I. What is strength?
II. How does strength training help me in football
III. Designing a program
IV. Equipment
V. Programs
VI. Exercises (with pictures)
VII. Sources
Hope you guys after reading this will use it to better your footy careers
I.What is 'strength'?
Strength is the ability of a muscle to overcome resistance or the ability to resist force. The strength of the muscular contraction determines how strong the player is.
II.How does strength help me in football?
-Strength and speed. A football player must be strong to withstand the training that it takes to increase speed. Because training for speed is dynamic and aggressive, a player who lacks strength can become seriously injured.
-Strength and vertical jump. Players who jump high for headers or keeper saves have one thing in common: they have above-average leg strength. If you want to jump high or increase your vertical jump, becoming stronger is the first step.
-Strength and endurance. When player's legs become heavy from running far and fast during a match, the strength of their legs carries them that extra mile. Football games are often won or lost in the last five minutes of each half. Endurance can make the difference between winning and losing.
-Strength and agility. A player who changes direction by cutting left and then right would appear to be in slow motion if he lacked the strength to plant his foot and aggressively drive his body in the desired direction. Athletes who make quick and decisive movements ahve the strength to weave their way up field for the score.
-Strength and durability. Make no mistakes; the stronger you become, the less likely you are to be injured. Durability is directly linked to the body's ability to withstand stress. Strength gives the body that ability.
-Strength and upper-body football. Any player who has been caught in a group of opposing players in a contest for the ball knows how important upper-body strength is. Although football is a mostly lower-body sport, players must not ignore upper-body strength. Upper body strength is necessary for the complete football player.
III.Designing A Program
1. Determine the physiology of football. What energy sources are involved? Of the energy sources involved, what percentage of the game is dedicated to thsoe sources? Your training program should be designed based on the demands of the game and your need as a player, which will be determined by your style of play or your team philosophy. For example, a midfielder who relies on speed and physical style of play should devote the majority of his program to training for power and absolute strength. The team that builds from the back using a slower paced game plan should spend less time on speed and sprint training and more time on longer distance interval training.
2. What are the major mechanics of footbal? Obviously the football player depends on his lower body more than his upper body during a game. The bulk of the menu and the training emphasis should be on the lower body rather than the chest and shoulders
3. How many reps do I need? Generally, football players don’t want to become too bulky, because that will slow them down. For gaining muscle mass, 6-10 reps with lots of weight is best. But for football, ideally you want less weight and more repitions; around 12-15. This will give you more strength endurance, and better muscle tone.
4. Consider other duties How much time is available to you? Probably the biggest hurdles will be supervision, facility, and time. How many times will training occur per week? For how many weeks in a year? For how many minutes in a day? Unless you are a member of a gym, you have to take these things into consideration.
IV.Equipment
It can be a little intimidating to walk into a weight room and see so many different pieces of exercise equipment. Typically, it comes down to two basic modes of training-free weight and machines.
Machines
Machines offer the ability to isolate a specific muscle group without involving stabilizing musculature surrounding the area. The range of motion and adjustable weight stacks make the units safe and easy to operate. Unfortunately, the safety factor and the isolation feature come in exchange for some important developmental factors. Isolating specific muscles is a function of track resistance (restricted movement in one direction), which in turn does not require any balance or coordination of movement. Balance and coordiantion are key factors in the football world, and players must do anything they can to improve in those area. Football, like most sports, is a multiple-joint-movement activity. Machines cannot duplicate the movement of more than one joint at a time. Again, for a more beneficial carryover to football, you should perform exercises that involve more than one muscle group. A player does not move by the working of individual muscles. All muscle groups work together to perform movement.
Beginning players or players with poor strength base would also see positive results from using particular exercise machines at different times of the year.
Among the machines are plate-loaded machines, pneumatic (air-powered) machines, and pulley-cable systems. Cable systems are not completely track resistant and thus offer a little more freedom of movement. This type of machine is a necessity for some exercises.
Free Weights
Fundamentally, free-weight training offers a more complete training effect. Balance, coordination, and accommodation of body types are some of the basic training responses that occur with free-weight training. Scientific research points to other benefits that cannot be achieved by machines. You must teach your body to adjust to different environment on the field. A machine has a given dimension and movement pattern that cannot be altered, but a barbell or dumbbell will completely accommodate a player of any size.
Because of the need to coordinate free-weight movements, the lifter must use stabilizing muscles. Think of the muscles involved in a back squat other than the quadriceps and gluteus maximus (otherwise known as your butt). Abdominal, lower back, and hamstrings are not primary movers, but they provide balance and assistance just as they do in running.
