Football Strength Training: What 20 Years of Lifting Taught Me
A real football strength training plan hammers the posterior chain with squats, deadlifts, and power cleans three to four days a week during the season and five days in the off-season. According to NS...
Football Strength Training: What 20 Years of Lifting Taught Me
A real football strength training plan hammers the posterior chain with squats, deadlifts, and power cleans three to four days a week during the season and five days in the off-season. According to NSCA data, football athletes need 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily to hold onto the lean mass that absorbs contact. Reps sit in the 3-6 range for compounds, 8-12 for accessories, with explosive work like box jumps and med-ball throws programmed before fatigue stacks up. The mistake I see in 2026 more than any other: skipping single-leg training. Every football play is a single-leg event — blocking, cutting, tackling — so bilateral-only programs leave 15-20% of usable strength on the table. The single most underrated lever? Sleep. Under seven hours and your central nervous system
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