Explosive Football Training

www.explosivefootballtraining.
com

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Introduction

Why Explosive Football Training?

The Explosive Football Training (EFT) program began over a decade ago when I first
began to apply the different methodologies I had learned in textbooks, tapes, articles,
from other successful coaches, and from my own experiences. The EFT program is ever-
evolving because the game is always changing. Players must constantly become faster,
stronger, more explosive and more powerful.

This system has been tested and applied to countless athletes over the years. The results
have almost always been spectacular. I will say right now, however, that a key
component to the program is that you actually follow it! The system is extremely
flexible, but Ive seen many people change the system so much that even I dont
recognize itand guess what? They fail.

A word about the word program. This of the EFT system as more of a template and less
of a program. A program is something you find in Muscle and Fitness and will work for
less than 20% of the people who try it. A template is a set of guidelines to help you set up
a program based on your strengths and weaknesses.
At the end of the manual, I will provide you with 3 sample programs. You can certainly
use these as a starting point. But, you will soon feel comfortable with the system and be
able to adapt it to your needs or the needs of your athletes. For those of you who are also
enrolled in the On-line Training program, you will have the program constantly tailored
to you, ensuring that you continually make progress.
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Work hard, learn the game, and get out there and knock people around!

Before we start, Id like to give thanks to the coaches who helped me in more ways than
theyll ever know.

This goes out to my first coach, the NJ Legend, Chuck Donahue. Coach D taught me
everything I know about football. He took a 12-year old kid who never put pads on and
turned him into an All-Star player in a year. Coach D, thank you for teaching me to love
this game and how to be a better person.

To Tony Hall, the single most intense person I ever met. Tony, president of the largest
Spring Semi Pro Football League in the U.S. taught me the true meaning of intensity.
You are your dad were the best coaches a young lineman could have. Football needs
more men like you.

And, to the lifting coaches, some of whom Ive never met personally Louie Simmons,
Dave Tate, Charles Staley, Bill Starr, Mel Siff, and Dan John thanks for educating
entire generations of strength athletes. I, and all those who I train, are forever in your
debt.

-Steve Morris

Questions or comments? Steve@explosivefootballtraining.com


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Table of Contents

Chapter One Key Terms and The EFT Philosophy

Chapter Two Max Effort Training to Build Insane Strength..

Chapter 3 Unleashing the Power of Dynamic Training..

Chapter 4 Using Bodybuilding Techniques Properly for Max Muscle..

Chapter 5 RecoveryIgnore it and Lose, Guaranteed!..

Chapter 6 - The 2-Way Conditiong Program.

Chapter 7 Using Kettlebells, Sleds, Cars, Sandbags and Rocks to Become Super-
Human

Chapter 8 The Density Factor for Football.

Chapter 9 - Putting It All Together, The EFT Template

Chapter 10 Real World Football Testing..

Bonus Chapter The Hamstring Training Dirty Dozen.

Bonus Chapter! Interview with Josh Henkin, author of Sandbagexercises.com, On
Using Sandbags as your Secret Strength and Conditioning Weapon.

Bonus Chapter! Complete Exercise Lists for All Aspects of Training

Bonus Chapter! Bare Bones Training, How to Train for Max Results With Minimal
Equipment....


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Chapter 1 Key Terms and the EFT System

If youve never trained with weights before, dont know the difference between a
dumbbell and a cowbell, and are feeling a little intimidated, dont worry. Im starting
from the basics. All exercises are detailed in the DVD, and key terms will be explained in
this chapter. If you are an experienced trainee, read this section anyway as its always
useful to review even the most basic information.

Most of the exercises in this system are performed with a Barbell, Dumbbell or Cables.
However, you could also use Kettlebells, Bands, Sandbags, even Rocks. They are all
tools in your Strength Training Toolbox.

The body is pretty smart. While many coaches will say that barbells are bestor
dumbbellsor cablesthe truth is that the body only knows theres a weight that needs
to be moved. Usually, its trying to move the weight off of itself as in a Bench Press.
While different tools hit the muscles differently, and indeed all should be used for
maximum results, the bottom line is that you just need to find a way to make the body
work harder and harder each time you train.

If you are low on equipment, no need to worry. Later in the manual Ill outline how to
train on little to no equipment. Is this ideal? No, but, its better than what most will do in
this situation: Nothing!

Plenty of athletes (myself included) have had to endure periods of inadequate training
equipment. Sometimes you are training alone. Sometimes your school or team just
doesnt have the money to buy a nice weightroom. This, however, is no excuse. In the


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Bare Bones Training Report and the interview with Josh Henkin
(www.sandbagtraining.com) will give you a ton of options on how to get by on very
little. Whether this is a temporary situation or long term, you can still progress without
tons of fancy equipment!


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The Seek-and-Destroy Template and the EFT System

The EFT System is based on the athlete constantly making progress. Constantly breaking
Personal Records (P.R.s). Constantly rotating exercises to prevent burnout and staleness
and keep the gains coming.

How does EFT do this? Well, first a look at the Old School way of doing things.

If youve ever read any strength training books written in America, youll notice they
typically organize training into blocks. Organization of training is called Periodization,
and the old-school method is called Western Periodization. This type of training is
separated into 3 or 4 phases and dictated by a percentage chart. If your max bench is
200lbs, and bench day calls for 70% of max, you would need to do 140lbs for however
many reps the program calls for.

It looks something like this:

Block 1 4 weeks Hypertrophy (Muscle Building) Phase (60 70%)

Week 1 5 sets of 10 reps, 3 minutes rest
Week 3 - 3 sets of 10 reps, 3 minutes rest

The goal in this phase is to provide a foundation and build some muscle.

Block 2 4 Weeks Strength Training Phase (75 85%)

Week 2 5 Sets of 5 reps, 3 minutes rest

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This phase is meant to really push your strength gains through the roof.

Block 3 4 Weeks Power Cycle (85 90%)


This phase is typically centered around the Olympic Lifts, and is meant to make the
athlete explosive.

Block 4 Peaking Phase (90 100%)


This phase is meant to take all your work from the previous 3 Blocks and transform them
into new Personal Records.

When the program is done, your new max lifts are plugged into the percentage charts and
you start all over again.


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Why This Just Doesnt Work

Ill admit this type of programming looks impressive. Theres planned blocks, timed rest
periods, even an exact percentage that you should follow for each workout! Then, the
peaking phase ties it all together and you just keep improving year after year, right?
Not even close!

First, no athlete will ever fall into some magic percentage chart. There will be days when
you are feeling great and want to push the weights up more than planned. There will also
be days when you are tired, sore, or just lack the fire necessary to push it past your limits.

On these days, what sense would it make to stick to the prescribed percentage? None.
You will either be leaving a ton of weight on the table on a good day or risk injuring
yourself on your not-so-good days. Percentages have got to be flexible! They can be used
as a general guideline as youll see later, but to use them as a rule is foolish and counter-
productive!

Second, this cycle is spread out over 12 weeks. When you get to week 12, how much of
the muscle you gained in weeks 1 4 do you think will remain? How about the strength
gained in weeks 5-8? Not very much. Whatever you do not train, you will NOT
maintain! Basically, all the work you put in is for nothing. You will lose much of what
you worked so hard for. As much a 10 to 15% of strength can be lost in a period of a few
weeks!
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And, late in the cycles, the special exercises are dropped, even though these were
the movements that made the athlete strong in the first place.

Consider also that the early stages of this type of planning leaves you severely under-
prepared. The weights are just way too light to produce any sort of results. Louie
Simmons observed:

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Zatorski, Vladimir, The Science of Strength Training

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Recall what I said about the force-velocity curve. In the early stages of the
progressive overload system, the weights are too light, too light even for velocity
work. This can be illustrated by throwing a wiffle ball. No matter how hard you
throw it, it just doesnt go very far, as compared to, say, a baseball.

Basically, you are training with weights that are way too light for strength, and even too
small for speed work. So whats the point?

