Football training is a year-round job, and football conditioning workouts should be specialized based on position. Preparing your players for the upcoming season is what the off-season is all about. Putting together the proper conditioning program is challenging for most high school head coaches, because there isn’t enough demand for strength and conditioning coaches to take care of the task.

RELATED: Summer Football Speed Training Plan

The football conditioning program below targets and trains the proper energy system needed for the gridiron. The main objective: maximally engage the oxidative pathways in intermittent tasks.

Categorize your players into three groups: linemen (O-line, D-line, longsnapper), semis (linebackers, fullbacks, kickers, punters, quarterbacks) and skilled (defensive backs, wide receivers, running backs). If you have a player who is faster than his teammates at his position, move him up to the next category to compete with faster guys.

Warm-Up

• Jumping Jacks – 3×10
• Seal Jacks – 3×10
• Hyland Flings – 3×10
• Walking Lunges – 2×10 yards
• Skips – 2×20 yards
• Shuffles – 2×20 yards each direction
• Glute Bridge – 1×10
• Straight-Leg Swings – 1×10 each leg
• Hip Fire Hydrants – 1×10 each leg
• Hip Circles – 1×10 each direction (forward/backwards)
• Straight Leg Heel Raises – 1×10 each leg
• Prone Scorpions – 1×10 each leg
• Supine Scorpions – 1×10 each leg
• Walking Knee Hugs – 1×10 yards
• Walking Quad Stretches – 1×10 yards
• Walking Inverted Hamstring Stretches- 1×10 yards
• Walking Foot to Opposite Hip – 1×10 yards

Cool Down

• Prisoner Squats – 1×15
• Lying Alternating Hamstring Stretch – 1×5 each leg
• Pretzel Stretch – 1×5 each leg
• Prone Scorpions – 1×10 each leg
• Downward Dog – 1×5

Week 1

Tuesday: Half Pyramid Shuttle Runs

All shuttle runs are 25-yard intervals. (i.e, 50-yard shuttle is 1 time down and back, 100-yard shuttle is 2 times down and back, 150-yard shuttle is 3 times down and back, etc.)

Linemen

• 50-Yard Shuttle – 10 seconds (20 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 20 seconds (40 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 48 seconds (96 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 75 seconds  (150 second rest)
• 300-Yard Shuttle – 85 seconds

Semis

• 50-Yard Shuttle – 9 seconds (18 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 18 seconds  (36 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 43 seconds (86 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 65 seconds (170 second rest)
• 300-Yard Shuttle – 75 seconds

Skilled

• 50-Yard Shuttle – 8 seconds (16 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 15 seconds (30 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 40 seconds (80 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 60 seconds (120 second rest)
• 300-Yard Shuttle – 72 seconds

RELATED: Pro Agility Shuttle (5-10-5) Drills

Friday: Tempo Runs

Line up your players in pairs. The players in each pair work together and to keep up with each other. Once one pair begin their sprint, wait until they’re at the 25-yard mark before sending the next pair.

• Sprint 25 yards forward
• Jog 20 yards across
• Sprint 25 yards back to starting point.
• Duration: 1o minutes total.
• Rest 20-30 seconds (unless you have a long line of athletes, have them go once they reach the front of the line)

Week 2

Tuesday: Full Pyramid Shuttle Runs

All shuttle runs are 25-yard intervals. (i.e., 50-yard shuttle is 1 time down and back, 100-yard shuttle is 2 times down and back, 150-yard shuttle is 3 times down and back, etc.)

Linemen

• 50-Yard Shuttle – 10 seconds (20 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 20 seconds (40 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 48 seconds (96 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 75 seconds (150 second rest)
• 300-Yard Shuttle – 85 seconds (170 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 75 seconds (150 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 48 seconds (96 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 20 seconds (40 second rest)
• 50-Yard Shuttle- 10 seconds

Semis

• 50-Yard Shuttle – 9 seconds (18 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 18 seconds (36 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 43 seconds (86 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 65 seconds (170 second rest)
• 300-Yard Shuttle – 75 seconds (150 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 65 seconds (170 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 43 seconds (86 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 18 seconds (36 second rest)
• 50-Yard Shuttle – 9 seconds

Skilled

• 50-Yard Shuttle – 8 seconds (16 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 15 seconds (30 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 40 seconds (80 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 60 seconds (120 second rest)
• 300-Yard Shuttle – 72 seconds (144 second rest)
• 200-Yard Shuttle – 60 seconds (120 second rest)
• 150-Yard Shuttle – 40 seconds (80 second rest)
• 100-Yard Shuttle – 15 seconds (30 second rest)
• 50-Yard Shuttle – 8 seconds (16 second rest)

Friday: Tempo Runs

Line up your players in pairs. The players in each pair work together and try to keep up with each other. Once one pair begins their sprint, wait until they’re at the 25-yard mark before sending the next pair.

RELATED: Elite Performance With Mike Boyle: Conditioning With Tempo Runs

• Sprint 25 yards forward
• Jog 20 yards across
• Sprint 25 yards back to starting point
• Duration: 15 minutes total.
• Rest 20-30 seconds (unless you have a long line of athletes, have them go once they reach the front of the line)

Week 3

Tuesday: 200-Yard Shuttle Runs

(50-yard intervals; 50 yards x 4 = 200 yards)

Linemen: 6 x 200-Yard Shuttles – 40 seconds (102-second rest)

Semis: 6 x 200-Yard Shuttles – 36 seconds (90-second rest)

Skilled: 6 x 200-Yard Shuttles – 30 seconds (78-second rest)

Friday: Tempo Runs

Line up your players in pairs. The players in each pair work together and try to keep up with each other. Once one pair begin their sprint, wait until they’re at the 25-yard mark before sending the next pair.

