Football requires that your body be in elite physical condition. That means not only lifting weights to build your strength, but also training your body to endure the athletic rigors of the game. No matter what your position, throughout a football game you will be running, jumping, changing directions, falling and picking yourself back up.
Squat and Jump
Every position on the field with the exception of receiver requires a "break down," where you bend your knees and drop your butt down with your hands out in front of you. Receivers do, however. have to jump for the ball on a regular basis. This exercise covers both. With the squat and jump, you will need an open, level area preferably outside or in a room with high ceilings. With your feet spread to shoulder width, squat down slowly, and then leap high into the air in a burst of energy. Make sure to keep your balance so you come down safely. Repeat this exercise as many times as you like.
Sprints
A regulation U.S. football field is 100 yards long and 53 and 1/3 yards wide. At several times throughout a football game, you will be required to run half the length of the field or more. If you're a receiver, you may have to do this 50 times, which adds up to at least 2,500 yards. The only way to train your body to do this is to duplicate it. Find a park or field with a level, open area, and mark off approximately 50 yards. Sprint the full distance 50 times, resting for no more than 30 seconds between sprints, and allowing yourself a maximum of three breaks for water.
Four Cones
Agility and reaction time are extremely important on the field. There are very few plays in which a player is designated to run in a straight line and never stop. To help improve your agility and reaction time, you and a friend will want to gather four field markers and find a level, open field. Place one marker on the ground, setting that as your starting spot. Set the other three markers in front of your starting spot approximately 5 to10 yards away, spread out evenly. Mentally label each marker as number 1, 2 and 3. Have your partner yell out random numbers--one, two, or three--and sprint to and from that marker from your starting spot for several minutes.
Up Downs
With the exception of kickers, everybody gets knocked down. To help prevent injury, you need to control your fall as much as possible. Once you hit the ground, it's likely the play isn't over yet, so you'll need to be able to get back up as quickly as possible. To become efficient at these movements you'll need an open, grassy field. Start by standing in place, with your feet at shoulder width, running in place. Drop down flat on the ground face first, catching yourself as you fall, and then get up as quickly as you can. Repeat this as many times as you can.
Lunges
Staying low to the ground, maintaining your balance and pushing forward with power is a minimum requirement for playing running back, linebacker or lineman. In order to do this exercise, you will need a level, open field. Mark off 100 yards if that much room is available; if not, mark off as much as you can. Take one large step forward, bending your front knee until your thigh is even with the ground, and bring your back knee down until it's just above the ground. Repeat this step with alternating legs until you go the full length of the field.
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