Third, how long can one train the same exercise hard without it losing its effectiveness?
Most research points to no more than three weeks. After this, the Central Nervous System
(CNS) begins to burn out. Using weights in excess of 90% for too long will lead to
deterioration in coordination, which causes form to break down.
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Think of the CNS as your bodys main processing center or operating system. Much like
a computer, if you overload the operating system, the whole organism crashes. The CNS
role in training was largely ignored for many years, but, as coaches become more aware
of the impact of the brain on the muscles ability to function, there has been more focus
on the CNS. Recovery will play a huge part in how often you can train. If the CNS is
under recovered, the muscles will not function properly! Even if your body feels well
rested, if the brain is tired, the weights wont move! The chapters on dealing with
recovery are at least as important as the training chapters. It is usually overlooked by
most trainees but those who pay attention to recovery will always have a HUGE
advantage.

So, if after about three weeks the CNS is impaired, how do we keep making progress?

First, lets think for a moment about which attributes a player needs to train and develop
in order to become a great player:

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Simmons, Louie. The Westside Barbell Book of Methods

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Qualities of a
Great Player
Strength -
Max
Strength is
foundational
to all other
elements of
training.
Speed - No
matter how
strong you
are, if you
arent quick,
the game
will fly by
you.
Power - A
player must be
able to put their
strength to use
in an explosive
environment,
otherwise its
wasted. Power,
or
explosiveness,
is a must. You
must be able to
convert your
weightroom
strength into
useable skill on
the field
Size Football
players are
bigger than
ever. In the
1950s and 60s,
a 210lb lineman
wouldve been
able to play in
the NFL. Now,
high school
running backs
weigh 220.. If a
player isnt big
enough for his
position, in
most cases, hes
a goner.
Attitude
Football, and
most sports,
are more
mental than
physical. A
wrong attitude
(this ties in
strongly to
work ethic)
will end your
career faster
than any injury
ever could.
Football Skill
While this
cant be
addressed
specifically in
the
weightroom,
there are
elements of
the program
that can help.
But, playing
the sport will
always be the
ultimate way
to acquire the
skill necessary
to succeed.

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These elements will be discussed several times in this manual because they are of the
utmost importance to developing into a top-flight player.

So, if 6 of the 7 elements are directly trainable in the weight room, how can a coach or
player possibly manage to work all of them at the same time in order to maintain or
progress in each, all without burning out or overtraining?

Train it all: Maintain and Progress Constantly

For the answer, we must turn to powerlifters, specifically, those who follow conjugate
periodization (CP).

Conjugate periodization is based on the Soviet system of planning an athletes
preparation. It is the perfect way to train all attributes a football player needs to train, all
in the same time period. Typically, all six of the main elements are trained in a given
week. CP simply means that we are training several elements of the athlete at the same
time.

Another great feature of this style of programming, taken specifically from the
Powerlifting world, is exercise rotation. Well touch on this in more detail later in the
manual, but for now let me say that you or your athletes will absolutely not burn out
when exercises are rotated properly.

See, for decades, weve had the concept of specificity pounded into our collective
heads. If a football player wants a big Squat, then he must Squat and Squat only! Well,
first of all, who cares about a Squat? Yes, its a great exercise, but, is it better than a

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Deadliftor a Front Squat? Do football players only move in one plane of motion? Do
they only use the exact muscles used in Squatting? No, so why put so much effort into
one exercise. (This goes for any exercise, by the way)

The better solution would be to become good in MANY exercises. In the EFT system, we
rotate both our Max Effort (heavy) exercise and our accessory lifts. (Movements like
Romanian Dead Lifts or Rows). These concepts will be explained in the following
chapters.

The ability to build sufficient speed and strength on only a handful of lifts is almost
impossible! One must utilize the entire of arsenal of special assistance moves, which can
be down with heavier weights and more reps than the classic lifts.
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Remember, after about 3 weeks the CNS starts to lose its power. So, the best bet would
be to change exercises often, no less than every three weeks. Not only will recovery be
improved, but you will be able to become good at a larger number of exercises.
Remember, athletes move in multiple planes of motion. To confine them to only the up
and down motion of a Squat or Bench Press, with one type of bar and a fairly narrow set
and rep scheme will do a great disservice to the athletes progress on the field!

Accommodation
The response of a biological object to a given constant stimulus decreases over time!
Accommodation is the decrease in response of a biological object to a continued
stimulus. What does that all mean?
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You (biological organism) will get less benefit from
doing the same exercises (continued stimulus) over time. Training must be varied
constantly in regards to Intensity, Density, and Volume.

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Zatsiorsky, Vladimir. The Science and Practice of Strength Training
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Laputin, Nikolai Petrovich. Managing the Training of Weightlifters

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Back to why EFT is superior:

Training of Several Elements at Once
Variability The ease with which programs can be changed on the fly rather than
sticking rigidly to some pre-determined percentage
Continual Progress By rotating exercises and rep schemes, one can make progress
each session rather than hitting a wall, as most do in the old-style of training
Weak-point Training - The ability to change course to correct weaknesses without
throwing the whole system out of whack, as would happen in the old, western
periodization approach!
Maximum Force Production
Constant manipulation of Intensity, Volume and Density

Coaches

Coaches: Remember, you are planning the
training of your athletes not just for the off
season or even one year, but instead for the
long term.

Keep in mind you will be responsible for
developing these players over a 4-year period!

Without the ability to change the plan along the
way, long-term planning will be useless!

Using Western Periodization to plan for longer
than a few months is worthless! There are just
too many variables.
Some advanced athletes will
have to change exercises,
especially Max Effort Exercises
EVERY week!

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Chapter 2 - Max Effort The Key to
Building Insane Strength

Lets start this entire chapter off with one key thought; Maximal Strength is foundational
to all other elements of athleticism.
What does this mean?

Well, basically, the STRONGER you are, the better. More strength =
More speed
More Agility
Better Endurance
More Explosiveness
More Muscle

While its true that there is training to be done specifically for each of those qualities,
without strength, you are wasting your time.

If you are weak, forget speed training, it will be worthless without the muscular strength
to back it up.

Running through cones for agility? If your legs dont have the strength to produce the
necessary force, then you can run cones till you drop and you will never be as agile as
possible.


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So, how does one go about building max strength? Well, first you should understand that
strength is developed in two ways:

Increasing the thickness of the muscle fibers
Increasing the innervations of the muscle fibers, or improving the coordination of the
muscles in connections with the CNS.
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In general a bigger muscle has the potential to be stronger. Now, you may have heard that
bodybuilders, the biggest lifters on the planet arent very strong. While some are quite
strong, this stereotype comes from the fact that many bodybuilders strength does NOT
match their size. Why?

The reason lies in the two types of hypertrophy (muscle growth)

Sarcoplasmic Hypertrophy - The volume of sarcoplasmic fluid in the muscle cell
increases with no accompanying increase in muscular strength.

Myofibril Hypertrophy - The myofibrils, comprised of the actin and myosin
contractile proteins, increase in number and add to muscular strength as well as an
increase in the size of the muscle.

Basically, bodybuilders focus on sarcoplasmic hypertrophy only. Football players need to
use both because we need to be both big and strong. Whats the best way to do this? A
mix of Max Effort and Higher Rep work. First, lets continue to explore Max Effort
training.

ME training will strengthen both the muscle fibers and the connection between the
muscles and the CNS. The CNS can vary the strength of a muscular contraction by
involving the number of fibers at work and by changing the strength of the impulse sent.
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Laputin, Nikolai. Managing the Training of Weightlifters


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ME training allows you to work with near limit weights to build super strength. Weights
will range from 90 100% of your max for that day. Re-read that. Its your max for the
day, not your all time max. We will refer to this as your training max (TM).

Laputin, in Managing the Training of Weightlifters suggests the following:

It is advisable that weightlifters execute training lifts with limit
And near limit weights because only these lifts make it possible to
improve the contractile ability of the muscles and perfect the coordination
structure of the central nervous system.

This was advised for Olympic Weightlifters, but it applies to all athletes.

If, you were to stick to the classic 3 sets of 10 program that so many magazines preach,
you would be wasting your time. Is 3 x 10 worthless? No, it actually has a ton of useful
applications.

However, when building raw, brute strength, 10 reps is just too many. You need to
prepare the body to produce maximum force (power and strength) and to be able to do it
in a hurry!

When you fire off that line, the guy across from you is not going to wait for you to apply
forceyou better knock him out before he takes you out.

