Off-Season Training for Linemen

Lift Basic - Lift Heavy

Playing on the offensive line is all work and very little glory.  Your job is to make the Quarterback, Kicker and others look good.  Success on the line demands brute, explosive power.  Off-Season is when you build this power.  The weight room is where it happens.

The Squat

 

Let's start with the basic barbell squat.  Use the squat rack at the gym for safety.  Do a warm-up set with a weight that you can do about 20 reps with (20 Rep Max).  Do 2 sets of 12 with this lower weight.  Now change up to your 10 Rep Max weight.  Do 4 sets of 10 with that weight.  Watch your form:  Back straight, heels glued to the floor, go nice and deep. 

 

Standing Calf Press



 

Now that we've hit the big upper-leg muscles with squats, we're going to focus on the smaller calf muscles.  Calves are super-important to a lineman as they deliver a lot of the driving power he needs to push forward.  Standing Calf Press is best done on a machine like the one pictured above.  If you don't have a nice calf press machine you can stand on any secure edge and hold a dumbbell in your hand.  Calves seem to like higher reps and lower weights.  Be careful about going gonzo with heavy weights on calf exercises.  Do a couple of warm-up sets with shamefully low weights before you get into the working sets.  So - 2 sets of 15 reps to warm-up.  Then ramp-up the weight to your 12 Rep Max and do 4 sets of 10 reps.  If your calves aren't burning like lava; you're doing something wrong.  Don't bend your knees or wiggle your hips when doing this exercise.  It should be just your ankles flexing.  Let the weight push your heels nice and deep; then drive your toes down to push the weight back up.  Some people fuss about "toes-in" or "toes-out".  I promise you; that when some rabid linebacker is trying to blitz, you won't be thinking about toe-orientation on the standing calf press. 

 

 

Bench Press

 

 

 

Legs are done.  Time to work on upper body.  Bench Press works the big chest muscles (Pecs).  Pecs are what you use for controlling that defensive lineman who is hungry for a sack.  Do some push-ups to get ready for the Bench Press.  After 2 sets of 15 push-ups you'll be sufficiently warm for the bench.  Set the weights so they are at your 10 rep max.  Have a spotter handy or set the safety bars in case you're not quite as butch today as you thought you were.  Grab the bar with a symmetrical grip.  Wrap your thumbs around the bar.  Lower the bar until it just touches your chest then drive it upward to full extension.  You're going to do 3 sets of 8 reps with the 10 Rep max weight.  Don't dawdle between sets; 45 seconds is about right.

 

Seated Cable Rows

 

 

Next-up is back-work.  Hop onto the seated cable row machine and make sure that the little v-grip handle is hooked-on.  We can debate the merits of different handles for this exercise in another post.  I just like the feel of the close-grip-V-handle like the one pictured above.  Set the weights on a humble level for a smooth and easy warm-up set.  Knees slightly bent, back nice and straight.  Amp-up the weight for your working sets.  Pick a weight that's at your 12 Rep Max and do 3 sets of 10 reps.  No rocking back and forth - make your lats do the work.  Full extension of the arms, then steady pull until your elbows are well-back.  This exercise should be gritty hard work.  Yeah, your hands should hurt.

 

Military Press

 

The Military Press can be done with a barbell as pictured above or dumbbells or on a machine.  This works your shoulder muscles.  Start with the weight at the level of your collar-bone.  Back nice and straight, press the weight straight overhead until your elbows are locked-out.  To start - grab a light pair or dumbbells and blast out a nice and easy warm-up set.  Load up a barbell with a modest amount of weight (like about 15 Rep Max).  Now, do 4 sets of 10 reps with that weight. 

 

Close Grip Bench Press

 

Tricep time.  You just gotta have strong triceps to thrive on the line.  These muscles are for pushing and shoving.  There are tons of excellent tricep exercises but we'll start with the Close Grip Bench Press.  Everything is the same as Bench Press except for two things:  you'll be using much lighter weights and you'll hold the bar with a much narrower grip (thumb-tips should almost touch when you point them at each other).  Lower the bar to your chest and then press slowly upward until elbows are fully extended).  Use a lighter weight and go for 4 sets of 12 reps.


EZ Bar Curl

 

 

 The EZ Bar curl is a superb bicep exercise.  Load-up the old EZ bar with a couple of plates, grasp the bar at the knurling as pictured above.  Stand up straight and lock your elbows in to your sides.  Start with bar resting at your thighs and slowly curl straight up.  Lower, repeat.  Use a moderate amount of weight (aim for your 12 Rep Max) and go for 3 sets of 10 reps.

 

 

 Decline Crunch

Let's not forget about abs.  If you're in the gym - find a decline bench.  Set the decline about halfway.  Climb in and lock your feet under the pads.  Curls up using ab strength and slowly lower all the way.  Repeat.  Don't pull on your head.  Do 100...or as many as possible.  Every day that you workout - try to add one more crunch.

 

How Often?

Do this routine 3 times/week - max.  Your body needs 2-3 days in between workouts to recuperate and grow.  Feel free to do cardio (treadmill or bike etc) on the other days.  You'll do this routine for about 6-8 weeks.  After that, you will be ready for a split.

 

Nutrition?

Stick with good clean calories.  Fresh fruit and vegetables.  Lots of lean meat (chicken breast, beef).  Tons of cold-water fish (tuna, wild-salmon, sardines).  Wholesome carbs like oatmeal.  Nuts like almonds and walnuts.

 

Summary

I designed this workout for my client and friend Spencer.  He's an offensive lineman for the Fredericton High School Black Kats, one of the best varsity football teams in Atlantic Canada.  I hope that he enjoys this program and I hope you do too.  Here's the recap:

 

Squat  4 x 10

Standing Calf Press  4 x 10

Bench Press  3 x 8

Seated Cable Row  3 x 10

Military Press  4 x 10

Close Grip Bench Press  4 x 12

EZ Bar Curl  3 x 10

Decline Crunches - 1 set of max

 

 

 

Tom

 

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