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High school football players in Nyack NY need to keep this comprehensive workout routine in mind this fall!

Football is by far the most physically demanding sport, and it requires a unique balance of agility, strength and endurance.

One of the best ways for high school football players to improve their performances on the field is to incorporate a well-designed workout routine, and now is the time for football programs around Nyack NY to start taking their workouts to another level.

All of us at The Rising Legends Academy of Fitness love football, and we understand just how tough it is for athletes and coaches to put together comprehensive workout routines that are aimed toward reaching peak performances. That’s why we’ve created our very own weekly workout routine that’s specifically meant to support high school football players!

Who is This Workout Routine Aimed Toward?

The below weekly workout routine is particularly meant to support high school football players who are trying to take their athletic skills to a whole new level.

It’s important to note that we’ve kept in mind how every athlete has unique strengths and weaknesses, and this is why we’ve included various exercise options to help football players cater to their individual needs.

This workout routine is meant to enhance an athlete’s overall physical capabilities, which can inevitably improve on-field performances and help athletes maintain high fitness levels this fall.

A Weekly Gym Routine for High School Football Players

Every football player requires a dedicated training regimen. This is why each day at the gym needs to target different muscles that are essential toward improving an athlete’s football-related skills.

These skills include speed, strength, endurance and agility. Here’s our weekly workout routine for high school football players:

Monday: Strength Training

Football players need to focus a lot of their time at the gym on strength training, and this is because they need to build muscles mass for sprinting, blocking and tackling. Deadlifts and squats are great lower body strength exercises, whereas shoulder and bench presses are key for maintaining upper body strength.

• Warm-up: 10-15 minutes of cardio, including options like jumping rope or jogging. Follow this cardio up with a dynamic stretch routine, which includes walking lunges, arm circles, leg swings, etc.

• Squats: Do at least four sets of 8-12 reps, and be sure to take short rest periods in between sets.

• Bench press: Do at least four sets of 8-10 reps, and take two-minute rest periods in between each set for stretching and catching your breath.

• Deadlifts: Do at least three sets of five reps, and rest in between each set.

• Shoulder press: Do at least four sets of 8-12 reps, with rest periods in between each set.

• Medicine ball slams: Do at least three sets of 10 reps, with a short 1-minute rest period in between sets.

• Cool down: Do about 10-15 minutes of static stretching, and try to focus on your quads and hamstrings.

Tuesday: Agility & Speed Training

Agility and speed training is crucial for preparing a football player for explosive movements and quick direction changes that are absolutely necessary for each play on the field.

• Warm-up: 10-15 minutes of cardio & dynamic stretching.

• Agility ladder: At least four sets of various agility ladder drills, including options like side shuffles, high knees, speed scissors, Ickey shuffles, etc.

• Jumps with reaches: Do at least for sets of 10+ reps. Be sure to rest for about a minute in between each set.

• Sprints: Do 8-10 sprints of at least 50 meters each. Take 30 seconds to rest in between sprints, and always push yourself at game speed!

• Cone drills: do 10-15 minutes of position-specific cone drills.

• Cool down: 10-15 minutes of static stretching with a specific focus on calf, quad and hamstring stretches.

Wednesday: Endurance Training

Endurance training is key for helping football athletes to maintain high energy levels throughout the course of each game. Interval training in particular is important for boosting an athlete’s heart health, and cycling is often considered to be a low-impact alternative to running for linemen and other heavier players.

• Warm-up: 10-15 minutes of cardio exercises and dynamic stretching.

• Interval training: This can vary depending upon each athlete’s unique needs and current fitness levels. Running at least four sets of 400 meters will keep football players in decent shape, and just remember that this is not a jog.

• Cycling: 30-60 minutes of stationary cycling at a moderate to intense training level.

• Cool down: 10-15 minutes of static stretches with a particular focus on strengthening the IT band.

Thursday: Plyometric Training & Core Stability

Football players have to be prepped and ready for all sorts of quick reaction times, and plyometric training is great for creating explosive power that can make all the difference during big plays. Core exercises are also crucial for improving an athlete’s overall balance and stability, which makes difficult field movements slightly easier.

• Warm-up: 10-15 minutes of cardio and dynamic stretching.

• Box jumps: Do at least three sets of 5-10 reps.

• Lateral jumps: do at least thee sets of 10 reps per leg.

• Planks: Do at least three sets of one-minute plank holds. Rest for 30 seconds in between each plank.

• Russian twists: Do at least 4 sets of 20-25 reps. Take 15-20 seconds of rest in between each set.

• Leg raises: Do at least 4 sets of 15 reps.

• Cool down: Static, side-plank stretches and 10-15 minutes of abdominal and lower back stretches.

Friday: Game Day!

Friday is Game Day for high school football players, which means they need to stay hydrated, well-fed, and incredibly focused on putting in a top performance.

All of the practicing and working out that you’ve done throughout the week has prepared you for those unbeatable Friday night lights!

Saturday: Rest & Recovery

After giving it your all on the field, it’s important for high school football players to give themselves a rest day for a full-body recovery.

Win or lose, you’ll still need to do some light movement on Saturday like stretching, walking, or hiking on a local trail.

Sunday: Lower Body Strength Training

Sunday is the official start to your week, which means it’s time to kick yourself back into gear by primarily focusing on your lower-body power and explosiveness.

• Warm-up: 10-15 minutes of cardio and dynamic stretching.

• Calf raises: Do at least four sets of 15 reps.

• Lying leg curls: Do at least four sets of 10-12 reps.

• Forward jumps: Do at least three sets of 10 reps.

• Cardio: run on the treadmill or outside for 20-30 minutes at a moderate intensity.

• Cool down: 10-15 minutes of static stretching.

Reach Out to Rising Legends to Launch Your Football Workout Routine With Trained Professionals!

The above daily workouts are meant to target different areas of a football player’s body in a way that boosts overall strength and fitness levels. It’s also important for athletes to remember that what they do outside of practices and gym sessions also impacts game performances, and this is why football players must also prioritize the following:

• Cardio
• Healthy diet
• Hydration
• Sleep
• Mental training

The Rising Legends Academy of Fitness is an industry-leading fitness facility based in the Nyack, NY area, and we’ve helped many high school athletes throughout recent years—including football players. Our team of personal trainers and nutrition coaches are here to boost your team’s workout routines in a way that’ll lead to victories come Friday night.

We look forward to seeing you at the gym!