Strengths Effect on Speed

I get tons of emails from coaches and players asking about every speed-training device
under the sun. Parachutes, cones, hurdles, towing devices, and special shoes and usually
the subject at hand.

While all these devices have their place, the truth is, the best way to increase speed is by
increasing strength. You must increase Max Strength, which will also increase Relative
Strength (how strong you are for your bodyweight), which will increase speed.

Mel Siff, PhD, author of Supertraining, considered by most to be the Bible of strength
training texts, wrote this about increasing speed training:

To increase speed it is necessary to increase the magnitude or duration of the
force applied (or both), or decrease the mass of the body. However, for practical
purposes, not all of these possibilities can be achieved in human movement. The

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athlete is unable to decrease the mass of his body or an item of standard athletic
apparatus, or increase the duration of t (time) of a given movement. However, it is
possible to increase the time of a movement of limited amplitude only by
decreasing its speed, which is nonsense. Consequently, only one recourse
remains, namely to increase strength. Maximum strength is the main factor
determining speed of movement!

In laymans terms: Get stronger to get faster!

Authors Note: During my football career, I had the great pleasure of
playing with and against several guys with NFL experienceeither they
were in NFL camps, played a season or two, or just played specials in the
pros.

Im often asked what it was likewere these guys just unstoppable? Was
their technique just out of this world?

Actually, no. Ive seen better technique on guys who, frankly, werent
that good.

I will say that, without a doubt, the biggest difference between these
guys and everyone else was their explosiveness and power! These guys
(all over 300lbs) absolutely FLEW off the ball. They were Powerlifter
Strong with the explosion of an Olympic Sprinter.

Next time someone tells you to concentrate on cone drills and forget the
weights, remember this story.

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How to Apply Max Effort Methods to Your
Program

Remember, the goal here is to lift your max for that day. Obviously, if your max squat is 500lbs,
you cant continually squat that amount week in and week out. As Louie Simmons has written,
Our maximum effort system is much like the Bulgarian model. Regardless of our trainability,
we max out. It might not be an all-time record, but its all youre capable of on that day.

You may work up to about 480 for a solid single or double. The key is to strain against
the weight for about 2-3 seconds, applying maximum force to the bar.

So, before we get into the actual application of the ME methods, remember the following:

Exercises will rotate often, usually every 1-3 weeks (every week for advanced lifters)
Use weights in excess of 90% of your max
You will work up to a maximum single or doublethis will typically take 5-7 sets to
accomplish (explained in detail below)
You MUST apply maximum force to the bar!

Rotating Exercises

As stated earlier, you must rotate exercises often to
prevent burning out. But, what exactly does this
mean?


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Well, lets use the Bench Press as an example. Most programs would simply have you
bench heavy for 12 16 weeks.

But, as weve seen, this is extremely ineffective. After week 3 or 4, your progress will
start to backslideespecially if you have more than a year of experience.

To prevent this, we simply do the bench press and similar exercises, changing them ever
1 3 weeks, depending on experience level. A good example of this would be:

Weeks 1 3: Bench press
Weeks 4 6: Incline press
Weeks 7 9: DB Bench
Weeks 10 12: DB Incline
Weeks 13-15: Close Grip Bench

As you can see, the exercises are similar, hitting many of the same muscles, but all from
different angles, with different grips and different bars. The possibilities are pretty much
endless. For the bench alone you could easily come up with 15 exercises, such as:

1. Bench
2. Incline
3. DB Bench
4. DB Incline
5. CG Bench
6. 2-Board Bench Press
7. 3-Board Bench Press
8. Bench Press Lockouts
9. Incline Lockouts
10. CG Incline
11. Bottoms-Up Bench

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12. Incline with Chains
13. Bench with Chains
14. Reverse Band Bench
15. Reverse Band Incline

Looking at the list, you can easily start to think of even more! Get creative. Use thick
bars, thick DBs, bands, chains, weight releasersthe possibilities are endless.

Now, should anyone have any excuse for sticking to bench only? Its just lazy or
uninformed coaching.

How do you work up to your max sets? This will be covered in greater detail in the
Sample Programs chapters. But, a quick example would look like this.

If your max single in the bench is 200lbs and you plan on working up to a heavy double.
Your sets might look like this:

Set 1: Bar x 5
Set 2: 95 x 5
Set 3: 135 x 3
Set 4: 150 x 2
Set 5: 170 x 2
Set 6: 180 x 2
Set 7: 185-190 x 2 (this will depend on how you feel)

On an exercise like Squats or Deadlifts, you may need more or less warm-up sets,
depending on your strength level.

But, you must experiment and see what works for you!

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Chapter 3: Harnessing the Power of
Dynamic Training to Become Super
Explosive!

We learned in the first chapter that we must be strong. Maximum strength is foundational
to all other aspects of strength and athletic ability. With Max Effort training, you are
constantly hitting personal records, pushing your strength higher and higher in a
multitude of exercises.

One of the criticisms of weight-training for football and athletics over the years was that
while it would make you much stronger, it would make you tight and slow. Muscle
Bound was the term that was popular with those in the anti-weight training camp.

As I said earlier, if you use the old Western-style, with its emphasis on improper
bodybuilding methods, this criticism can come true. You must find bridges between
weightroom power and athletic power.

Dynamic Training, sometimes called Dynamic Effort, is one of the best bridges to
transferring strength into skill.

Dynamic Methods

Using Plyometrics and jumping exercise is a form of DT, and is an excellent way to build
explosive strength. However, some over-rely on Plyos and jumping. Dynamic strength
must be built in the weightroom as well as while jumping.


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Louie Simmons, owner of Westside Barbell, and the man who put together the Westside
Barbell Method, writes:

Jumping exercises and/or plyometrics cause the fastest rate of explosive strength
because as resistance is lessened, the motion time becomes shorter. This is caused
by a sudden eccentric stretch of the muscles and connective tissue preceding a
voluntary effort. Of course, the faster the eccentric [lowering] phase, the faster the
concentric [lifting, or raising] phase through an increase in kinetic energy. How
can this be accomplished with a barbell?

Explosive strength can be developed by using moderate resistance with maximum
speed. This is the dynamic method. Two simple training methods to accompany
the dynamic method are the box squat for squatting and pulling strength and the
floor press with dumbbells or a barbell. For both exercises, after the eccentric
phase, many of the muscles are in a relaxed state. This is followed by any
explosive concentric motion. This will increase the rate of force development
(RFD). We also find that maximum concentric work also increases RFD. With the
use of extremely heavy weights, bar velocity may be slow, but nevertheless,
overcoming a large load dynamically causes a fast RFD.

Many have taken this to mean that simply lifting light weights quickly will build great
speed. However, this is mistaken because of the bodys natural protection
mechanismas you near lockout, your antagonists (muscles opposite of the ones being
worked, i.e., the triceps and biceps) will contract causing a slowing effect on the bar. This
is done to prevent joint injuries.


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Note: You should be applying maximum force to the bar no matter what the weight is.
Although when doing a heavy exercise the bar will move slower, the intent to move it
quickly is very important.

Now, the whole point of Dynamic Training is to transfer power. This is done by lifting
sub-maximum weights at maximum speeds. But, how can this be done if the body wants
to slow down the movement as it nears completion?

Accommodating Resistance

Accommodating Resistance is simply using training devices that will actually make the
weight heavier as you reach lockout, thus circumventing the problem of slowing down
near lockout. Zatsiorsiky, in the Science and Practice of Strength Training, defines
accommodating resistance as using special means to accommodate resistance throughout
the entire range of motion rather than a specific point. Two of the most popular methods
of accomplishing this are using chains or bands.

Bands are probably the superior method. However, for beginners, or those who have
experience but are new to this type of training, I would stick to using chains only until
you become familiar with the process.

There are two problems with using only bar weight when doing Dynamic Training. One,
as we mentioned, is that the bar will naturally decelerate as you near completion. The
other is that we are strongest near lockout. Thats why you see guys who only squat down
a few inches lift way more than a guy who squats the full range of motion. Typically, we
are weakest at the bottom, or middle-bottom of a lift, and then very strong at the top.
Theres a huge problem with this:

Often we are under-training the muscles in certain positions, many of them positions
that are very near to those used in football. Muscles are active over a relatively short
ROM and usually maximum muscle activity occurs near the top end of a movement.