Although both training modes have goods and bads, a complete weight-training program should include a mixture of free weights and machines.
V.Programs
Two day training
Training twice per week is the minimum frequency for a total program and the fewest number of training days that can produce a training effect.
Strengths
- TWo days of training allows time for work on other qualities, such as speed and conditioning.
-Good for beginning athletes
-Good in-season format
Weaknesses
-Minimum requirement for results
-Unable to emphasize a body part
-Limited Selection
Tips
-Schedule 48 hours between workouts
-Limit training time to keep intensity high
Sample
Monday Thursday
Clean pull Military press
Back squat Lat pulldown
Hyperextension Triceps pushdown
Leg curl Barbell curl
Bench press
Three day training
Training three times per week is a common design that allows for enough selection expansion and rest between workouts to permit good progress.
Strengths
-Preferable in-season design.
-Offers good rest between workouts.
-Good length of selection for variety
Weaknesses
-Some exercises receive only 48 hours of rest between bouts.
-The program might work the upper and lower body all three days.
Tips
-Try to keep length of training time equal for all three day.
-Keep in mind conditioning and other components when planning heavy weight-training days.
Sample
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench press Bench press Dumbbell lateral raise
Incline dumbbell press Incline dumbbell press Front alternate raise
Dumbbell lateral raise Seated row Seated row
Front alternate raise Lat pulldown Lat pulldown
Lying triceps extension Lying triceps extension Dumbbell curls
Dumbbell curls Leg press Leg press
Lunges Lunges
Leg curls Leg curls
Four day training
Training four days per week usually uses a split, which finds one workout for Monday and Thursday and the other on Tuesday and Friday.
Strengths
-This format diveides workouts into two separate days. Upper body, lower body, pushing-pulling, power-strength.
-Allows 72 hours between workouts, an interval better suited for muscular growth and strength gains.
-Favorable off-season design. Difficult but not impossible in-season
Weaknesses
-Allows only one complete day off
Tips
-When lifting heavy, it might be necessary to lighten the second half of the week by up to 20 percent.
-Schedule conditioning around leg work.
-Try to use the off day for total rest
VI.Exercises
Lunge
What’s being worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings,
Place your feet apart about shoulder-width. Lunging on the left leg begins by moving the right leg behind and maintaining a straight back while bending at your waist and descending. When the knee-joint angle is 90 degrees, rise to the starting position.
Tip: Keep your knees from moving forward when descending into the lunge position.
Leg Press
Place your feet at about hip-width on the pressing surface. Lower the weight until the knee joint angle is 90 degrees and then press to the starting position.
Try to keep your feet flat on the surface throughout the entire movement.
[IMG]http://s293.photobucket.com/albums/mm62/Ribery91/?action=view¤t=SL45LegPress.gif[/IMG]
Squat
Place the bar along the top of your trapezius (that's the muscle, don't rest it on the bone). Foot placement should be about shoulder-width. With your back straight, descend until the knee-joint angle is 90 degrees and then rise to the starting position.
Tip: When starting to descend, try to keep your knees from moving forward. Keep your feet flat on the ground throughout the entire movement.
Clean Deadlift
Place your feet at hip-width. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. The bar should almost be touching your shins. With your back straight and knees above 90 desgrees, begin rising with the bar using both your legs and your lower back. When you reach full extension, lower the bar to the ground following the same lifting path.
Note: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WITHOUT PROPER INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION
here is a video
Hyperextension
Adjust the apparatus so that the pad lies directly against your quadriceps. While focusing on your hamstrings and glutes, raise your upperbody until it is in alignment with your lower body. Slowly lower then repeat.
Tip: Keep the motion slow and deliberate in both directions.
Clean Pull
The starting position is the same as that used for the clean deadlift. After lifting the bar from the ground, move the bar at a controlled and constant rate until it is about midthigh. When you reach midthigh, aggressively extend your body vertically and continue to pull the bar to about chest height.
here is a video
Bench Press
Lying on a flat bench, grip the bar wider than shoulder width. Remove the bar from the uprights and start with the bar at straight arm’s length. Lower the bar to the chest area, touch, and press back to the starting position.
Incline Press
Sitting on a 45 degree incline bench, grip the bar wider than shoulder width. Remove the bar from the uprights and start with the bar at straight arm’s length. Lower the bar to your chest, touch, and press back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
In a standing position, take two dumbbells and place them in front of your body on your thighs. Slightly bend your knees and bend at your waist while keeping your back straight. With your elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells until your elbows reach soulder height and keep your palms facing down. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Dumbbell Front Alternate Raise
Seated or standing, hold two dumbbells at the side of your thighs with your thumbs toward your body. Beginning with your right arm and your elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbell to shoulder height. Lower and repeat with your left arm.
