Football linebackers require tremendous strength and power in the entire body to defend against or attack their opponents. Weight training is essential for the muscular development that can lead to optimal performance on the line of scrimmage. Programs for linebackers emphasize heavy loads to build strength and Olympic lifts to develop power. In addition, appropriate rest periods must occur during each workout, within each week, and throughout the year to allow for adequate rest, recovery and muscle growth.
Weight Training Goals
Football is a sport featuring short bursts of activity followed by opportunity for recovery. The linebacker's goal is to build his strength and power through weight training that will prepare him for intense, quick bursts of performance. Therefore, weight room protocols parallel the experience on the field: heavy loads and explosive lifts followed by rest periods between sets.
Safety and Recovery
Obtain clearance from a physician before beginning a linebacker weight training program. Most teams require this clearance, and many offer the service themselves. If you are learning strength training techniques for the first time, consult a qualified coach. Beyond these basic safety precautions, it is of utmost importance that you allow for appropriate rest between weight training sessions and throughout the year due to the high physical demands placed on your body. Strength workouts should not exceed four a week. Before beginning a high-intensity preseason program, you should be coming off proper off-season training and two to three weeks of rest. These measures allow adequate time for your body to adapt to the stresses of high-intensity exercise and avoid over-training.
Exercises Employed
To aid in the development of maximal strength, compound, or multi-joint, exercises form the bulk of a linebacker's weight training program. Compound exercises for the upper body include bench-presses and pull-ups, while lower-body movements include squats and dead lifts. Olympic lifts such as the power clean recruit large, explosive motor units and full body power production. Olympic lifts involve a transfer of power from the lower to the upper body via the core, similar to the action of a linebacker driving with his legs to push an opponent away.
Sample Linebacker Program
In his article "Preseason Resistance Training for Football," John Taylor recommends a four-day-a-week training schedule that begins 10 to 12 weeks before the first day of regular team practice. Monday and Thursday focus on lower body and include power exercises like overhead squats, power clean and power shrug in addition to stiff-legged dead lifts, wide-grip pull-ups, biceps curls and trunk exercises. Tuesday and Thursday emphasize upper body and feature the power-oriented push press, along with the bench press, incline press, triceps extensions, rear raise and torso rotations. Complete these exercises in this order: power exercises, compound movements, isolation and core exercises. Complete three to four sets of each exercise, with power exercises at three to six repetitions per set, strength movements at six to eight, and trunk exercises at 10 to 15. Rest about two minutes between sets.
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