 x 3 at 90%
Pull-ups x 10
To
Superman’s x 8
To
Pro Press x 8
To
Land Mine x 20
Complete x 4 fast Pace!
Week 6
Day 1
Power Clean 3 x 5 at 75%
Back Squat 5 x 1 at 90-100%
Snatch Lunge 3 x 8 at 40 Kg
Jump Squat 3 x 5 at 40 Kg
Glute-Ham Raise 3 x 8
Box Jumps 5 x 3
Day 2
Bench Press 6 x 1 at 90-100%
Pulldown 3 x 8 at 80%, 5 x 5 at 88%
Pro Press 4 x 5
Flat Press 5 x 5
Slide Board Ab Drill 5 x 10
Superman’s 4 x 8
Day 3
Power Clean 4 x 1 at 88%, 4 x 1 at 80%
Romanian Deadlift 4 x 5 at 80% of PC Max
Front Squat 5 x 1 at 100% of PC Max
DB Squat x 8
To
Glute-Ham Raise x 8
To
Land Mine x 8
Complete x 5 fast pace!
Day 4
Narrow Grip Bench Press 6 x 2 at 85%
Flat Press x 5
To
Pulldowns x 5 at 80%
To
Curl to Press x 5
To
Slide Board Ab Drill x 20
Complete x 4 at a fast pace!
The following Monday would be test day!
About the Author: Roger Marandino recently joined the Philadelphia Eagles as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. He had been Director of Strength and Conditioning at Brown University since 1995. Marandino has a Master’s Degree from the University of Connecticut and was the 2000 NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year. Laanna Carrasso assisted Marandino in the editing of this article.