Increase Football Power with High Intensity Strength Training

Football power comes from many different aspects of physical conditioning, including sharp reflex development, explosivity, endurance, speed, balance, and control. But for most positions in the game, and at every level from the youth football to the pros, strength training will hold one of the highest positions on the list. Without strength in the core and upper body, football power is limited and football players can only take their game so far.

So how can football players get the most out of their time in the gym? How can they maximize each strength training workout in order to spend more time on the field engaging in football drills and game-specific training sessions? The answer lies in three key areas: Using suspension training, adding levels of resistance to standard strength training exercises, and increasing strength training intensity by pushing the body to the point of failure.

The KB Duo suspension training system pushes the body in multiple directions by incorporating balance and control into an ordinary strength training move. A regular push-up is challenging, but when the body is forced to fight gravity during the pushup in order to stay aligned and in control, new muscle groups are engaged that double and triple the strength training benefits of this simple move.

The football player in the video below demonstrates a set of plyometric strength training exercises that rely in the KB Duo and are specifically designed to help football players maximize the power of the core and upper body. Football players and football coaches should watch these moves carefully and incorporate them into an existing strength training program.

Strength Training For Football Players: Plyometric Push-Ups

Football players should begin this move by simply lying on the floor in push-up position. They should then push up from the ground with the arms and clap once quickly before returning the palms to the floor and lower into the next push-up in the series. Once a football player is strong enough to complete a set of push-ups with a single clap, he should loop both of his feet into the straps of the KB Duo, so his body remains in push-up position but his feet are elevated from the ground.

When the football player is strapped into the suspension training system, he should push up from the ground, clap, lower the upper body back to the floor and repeat this move rapidly six times. With the added strength training benefits of the KB Duo, this move is intense and difficult, so six reps may be advanced for some football players. In that case, regular plyometric push-ups from the floor will help build up the necessary strength in the upper body.

Football players should complete three strength training sets of six plyometric pushups each. These moves should be completed with a spotter for safety and help with the straps.

Strength Training For Football Players: Inverted Push-Ups

The next strength training move for football players will require a reversal in the direction of the body. Football players should remove the straps from their feet and turn around, so their heads, not their feet, are positioned directly below the KB Duo anchor point.

With the help of a spotter, football players should place their feet back into the straps and then walk their arms slowly away from the anchor point so their feet rise up into the air. When a football player is correctly positioned for this move, his body line should be straight, his feet should be elevated above his head, and his weight should be centered on his arms.

When in position and under control, the football player should bend at the elbows and lower his chest toward the floor. Then he should push back up again for a cycle of 10 to 12 reps. Like the last one, this strength training move is very challenging and requires balance and control.

During this move, football players should keep their toes pointed for stability in the straps. They should also keep the back straight and not allow it to arch or sag. Football players should complete four total sets of 10-12 reps each. As the body tires and this strength training move becomes more difficult, football players can walk forward slightly with the arms, reducing the vertical angle of the body. A vertical position will bring greater strength training benefits, but a more horizontal alignment may be necessary to maintain endurance and control.

This entire strength training football power workout should involve four sets of the plyometric push up and up to six sets of the inverted push up.

Football Power and the Benefits of Strength Training

Incorporating these strength training sets into a regular routine can help football players gain rapid power in the chest, arms, and core. Once this takes place, increased power and core stability can allow players to cover the field faster and stay in control during complex maneuvers that place multiple demands on the body at the same time. As the core is conditioned and trained, the foundation of strength it provides can maximize the benefits of other exercises designed to increase coordination, speed and a wide range of skills football players need for success.

Suspension training provides mental benefits as well. Football power doesn’t just come from strength and weight, it also comes from fast response times and maneuverability. When regular strength training exercises are taken to the next level and demand focus and coordination, football players sharpen their balance and reflexes, which can help them accomplish more on the field and get more out of the benefits of increased strength.