Military Press
Seated or standing, start with the bar resting on the front of your shoulders with a grip wider than shoulder width. Press the bar overhead to full arm extension and return to the starting position.
Tip: If you perform this movement standing, bend your knees slightly to relieve pressure from your lower back. Try not to lean back excessively when the movement becomes difficult.
Dumbbell Shrug
Standing, grip the bar wider than shoulder-width. Shrug your shoulders as high as possible without bending your elbows. Lower and repeat.
Tip: The focus should be on shrugging your shoulders, not on the weight you are holding
Lat Pulldown
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. Leaning slightly back, pull the bar toward your chest area. With the same tempo, return the bar along the same path to the starting position.
Tip: Start the pull by focusing on driving your elbows toward your body. You must not focus on the bar. Do not use excessive body movement while performing this exercise.
Seated Row
Grip the bar handles at shoulder width. With your chest out and back straight, begin leaning back and pull the bar to your midsection. Return the bar along the same path and repeat.
Barbell Curl
Grip the barbell with your palms up so that your hands are a little wider than your hips. Keeping your elbows at the side of your body, raise the weight to your shoulders, lower, then repeat.
Tip: Don’t use excessive body movement to start the bar moving or to finish the movement.
Triceps Pushdown
Stand far enough away from the bar that a slight bend at the waist is necessary to address the bar. With your elbows at your side, grip the bar at shoulder-width and press the bar down to full extension. Return to the starting position and repeat. Don’t let your chest and shoulders complete the movement.
Seated Calf Raise
With knees bent at 90 degrees, lower your heels as far as possible and, without pausing, lift your heels as high as possible to contract your soleus. Lower and repeat.
Leg extension
Comfortably place your feet so that the bottom part of your shin is in contact with the lever arm. Contract your quads and raise the lever arm until your legs are just short of full extension. Lower and repeat.
Tip: The starting position should not be less than 90 degrees. Don’t use the momentum of your whole body to swing the weight up and down.
Leg Curls
Place your feet under the lever arm so that the back of your leg, not any part of your foot, is in contact. Contract your hamstrings and raise the lever arm to your glutes. Lower and repeat.
II. How does strength training help me in football
III. Designing a program
IV. Equipment
V. Programs
VI. Exercises (with pictures)
VII. Sources
Hope you guys after reading this will use it to better your footy careers
I.What is 'strength'?
Strength is the ability of a muscle to overcome resistance or the ability to resist force. The strength of the muscular contraction determines how strong the player is.
II.How does strength help me in football?
-Strength and speed. A football player must be strong to withstand the training that it takes to increase speed. Because training for speed is dynamic and aggressive, a player who lacks strength can become seriously injured.
-Strength and vertical jump. Players who jump high for headers or keeper saves have one thing in common: they have above-average leg strength. If you want to jump high or increase your vertical jump, becoming stronger is the first step.
-Strength and endurance. When player's legs become heavy from running far and fast during a match, the strength of their legs carries them that extra mile. Football games are often won or lost in the last five minutes of each half. Endurance can make the difference between winning and losing.
-Strength and agility. A player who changes direction by cutting left and then right would appear to be in slow motion if he lacked the strength to plant his foot and aggressively drive his body in the desired direction. Athletes who make quick and decisive movements ahve the strength to weave their way up field for the score.
-Strength and durability. Make no mistakes; the stronger you become, the less likely you are to be injured. Durability is directly linked to the body's ability to withstand stress. Strength gives the body that ability.
-Strength and upper-body football. Any player who has been caught in a group of opposing players in a contest for the ball knows how important upper-body strength is. Although football is a mostly lower-body sport, players must not ignore upper-body strength. Upper body strength is necessary for the complete football player.
III.Designing A Program
1. Determine the physiology of football. What energy sources are involved? Of the energy sources involved, what percentage of the game is dedicated to thsoe sources? Your training program should be designed based on the demands of the game and your need as a player, which will be determined by your style of play or your team philosophy. For example, a midfielder who relies on speed and physical style of play should devote the majority of his program to training for power and absolute strength. The team that builds from the back using a slower paced game plan should spend less time on speed and sprint training and more time on longer distance interval training.
2. What are the major mechanics of footbal? Obviously the football player depends on his lower body more than his upper body during a game. The bulk of the menu and the training emphasis should be on the lower body rather than the chest and shoulders
3. How many reps do I need? Generally, football players don’t want to become too bulky, because that will slow them down. For gaining muscle mass, 6-10 reps with lots of weight is best. But for football, ideally you want less weight and more repitions; around 12-15. This will give you more strength endurance, and better muscle tone.
