Football is a team sport that allows players to participate in a variety of positions. Each position requires specific athletic and physical skills for top performance. Offensive linemen, for example, require the skills of strength, power and agility. Training these specific skills can be accomplished through personalized nutrition and strength training.
Function
The goal and function of nutrition and strength training for offensive linemen is to maximize strength, power and agility by managing body size, weight and composition. Body composition is typically monitored through body mass index and body fat percentage. Football is primarily an anaerobic sport with each play averaging six seconds in length. This short, powerful burst requires strength training that resembles the physical and metabolic demands of the play.
Seasonal
Strength-training programs for offensive linemen follow a seasonal training schedule broken down into different phases throughout the year. Each phase focuses on various skills and strengths to improve performance. Agility, flexibility, strength, power and conditioning drills are used during each phase. Strength and power training are accomplished through Olympic weightlifting movements, with agility and conditioning improved through footwork drills and running.
Considerations
Football strength-training programs can increase size and bulk for offensive linemen, but also decrease agility, quickness and power. Personalize the nutrition plan to match the strength-training demands of each player. Maximizing body size and strength will allow offensive linemen to produce a high power output for the duration of the game. Players with more strength and excessive body weight may compromise quickness and agility, while a player with insufficient body size and weight will have less power and strength.
Nutrition Amount
As a general rule for offensive linemen, BodyBuilding recommends consuming at least 55 to 60 percent of calories from carbohydrates, 15 to 20 percent from protein and the remainder from healthy fats. Carbohydrates are used to replenish glycogen for recovery and should come from a variety of breads, pasta, fruits and vegetables. Protein provides amino acids that are the building blocks for improving muscle strength and size. Choose lean protein sources such as protein supplements, chicken, turkey, fish or lean red meat.
Nutrition Timing
Nutrition timing can improve performance levels during practice and strength-training workouts. During early-season practices in warm weather, hydration is crucial for consistent performance. For every pound of body weight lost during practice, an offensive lineman needs to drink 16 ounces of fluid. Before practice, consume 100 to 200 grams of carbohydrates and 25 to 50 grams of protein. During practice or a game, drink at least 250 to 300 ml of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes and then consume 35 to 50 grams of carbohydrates after the game or practice.
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