Ah, football. America’s darling. Our favorite reason to kick back in front of the TV or head down to the local field and watch high school rivals battle it out. Looking for ways to “get off the bench” and stay gym-motivated this football season? Grab some of your buddies, put on your team colors, and give these football-inspired exercises a try!

5 Exercises That Are Perfect The Football Fanatic In Your Life

Football players need explosive power, speed, and strength. Work all three with any one of these 5 perfect-for-football movements:

See GymIt Memberships

1) Power Cleans

Don’t let its apparent simplicity fool you. The power clean relies on coordination, power, and body awareness. Here are the basics points of form you need to know:

  • Start with feet hip-width apart, your hands on the bar outside your shins, and your hips raised enough, so your shoulders are just ahead of the bar
  • Keep your back flat and your chest up throughout
  • Keep the bar close to your body as you pull the bar up from the ground and onto your shoulders
  • Jump your feet out slightly when you catch the bar on your shoulders
  • Point your elbows forward when you receive the bar

For a handy reference, check out this how-to video. Don’t have a barbell handy? Try using dumbbells instead.


You May Also Like: That’s Tight Bro! How to Release the Tension in Your Hip Flexors 


2) Burpees

It’s true what the legend says: burpees suck. This full body movement is great for conditioning and building mental toughness. At its most basic, simply lower yourself to the ground and the stand up again as fast as you can. Watch this video for some helpful tips.

3) Sled Pulls & Pushes

Go ahead, pretend it’s fourth down and the game is on the line! Sled pushes and pulls are super functional movements that require a lot of core and leg strength.

Hint: Keep the weight light for lung and leg-burning sprints, and stack weights to build more strength. Click the links to see a sled pull and sled push in action, but keep in mind there are many variations of both.

4) Ladder Drills

Agility is critical for a football player. Not lacing up yourself this season? Not to worry: ladder drills are great for developing ankle stability and neuromuscular control, both of which are necessary for everyday life and activity. Try some of these ladder drills and see which one you like best.

5) Broad Jumps

Work your glutes and quads with this simple and fun movement. The goal is to jump as far as you can, being sure to leave and land with two feet and extend your hips as much as you jump.

Put Me In, Coach! Try This Football-Inspired Workout

Perform as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:

10 power cleans
25 ft. sled push
10 burpees
25 ft. sled pull

Leave a Reply