Lineman Speed

Define “speed” for a offensive or defensive lineman. The position requirements are pretty similar. The D-lineman has to be a bit more reactive and athletic where the O-lineman is more of a “wall” one just has a hard time getting around much less through. The play might last 7-10 seconds and cover rarely more than 10-15 yards. So speed development to a lineman means something totally different than conventional use. The main request is to be able to explode off the line as fast as possible. So how does one train to get a big man to explode? One usually thinks of cleans, squats and jump work. They are all good tools and one can get too tied up in those and the numbers one is throwing around. I need immediate application on those movements to where each movement feeds each other and apply to the positions. I use a lot of Power Circuits in my training models. It starts with a relatively heavy movement (ex. squats), then move to an explosive movement (ex. olympic lift), then to a jump movement (ex. jump squats), then to a force absorption movement (ex. box landings) and then an unloaded movement (ex. vertical jumps) and finally a loaded application (ex. sandbag jam bag work). That way I can get all the energy system requirements in one workout, minimal rest (conditioning) and application (the possibilities are endless) all the in the same workout / circuit. This can work for upper / lower / core as well as total body if needed. Again be creative, but keep the loads / resistance less and less with each addition to the circuit to keep speed and explosion as high as possible.

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