Football players, regardless of the position they play, need to eat healthy and be in excellent physical condition to maximize performance on the field. Players who maintain a proper diet and remain dedicated to routine workouts have an advantage on the gridiron. Although there are many plans for football workouts and diets, a few basics should be part of any regimen.
Diet
To succeed in football, you need energy. Eating healthy foods with the right mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats gives you the power necessary to dominate into the fourth quarter and beyond. A good football diet includes six meals: breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a post-workout snack, supper and a snack before bed. It's important to eat several times throughout the day to maintain weight and energy levels. Exact calories and portions should vary according to the individual, but the website TeenBodyBuilding suggests a football player's daily diet should include between 250 to 305 grams of protein, 450 to 520 grams of carbohydrates, and 33 to 65 grams of fat. Some recommended foods include oatmeal, fresh fruits, grilled chicken breasts, baked potatoes, tuna, wheat pasta, ground beef, brown rice and assorted vegetables. You can drink whey protein shakes throughout the day to supplement protein needs.
Strength Workouts
Football requires explosive power. In order to build necessary strength, football workouts must include weight training and other exercises designed to build mass. You should complete a full-body strength workout plan three days a week, with a day of rest following each workout. Include power exercises like squats, wide-grip pullups, incline bench press, close-grip bench press, military press, standing barbell curls and declined dumbbell situps; do each exercise in three sets of 10 repetitions. Adjusting the weight and number of reps can provide variety throughout the week.
Explosive Squats
All football players rely on speed, even massive linemen. Squats and lunges are both excellent exercises to build lower-body strength. Adding weight to the movements can further tax the muscles. For added explosiveness, place a barbell across your shoulders when performing squats and then, instead of merely squatting down and back up, jump into the air.
Running Hills
Running should be part of any speed workout, and running up hills can be particularly beneficial, adding resistance and difficulty to a standard routine. Uphill sprints are common for building leg strength, and downhill sprints can build speed because you have to pump your legs faster than normal.
Cone Drills
Traditional cone drills also promote foot speed and agility. For example, place four cones in a large rectangle with the cones on the longer sides 40 yards apart and the cones on the shorter sides 10 yards apart. Start at one cone and sprint 40 yards to the second cone, then jog to the third cone 10 yards away, and sprint to the fourth and final cone. Repeat the rectangular pattern to build endurance and speed.
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