Unit 8.2: Football

List the five NFL combine tests:

1. 40-yard dash 2. Vertical jump (jump-reach test) 3. Shuttle run 4. Standing long jump 5. 3-cone test

List two reasons to keep records and statistics related to athletic testing:

1. Athletes have different levels of fitness. 2. To measure progress and see how they are improving over time.

List four adaptations from strength training:

1. Increased motor unit recruitment (greater muscle activation in muscle). 2. Improved synchronization between motor units. 3. Recruitment of larger, more powerful motor units. 4. Decreased natural inhibition of achieving maximal effort.

Explain how specificity of training relates to football. Give examples for the linemnen and defensive backs.

Offensive defensive linemen need to be bigger because their role is to protect and act like a wall. Offensive and defensive linemen use the immediate energy system (ATP/CP) while the others use that that a mix of anaerobic (nonoxidative).

What is OBLA and how does it relate to anaerobic capacity?

Onset of Blood Lactate occurs when blood lactic acid increases significantly during exercise = muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue results from hydrogen ions interfering with energy reactions.

Explain what this means: "As in all sports, incorporate a balanced training program that builds the prime movers and their antagonists."

Perform the exercises for the opposite muscle groups for balance. If you're going to train chest and shoulders, you should do back exercises as well.

Explain what it is meant by "hardwired" in this sentence: "The principle of specificity of training is crucial--create drills to mimic the skills required in the game, and then practice them perfectly so they become "hardwired" for execution when required."

Performing a move over and over again with good form will result in you performing the movement without having to even think about it.

What is "lactate clearance" and how does it relate to aerobic training?

Performing aerobic exercise helps with removing lactate from muscles (lactate clearance).

Explain why strength training is important in a football conditioning program.

Performing the right kind of resistance training will enhance neural adaptations that promote muscle fiber efficiency. One that also strengthens soft tissues that support joints. Strength training will also prevent injury, especially to the knees, a common injury in football (ACL tears). The thickness, weight, and strength of ligaments and tendons increase from resistance training, which reduce overall risk of injury. You can also improve the integrity of the point of muscular attachment through resistance training, which is the most common site of tearing and separation.

List and discuss the six basic elements of the football training program:

1. Strength: presses (bench, standing, incline) , pulls (cleans, snatches, deadlifts, high pulls), and squats (squats and step-ups) should be emphasized. Strengthen the lower back, neck, and shoulder rotator cuff muscles since they are most prone to injury. And work on your core muscles. 2. Power: Olympic lifts at the beginning and speed and plyometrics leading up to the season since they transfer to the plying field faster than Olympic lifts. 3. Agility: cone drills and shuttle runs regularly. 4. Speed: develop speed gradually to avoid injury to quads and hamstrings since most of speed comes from leg power. Short quick sprints less than 20 yards and change directions (straight, backward, side to side). 5. Endurance: perform repeat intervals--sprint the straightaways and walk the turns. 400-meter track running 200-meter intervals. 6. Skill: always put footballs skills before every other kind of training. Do it over and over again until you can perform the movements without even thinking about it.

Explain how agility training relates to football.

Agility is being able to move quickly and easily, which is vital for football players because they have to change directions as quickly as possible.

Explain how flexibility relates to injury prevention.

Have complete ROM of your joints prevents joint and muscle injury when players encounter contorting, extreme positions.

Explain whether you agree that football players should develop most of their endurance through interval training and repeat wind sprints.

I do agree because these exercises replicate the same intensity that is in football.

What is the main goal for plyometric training?

Improve running power, speed, and endurance.

Discuss the best methods to develop endurance in football players.

Interval training and repeat wind sprints since the intensity in these exercises carriers over to the intensity in football.

Explain the role of long slow-distance training (LSD training) as part of football endurance training.

It's fine to do this type of training during the off-season to prepare tissues and associated thousands of miles of blood vessels (mainly the small capillaries) for more intense training. Use slower movements to prep, and then as competition comes closer, train more on the fitness requirements of the sport.

Define the onset of blood lactate (OBL):

Lactic acid increases significantly during exercise. Hydrogen ions interfere with energy reactions = muscle fatigue.

Explain how body composition relates to the position played in football for NFL players, NCAA1 Division players, and top high school football players.

Linemen in NFL: 347 pounds Average NCAA Division 1 player: slightly more than 300 pounds. The heavier you are, the more likely you're going to be a lineman since you are focused on stopping the enemy team with your body.

