Swimming is a great substitute for long-distance running if you get bored of jogging or want to mix it up every once in a while. Many players lift weights 3-4 times a week and do cardio and calisthenics 1-2 days a week. Still, it really depends on the position and the part of your game you’re working on.
The 40 yd (37 m) sprint is the universal football metric for judging speed. The is because 40 yards (37 m) is the length of the average punt and it’s basically the farthest anyone will ever run to catch a pass.
You can sprint stadium stairs instead if you don’t live anywhere near a hill. Don’t do this on a hill that’s steeper than 25 degrees. You’ll risk falling and tumbling down the hill if you try to sprint up a steep incline.
The 3-hurdle drill is a classic football training tool. It’s great at training your body to make quick pivots and cuts on the field.
If you aren’t sure how many to do, do 4-5 sets of 15 reps each. Pull-ups are a great substitute for pushups if you want to emphasize your shoulders or mix it up every once in a while. You can wear a weighted vest if you’d like to increase the weight resistance of your workout.
Do 3 sets of 8 reps each on each leg if you aren’t sure how many you should do. You get most of your speed from your hips, core, and legs, so it’s really important to work on your lower body in the off season.
You can do 3 sets of 10 reps if you aren’t on a specific training regimen. Your triceps are important because you rely on them largely for blocking, throwing, pass rushing, and getting out of your stance.
If you’re training on your own without a training plan, do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side. Your hips help you turn, shuffle, and stabilize yourself when you get hit on the field.
In general, do 4 sets of 5 reps for each lifting exercise. Lift 3-4 times a week during the off season to get stronger and build the muscle you need. If you’re focusing more on your speed and you don’t really need to gain any muscle, you may only work out 1-2 times a week. Do not lift if your coach wants you to build lean muscle or trim down a little; focus on calisthenic exercises and running. If you do lift, focus on doing a higher number of reps at a lower weight.
Always use a spotter if you’re doing bench presses. This will work your bicep, triceps, chest, and shoulders. All of these muscle groups are important when it comes to tackling, blocking, moving off of another player, and fighting through defenders.
Your core is extremely important when it comes to stabilizing your body, staying on your feet when you’re being tackled, and moving laterally on the field.
Strengthening your legs improves your explosiveness out of your stance. It also improves your tackling power and your ability to push through the line on offense or defense.
Mix this one up every 2-3 days by doing it on 1 foot. Alternate the foot you’re using with each set.
Just working on the mechanics of the drop back is important for quarterbacks. It’s one of the most important components of the position. Alternate between 3-step drops, 5-step drops, and 7-step drops. Each version is utilized for short-, medium-, and long-range passes respectively so it’s key to master each pattern. Count your steps out as you drop back to make sure you’re not over- or under-stepping. Setting up targets on the field is a great way to practice throwing to a spot. Buckets, cones, and soccer balls all make excellent, easy-to-spot targets.
Tackling drills are great if you’re a linebacker or lineman, but you generally don’t work on tackling in the off season. Still, if it’s an area of improvement for you, setting up a tackle dummy and working on your mechanics is a great way to train. These are great drills for tight ends too, although you definitely want to incorporate some route-running and catching drills into your routine if you play tight end.
This applies to safeties as well. As defensive players, safeties and corners need to cover routes effectively. Familiarizing yourself with common routes by running them yourself is a great way to memorize the patterns. Catching skills are important for safeties and corners too. Interceptions can really swing the momentum of a game. Keep your cardio up in the off-season. This is especially important for receivers, corners, and safeties. You likely want to run 4-5 times a week and cut back on the weight training if you play one of these positions.
You can also move where you’re kicking from to make field goal practice harder. If you kick from a hash mark at the side, the opening in the uprights gets smaller which can force you to focus on your accuracy. The odds are high that you play kicker in addition to another position. Feel free to split your time between kicking skills and other positional practice.