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To under train the top of a movement, i.e., the squat, would be leaving a huge amount
of force on the table. When running, we typically drive off of a knee angle that is
similar to running. If we are under-training this portion of the squat, we are asking for
troublenot only in decreased speed, but also potential injuries!

Using bands or chains will not only lead to bigger numbers in the weightroom, but it will
also lead to more sport-efficient motor patterns by teaching the body to continue
accelerating rather than decelerating as you reach the strongest part of the lift.

Because of the increased resistance as you near completion, the bands will actually
decelerate the bar. This works in your favor because you now have to work harder to
accelerate and can avoid the bodys natural protective mechanism safely.

Speed, Bands, Chains, and Explosive Strength

Bands and chains, used dynamically, help you develop all of the important types of
strength. Weve already covered limit strength in the Max Effort Chapter, here are some
key others for football players:

Speed Strength: The ability to overcome resistance with a high speed muscular
contraction.
Starting Strength: Ability to fire off as many motor units as possible
simultaneously. Box Squats with chains will build tremendous starting strength. You
would need a great deal of starting strength in the Deadlift or when sprinting out of
your stance.
Explosive Strength: Ability to display significant tension in a minimal amount of
time. A Power Clean is a great example of explosive strength. So would the thrust
you display when bringing the hips in a block or tackle.


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Max Effort training works on your max or absolute strength. You must have enough max
strength or all of your other training for speed will be worthless!

Use dynamic effort training as a compliment to your ME work.

How to Apply Dynamic Training to Your Program

The powerlifters at Westside Barbell, under the coaching of Louie Simmons popularized
Dynamic Effort training in the West. Theyve used a day of Dynamic Upper and one
Dynamic Lower to lift some of the biggest weights in history. The roster of 500 and
600lb benchers, 800+lb squatters, and record holders is amazing.

Can these same methods be applied to football players with similar results? After all, we
are training for football not powerlifting.

While its true that we are not training for a powerlifting meet (though I do encourage all
of you to enter powerlifting, Olympic Weightlifting, or strongman competitions in the
off-season), we are training with many of the same goals in mindbe as strong and as
explosive as possible!

Some modifications are made to DE training when applied to athletes.

Dynamic Effort work is not suited to beginners. An athlete should have a few months of
heavy, consistent training under their belt before starting on DE work.

Once ready, an athlete should use Dynamic work once per week, about 3 days after the
ME session. So, if you did ME Lower on Monday, do your speed work on Thursday. Use
a variety of movements including:

Box Squats
Box Front Squats
Speed Deadlifts
Snatch Pulls
Jumps of all kinds (onto boxes, long-jumps, vertical jumps, etc.)

Remember to use bands or chains when possible.

Most of this info applies to the lower body, but what about the top half?


28

Throwin Blows Like Tysonor Glass Joe?

We spend a lot of time talking about speed in football, but its usually about running
speed and agility.

However, hand speed is largely ignored. So many guys can run fast or lift a lot of weights
but deliver a blow like Glass Joe!

Face it, if you hit like a bitch, you will get beaten, especially if you play on the line. You
MUST be able to smack the shit out of someone.

This goes for CBs too, and WRs. On that first play of the game, you have to throw a
shot like you are trying to knock that guy out.

Much like theres a lot of guys who can Squat the friggin weightroom, yet cant get out of
their own way; theres even more guys who can bench a ton but have zero hand speed.

Enter Dynamic Training

The answer is to do speed work for the upper body. While many in the Powerlifting
world have debated the effects of speed work on their bench, I feel its extremely useful
to football players (and most other athletes)especially once they have a decent amount
of strength built up.

Dynamic or Speed training involves lifting a sub-max weight for maximum speed, with
strictly timed rest periods. You will need to add either chains or bands to the bar so that
you do not decelerate towards lockout.

For benching, use 40-50% of a 1RM with a method of accommodating resistance, i.e.
bands or chains. Do 8 9 sets of 3 reps. Keep the rest at 1 minute between sets.


29
Do your speed work as the main exercise on your second upper body day, in place of
your Rep Day. I recommend you use DE Upper training in blocks throughout the year
rather than using it all the time. DE training also serves as a nice change from the high
reps sets you will be doing on your Rep days.

Dynamic Effort Guidelines

For benching, use 40-50% of a 1RM with a method of accommodating
resistance, i.e. bands or chains.

For squatting, use 50-60% with a method of accommodating resistance. Bands
or chains must always be used to greatly reduce the deceleration phase.

For squatting: 10-12 sets of 2 reps.

For benching: 8-9 sets of 3 reps.

For deadlifting: 6-10 sets of 1 rep after squatting.

Must Reads:
Simmons, Louie. The Westside Barbell Book of Methods
Chu, Donald. Jumping Into Plyometrics


30


31
Chapter 4 Using Bodybuilding Methods
Properly to Make Huge, Functional Gains

I am not in any way encouraging football players to start training like Bodybuilders. How
many careers have been either cut short or never realized their potential because of
improper applications of bodybuilding-style training?

Is Bodybuilding Evil?

Bodybuilding methods have been thoroughly vilified by strength coaches over the
yearsand with good reason. So many young players get their training information from
magazines like Flex or Muscle & Fitness. These magazines feature huge, drugged-up
bodybuilders and the programs they supposedly follow. The programs are as fake as the
drug-induced muscle. The volume is off the charts, with little attention paid to athletic
skill or flexibility.

This, combined with the younger players drive to want to do bench, curls and abs (the
beach muscles), has given coaches headaches for years.

One of the main problems with the typical bodybuilding style workout is that many sets
are taken to failure. There is even an entire training system devoted to taking one main
set to failure (H.I.T). The belief is that only those last few reps are worthwhile, so all sets
must be taken to absolute failure.

This is faulty logic for many reasons.

1. Sets can never really be taken to absolute failure: Fatigue effects from
different types of muscular work are specific, thus an athlete who is too tired

32
to repeat the same exercise, say, a bench press, may still be able to perform
another in good form, i.e. push-ups.
5

2. It is completely unnecessary for you to become completely exhausted in a
workout; strength gains are greater when you are not tired

3. Pushing to exhaustion will burn out your CNS and force you to cut volume in
future training sessions.

Using the Rep Method Properly

Powerlifters have used higher rep bodybuilding schemes for quite some time. This would
seem counter-intuitive because the powerlifter is concerned with strength. But, most
powerlifters need a certain amount of mass to gain better leverages (the bigger your chest
and back, the less distance the bar needs to be pushed in the Bench, thus increasing the
amount of weight used). Also, the bigger lifters need to keep large amounts of muscle
mass to fit into their weight classes.

So, how have powerlifters figured out how to use higher rep schemes without losing
strength or burning out their CNS?

Leave a Few In the Tank

The answer is actually pretty simple. They began to cycle exercises often, sometimes
every session, and they learned to leave a few reps in the tank. This simply means that

5
Zatorski, Vladimir. The Science and Practice of Strength Training.


33
if you are capable of doing 9 reps, you do 8. The last rep is hard, but you arent straining
so much that you are fatiguing the CNS.

The best way to gauge this is to pick a weight and start doing reps. On your last rep it
should be hard, but not impossible and you might be able to do another rep, but you leave
it alone.

Advantages to Using the Rep Method

There are several advantages to using higher reps for some exercises:

Higher reps can induce substrate uptake so that nutrients are partitioned into
the lean compartments of the body and away from the fat ones.

Induce metabolite build-up and ion transport

Bring blood and nutrients to the muscles, which can aid in growth and
recovery

Add lean body mass. The higher reps are great for those who need to put on
weight to play their position.

Can you gain significant size by only using low reps? Yes, to a point. Even if you
concentrated on reps of 4 and below and ate a diet consisting of high-quality protein and
calories, you would gain. But, if you wish to accelerate the process and get even bigger,
then the Rep Method will work wonders for you.

That being said, you MUST combine this with the ME training or you risk becoming big
and weakand there is nothing sadder than a big, weak football player.

So how do you add the rep method to your program in an intelligent manner?

34

Volume, Density and the Rule of 24

When it comes to gauging volume for muscle gains, I like to use the rule of 24 as my
base. Basically, the rule of 24 means that the product of your sets and reps will come out
to 24 total. For example, 3 x 8.