4. Consider other duties How much time is available to you? Probably the biggest hurdles will be supervision, facility, and time. How many times will training occur per week? For how many weeks in a year? For how many minutes in a day? Unless you are a member of a gym, you have to take these things into consideration.
IV.Equipment
It can be a little intimidating to walk into a weight room and see so many different pieces of exercise equipment. Typically, it comes down to two basic modes of training-free weight and machines.
Machines
Machines offer the ability to isolate a specific muscle group without involving stabilizing musculature surrounding the area. The range of motion and adjustable weight stacks make the units safe and easy to operate. Unfortunately, the safety factor and the isolation feature come in exchange for some important developmental factors. Isolating specific muscles is a function of track resistance (restricted movement in one direction), which in turn does not require any balance or coordination of movement. Balance and coordiantion are key factors in the football world, and players must do anything they can to improve in those area. Football, like most sports, is a multiple-joint-movement activity. Machines cannot duplicate the movement of more than one joint at a time. Again, for a more beneficial carryover to football, you should perform exercises that involve more than one muscle group. A player does not move by the working of individual muscles. All muscle groups work together to perform movement.
Beginning players or players with poor strength base would also see positive results from using particular exercise machines at different times of the year.
Among the machines are plate-loaded machines, pneumatic (air-powered) machines, and pulley-cable systems. Cable systems are not completely track resistant and thus offer a little more freedom of movement. This type of machine is a necessity for some exercises.
Free Weights
Fundamentally, free-weight training offers a more complete training effect. Balance, coordination, and accommodation of body types are some of the basic training responses that occur with free-weight training. Scientific research points to other benefits that cannot be achieved by machines. You must teach your body to adjust to different environment on the field. A machine has a given dimension and movement pattern that cannot be altered, but a barbell or dumbbell will completely accommodate a player of any size.
Because of the need to coordinate free-weight movements, the lifter must use stabilizing muscles. Think of the muscles involved in a back squat other than the quadriceps and gluteus maximus (otherwise known as your butt). Abdominal, lower back, and hamstrings are not primary movers, but they provide balance and assistance just as they do in running.
Although both training modes have goods and bads, a complete weight-training program should include a mixture of free weights and machines.
V.Programs
Two day training
Training twice per week is the minimum frequency for a total program and the fewest number of training days that can produce a training effect.
Strengths
- TWo days of training allows time for work on other qualities, such as speed and conditioning.
-Good for beginning athletes
-Good in-season format
Weaknesses
-Minimum requirement for results
-Unable to emphasize a body part
-Limited Selection
Tips
-Schedule 48 hours between workouts
-Limit training time to keep intensity high
Sample
Monday Thursday
Clean pull Military press
Back squat Lat pulldown
Hyperextension Triceps pushdown
Leg curl Barbell curl
Bench press
Three day training
Training three times per week is a common design that allows for enough selection expansion and rest between workouts to permit good progress.
Strengths
-Preferable in-season design.
-Offers good rest between workouts.
-Good length of selection for variety
Weaknesses
-Some exercises receive only 48 hours of rest between bouts.
-The program might work the upper and lower body all three days.
Tips
-Try to keep length of training time equal for all three day.
-Keep in mind conditioning and other components when planning heavy weight-training days.
Sample
Monday Wednesday Friday
Bench press Bench press Dumbbell lateral raise
Incline dumbbell press Incline dumbbell press Front alternate raise
Dumbbell lateral raise Seated row Seated row
Front alternate raise Lat pulldown Lat pulldown
Lying triceps extension Lying triceps extension Dumbbell curls
Dumbbell curls Leg press Leg press
Lunges Lunges
Leg curls Leg curls
Four day training
Training four days per week usually uses a split, which finds one workout for Monday and Thursday and the other on Tuesday and Friday.
Strengths
-This format diveides workouts into two separate days. Upper body, lower body, pushing-pulling, power-strength.
-Allows 72 hours between workouts, an interval better suited for muscular growth and strength gains.
-Favorable off-season design. Difficult but not impossible in-season
Weaknesses
-Allows only one complete day off
Tips
-When lifting heavy, it might be necessary to lighten the second half of the week by up to 20 percent.
-Schedule conditioning around leg work.
-Try to use the off day for total rest
VI.Exercises
Lunge
What’s being worked: Quadriceps, hamstrings,
Place your feet apart about shoulder-width. Lunging on the left leg begins by moving the right leg behind and maintaining a straight back while bending at your waist and descending. When the knee-joint angle is 90 degrees, rise to the starting position.
