Wide receivers are among the most impressive athletes in any sport. They run at blazing speed, have quick and agile footwork and are able to catch a ball while battling defenders.

To get better as a wide receiver, you have to train the multiple facets of the position. If you are strong but not fast, you won’t get open. If you are fast and lack strength, you will get knocked off the ball.

Below is a sample wide receiver workout program. It’s organized into four workouts over five days (ideally Monday through Friday) and includes strength, speed, agility and plyometric training.

Day 1

Since you work on max strength, the first day of the week is the most challenging. This wide receiver workout is a total-body program focused on training heavy. It also includes short-distance speed and agility drills to work on first-step quickness, speed, acceleration and route running.

Strength

• Back Squats: 3×4-8 @ 80-90%
• RDL: 3×4-8
• Bench Press: 3×4-8 @ 80-90%
• Bent-Over Barbell Rows: 3×4-8
• Standing Military Press: 3×4-8

Speed

• Stick Drills: 2-3xdrill
• Falling Starts: 2-3×5 yards
• 10-Yard Sprints (2-point stance): 3×3-5

Agility

• Shuffle: 2×5 yards each direction
• Backpedal: 2×5 yards
• L-Drill: 3-5xdrill

Day 2

The Day 1 workout primes the nervous system and recruits a large number of muscle fibers. The workout on Day 2 takes advantage of this by performing explosive power exercises. The focus is on speed of movement and technique. Weight workouts are combined with plyometrics to improve your ability to jump up and catch the ball.

Power

• Power Clean: 3×3-6 @ 60%
• Snatch Pulls: 3×3-6 @ 60%
• Split Jerk: 3×2-4 @ 60% each leg

Plyometrics

• Counter-Movement Jumps: 3×10
• Jumping Knee Grabs: 3×10
• Standing Long Jump: 3×5
• Bounds: 3×20 yards

Day 3

Rest

Day 4

The fourth day is designed to increase power and muscle mass. Split and single-leg lifts are included to train each leg individually. The idea here is that when you run, only one leg at a time is in contact with the ground, and you need to be equally strong on both legs. (Learn more about single-leg training.) This is combined with longer sprints to work on maximal speed and box drills to simulate route running.

Strength

• Split Cleans: 3×3 @ 60% each leg
• Push Jerk: 3×3-6 @ 60%
• Split Squats: 3×4-8 each leg
• Lunges: 3×8-12 each leg
• Single-Leg RDL: 3×4-8 each leg
• Calf Raises: 3×12-20

Speed

• Falling Starts: 2-3×5 yards
• Stride Length Drill: 3-5xdrill
• 60-Yard Sprints (2-point stance): 3×3

Agility

• Shuffle: 2×5 yards
• Backpedal: 2×5 yards
• Box Drill: 3-5xdrill (break away from opponent)

Day 5

The fifth day continues to develop power and also builds upper-body muscle. The upper-body workout includes three supersets, meaning that two exercises are performed back-to-back without rest.
Also included is a metabolic conditioning workout to improve endurance. This workout should be changed each week to prevent staleness and overtraining. Rotate among sprinting, heavy ropes, suspension training and kettlebell training.

Power and Upper Body

• Single-Leg Cleans: 3×3-6 each leg
• Snatch Pulls: 3×3-6 @ 60%
• Superset 1: Dumbbell Bench Press and Dips: 3×12-15 and 3xmax
• Superset 2: Pull-Ups and Dumbbell Rows: 3xmax and 3×12-15
• Seated Military Press: 3×12-15 @ 60-70%
• Superset 3: Bicep Curls and Triceps Extensions: 3×12-15 each

Conditioning

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds and repeat circuit three times

• Heavy Rope Slams
• Kettlebell Swings (two hands)
• Mountain Climbers
• Heavy Rope Slams (single arm)
• Kettlebell Swings (single hand)
• Burpees
• Heavy Rope Woodchoppers
• Kettlebell Overhead Squats
• Push-Ups
• Heavy Rope Jumping Jacks
• Kettlebell Get Ups
• Pull-Ups