You can use the rule as a basic guide, its not a hard and fast rule. Sometimes you may
come in under 24 reps, and you will often do way more than 24. But, this should be your
aim, especially in the beginning.

You can get to 24 reps in several ways:

3 x 8
8 x 3
4 x 6
6 x 4
5 x 5 (yes, its 25 but the idea is the same)
2 x 12
12 x 2

Mix it up. Remember, this is the rep portion of the program, so, while 12 sets of doubles
is fine, its not idea. 12 x 2 would be great for a heavy day but not so great for a rep
session.

Ive found that the best results come from 3 5 sets of 5 8 reps.


35
Density

There is a full chapter on density later in this manual but Ill outline the basics of using
density as a training tool for getting bigger.

Density is simply the amount of work you perform in a certain amount of time. So, if you
were doing curls and you set a timer for 15 minutes. If you are using 100-lbs and you end
up with 40 total reps, the next session you would try to do more than 40. If you can
manage 42 reps, then you have increased your density.

You also could set the timer for 12 minutes and try to get the same 40 reps. You would
still have increased density by performing the same amount of work, but in less time.

If you have been following regular rep ranges for a while, use a density period to break
out of any plateau.

An easy way to set this up would be to pick your rep upper body exercise and set the
timer. Well say you are using DB Bench with 50lbers. Set the clock for 15 minutes and
get to work.

The sets will vary. You may start off with sets of 10 and end with singles as the period
draws to a close.

The next session, simply beat the reps. When you do, add weight or reduce the amount of
time.

This is a great way to manage fatigue and to up the volume while still using a respectable
weight. If you want to learn more about how to apply density to your training, please
check out Charles Staleys EDT Guide


36

Max Rep Sets

I give all credit to Super Coach Joe DeFranco on this one. Joe popularized using a Max
Rep exercise on the Repetition Upper day.

Joe found that sometimes, for some of his hard gainer typesusually very skinny guys,
the standard 24 reps just wasnt enough to pack on the lbs! So he started using sets with
maximum reps as the main exercise on the Rep Upper day.

Now, when I say max reps, I do NOT mean sets taken to failure. While these sets will be
very high (20+ reps) they are not taken to failure. Usually, you will leave one or two in
the tank on the first and second set and go all out on the last.

Some object to this kind of training, insisting that it is a strength endurance exercise. Yes,
this is true. But, we are only using it for one exercise, once per week. And, the purpose is
to induce as much muscle building damage as possible.

For those who have real trouble gaining or even those who dont but want to go to the
next level, these max reps sets can really push the muscle gains through the roof.

By doing this rather extreme reps scheme in addition to eating a solid diet of high quality
protein, you are ensuring that you will continually grow new muscle and build new
strength.

Timed Sets

This is a wicked twist on both high rep and density focused training. This concept was
introduced by Louie Simmons in one of his articles.

Take an exercise like the DB Incline. Pick a fairly heavy weight, something you might be
able to do for 8. Then sent a timer for 2 minutes and start pressing!

You will not press continually because you will need to rest along the way, but, you keep
the rest periods to a minimum as you try to cram as many reps as possible into this 2-
minute period! Your set may look like this8, rest, 5, 4, 5, 3, 1,1,1. Then, you rest for 3
minutes and go again. Two of these blocks is plenty! Next time around you try to beat
your total. Its simple and brutally effective!


37
Key Points

Use Higher-reps for muscle building and recovery
High rep sets are used for accessory and supplemental exercises, NOT, for your main
strength exercises.
Use the Rule of 24 as your base
Use some of the more extreme methods like Timed sets to break plateaus and gain
new muscle
How to integrate the Rep Method into your program will be detailed in full in
Putting it all Together


38


39
Chapter 5 RecoveryIgnore it and Lose,
Guaranteed!

Its a boring topic, I know. Recovery. Its been written about a thousand times, yet it is
still probably the most misunderstood and underutilized training tool on the planet. Most
of us have no trouble convincing ourselves to buy a new rack, a new Squat DVD, or
whatever training gear we think will give us that next edge. We read all the latest training
articles, plan our workouts; how many sets, and reps, Max Effort work, Dynamic Effort
workshould we do more rep work or more speed work. However, how many people
put that type of effort into planning their recovery? Not too many judged by what Ive
seen in my 14 years of training experience.

A few years back I almost bought into the theory that was being floated that damn near
every lifter was suffering from the dreaded over-training. Almost. I soon realized that
most people werent over-trained, they were UNDER recovered. James Loehr, one of the
greatest sports psychologists of all time talks about making waves in training. Without
recovery, stress is all there is. Stress becomes linear, constant, unremitting. Linear stress
eventually means overtraining, increasing weakness, and poor performanceRecovery
must occur at all three levels physical, mental, and emotional. Recovery often simply
means rest. When you rest, you temporarily break episodes of stress and allow energy to
be restored. One waves up with activities like lifting or running, and waves down with
recovery methods.

Take some time to plan out your recovery methods (RMs) and when you will use them
and I guarantee that you will see tremendous progress. Some of my favorite RMs:

Sleep
If talking about recovery is boring, then talking about sleep must be mind numbing. But
again, how many lifters do you know (yourself included) who walk around in a sleep

40
deficit? Look around at your co-workers or fellow students tomorrow and youll probably
see some seriously tired people.
Lack of sleep hinders brain performance. If the brain is under-performing, then you can
be sure your CNS isnt up to par. And, as weve all learned, if the CNS is down, your
muscles will not respond properly!

After only one night of sleep depravation (less than 6hrs sleep), mental and physical
performance begins to decline. This is painfully evident when a football player practices
or plays a game while sleep deprivedit can get ugly!

How much is needed? The standard suggestion is 7 8 hours. If, however, youve been
chronically sleep deprived, you may need to spend several weeks paying down your
sleep debt.

The easiest way to do this is to simply sleep more. Add an hour at night and a nap, even
15 minutes, as often as possible. Eventually, you will be back to normal and you can go
back to the suggested 7 8 hours per night.

Some quick tips for getting the best sleep for your recovery buck:

Try to get 8 hours of sleep per night and nap during the day when you can.

I admit, I could never take naps until about a year ago. I was on lunch break and needed
to rest a bit. I put on a meditation tape and for whatever reason; I was sleeping in about
30 seconds. I repeated the experiment the next daysame result. Soon my 15minute nap
became a staple of my RMs.

Find a meditation CD, sleep tape, white noise record, whatever worksI dont care if
you have to use your 8-track, get to sleep!

Keep your bedroom as dark as possible! Cover LCD screens, put heavy drapes over
the window.

Wear a sleep mask.

As someone who always had trouble falling asleep, I found wearing a sleep mask helped
tremendously.

If you need to turn to the prescription drugs, proceed with extreme caution! Some
drugs are thought to interfere with REM sleep. So, while you may sleep more, you are
lacking the most important stage of the sleep cycle!

Try melatonin, ZMA, or even the old warm milk and turkey cocktail. The key is, find
something that works.


41

Epsom Salt/Sea Salt Baths
John Paul Catanzaro did a great job outlining the benefits of Epsom salt baths on
EliteFTS.com a while back. How many guys actually followed his advice though? I know
it seems a little fem to do this, but it works.

This is nothing new, my grandmother told me about the benefits of Epsom salt baths way
back when I first started lifting. She didnt know why they worked, she just knew they
did. The high magnesium content in Epsom salt baths facilitates the removal of acids
through the skin. Add about two cups to your bath water along with a handful of Sea
Salts. Go to Bath and Bodyworks, theyll have about a thousand bath time/relaxation
powders, potions and lotions to choose from. You can also look for a bath T-bag, no
joke. It looks like a giant T-bag that you put in the bathtub. Theyre usually made up of
chamomile, lavender, magnesium, and various other relaxants.

A few months back I had a Max Effort lower day planned. My back was tight and so
were my hamstrings from sitting in the car too long. I decided to do a quick bath
combined with a 15minute nap. It worked like gangbusters hit a 15lb P.R. in the deadlift
that evening.

The baths work well the after training and the next day as well. Combine with some light
stretching and a nap and you got yourself recovery soup!

