Hi CT, hope you are well. With the start of the NFL season, I got to thinking about an off season football program you posted on your forum about 6 years ago. The program was great and I’d like to run it again. Given it is 6 years old, I was wondering if there are any changes you’d make to Phase 1, which was focused on “Neural Rewiring toward a more explosive profile.”
I just love training this way. Makes me feel like I’m 18 again and let’s me perform that way too. Posted phase one of the program below.
MONDAY
SECTION A - ACTIVATION (15 minutes max)
A. Jumping onto a box in front 3-4 sets of 5 jumps
B. Jumping onto a box to your left 3-4 sets of 5 jumps
C. Jumping onto a box to your right 3-4 sets of 5 jumps
D. Jumping onto a box behind you 3-4 sets of 5 jumps
SECTION B - STRENGTH & POWER
A1. Broad jumping - 5 jumps per set
A2. Romanian deadlift - sets of 5 reps. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between A1. and A2. and between A2 and A1.
B1. Vertical jumping - 5 jumps per set
B2. Front squat - sets of 5 reps. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between B1. and B2. and between B2 and B1.
C1. Lunge jump (switch legs in the air) - 3 jumps per leg per set
C2. Lunges (alternate leg on every rep) - sets of 4 reps per leg. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between C1. and C2. and between C2 and C1.
D1. Ankle jumps - 10 reps per set
D2. Standing calves raise - 6 reps per set. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between D1. and D2. and between D2 and D1.
TUESDAY
SECTION A - ACTIVATION (15 minutes max)
A. Plyo push-ups hands on bench 3-4 sets of 5 projections
B. Medicine ball throwdown 3-4 sets of 5 throws
C. Medicine ball throw from chest 3-4 sets of 5 throws
SECTION B - STRENGTH & POWER
A1. Speed DB press - 5 reps per set. Use 40-50% of your max with as much speed as possible
A2. Bench press - sets of 5 reps. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between A1. and A2. and between A2 and A1.
B1. Speed bent over DB rowing (alternate arm on each rep) - 5 reps per arm per set
B2. Bent over barbell row - sets of 5 reps. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between B1. and B2. and between B2 and B1.
C1. Medicine ball throw from chest on incline bench - 5 throws per set
C2. Incline bench press - sets of 5. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between C1. and C2. and between C2 and C1.
D1. Medicine ball throw overhead (push press style) - 5 throws per set
D2. Standing DB press - 5 reps per set. Use 60-75% of your maximum, lift explosively, never use the same load for two sets in a row (wave up and down) perform 4 to 6 sets. 30-45 seconds between D1. and D2. and between D2 and D1.
THURSDAY
SECTION A - ACTIVATION
A. Hold a pair of light DB in the starting position of a shoulder press; jump onto a box, when you land do an explosive DB shoulder press - 3-4 sets of 5 reps
B. 1-arm DB snatch - 3-4 sets of 3 reps per arm
SECTION B - STRENGTH & POWER TRAINING
A1. Top-half back squat from pins - ramp up to a max force set of 3 reps
A2. Vertical jump - 5 jumps per set. 30-45 seconds between exercises.
B1. Top-half deadlift (just above knees) from pins - ramp up tp a max force set of 3 reps
B2. Broad jump - 5 jumps per set
C1. Top-half incline bench press from pins - ramp up tp a max force set of 3 reps
C2. Plyo push-ups hand on bench - 5 projections per set
D. Chin-ups (or fatman pull-ups if not strong enough) - 3-4 sets pf max reps
SATURDAY
SECTION A - POWER CIRCUIT
A1. Jump onto a box in front - 5 reps
A2. Plyo-push up hands on bench - 5 reps
A3. Speed back squat - 3 reps at 40-50%
A4. Push press - 3 reps at 60-70%
A5. Fatman pull-up - 5 reps with max speed
Rest a maximum of 25 seconds between stations.
Perform anywhere from 6 to 12 circuit… stop when speed and explosiveness starts to degrade
If one exercise becomes slower but the others are fine, drop the exercise that is slowing down and keep performing the others.