Football is a full-contact sport requiring a combination of skill, strength, speed and power to be successful. Throughout the years, football players have participated in detailed strength and conditioning programs to increase strength, speed and power. For high school players, workout routines can take several forms, but the best focus on overall skill development through specific exercises along with periodization based on the time of year.
Function
Ten physical characteristics commonly defined by exercise physiologists include endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance and accuracy. All are required for a high school football player, making their development essential for the best workout routine. By learning them and football skills, a high school player will have the basics of a program that can be used for a lifetime following football.
Time Frame
The best high school football workout routines will follow three specific phases -- pre-season, in-season and transition. The pre-season phase is the longest phase, lasting about seven months and focusing on improving overall strength and power. While the pre-season phase is the most intense, the in-season phase lasts the duration of the season for about four months and decreases the workload to maintain the pre-season improvements. The transition phase follows and lasts one to two months, allowing your mind and body to recover from the season and preparing them for pre-season training to reserve.
Exercises
Exercises are from three basic areas, including strength and plyometric training and conditioning drills. The goal is to combine high intensity movements with a strength and speed program for the best skill development. Strength training exercises include multi-joint functional movements such as Olympic lifts, squats and deadlifts. Plyometric training improves speed and quickness and includes exercises such as jump rope, box jumps or squat jumps. Conditioning drills focus on footwork and speed development through a series of running drills and sprints.
Considerations
High school football players, from a young freshman to a senior, can have a wide range of physical abilities and strength levels. As a result, the best workout routines need to be scalable to match the individual needs of the athlete. By adjusting the loads, distances, times, intensity and programming, any high school football player can benefit from the workout routine.
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