Post Workout Nutrition

I suppose the new trend is peri-workout nutrition and I feel this is a great idea. A great
post workout recovery drink is vital! Legendary Strength Coach Bill Starr wrote about
the benefits of PWO nutrition way back in his classic book, The Strongest Shall
Survive. European researchers found that if their athletes ingest protein, preferably in
liquid form, in less than 30 minutes after exercise, their recovery rate is three times faster
than if they wait past this time period. This was written over 30 years ago, yet some

42
people still havent caught on. Get a good recovery drink; sip it before, during and after
training.

In its most basic form, training and recovery are basically the tearing down and building
back up of muscle. So while some guys still insist on pounding away for hours in the gym
thinking thats when the muscle is built, they are just flat out wrong.

All of your weightroom sessions should be completed in 45 minutes 1 hour, warm-up
included. If you cant, you are either taking way too much time between sets or just
fooling around. Testosterone levels drop off after about 45 minutes, so training much past
that point is useless.

Drinking your post work out shake before during and after lifting ensures that you will
have a steady supply of nutrients flowing through you, helping you recover, and get
bigger and stronger. Theres several quality shakes on the market. Biotests Surge,
Cytosport Gainer, and Progrades Workout stand out.

If you are short on funds, a simple whey protein shake mixed with Gatorade powder will
help tremendously. An ideal low-cost PWO Shake will contain protein and carbs in
ample amounts. And, the more simple the carb the better. While various types of sugars
are usually off limits, during the PWO window they can help shuttle insulin, a powerful
growth hormone, into the muscles. Dextrose, found in Gatorade, will help a great deal.

Note, always mix your PWO shake in water. Milk proteins are slower digesting,
which is fine for most of the day, but in the PWO period, you want the protein in
you as quickly as possible!

43

Conditioning and Extra Workouts

This is so simple that it defies logic that more people dont do it: Walk more. Dont jog,
walk. For a 200+lb lifter, walking is a good, calorie burning, blood moving activity that
wont sap strength or eat muscle. If you wanna be a hard-ass, walk with a vest. How
long? 20-40 minutes would be a good start. Walking is boring? Get an iPod or a dog and
get over it.

Louie Simmons has been writing about extra workouts for years. The one that worked
best for me has always been sled/prowler work. You can put in a good, solid effort but
not get sore because of the lack of eccentric work. If you are doing this for recovery, go
light. No need to be a hero on the sled. If you want to do this for conditioning theres
endless optionsput some weight on it and walk, put a little less and sprint. Its not
rocket science.

Foam Rolling/Massage

I admit that I thought foam rollers were B.S. for a long time. That is, until I tried one. For
10 bucks, I bought a little piece of foam that totally transformed the way I felt.
Somewhere along the line I got jacked up! After about two weeks of rolling 4
times/week, I felt amazing. My flexibility was back, my joints didnt hurt, and sometimes
it was a major energy booster. Im not sure why, and Ive been unable to find any
research backing this up, but if I was tired and/or tight, a good 10minute session on the
foam roller was like a shot of espresso. Maybe it moved the blood around. Maybe it just
loosened my muscles up. Either way I only care that it worked and continues to work.

44
If you are rather large or just dont seem to get any relief from a traditional roller, go to
Home Depot and get yourself a big piece of PVC. The pipe is good at getting into places
that the roller can miss (hamstrings, for example).

Massage is a luxury, no doubt. If you can afford it, get it as often as possible. Even if its
once a month. Theres been some debate about whether or not massage actually reduces
recovery time. Those who say it doesnt are missing the point. Its more about the
relaxation than anything else. If nothing else, for one hour you are free of any troubles
and have someone rubbing you. Sounds like a worthwhile investment to me.

Now, if you are really hurting, you might want to seek out a pain-relief massage therapist
or and Active Release Technique (ART) practitioner. This type of deep-tissue massage is
NOT relaxing. Actually, it can be painful at times. In my own case, Swedish massage is a
waste. Theres too much muscle to even feel it, so I instead turn to the pain-relief people.
They are great at getting deep into the muscle belly and breaking up knots and any scar
tissue. I honestly thought my shoulders were done with benching until I started this
programnow Im fine and back to being able to answer the ol wadda ya bench
question.

Weve all heard of the athlete who was damn near finished, who then went to get ART
done and made a huge comeback. It can be expensive, but if you are injured, its worth
the investment. You can learn more about ART at http://www.activerelease.com

Meditation

Dont run away. Im not asking you to convert to Buddhism. But, even the most simple
forms of mediation (closing your eyes and saying in and out as your breath) will work
wonders. You may find that you fall asleep while doing this. Great! Dont worry about it,
just means you are tired. Fifteen minutes of just letting go of your thoughts/troubles/baby
momma drama, etc. will help your mind relax and let your body recover. Recovery is

45
about making waves. Every time you add a stress (training, work, life) you need to
balance that wave with some sort of recovery measure.

Scientists have been able to measure the changes in a person before, during and after
meditation.

Brain scans have shown that there are actual shifts in the brain due to meditation. Brain
waves in the right frontal cortex, which is the area of our brain prone to stress, move to
the left frontal cortex, which is the calmer area of our brain. Incidentally the brain scans
have also shown that in the area of our brain that processes fear, activity is significantly
decreased.

One study showed that, With 6 months of meditation, athletes had less increase in the
CD8+ suppressor T cell response to strenuous physical stress, improving the immune
system's helper to suppressor cell ratio. If thats not reason enough to meditate, I dont
know what is! More benefits of meditation:

-A possible shift toward fat burning
-Improved carbohydrate metabolism
-Reduced Cortisol Levels

Theres a million meditation CDs out there. Try a few and see what you like. If you are
worried about any religious connotations, seek out a sports relaxation CD. Use the
relaxation CD and find other things that relax you. Maybe a comedy CD or a mindless
popcorn flick. It doesnt matter what it is, as long as you feel relieved whilst doing it.

Nutrition and Supplementation
While the subject of nutrition and supplementation can and has filled up entire libraries of
books, Ill briefly touch on the importance of protein here. A basic understanding of
nutrition can go a long way in helping you or your athletes recover.


46

Protein Its been called by some The athletes best friend. Others have blamed it
for kidney failure and kidney stones. Whats the truth? Do athletes really need high
protein intakes? How much is enough? Why is protein more important than carbs or fats?

Protein is the building block of muscle (muscle is essentially protein and water). Without
enough of the building block, you are not going to grow. Protein is an essential nutrient,
without it, you would be in for a slew of health problems.

How much is enough? Thats debatable, but as a hard training athlete, you should be
aiming for 1gram of protein per LB of bodyweight. So, if you weight 200lbs, eat
200g/protein. Remember, this is just your starting point. During football camp, you many
need to increase the amount. And, during an off week, you can bring it down a bit. Dont
go to the extreme on either endeating 5g/lb is not going to make you any bigger; there
is a point of diminishing returns. If you stick to 1 1.5g/lb, you will be way ahead of the
competition.

Where can you find high-quality protein? Well, whey protein scores highest in use-ability
in the body. But, whey is best used as a supplement, not as your base.

Foods like eggs, milk, cheese, chicken, turkey, pork, duck, beef, fish, buffalo, venison,
cottage cheese, yogurt, and even foods like natural peanut butter are great sources of
protein.

Coaches: Never assume your athletes know anything about
nutrition. Most will have learned little snipets about proper eating
through their parents, the media, or muscle mags. They might know
terms like protein, but never assume they will understand how to
put that information to use. It would be a wise move to spend some
time each week discussing their diets.

47
When you base your meals around getting a good portion of protein foods, meeting your
daily requirement is not very difficult, especially if you supplement with protein shakes.

While were on the subject of supplements, please understand that supplements are just
that.they supplement your meals. They are not a magic bullet. No one protein
supplement is going to turn you into a hulk or the MVP of the Super Bowl. If you want to
try protein supplements, find one that you can afford and tastes good. Its that simple.
Dont fall for the bells and whistles and the sales hype. Just get a good, quality whey or
milk protein and you will be fine.

I still think the nutrition chapters of The Strongest Shall Survive are excellent. Starr
gives vitamin and mineral recommendations that seem to be a bit of over-kill, but thats
not the point. If you get key vitamins and minerals into your system right after training,
vitamins C, D, A and calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium come to mind, you
will recover faster.