• Sprint 25 yards forward
• Jog 20 yards across
• Sprint 25 yards back to starting point
• Duration: 20 minutes total.
• Rest 20-30 seconds (unless you have a long line of athletes, have them go once they reach the front of the line)

Week 4

Tuesday: 200-Yard Shuttle Runs

(50-yard intervals; 50 yards x 4= 200 yards)

Linemen: 8 x 200-Yard Shuttles – 40 seconds (102-second rest)

Semis: 8 x 200-Yard Shuttles – 36 seconds (90-second rest)

Skilled: 8 x 200-Yard Shuttles – 30 seconds (78 second rest)

Friday: Tempo Runs

Line up your players in pairs. The players in each pair work together and try to keep up with each other. Once one pair begins their sprint, wait until they’re at the 25-yard mark before sending the next pair.

• Sprint 25 yards forward
• Jog 20 yards across
• Sprint 25 yards back to starting point
• Duration: 20 minutes total.
• Rest 20-30 seconds (unless you have a long line of athletes, have them go once they reach the front of the line)

Week 5

Tuesday: 100-Yard Shuttle Runs

(50-yard intervals; 50 yards x 2 = 100 yards)

Linemen: 8 x 100-Yard Shuttles – 18 seconds (36-second rest)

Semis: 8 x 100-Yard Shuttles – 17 seconds (34-second rest)

Skilled: 8 x 100-Yard Shuttles – 15 seconds (30-second rest)

Friday: 60-Yard Shuttle Runs

(15-yard intervals; 15 yards x 4 = 60 yards)

Linemen: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 15 seconds (30-second rest)

Semis: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 13 seconds (26-second rest)

Skilled: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 12 seconds (24-second rest)

Week 6

Tuesday: 100-Yard Shuttle Runs

(50-yard intervals, 50 yards x 2 = 100 yards)

Linemen: 8 x 100-Yard Shuttles – 18 seconds (34-second rest)

Semis: 8 x 100-Yard Shuttles – 17 seconds (34-second rest)

Skilled: 8 x 100-Yard Shuttles – 15 seconds (28-second rest)

Friday: 60-Yard Shuttle Runs

(15-yard intervals, 15 yards x 4 = 60 yards)

Linemen: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 15 seconds (28-second rest)

Semis: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 13 seconds (24-second rest)

Skilled: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 12 seconds (22-second rest)

Week 7

Tuesday: 55-Yard Sprints

Linemen: 12 x 55-Yard Sprints – 10 seconds (40-second rest)

Semis:  12 x 55-Yard Sprints – 9 seconds (38-second rest)

Skilled: 12 x 55-Yard Sprints – 8 seconds (25-second rest)

Friday: 60-Yard Shuttle Runs

(15-yard intervals; 15 yards x 4 = 60 yards)

Linemen: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 15 seconds (27-second rest)

Semis: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 13 seconds (23-second rest)

Skilled: 6 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 12 seconds (21-second rest)

Week 8

Tuesday: 55-Yard Sprints

Linemen: 16 x 55-Yard Sprints – 10 seconds (35-second rest)

Semis: 16 x 55-Yard Sprints – 9 seconds (33-second rest)

Skilled: 16 x 55-Yard Sprints – 8 seconds (30-second rest)

Friday: 60-Yard Shuttle Runs

(15-yard intervals; 15 yards x 4 = 60 yards)

Linemen: 8 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 15 seconds (27-second rest)

Semis: 8 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 13 seconds (23-second rest)

Skilled: 8 x 60-Yard Shuttles – 12 seconds (21-second rest)

RELATED: Purdue Football Conditioning Program

4-Quarter Conditioning Test

All athletes must make their times for their group to pass the test. The intervals are split into quarters to give the athletes a sense of what each quarter of play will feel like, so they give it everything they can in all four quarters. After the second quarter, there will be a 2-minute recovery period.

Each quarter has two sets of running types (linear and lateral.) Provide plenty of fluids to your athletes and monitor their hydration during rest periods.

1st Quarter

Linemen

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 10 seconds (35-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 15 seconds (30-second rest)

Semis

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 9 seconds (33-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 13 seconds (26-second rest)

Skilled

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 8 seconds (30 second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 12 seconds (24-second rest)

2nd Quarter

Lineman

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 10 seconds (35-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 15 seconds (30-second rest)

Semis

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 9 seconds (33-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 13 seconds (26-second rest)

Skilled

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 8 seconds (30-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 12 seconds (24-second rest)

2:00 minute halftime rest

3rd Quarter

Lineman

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 10 seconds (35-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 15 seconds (30-second rest)

Semis

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 9 seconds (33-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 13 seconds (26-second rest)

Skilled

• 4 x 55-Yard Sprints – 8 seconds (30-second rest)
• 2 x 60-Yard Shuttles (15-Yard Intervals) – 12 seconds (24-second rest)

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