Strength and power are two of the basics when it come to football ability. Players who are stronger and more powerful than their competition have a better chance of winning one-on-one battles. Players who work hard to increase strength also improve their confidence levels. Weightlifting is one of the keys to building functional football strength. Players should engage in this activity on an every other day basis because muscles need time to recover after demanding workouts.
Upper Body Strength
Power in the arms, shoulders and chest will help you to defeat your opponent in one-on-one battles on the line of scrimmage. This is particularly true of offensive linemen who can use their hands and arms to batter opponents but can't extend their arms outside the frame of their bodies. Exercises likes the bench press, biceps curl, military press and wide grip pull ups can help build excellent upper body strength. To get the most out of your workout, follow the pyramid pattern of lifting. Start off with seven reps at 225 lbs, follow with six reps of 230 lbs, five reps of 235 lbs, four of 240 lbs and three of 250 lbs when doing the bench press. Go from a lesser amount of weight to a higher amount of weight while increasing reps.
Lower Body Strength
Increasing lower body strength is a must for all skill-position players as well as linebackers and linemen on both sides of the ball. Running backs with stronger legs can run through tackles, linemen with more power in their lower extremities have a better chance of winning the leverage battle. Exercises like the leg press, leg curls and squats are especially good at developing power in the legs. Following the pyramid pattern where you increase weight lifted as you decrease reps is excellent for functional football strength.
Circuit Training
Circuit training for football is one of the most efficient ways to get stronger and more powerful on the field. It may be much more effective in the long run than lifting free weights because you can do it on your own as spotters are not necessary. Start off with the larger and more powerful leg and glute muscles when circuit training and then work your way down to the smaller muscles to have the most effective strength building workout for football.
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