The topics of fats, EFAs, carbs, proteins and vitamins and minerals have had a multitude
of books written about them. It is a subject that is way too in depth for this manual. I
strong suggest you read the books in the Recommended Reading section at the end of
this chapter.

De-loads and Time Off

Of all the advice Ive given in this article, this is the hardest one for me to follow. For
most of us, training is our version of fun. Yea, its tough but we all love it. So, it can be
very hard to back off from time to time. A lot of coaches recommend de-loading every 4
th

week. Its a good rule of thumb. In my own case, I just know when to back off. It
typically happens after 5 or 6 weeks. Jim Wendler wrote an easy to follow de-loading
guide.


48
Basically, every few weeks you drop your Max Effort work but continue with your
accessory work. Or keep your ME but drop the accessories. You could also drop rep
work for the week. Theres many different ways to do it, so experimentation is the best
route.

What about a full week off? These are necessary every so often. For me, a de-load is
usually more productive than a full week off, but, I still take them. The only thing I do
during a week off is some stretching and walking. Sometimes Ill combine a week off
with a diet break. Its a great relief psychologically and physiologically. Dont worry
about gaining weight during this time, if you can gain significant weight in this one week,
then you are doing some serious eating.

Scoring Your Recovery
Much like a check-book, you must keep your stress (work) and recovery in balance.
This is actually rather simple if you use some form of a scoring system.

Nutritional Points
2 points for a good Breakfast
1 point for two small meals
1 point for lunch and dinner

Sleep
2 points for 8+ hours
3 points for 9 or more hours
-1 point for each hour less than 8
1 point for a nap

Relationships, Alone, and Play Time
1 point for a good, positive day
0 points for a bad or negative day

49
2 points for free time to relax, not focused on school, football, training or any other
stressors
1 point for play time. Games, socializing, watching a movie or listening to music.

Training and Stress Factors

Stress isnt always a bad thing. Training stress leads to positive gains in strength and
muscleif you have proper recovery. Remember that stress can be mental or physical.
Stress isnt always as simple as something you worked hard atheres a short list of
some common stress factors:

Weightlifting
Running/Conditioning
School (tests, homework, social problems)
Relationship problems
Family conflicts
Over/under-eating
Lack of Sleep

50
Scoring Your Stressors

Training Intensity, 1 4 points.
If its a light session, something like just a warm up and some stretching, a
1 would fit. If, however, its a real beast, you set 3 PRs and feel like
sleeping after, then better score it a 4. Theres obviously some room to work
with here and youll get better at scoring as you become more experienced.

Outside stresses:
1 point for a high school work load
1 point for any missed meals (thats 1pt each)
1 point for family/friend issues that are causing you anxiety

No simply add up both factors, stress points and recovery points. Breaking even is worst-
case scenario. You should be shooting for a 2-point plus in the recovery column.

Recommended Reading:

James Loeher. The New Toughness Training for Sports

Starr, Bill. The Strongest Shall Survive.

Erasmus, Udo. Fats that Heal, Fats that Kill

T-Mag.com, nutrition article Archive

7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs by John M. Berardi


51
Lowery, Dr. Lonnie. Meditation for Muscle. http://www.t-
nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_diet_nutrition_bodyb
uilding/meditation_for_muscle


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Chapter 6: The Two-Way Conditioning
System

Alright, after yous are done stretchin, take two laps around the field and meet at the
goal post. For a minute, I thought I had gone back in time, to a field in the 40sbut, I
checked my helmet and it had a facemask and I soon realized that I actually heard a
football coach say those words on a cold, hard field in 2004. Looking past the fact that
the coach had his guys stretching before warming up, I couldnt believe this guy had
football players running distance! Football (and weightlifting) is a series of short, intense
bursts. Ive played the game for over a decade and coached have been a strength coach
for over 10 years now, and can honestly say that Ive never run a mile in a game. Not
even a half-mile. So why are some coaches still demanding their players run for distance?
I dont knowmy best guess is that thats how their coaches did it 30 years ago. Doesnt
matter really, its ineffective and counterproductive no matter where they learned it.
Conditioning aerobically is horrible for football players (and all other anaerobic sports)!


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Football and the weightroom have shared a strong bond for many years thanks to
coaches like Bill Starr. As I said earlier, both are anaerobic, requiring short intense bursts
of power and strength. The notion that either of these groups of athletes should run for
distance came from the aerobics craze. Athletes were convinced that in order to get in
shape or lose fat , they needed to do aerobic exercise. Well, not only are aerobics terrible
for conditioning, they are not great for fat loss either!

Compare the physiques of a sprinter and a marathon runner. The sprinter looks like a
linebackerlean, powerful, well muscled. The marathon runner? Well, you couldnt
scrape enough muscle off of him to fill a thimble.

The building an aerobic base argument is pure rubbish. To quote Tudor Bompa, A
linebacker performs like a bulldozer in a gamemowing people down in short bursts. To
have that athlete perform long distance running is blasphemy!

Football players are loaded with fast-twitch muscle fibersthe muscle that makes you
fast and explosive. Running distance will actually have a negative effect on the fast-
twitch fibers, which will only hurt your playing skills.

Yes, obviously some methods will last longer than 3-5 seconds. Some may even last 45
seconds. Remember, conditioning is about mental toughness as well.

As coaches and players, we must remember how we actually perform in a gamewe
sprint, jump, push, pull, squat and jump, fall and get up into a sprintits chaos! While
the average play lasts only three-seconds, there are plays that are much longerand we
all know that we dont always get the full 45seconds off in between plays.

The goal Ive always had for my players and myself was to be able to play both sides of
the ball, even if it wasnt necessary. Frankly, if you are training correctly, you should be
able to step onto the field at any point during the year and be able to play at a reasonably
high level!

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After all, what is the role of all of this conditioning work? To prepare you for a game.
This is done in the weightroom by building strength, speed, power, and toughness. Its
also done by using football-friendly conditioning methods to prepare the body to do all
the things we do on the fieldrun, jump, block, push, pull, etc.

We must build our entire notion of conditioning around these concepts

We can and should be prepared for anything at any time!
The majority of our conditioning work should be fairly football specific
The goal is to be in game shape at all times
Get into game shape by conditioning in a way that simulates playing the sport
as much as possible

There are countless methods to achieving these goals. I will lay out some of my favorites.
Choose several of them, mix it up.get creative. There really is no shortage of ways to
get into game shape.

Metabolic Conditioning

I first heard about this type of training being used at the University of Nebraska. Its
simple, fun, and easy to implement but also brutally effective.

You will run up to 5 sets of 10 sprints of varying length. The sprints will be position-
specific, i.e., revivers will run Pass Routes. A set would look something like this:

1. 10-yd Out
2. 40-yd Fly
3. 15-yd Post

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4. 5-yd Slant
5. 20-yd PK
6. 10-yd Drag
7. 40-yd Fly
8. 15-yd Stop
9. 10-yd Hitch
10. 40-yd Stop & Go

Obviously, you will use your own terminology for your routes. This can be mixed up
over the 5 sets.

When setting up your sets, think of all the different ways you run during a game.

Try to make each set as different as possibleremember we are trying to simulate a
game

Now, while this system would be ok on its own, there is a twist that really sets it apart:

You must have someone throw the ball to you!

I noticed that when guys would just run the routes, there was a huge tendency to
decelerate toward the end of the sprint. This not only leads to sub-par conditioning but it
creates very bad habits! And, frankly, it becomes just another set of wind-sprints without
the pass being thrown.

But, when you have a QB throw the ball, suddenly the Wideouts (or Tight Ends) come
alive. Now they are chasing down balls, getting timing down, learning to move their
bodies through space and getting more work in with actually catching the ball (a pretty
critical element to football)

You can involve more players as well. Use defensive backs to cover your WRs. If
possible, use two WRs and two Corners.

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A CB will do sets similar to what he does in the gamebackpedal, backpedal and turn,
run the routes of a WR. So, why not have him do it live and condition two (or four!)
players at once?

This can be used with RBs and LBs as well.

So, what about lineman?

