GPP for Football Players?

I am coaching youth football. My goal is to let them be conditioned so the can have and keep a high intensity during games. Also, I would like to improve speed. For some reason I am banned on Charlie Francis site. I am looking for suggestions. Thanks!

Sprints sprint sprint sprints sprints.

Halfway across the field and back, make’em run suicides - 10 yards and back, then 20 yards and back, 30 yards and back… have all out footraces across the field, etc.

A quick note regarding the thread title:
http://vimeo.com/15471219
1:05-1:15 “Weight training is GPP … it’s not fucking dragging a sled. That’s the stupidest thing in the world.” - Jim Wendler.

I was guilty of misusing/misapplying the term “GPP” myself, but when I really wrapped my head around the concept, I had what alcoholics refer to as a moment of clarity.

[quote]Navin Johnson wrote:
I am coaching youth football. My goal is to let them be conditioned so the can have and keep a high intensity during games. Also, I would like to improve speed.[/quote]
Dan John has worked with a ton of high school athletes and he’s written some great info:

But really, there are a lot of factors involved in laying out a plan, as you can imagine. How many kids, their training experience, total time available, other training commitments they have (as in, allotting training time for skill drills, full practices, weights, and cardio/conditioning), etc.

Generally speaking, conditioning can be brought up with things like complexes, where the athlete has to perform explosively while fatigued. Speed will be brought up a bit as a side effect of better conditioning, less bodyfat, and improved strength/power, in addition to targeted short-distance running drills (like the suicides Irish mentioned).

I agree with the above, but when he says “youth football” that denotes to me that a weightroom isn’t really available… it wasn’t for me until I hit high school.

I’m figuring that he needs stuff like the army PT drills - that a lot of kids can do all at once, anywhere, with no equipment.

What equipment do you have access to and what age are the athletes?

Simplicity is the key. You can make a program too complex and end up with nothing. If all else fails just focus on sprints and weights - thats two things and it’s all you really need to be honest.

Sample:

MONDAY:
sprints: 30m x 10

Weights: Squat: 5x5, deadlift: 5x5, hyperextension: 4x10

TUESDAY: Bench press: 5x5, chin ups: 5x AMAP, Ab circuit.

Repeat above for Thursday and Friday.

I have 7-8 year old boys 4 times a week. Weights are out. I plan on running practices at a high pace. They take foosball seriously around here, even at this age. Definately need to increase speed, agility and work capacity.

[quote]supa power wrote:
What equipment do you have access to and what age are the athletes?

Simplicity is the key. You can make a program too complex and end up with nothing. If all else fails just focus on sprints and weights - thats two things and it’s all you really need to be honest.

Sample:

MONDAY:
sprints: 30m x 10

Weights: Squat: 5x5, deadlift: 5x5, hyperextension: 4x10

TUESDAY: Bench press: 5x5, chin ups: 5x AMAP, Ab circuit.

Repeat above for Thursday and Friday.[/quote]

[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
Sprints sprint sprint sprints sprints.

Halfway across the field and back, make’em run suicides - 10 yards and back, then 20 yards and back, 30 yards and back… have all out footraces across the field, etc.

[/quote]
I’ve played football my entire life, through college at a big ten school, and this is what we did at every single level of football. This is all you need right here.

You can also get creative with bodyweight/army/pt type stuff. For example: Have them do high knees in place, then have them drop to the ground and get back up a few times by yelling “drop” or “hit” or something like that. After a few of those, blow the whistle and have them sprint 20 yards. Then 10 pushups. Then sprint another 20 yards, 10 situps etc…

[quote]Navin Johnson wrote:
I have 7-8 year old boys 4 times a week.[/quote]
This does change things quite a bit. For some reason, I was thinking high school age athletes.

Check out some of the info this dude has here and in others on his Youtube page. Lots of solid info to be absorbed:

At that young age, regardless of how serious they take football, they’re still young kids and there’s only so much intensity they can approach. I haven’t seen kids that young that even really knew how to sprint or had very sound running mechanics. Run pretty fast, sure, but full-bore sprints? Not quite, so I probably wouldn’t train them that way just yet.

Short-distance change of direction drills (like shorter-distance suicides or incorporating lateral running/sidestep variations) would be more along those lines, in addition to medley circuits that combined some in-game activities with general activities (for example, combining jumping jacks, squat thrusts, bear walks, and running a short pass route to catch an easy lob.)

[quote]Meal Ticket wrote:
You can also get creative with bodyweight/army/pt type stuff. For example: Have them do high knees in place, then have them drop to the ground and get back up a few times by yelling “drop” or “hit” or something like that. After a few of those, blow the whistle and have them sprint 20 yards. Then 10 pushups. Then sprint another 20 yards, 10 situps etc…[/quote]

the things you described brought back horrible memories from high school football.

If someone yells “Hit” I’ll still drop to the ground to this day.

And also… it’s never too early to run hills.

[quote]Navin Johnson wrote:
I am coaching youth football. My goal is to let them be conditioned so the can have and keep a high intensity during games. Also, I would like to improve speed. For some reason I am banned on Charlie Francis site. I am looking for suggestions. Thanks![/quote]

I think easiest way to train in a team enviroment out in the open is strong man training. Prowler/sled/tyres/yoke & farmerswalks sledge hammer training battling ropes etc.