Depending on the rules governing your collegiate football training, you may have to stay in shape on your own during part of the off season. If your coach has not provided you with a specific workout plan, follow the basic principles of periodization to help keep you in shape for the coming season.
Active Rest
Your offseason begins immediately after the last game of the year, and you will want to let your body recover from the intense physical demands of playing football. This doesn't mean hanging out on the couch for weeks or months -- you will need to stay in shape without continuing to damage your body. Cross train with sports that challenge your cardio system and mirror moves of football. Combine activities such as cycling, tennis, swimming, soccer and volleyball. Do them at a moderate intensity to keep your muscles flexible and your aerobic conditioning without damaging more muscle. Stay away from the weights and sprint-like activities.
Muscle Building
After several weeks or more of recovery, it will be time to begin muscle building. If you haven't lifted for more than a month, begin slowly, using less than your maximum weight for each exercise. Start with muscular endurance exercises, such as a circuit training workout, using 50 percent of your max or less. When you are ready for full weight training, perform three to five reps of one exercise using your max or close to it before starting another exercise. Perform three to five reps of each exercise per set. Rest 24 to 48 hours between workouts to let your muscles repair if you want them to grow larger. If you will work out twice each day, do lower body exercises in one session and upper body exercises the next.
Cardio
During the beginning and through the middle of your off season, work on your aerobic conditioning. Do this with non-impact workouts to give your knees and joints the rest they need. Use an elliptical, rowing machine, exercise or road bike or swimming. Consider using more than one type of cardio exercise to prevent repetitive stress on one or two areas of your body.
Endurance
As you get close to your season, switch from muscle building to muscle training. Muscular endurance workouts help you improve your ability to use the muscles you've just build during an entire game. Use approximately 50 percent of your max and perform six to 12 reps of one exercise, then move on to a different exercise after a one- or two-minute break.
Speed And Power
Toward the end of your offseason and beginning of your preseason phase of training, add speed, power, agility and footwork workouts. Do exercises that build explosive and reactive strength, such as box jumps, box squats, reactive squats and depth jumps. Add sprints of approximately two minutes, with two minutes of rest, to help train your anaerobic energy system.
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