Teaching Football Skills Strength Training in Football Strength Training in Football Strength training is important for football players. The basic elements of speed, mobility and endurance are all functions of muscular strength. According to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, improvements in absolute muscular endurance, motor ability and athletic abilities are directly associated with an individual’s muscular strength. Strength training for football usually has two purposes. 1. 2. Improving overall strength Developing muscle balance and preventing athlete injury. Football running requires significant anaerobic energy which is directly related to muscle strength. Therefore, a muscle with greater strength can respond better to race challenges without incurring extreme fatigue and requiring a longer recovery period. Basically, strength training improves an athlete’s ability to run fast and produce anaerobic energy. Football players need to be able to run fast, sometimes very fast. The following basic strength training routine can be accomplished outside of the weight room and easily incorporated into an athlete’s home training program. For more information on circuit and fitness training, please review the Athlete Nutrition, Safety and Fitness section in the general coaching section. Sample Strength Training Routine 1. Light Running to warm up 2. Push-ups 3. Lunges 4. Sit-ups – Crunches 5. Medicine-Ball Throws (please refer to Athlete Nutrition, Safety and Fitness section for medicine-ball throw exercises) • Overhead Toss • • • Forward Toss Side Toss Straight Arm Forward Toss to Partner Special Olympics Football Coaching Guide Created: February 2004 47