College Football Workout Routines

College football is a physically demanding sport and requires student-athletes to be in excellent condition. To reach that goal, athletes train throughout the year, working each part of the body by combining weight training with cardio exercises to reach peak efficiency and improve explosiveness. Training is usually conducted over several days each week.

  1. Monday

    • Begin by doing stretching exercises to loosen the muscles and increase flexibility. This is followed by core weightlifting, which includes several repetitions of bench presses and squats, which is where you are standing and resting the weights on the back of your shoulder, squatting towards the floor and then returning upright. Additional weight training includes leg extensions for the lower body, seated rows for the shoulder and incline presses for the chest. The workout concludes with 150 sit-ups.

    Wednesday

    • Stretching and flexibility exercises are followed by core lifts such as the power clean (standing tall, reach down and pull the barbell from the floor to your knees, and then quickly raise the barbell to your shoulders). Follow with additional training with two sets of push-ups for the chest, pull-ups for the shoulders and leg curls for the lower body. Finish with 150 sit-ups.

    Friday

    • The Friday workout is similar to Monday, beginning with stretching exercises and followed by core weightlifting for the chest and shoulders. You can mix up the additional training by doing calf raises instead of leg extensions for the lower body, and deltoid raises instead of seated rows for the shoulders. Always finish with 150 sit-ups.

    Running

    • While it's great to have muscles and strength, running improves cardio and endurance and improves conditioning. After workouts, spend at least 20 minutes on an elliptical machine and maintain a steady pace. On non-workout days, a two-mile run will work up a nice sweat.

    Suicide Drills

    • Compliment your running routine with "Suicide Drills," which increase speed and agility. Standing on the field with one hand on the goal line, run to the 10-yard line, touch the grass, and then run back to the goal line. Quickly turn turn around and run to the 20-yard line, touch the grass, and return. Finish by turning again and running to the 30-yard line, touch the grass, and then return to the goal line.