In-Season Weightlifting

Coach,

If you have 35-50 mins 2 days a week, then you can get by just fine. A Monday & Wednesday split works well, with Monday being a hypertrophy maintenance day and Wednesday being a speed/explosive and general strength day.

Maintenance of lean body mass is a necessity during season, b/c it will be imperative going into the offseason that the athlete "picks up where he left off" in the preseason. In other words, you don't want your guys to get smaller AND weaker during the season b/c if you do, you will practically be starting over the next offseason.

I don't really think Maximum effort lifts are a neccessity in-season b/c of the neural effect they have on the body. Also, I don't really think oly lifts should be done very often in season for the same reason. For explosive lifts, I choose explosive box squats and explosive bench press.

For maintenance, try to hit every upper body part using compound lifts and working in the 2-3 set, 8-12 rep range using medium-heavy intensity. Don't focus too much on lower body lifts b/c the running the guys do in practice will be enough.

For explosive lifting, use around 50-70% of the athletes 1RM. In addition, pick a couple lifts that focus on the posterior chain and the traps/rear shoulder region.

All in all these, sessions should take around 30-45 mins, be sure to include a warm up or cool down that contains abdominal work!

Jimbo

We've used the BFS program for the past two years. Essentially, it calls for two lifts per week w/variations on core exercises according to power and explosiveness e.g. bench on Monday, towel bench on Wed, squat on Monday, box squat on Wed., etc.

We have backs and receivers lift Monday/Wed and linemen Tues/Thurs. We lift before practice and "steal" coaching time from our athletes on the days they are not lifting ie) running skeleton, etc. for backs and technique/footwork, etc. for linemen on "off" days. This format also works well by having the "off" group responsible for water and bags.

Short weeks we have everyone lift on the same days, Monday & Wed.

Our kids are divided into groups of three or, if necessary, four with seniors "in charge" of their group. It is there job to report anyone not present and to motivate their groups to be on time and to lift w/intensity. The program also asks kids to record their lifts according to weight and reps and to "break records" every week.

As stated in previous posts, it's the core exercises that we want to use to maintain the strength and training from the off season. And even though kids are running and doing footwork drills throughout the week w/practice, we feel that it is still necessary to do squats and hex bar for strength, endurance and injury prevention.

We have been doing this routine for over 10 years and we have had great success.


Monday- Power Clean to Front Squat to Push Press 80 percent/ 5x5
You do all three lifts and it counts as 1 rep.

Tuesday- Squat 80/ 5x5 ; Curls 8x4

Wednesday- Bench 80/ 5x5; Tri Ext 8x4

Thursday- No Lift

Friday- Game night

Saturday- Full workout and Running

Power Clean and Jerk
Clean Pulls
Squat
Push Press
Bench
Tri Ext
Curls

We lift 2x/week on Monday and Wednesday. We make it part of practice and do it right away. It is the first thing the varsity does on those days. We do the dots, stretch, and lift. The JV and 9th grade is outside already. When the varsity os done lifting (35-40 minutes) they come out and go right into practice drills. The JV does this routine on Tuesday and Thursday.