Do you want to be more like the guys you’ll be watching every Sunday during the NFL season? Well then you need to train like one. Trust me, no NFL players pump up their muscles by spending hours on a treadmill, elliptical or a stationary bike. So ditch the steady-state cardio workouts and start a more structured strength, power and anaerobic fitness routine.
Start Lifting Heavy
In order to gain maximum strength and muscle, you need to move heavy weight, and increase the load and intensity of the workouts. Lift heavy and work out hard for short bursts of time – pushing your body harder, but for short durations.Cardio is necessary, but upgrade slow steady-state cardio for intensive cardio that gets the heart rate high and keeps it there for a short time, followed by an equal amount of recovery time.
I’m not saying that you should go out and try to bench press 275 lbs. like professional football players, but I would suggest using the heaviest weight that you could manage to lift (with correct form) for a total of 5 repetitions. Focus on the large muscle groups that function as prime movers, such as quadriceps, hamstrings, chest, and back. Pay less attention to smaller muscles such as biceps, triceps and calves. Alternate cardio days with sprint intervals at 85% of you max heart rate (220 – your age), and use a heart rate monitor to ensure you’re working at the correct intensity.
Up next: A sample strength and cardio workout to get you started.
Strength Workout:
Power Clean – 5 sets x 3 reps
Squat – 5 sets x 5 reps
Bench Press – 5 sets x 5 reps
Dumbbell Row – 5 sets x 5 reps
Deadlifts – 5 sets x 5 reps
Dummbell Overhead Press – 5 sets x 5 reps
Pullup – 5 sets x 5 reps
Burpee – 5 sets x 10 reps; 30 seconds rest between sets
Plank– 1 minute
Swiss Ball Crunch (using band for resistance) – To failure
Plate Twist– To failure
Cardio Workout:
Endurance Sprints:Two 150-meter sprints with 30 seconds rest between each run. Finish each run in less than 20 seconds.
Rest three minutes
Three 200-meter sprints with 30 seconds rest between each run. Finish each run in less than 30 seconds.
Rest three minutes
One 300-meter sprint. Run in less than 50 seconds.
Rest five minutes
Stadium Stairs: Sprint up stairs and walk down. Do 10 repetitions with 10 seconds rest between each rep.
Rest five minutes
Sled Drag: Load a drag sled with 90 lbs. Sprint with the sled for 30 yards, then rest for 30 seconds. That’s one repetition. Do 8 reps.
Exercise Physiologist, and Sports Conditioning Coach, Byron Paidoussi sculpts athletes, as well as average Joes, into superheroes. Certified Personal Trainer, Pilates Instructor and Nutrition Counselor, Whitney Cole is a triple-threat in the fight against fat. Together theyown and operateFITNESS and FUEL LAin West Hollywood, California, where theyinspire clients to exceed their fitness potential by developing no-fail, holistic total-body conditioning and performance nutrition plans.
FAQs
Train Like an Athlete: Your Football Workout Plan
- Bench Press(4 sets of 10, last set to failure)
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press (3 sets of 8)
- Military Press (3 sets of 8-10)
- Shrugs(3 sets of 20)
- Cable Crossover (3 sets of 6-8)
- Dumbbell Fly (3 sets of 8)
- Alternating Dumbell Curls (3 sets of 8-10)
- Tricep Dip (3 sets of 10)
A football player's upper body has to be strong and muscular to deal with the hits these guys take on a daily basis in training and on game day. This means they put hours and hours in each week in the weight room to put on lean muscle mass. This really is the go-to move to get a big chest.
What is the most important muscle to train for football? ›
Football requires a lot of pushing and pulling, making the following muscle groups critical:
- Chest: Your chest muscles are essential for pushing and blocking.
- Shoulders: Your shoulder muscles are critical for throwing and tackling.
- Back: Your back muscles are essential for pulling and lifting.
Combine 1-3 days per week of interval training, with 2-3 days per week of high volume lower body lifting (with upper body lifting another 2-3 days as well to keep the body even), and finish with some core training. The 'futbol' training method will have you in great shape before you know it!
How to get a football body? ›
How to Gain Weight and Muscle by Eating
- Don't Just Eat Everything in Sight. ...
- Eat Lots of Proteins. ...
- Add Some Carbohydrates. ...
- Increase Your Intake of Good Fats. ...
- Always Carry Some Snacks With You. ...
- Drink Lots of Water. ...
- Work out in Short Sessions. ...
- Don't Rest for Too Long Between Sets.
How to increase your stamina in football
- Interval Running. The first variation of normal jogging you should start with is interval running. ...
- Circuit Training. But as you know, in a football match you're doing more than running. ...
- Cone Runs. ...
- Nutrition, water, sleep & recovery. ...
- Get as much game time as possible.
The glute and hamstring muscles are quick firing muscles which can produce a large amount of force in a short amount of time, the quads are some of the biggest muscles on the body and can be used to store extra energy for quick explosive movements.
What foods are high in protein for football players? ›
This requires a diet that includes high-quality sources of protein spread throughout the day among properly timed meals and snacks. "Large amounts of protein at one meal or a specific time may not be as well utilized," says Machowsky. Chicken or turkey, lean red meats, beans, dairy, eggs and fish are all good options.
How to get big and strong for football? ›
To get bigger people need to do big compound movements. Use the back squat, front squat, bench press, incline bench press, dips, deadlifts, and pull-ups to add mass, get swole, and gain that all desired lean muscle mass.
Which sports build the most muscle? ›
Swimming is the ultimate sport for building muscle. This sport requires you to continuously hold yourself in the water, which involves all the muscles of the body simultaneously.
So which muscle groups are you using the most in a game of football? When it comes to running and powering yourself forward, working out your quads, glutes, and hamstrings will yield the most benefit. Stronger quads can enable you to jump higher so you can make that interception at a critical moment in the game.
What is the most important muscle in your body to train? ›
Back and Chest Muscles
Together with other parts of your body, they help you to move, bend and turn around. They also protect the most critical muscle in your body, which is your heart.
How to train like a football player at home? ›
Football Speed Drills
- Lunges (30 seconds)
- Lunge Jumps (30 seconds)
- Squats (30 seconds)
- Wall Drives (30 seconds)
- Mountain climbers (30 seconds)
- Squat Jumps (30 seconds)
- Lateral Lunges (30 seconds)
- Lateral Sprints (30 seconds)
We do the following exercises with NFL and collegiate football players to develop speed and explosive power on the field.
- Weighted Quarter Squat Jumps W/ XPT Half Rack. This exercise utilizes the XPT Half Rack. ...
- Power Snatch. ...
- Triple Jump Step Up. ...
- Banded Glute Ham. ...
- Holm Hurdle Hops.
If you think you have a chance, register with the NCAA as an amateur athlete before your junior year. Once you graduate high school, play at least 3 years of college football to gain experience. Then, enter in the NFL regional Combine, then National Combine, and finally enter the draft.
How many hours a week do pro football players train? ›
During the NFL's regular season, it's not unusual for players to work about 10 to 12 hours a day, six days a week. This includes practice, meetings, film sessions, and travel. During the offseason, players may have less structured schedules, but typically still put in about five to six hours a day, six days a week.
How many hours a day do NFL players workout? ›
Most players though will train for around three or four hours per day during the season. Training will often be high intensity, though not so high it could risk injury.