The issue with lineman is that they dont typically run long sprints. Yes, occasionally
they will get up-field, but the majority of time is spent pushing against an external
resistance (the big guy across from him) While I will detail more lineman-specific drills
in a bit, let me encourage you to allow them to do something similar to their pass-
catching brethren. Encourage good habits (come out of the stance low, hit, good
footwork) but let them go out and catch a pass. Have a D-lineman hold a blocking shield,
have the OL fire off, stay low, block and drive for a few yards then release to catch the
big TDyou know theyre all just waiting for the day the coach calls the olTackle-
eligible!

Prowler/Sled Work for Lineman

Have a lineman line up in front of the high bars on the Prowler and sprint/push it. He can
deliver a punch if you like or he can fit and then drive. Keep the distance short, 5
10yds. The load should be medium-heavy. This is all about power. If he lets his hips rise
for even a second, the sled will slow. If he doesnt keep his feet moving, the sled will
slow.


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Again, this can be done for 5 sets of 10 sprints. Vary the distance, the angle, have them
work on swinging the hipsagain, get creative! Use this time to both condition and
improve skills.

Work/Rest Ratios


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Start off with a Walk-back intensity on the sprintsrun, walk back, sprint again
Use two minutes between sets
As you become more proficient, you can run back, much like you would in a Two-
Minute Drill

Other Methods of Conditioning

Some more traditional methods can be used in addition to MET Conditioning. Here are a
few to get you started

400s

I admit, I hate running 400s. They start hard and stay hard, but, they are amazingly
effective for both conditioning and fat loss. Now, I hear some of you saying well, we
never run a 400 in a game either! True, but 400s are used as a mental toughening
exercise as much as a physical one. They should NOT be the base of your conditioning
program.
A major reason to use them is for guys who need to drop some bodyfat and lean out.

Up & Backs

This is an extremely simple drill that can be used when you are short on time and/or
space. They will condition and strengthen your legs and lungs.

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Mark off 25-yards, sprint up, then immediately backpedal to the starting line. Then, sprint
forward again and repeat the process 5 xs, up and back.

You should sprint about speed up and speed back.

Keep the hips low during the backpedal.

Rest about 2 minutes then repeat. 3-5 Sets should be sufficient.

Keep in mind, conditioning doesnt have to be limited to running. Here are some ways to
use weights, sleds and other implements to get into great condition.

Kettlebells, Prowlers, and Odd-objects for Superior Athletic Conditioning

Note: The following originally appeared in the StaleyTraining.com Newsletter

If youre an athlete and you are sick of running for conditioning, please raise your hand.

Ok, all of you? Good. I have a solution for you thats not only fun and different, but it
actually works!

Ive written articles on conditioning for football players and power athletes, and yes, they
involved running. Running isnt evil (though 400s are slightly demonic). Running, or
sprinting, I should say, is actually necessary. But most coaches rely on running way too
much.


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First a Mini-Rant

I played football for 12 years. From high school through college and up to the Minor
Leagues. Ive coached on the mini and high school level. If I see one more football coach
making his players jog, I will not be held responsible for what I do! Why on Earth would
anyone want big, strong, power athletes doing an exercise that is slow, muscle-eating,
and counter-productive? I dont know, but Ive seen it at every level. Right now I walk
around at 245lbs. When I played I was anywhere from 250 280and I was considered
undersized. So, what senses does it make to have several guys, weighing 220 370lbs
doing a repetitive motion like joggingwith each agonizing step sending shock-waves of

pain through their knees, ankles and hips? Right, none. I really believe that some coaches
do this just because thats the way they were coached. Tudor Bompa said it best, and Im
paraphrasing here, Linebackers are like bulldozers, mowing down everything in their
path for 3-5 seconds. To have this kind of athlete run 3 miles is blasphemy!

A Better Way

While some considerations must be given to the specificity of your sport, for example a
football play lasts 3-5 seconds while a wrestling match can go up to 6 minutes, there is
something to be said for General Preparedness. The duration of the conditioning
movement must be considered, but the execution is more important.

Kettlebells

Everyone here at Staley Training is more than familiar with the benefits of high-rep
Kettlebell work so I wont rehash it. However, K-bells can be used by football players
(and other short-duration power athletes) quite effectively. Simply use heavier bells (the
88 and 106 would be perfect). Here are some ways Ive used K-bells alone to condition
myself and some of my athletes:


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K-bell Throw and Retrieve

Having more than one bell helps, but it can be done with one. Simply pick a way to
throw it...overhead, forward, sideways, whatever works for you, and then sprint to where
it lands and do it again. I find this helps with coordination while tired and keeping the
athlete able to produce power even while fatigued. This can be done in bursts, i.e. 3
throws/sprints, followed by 30-45secs rest, then repeat.

K-Bell Snatch and Prowler Combo

Get in a good, solid athletic stance, snatch or clean a heavy K-bell for 3-5 reps, drop it,
and start pushing the Prowler. Id keep the distance fairly short, maybe 20yds, and the
weight medium-heavy. If you dont have a Prowler, any kind of sled will do fine. But, if
you want to really take it to the next level, get a Prowlerits the closest thing Ive found
to pushing an actual opponent, even better than blocking sleds.

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Do this combo 3-5 times and build up. Id put a 15-minute cap on any session. Remember
that this is very concentrated work.

K-Bell, Sled, Farmers Walk Medley

This little trio seems to work best on wrestlers, but anyone can use it. Talk about a fat
loss blast! A few of these will have you melting body fat like crazy.
Any K-bell exercise will do, Snatch it, Clean it, Swing it, then sprint with the sled, stop
and immediately pick up the Farmers bars and walk them back to the start. Please, do not
take this move lightly, it can be truly brutal. It will take some experimenting to get the
right weight combo, but once you find it, you be happy (?) you did.

You can use sandbags instead of Farmers Bars, or heavy dumbbells. Doesnt really
matter, as long as its heavy and you are carrying it.

One Arm K-bell Over Head Walk

This is a very general move, but it will make your core solid as a rock. An athlete needs
to be able to use the muscles of their trunk while in motion and this is one of the best
moves to teach that skill. Clean and Press a moderately heavy bell and take a walk. Its
that simple.

Depending where you are in the season (pre, during, off), different methods of
implementation will work with these movements. If its the off-season, pick one or two
and do it on a day separate from your sprinting. Or, you could add one of these as a
finisher after your weightroom session.


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Pre-season you can push it a bit more. Maybe pick two and do them as finishers and add
another on your sprinting day. Remember, go into your season in better condition than
anyone else and you will win most battles!

In-season can be tricky. Usually you have some formal conditioning with the team that
you must do. If so, experiment with what works. If you are a football player, the day after
a game might work well as a place to do one of these movements, but dont go crazy with
it. Remember, just playing/practicing your sport is the best conditioning of alla fact
thats all too often forgotten.

Games

Games are such an underrated method of conditioning. No one ever said that conditioning
had to be boring and tedious!

You could easily use the MET Conditioning outlined earlier and turn it into a friendly 2 v
2 or even 7 v 7 game. No tackling or flags neededwhere you catch the ball, you are
down. 10 plays to get to the endzone. Those are just suggestions, again, you have to get
creative. Keep it fun!

Flag football games offer a great opportunity to both condition and re-enforce football
skills. Dont allow the game to get sloppyno lunging or outrageous plays. Run around,
get low, get into a good hitting position, get in a good stance, block and stay lowbut
have fun.

Why the emphasis on fun? Well, football is a game. Its supposed to be fun! If the
training sessions are boring no one will want to do them. And, while not every player will
always want to train, damn-near everyone will want to quit if the training is just plain
dull.


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Games can also help with building team-work. It gets the players used to working
together, helping each other out and helping each other through the rough patches that
will come up in every game. Its important to build this team togetherness early and re-
enforce it often. Im all for motivational speakers and inspiring moviesbut nothing can
replace hands-on team building and games allow for real-life situations in which to do
this.

Also, games will allow the players to work much harder than they ever would during a
traditional conditioning session. Think about it, you are told you have to run 10 40s
and 5 100s. Its daunting and you start counting down on each sprint, just wanting it to
be over.

Now, contrast that with a flag game or 7 v 7 session. Now, you are running endless
sprints, catching, blocking, tackling, jumping. The volume of work is tremendous, yet
no one complains. Why? Because its fun!


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