Off-season Offensive Line Workouts

The attributes for today's offensive linemen have changed. No longer do coaches want overweight players who don't move well and are not athletic. Strength is still a must, but agility speed and explosion are also required for complex, fast-paced offenses. The off-season is the time to build the foundation for dominant linemen. The squat and deadlift are key exercises for building lower-body strength and the explosiveness needed to be a solid lineman.

  1. Strength vs. Explosion

    • Lifting heavy weights is a staple for building the power to be a dominant lineman, but the basic lifts and exercises alone are not enough to build the explosion needed to dominate. The bench press is what many focus on, but pay attention to the squat and deadlift to develop the power and lower-body explosiveness to fire off the ball and drive defenders downfield. Perform sets and reps for explosion, focusing on exploding into each rep using heavier weights and lower reps. Lower-intensity lifting with lighter weights and more reps will build size and strength but not explosive power.

    Squats for Power and Explosion

    • Squats and the variations of this lift will build the lower-body power needed to blow your man off the ball. After stretching properly and completing a warm-up, you are ready to begin your workout. Do three to five sets of five to six reps of the squat focusing on exploding at the bottom of the movement, controlling the weight at the end of the motion and returning to the squat position in a smooth and controlled manner. Alternate the regular squat with front squats and pause briefly in the squat position before exploding with the weight -- in the same way you would fire off the line of scrimmage.

    Deadlifting for Power and Explosion

    • The deadlift is a must for building hip and core strength. Working these muscle groups transfers the power from your legs and lower body into your upper body. Deadlifting with proper form is a must to avoid lower-back and other injuries. Your feet should be 6 inches wider than your shoulders with your toes pointed out at a 45-degree angle. Adjust the width of your stance slightly -- a stance that is too wide or too narrow can cause you to be off balance or suffer injuries. Do not arch or round your back but keep your lower back forward with your shoulders back and your chin and eyes forward and level. Lift heavy weights to build the strength you need to control defenders.

    Agility and Cardio Training

    • A great offensive lineman has great feet. An effective offensive lineman has quick feet and short distance speed to engage defenders and maintain contact. Being able to move with defenders decreases holding penalties and allows you to block linebackers. The dot drill is a great tool to build agility and foot quickness. Reach each dot with your feet, and do not cheat by dragging your feet or stopping short. Jumping rope makes you nimble and helps you to stay on your feet. Mix in agility drills and 10- and 20-yard sprints to build cardio and speed.

    Creating Your Workout

    • Split upper- body and lower-body workouts to protect yourself against over training and to give each body part the attention it needs. On your upper-body days, work the bench press, incline press, weighted dips and military press. Lower-body days include squats, deadlifts, cleans and calf raises. Between those days, do agility drills and sprints, perform jump roping exercises and throw and catch a medicine ball if available. Take a day of rest or very light work between repeating the workouts. Run 1/2 mile on your light days at a pace that pushes you but is not at a full sprint and that you can complete.