Season:

Monday: Football skills and weight training Tuesday: Football skills, speed and plyometric exercises Wednesday: Weight training (presses, pulls, and squats in the frontal, coronal, and transverse plane). Neck, lower back, and rotator cuffs as well. Thursday: Rest Friday: Football skills and weight training Saturday: Football skills, speed, plyometrics, and agility drills Sunday: Rest

Explain why successful NFL offensive and defensive linemen (and corresponding "heavy" collegiate players) are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

Offensive and defensive linemen tend to have more fat than muscle. And once their season is over, they will hold onto that fat and eat excessive amounts of food, but not even train. Instead, they should focus on building more muscle and training in the off-season.

Explain why plyometrics and sprint training are desirable methods of training for football players.

Plyometrics aid the muscles in being able to achieve max force quickly (bounding (walk or run with leaping strides), jumping and squatting). Through the stretch shortening cycle, the muscles stretch (eccentric phase) building up elastic energy, then there is the bottom portion where the muscle shortens and explodes (concentric) to release that built up elastic energy. Perform sprinting drills that are made up of agility for rapid changes in direction, running power, speed, and endurance. Performing speed and plyometric exercises will result in enhanced muscle hypertrophy, improved neural firing, and increased muscle fuel stores. Perform more a short amount o sets at top speed rather than lots of sets at half speed.

Case study: write a one-week training program for high school players during the preseason and season.

Preseason: Monday: Military press 5 x 5 Deadlift 5 x 5 Incline press Pull ups Face pulls Reverse lunge Nordic curls Calf raises Side bridge Tuesday: Football skills, speed, agility, and plyometrics Stretching 10 min Wednesday: Squats 5 x 5 Cleans 5 x 5 Cossack Squats Kettlebell swings Cardio 30 min Stretching 10 min Thursday: Rest Friday: Military press 5 x 5 Deadlift 5 x5 w/ variations if needed Accessories same as Monday Stretch Saturday: football skills, speed, plyometrics, and agility. Sunday: Rest

Explain why a football player should emphasize metabolic training that focuses on the immediate and anaerobic pathways.

Speed, agility, brute strength, and power are what make up football. Players are usually out there for no more than 10 seconds, followed by 30 - 45 seconds of recovery. In order to be explosive in that short period of time, the body must call upon the ATP/CP (adenosine triphosphate and creatine phosphate) energy stores, which provide energy for 2 min or less.

What is "general" agility training, and how does it relate to football?

Sprinting straight ahead, backward, side-to-side, and in zig zag patterns. Performing cone drills is also great for developing agility. Practice it just as you would in competition at the same intensity so that it becomes muscle memory.

Explain how strength training relates to injuries.

Strength training reduces the likelihood of injury by strengthening soft tissues that support joints. The thickness, weight, and strength of ligaments and tendons increases as well, preventing or minimizing injury.

Define connective tissue:

Supporting tissue that is in and surrounds muscle. Performing resistance training will strengthen connective tissue, enhancing the muscle's elastic properties which will protect them dangerous overloads that can result in tearing.

Define electromyography (EMG):

The measure of a muscle's electrical activity to find out what muscles "turn on" and "turn off" during exercise.

Discuss the ways the aerobic capacity maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) relates to football players.

There are some football players that have a higher VO2 max than others, like linemen.

Explain how plyometrics relates to training for football.

They are important for short-term prep.

Discuss whether football players should include aerobic training as part of their overall training program.

They should because working on the aerobic (oxidative) energy system will lead to the immediate energy system being restored more effectively between plays. Plus, it also enhances anaerobic capacity. During the off-season, high-speed interval training should be trained to develop aerobic capacity. Exercises like wind sprints develop aerobic capacity and increase high-speed exercise capacity. Another benefit of training in the aerobic energy system is that it will increases lactate clearance, which is important because a buildup of lactate leads muscle fatigue. Training the aerobic system = increased anaerobic capacity for football players.

Explain what this means to a high school football player or wrestler: "Energy stored in the muscles called elastic energy quickly converts to kinetic force or explosive power."

This is known as the stretch shortening cycle, which is done through performing plyometric exercises.

Explain the value of testing and assessment for football players.

With testing players will get motivated to maintain there fitness level and it will help the personal trainer or coach to evaluate the training program's success.

Explain how periodization relates to training for football.

You want to have weeks where you focus on building strength with weight training in the beginning phase, then as competition comes closer, focus on building skill and incorporate speed and power into those movements.