Size, power, strength, and speed are all integral characteristics of successful football players. The nature of the game—blocks, tackles, and the like—demands that any successful football player have the basic strength and muscle mass to hold his own in the efface of 300 pound plus linemen. But size alone is rarely enough to make an athlete great in this sport. To be great, he needs to be able to move quickly—explosively—to turn raw size and strength into power.

In the gym, heavy lifting (low repetition sets at maximal and sub-maximal weights) are beneficial for gaining essential strength and size. To help athletse transition from large to powerful, however, football training workouts should be combined with exercises such as plyometrics, that recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers and allow quicker muscle contractions. The more quickly an athlete’s muscles can “fire” or contract when called upon, the more power he will exhibit on the field.

The game of football requires a player to be able to accelerate quickly and repeatedly, from a static position. Whether the job at hand is blocking, running, or tackling, the athlete must be able to move quickly while maintaining precise control over his movements. Often a football player has only a few seconds to act within the course of a play; and his success in performing will depend on how quickly he can get those big muscles to work.

Though a football player rarely runs long enough during a single play to reach his top speed, there is no denying the importance of quickness for a successful athlete. Football training workouts can better equip players for success on the field by incorporating power and acceleration drills (short sprints, for example, that emphasize gaining speed over the first 10-15 yards) with more traditional strength and field training.

Many football training programs put a great deal of emphasis on strength training, and game-related skills practice (blocking, passing, etc.). But performance tests have shown time and time again that the most successful players are not only the biggest, or the ones who can throw or catch well; the best football players are fast. Therefore it is important to include relevant speed workouts in a comprehensive football conditioning and training program.

Football speed workouts should emphasize explosive speed and acceleration in order to help a player practice for game day situations. The greater an athlete’s overall leg strength and the more quickly his muscle fibers are able to contract to propel him along the field, the better equipped he will be to make lightning fast movements when necessary.

For increases in general leg strength, a good resistance training program is essential. The good news is that most serious football players are already spending a significant amount of time lifting weights in the gym. Working out all of the major leg muscles in turn and together (with compound exercises like weighted squats, lunges, or leg presses) will give an athlete more power potential. The stronger he can push off of the ground with each stride, the more powerful his movements can be.

Strength training alone, however, is only the first step in training for explosive power. Football speed workouts should also include some plyometrics exercises. These exercises incorporate compound movements (like squatting or lunging) with power push offs, or jumping. Incorporating some plyometrics into a training routine will resurt in faster muscle contractions, and help translate a player’s raw strength into fast, powerful movement.

Football speed workouts can include sprint sets, but should focus much more on acceleration than distance or top speed. In a football game an athlete rarely runs even 30 yards; which means that he will likely never reach top sprinting speed on the field. The more quickly and powerfully a football player can begin a run, and his speed of acceleration, are the most important considerations when developing effective football speed workouts.

The beginning of football season can be an exciting time for athletes. Strapping into full padding, putting on new uniforms, and getting down to the core elements of the game—blocking, tackling, passing, and catching—undoubtedly feels good after the off-season. But to be ready for a season opener, an athlete needs much more than a helmet and a playbook. He needs to be in top physical condition; ready to compete for position and possession with every play.

To increase an athlete’s chances of success on the field, he should focus on building strength, muscle mass, and power during the off-season and pre-season months. Traditional football player workouts like a good strength training regimen in the gym can help increase overall size and strength. Gains in these areas will be greatest for athletes who perform lower repetition sets with heavier (near, if not at, maximal) weights.

It is important to remember that during periods of heavy resistance training the body needs more fuel (food) to perform workouts and build muscle in the aftermath. An increased calorie diet with at least 20% of daily intake coming from lean protein sources (like poultry, fish, or beans, to name a few) will be necessary to build muscle as quickly and efficiently as possible. Even the best football player workouts cannot yield success unless an athlete takes care to consume enough of the right kinds of foods.

As the season approaches, focus should be split between continued size and strength gains, and the translation between sheer size and the production of powerful movement. The explosive power displayed by the best football players is not merely a propensity for speed or strength, but a fine-tuned combination of both. Adding light plyometric exercises (exercises that involve muscle contraction combined with a powerful push: like a jump) to an athlete’s resistance training regimen will help recruit fast-twitch muscle fibers.

Helping an athlete make the transition from big with potential to big and powerful (with the ability to produce quick, explosive movements on every play) should be a vital part of all football player workouts; especially in the pre-season.