Just because football season’s grand finale is soon upon us, doesn’t mean we can’t train like we’ll be making the winning catch in the end zone.
Football is more than beefy men in tights; it requires a high level of fitness including explosive acceleration, muscular endurance and strength in the lower body. Adding a resistance training, football-inspired workout to your regimen can help build strength, endurance and tone-up your body.
But before you tackle this workout challenge, take these football exercise hints from the experts at Life Fitness:
- Build a strength foundation: There’s no denying it, football players are strong. Strength is the foundation of a total athlete; it touts a long list of benefits. Try adding basic exercises to your routine like squats, bench presses, pull ups and core (abdominal and lower back) exercises. Complement these exercises with single joint movements such as hamstring curls, calf raises, shrugs and triceps extensions to ensure proper muscular balance. Use the Life Fitness signature series equipment for a non-intimidating way to do these exercises.
- Mix in cardio training: Football players need a solid base of cardiovascular training – after all, the field is 100 yards! Try the player’s favorite low-impact activities like cycling or swimming, and add a workout on the stair stepper or elliptical cross-trainer for variety. Be sure to include intervals to your routine; football players rarely run for 30 minutes straight, but often sprint for five seconds and rest for 20.
- Rev up your speed work: The best football players aren’t just strong, but fast. To increase your speed, add short sprints to your treadmill workout, focusing on driving off the balls of your feet and leaning forward with your whole body. Try sprinting for 20 seconds then returning to a fast jog for a complete workout.
- Play Catch: Throwing a ball with a friend or even a child can be a great way to get a workout while having fun. The throwing motion works your shoulders, your core and your glutes. Just be careful not to throw out your shoulder by overextending it. Start off the round by standing close to your partner, and then back away to create a greater distance and a greater challenge.
Fit Tips are provided by Life Fitness, the leader in designing and manufacturing high-quality exercise equipment for fitness facilities and homes worldwide. For more information on FitTips and other fitness advice and expertise visit www.lifefitness.com.