Tip: Keep your knees from moving forward when descending into the lunge position.
Leg Press
Place your feet at about hip-width on the pressing surface. Lower the weight until the knee joint angle is 90 degrees and then press to the starting position.
Try to keep your feet flat on the surface throughout the entire movement.
[IMG]http://s293.photobucket.com/albums/mm62/Ribery91/?action=view¤t=SL45LegPress.gif[/IMG]
Squat
Place the bar along the top of your trapezius (that's the muscle, don't rest it on the bone). Foot placement should be about shoulder-width. With your back straight, descend until the knee-joint angle is 90 degrees and then rise to the starting position.
Tip: When starting to descend, try to keep your knees from moving forward. Keep your feet flat on the ground throughout the entire movement.
Clean Deadlift
Place your feet at hip-width. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width. The bar should almost be touching your shins. With your back straight and knees above 90 desgrees, begin rising with the bar using both your legs and your lower back. When you reach full extension, lower the bar to the ground following the same lifting path.
Note: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WITHOUT PROPER INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISION
here is a video
Hyperextension
Adjust the apparatus so that the pad lies directly against your quadriceps. While focusing on your hamstrings and glutes, raise your upperbody until it is in alignment with your lower body. Slowly lower then repeat.
Tip: Keep the motion slow and deliberate in both directions.
Clean Pull
The starting position is the same as that used for the clean deadlift. After lifting the bar from the ground, move the bar at a controlled and constant rate until it is about midthigh. When you reach midthigh, aggressively extend your body vertically and continue to pull the bar to about chest height.
here is a video
Bench Press
Lying on a flat bench, grip the bar wider than shoulder width. Remove the bar from the uprights and start with the bar at straight arm’s length. Lower the bar to the chest area, touch, and press back to the starting position.
Incline Press
Sitting on a 45 degree incline bench, grip the bar wider than shoulder width. Remove the bar from the uprights and start with the bar at straight arm’s length. Lower the bar to your chest, touch, and press back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Lateral Raise
In a standing position, take two dumbbells and place them in front of your body on your thighs. Slightly bend your knees and bend at your waist while keeping your back straight. With your elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbells until your elbows reach soulder height and keep your palms facing down. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Dumbbell Front Alternate Raise
Seated or standing, hold two dumbbells at the side of your thighs with your thumbs toward your body. Beginning with your right arm and your elbows slightly bent, raise the dumbbell to shoulder height. Lower and repeat with your left arm.
Military Press
Seated or standing, start with the bar resting on the front of your shoulders with a grip wider than shoulder width. Press the bar overhead to full arm extension and return to the starting position.
Tip: If you perform this movement standing, bend your knees slightly to relieve pressure from your lower back. Try not to lean back excessively when the movement becomes difficult.
Dumbbell Shrug
Standing, grip the bar wider than shoulder-width. Shrug your shoulders as high as possible without bending your elbows. Lower and repeat.
Tip: The focus should be on shrugging your shoulders, not on the weight you are holding
Lat Pulldown
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. Leaning slightly back, pull the bar toward your chest area. With the same tempo, return the bar along the same path to the starting position.
Tip: Start the pull by focusing on driving your elbows toward your body. You must not focus on the bar. Do not use excessive body movement while performing this exercise.
Seated Row
Grip the bar handles at shoulder width. With your chest out and back straight, begin leaning back and pull the bar to your midsection. Return the bar along the same path and repeat.
Barbell Curl
Grip the barbell with your palms up so that your hands are a little wider than your hips. Keeping your elbows at the side of your body, raise the weight to your shoulders, lower, then repeat.
Tip: Don’t use excessive body movement to start the bar moving or to finish the movement.
Triceps Pushdown
Stand far enough away from the bar that a slight bend at the waist is necessary to address the bar. With your elbows at your side, grip the bar at shoulder-width and press the bar down to full extension. Return to the starting position and repeat. Don’t let your chest and shoulders complete the movement.
Seated Calf Raise
With knees bent at 90 degrees, lower your heels as far as possible and, without pausing, lift your heels as high as possible to contract your soleus. Lower and repeat.
Leg extension
Comfortably place your feet so that the bottom part of your shin is in contact with the lever arm. Contract your quads and raise the lever arm until your legs are just short of full extension. Lower and repeat.
Tip: The starting position should not be less than 90 degrees. Don’t use the momentum of your whole body to swing the weight up and down.
Leg Curls
Place your feet under the lever arm so that the back of your leg, not any part of your foot, is in contact. Contract your hamstrings and raise the lever arm to your glutes. Lower and repeat.
