Linebacker needs some help!

Question
Hey coach, I read a previous response of yours replying to someone who needed help with linebacker exercises. I'm familiar with what exercises to do such as squats and incline bench but I need help laying it out into a routine. Do you recommend an upper lower split or a mon,wed,fri type program? Thanks in advance.

Answer
Ryan -

Hey buddy.  First off, thank you for reading the past responses before asking your question.  Most do not take the time to do that, and I have to direct them towards that section before I move on with their questions.  

OK, to get to your question.  It really does depend on what time you have to devote towards your routine.  Do you have 4 days, 5 days, more a week?? That will be a big factor in how to structure a routine.  But for this I will assume you have all week to plan it out.  IF you dont, then go ahead and tweak it to your schedule.

My recommendation would be to seperate workouts into specific exercises.  Take your base, power exercises that are mandatory and seperate them by upper and lower.  So Monday could be upper mandatory - Bench, incline, military presses, upright rows, shrugs, neck machine, rows..those main core exercises.  Tuesday - Squat, dead lifts, leg presses, lunges, hamstring curls..along those lines.  

Now, here is where it gets a little more advanced than most high schools would offer.  Most would just say repeat Monday on Wenesday, and Tuesday on Thursday.  But on Wednesday, go ahead and put together a group of optional exercises for entire body.  Things like back pulldowns, bicep curls, tricep extensions, shoulder lateral raises, skull crushers, etc.  These are important because the minor muscles will have a direct impact on the ability to improve on your major muscle exercises.  For example, bench and incline not only use chest and shoulders, but triceps as well.  SO if you do not work on triceps, your bench and incline will not improve as quickly as if you do.  However, a lot of players work on these minor groups more than the majors, because those are the muscles that make you look good in your uniform.  SO please, do not get into that mindset.

So you are on Thursday.  This should be your day for PLYOMETRICS.  These are the absolute best way to increase speed and power quickly.  They require little to no equipment, and are not hard to learn.  But they are VERY HARD to do, and you will feel them working instantly.  They include things like box jumps, box leg lifts, power hops, power skips, line jumps, etc.  It would be too hard to explain them one by one on this site, but look them up on the net, and print a routine out for yourself.  IF you have any questions after that, do a follow up and I can help you out.  DO NOT SKIP THESE.  They are probably the most important piece of the puzzle.  

OK, there is your 4 day split.  Now, you will repeat the routines starting on Friday.  A few important things though.  DO not think of this by the days of the week.  Think of them by day 1, day 2, day 3, etc.  That way, if you miss a day, you dont have to wait until the next time to get it done.  EXAMPLE:  DAY ONE is what I wrote for Monday.  DAY TWO is what I wrote for Tuesday.  IF you completed the 4 day split and had to miss Friday, if you went by days of the week, you would miss UPPER MANDATORY which would be Friday, and have to do SAT. LOWER MANDATORY.  SO if you go by DAY 1 instead, you could just restart on Sat. with day 1, and go from there.  So it isnt the day of the week, it is the order of the workouts you go by.

Make sure and throw in a lot of lower back and ab exercises.  Your core is very important, and are notorious for being skipped by a lot of players.  Also, your flexibilty is very important.  No matter how strong you get, you will not be able to use that strength if you are tight.  It will also greatly reduce the threat of injury, and will increase your strength by allowing more bloodflow to the muscle.

Eat enough of the right food to allow for proper recooperation and growth.  Make sure and get enough rest as well.  The biggest mistake is to think that the more you do, the more you gain.  That is completely false.  Lift until you have broken down the muscle completely, then allow for COMPLETE recovery before you do those muscles again.  It might mean you have to take an extra day or two more than you planned before you repeat a certain day, but that is ok.  Breaking down a muscle that isnt recovered does you no good at all.

Last but not least.  Make sure and switch up your routines each month.  Do not do the exercises in the same order all the time.  Believe it or not, your muscles will get used to it, and will not work as hard after a while.  So "shock" them by changing up as much as possible.

I hope this will get you on your way.  As always, feel free to write back with anything in the future.  I would be happy to help you with anything you need.  Good luck and work hard.  It will pay off!

Best wishes

Coach Perl