Football Gives a Great Workout for Your Strength Training Regimen

Strength training is the foundation of a good football workout and training regimen. While some think all you need to be an effective football player is a big burly body and fearlessness, the truth is a football player must be deeply disciplined to achieve their maximum potential. A football player's workout is a daily grind, but the results are unmistakable on the football field. Whether you're new to football or a seasoned football player, your maximum strength can be reached by rigorously developing your legs, chest, hip flexors, back, shoulders, and abdominal muscles. These are the keys which will take you to the next level of your football game. As you train, however, you must allow yourself ample rest for your body to recuperate and don't work yourself to the point of injury. Your football workout should always be challenging, but not debilitating.

Increase Your Leg Strength for Noticeable Gains on the Field

For brute strength, speed, and agility during a football game, a football player's legs are of great importance. A football player's calves provide acceleration and power to give an explosive burst of movement. To work and build calf muscles, football players and football coaches agree the leg press is a superior machine. With your trainer, put the weight of the leg press at a challenging yet feasible setting, and slowly press the weight up with your legs. Slowly and carefully slide your feet down one at a time so the balls of your feet are at the back edge of the press. With much control, slowly push the press with the balls of your feet so they are in the "tippy toe" position, and hold for 2 seconds. Return your feet to regular position and repeat. Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

Chest Exercises to Reduce Injury and Increase Strength

A strong chest can help protect a football player from injury caused by another player during a football game. It also helps support arm strength and aids in forceful movements such as covering a player on an opposing football team. Many times, exercises targeted at the core muscles work the chest as well. Medicine balls are so versatile and readily available they're fitting for almost every sport, but especially football. Medicine ball chest pushups are quite challenging, but yield terriffic results for a football player's chest. To begin, get in the normal push up position (on your toes, butt parallel to the ground, arms holding up the body) with the medicine ball between your arms. Carefully balancing and keeping good form, place one hand on the medicine ball and then the other (this may take a few tries, and will help you develop better balance). Once both hands are holding you up on the medicine ball, lower yourself until your chest is a few inches from the ball (or however far down you can go while still being able to lift yourself back up). Do 3 sets of 10 reps. It's beneficial to do this exercise with your trainer so they can watch your form and keep you motivated.

Increase Your Speed with Strong Hip Muscles

The hip flexors are made up of two major muscles: one of which originates at the pelvic crest and attaches to the femur, and the other originates on the lumbar vertebrae and also attaches to the femur. While hip flexors aren't spoken of too often, their contribution to a football player's game is important. Strong hip flexors provide power and speed to the football player's stride during a football game. Twisting leg raises are an excellent way to improve the strength of these muscles, as well as the core. You may use a chin up bar for this exercise, but most gyms have a leg raise bench for this particular type of exercise and it's generally more comfortable to use the latter. While hanging, bend your knees and draw your legs up and toward one side of your body in a diagonal motion. Raise them as high as you can and hold for 2 seconds. With control, slowly lower your legs to the original position and repeat toward the opposite side. Do 2 sets of 15 reps.

Strengthen Your Back to Reduce Injuries and Increase Performance

The importance of a football player keeping their back strong cannot be stressed enough. Any type of twisting, throwing, and especially contact with another football player during a football game stresses your back. To improve your game and general resistance to injury as a football player, a strong back is a must. Standing back rows are perfect for creating a sturdy back. Grab an exercise band and find a beam or pole in your gym to wrap the band around once. With the beam or pole in front of you, step back until you're comfortable with the resistance level. Bend your knees and keep your back straight. With one handle in each hand, pull toward your body, keeping your arms firmly at your side. Slowly release and stretch your arms back out in front of you. It's helpful to have your trainer with you while doing this exercise so they can inspect your form.