Strength Report: Writing the Winter Off-Season Strength and

Conditioning Program (Part I)

By: Mike Gentry
Copyright American Football Monthly

I enjoy my profession of strength and conditioning coaching because it allows me the

opportunity to choose and to create the tools that can then be used by our athletes to improve
their athletic performance. After 30 years of writing strength and conditioning programs at the
Division I level, my approach has evolved into a systematic methodology of program design that
fits my overall strength and conditioning training philosophy.

Virginia Tech Football Strength and Conditioning Training Philosophy

Periodization
I believe in a phased periodization approach to physical training as developed originally by
Eastern European and Soviet Union scientists and coaches and introduced here to American
coaches by researchers such as Mike Stone, Bill Kraemer and Vladimir Zatsiorsky.

The training model should provide a roadmap that allows the athlete to progress from point A
to point B. The use of periodization principles will help a coach to determine appropriate
volume, intensity and frequency of training.

Exercise Selection and Teaching Methods

When training football players, the use of multi-joint, ground based movements should be the
core or focus of their resistance training. Exercises such as Olympic lifting variations, squatting
variations, and pressing variations offer more opportunities for sport specific movements and
also increase overall coordination and balance.

The exercise instruction should be progressive in nature, from simple to complex. As an

example, the hang clean is taught from a hang position jump shrug first, followed by a hang
position high pull, progressing to a hang clean.

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The one element of athleticism that affects other parameters of athleticism the most is
strength. This is particularly true for younger and untrained athletes.

There is a high correlation between an athlete’s relative strength and short sprint speed. The
development of absolute strength is essential and should be emphasized during the winter off-
season phase of football training.

When training explosive power athletes, it’s my belief that some of their training should be
done with velocity. This application of force can be trained with the use of Olympic lifting
variations, plyometric exercises and other exercise modalities. We typically program at least
one explosive, high velocity exercise each training session.

Training Intensities and Exercise Variety

Bar speed is of paramount importance when using the Olympic lifts for the development of
explosive power. When programming clean, snatch and jerk variations, we use fewer reps per
set, performed at lower intensities. This allows greater bar speed and more transferable results.
In general, it is better to slightly undertrain a football player in the weight room than to
overtrain him. My goal is for our players to achieve every programmed rep of our foundational
core exercises, not easily but successfully.
Our philosophy includes changing most assistance exercises every two to three weeks during
both the off-season and in-season. There should be frequent use of different variations of pulls,
the squat and presses particularly during in-season training. Using a variety of the fundamental
core exercises and consistently changing your assistance exercises is vitally important for
avoiding accommodation, boredom and overuse injuries.

Successive Steps When Writing the Off-Season Program

There are seven steps to writing the winter off-season program, each of which are described in
the paragraphs to follow.

Step 1: Determine your overall training philosophy.

Step 2: Develop your annual plan.
Step 3: Develop your exercise and drill menus.
Step 4: Use the Predicted Maximum Chart to program core lifts.
Step 5: Write your periodization schedule.
Step 6: Write your weekly and daily training program.
Step 7: Test and evaluate.

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Step 1: Determine Your Overall Training Philosophy
Your training philosophy should be based on your investigation of the science of training
through formal and informal education. This includes talking with and reading the ideas of
strength and conditioning professionals, as well as your personal experiences of what has
worked and not worked well in your past experience training players.

Step 2: Develop Your Annual Plan

Before I start to develop the off-season program or winter program for football I develop a
loosely structured annual plan. In general, the plan should include the physical goals that are
most important during each phase of training. Each of these phases will have different training
priorities based on their proximity to the competitive season. While concurrent training goals
are necessary, prioritization of training goals must be honored. (See Chart 1)

College Football Annual Strength and Conditioning Plan Example

Season Duration Goal
Increase Absolute Strength and Muscular
Off-Season: Winter 6 to 7 Weeks
Hypertrophy
Pre-Season: Spring Football 2 to 3 Weeks Increased Specific Conditioning
Strength, Power and Conditioning
In-Season: Spring Football 4 Weeks
Maintenance
Increase Strength, Power and Anaerobic
Pre-Season: Summer Session One 4 to 5 Weeks
Conditioning
Increase Power-Specific Conditioning and
Pre-Season: Summer Session Two 4 to 5 Weeks
Agility
Each phase is designed to maintain
Phased approach of
In-Season: Fall Football strength, power and specific conditioning
3 to 4 Weeks Each
levels obtained in the pre-season phase

Step 3: Develop Your Exercise and Drill Menus

Prior to writing your program, it is helpful to develop menus of training exercises and drills
organized in related categories. This list should be updated each year. These exercise menus
allow you to keep variety in your program. The exercises must be appropriate and practical.
(See Chart 2)

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 Sample Exercise Menu
1. Warm-up and Core 2. Explosive Power 3. Absolute Strength Multi Joint

Dynamic Warm-up Exercises Olympic Lift Variations Lower Body (Bilateral) Upper Body (Bilateral) (continued)
 Walking Toe Touch Hang Clean Progression Back Squat Variations Shoulder Press
 Slipping Toe Touch  Jump Shrug from Hang Position  High Bar Olympic Style  Standing Barbell Overhead Press
 Walking Knee Hug  High Pull from Hang Position  Low Bar Powerlifting Style  Standing Barbell behind the Neck
 Skipping Toe Touch  Hang Clean  High Box Squat Press
 Low Shuffle  Low Box Squat  Seated Barbell Overhead Press
 Low Carioca Power Clean Progression  Seated Barbell behind the
 High Knee Carioca  Olympic Deadlift to Knee Front Squat Variations Neck Press
 High Knee Crossover  Clean Pulls  Bear Squat Machine -Double Leg  Seated Overhead Press Machine
 Backward Skip  Power Clean  Pit Shark Machine-Double Leg
 Leg Press Machine-Double Leg Upper Body (Isolateral)
Abdominal and Core Exercises Push Jerk Progression Bench Press Variations
 Hokie Leg Raises  Standing Military Press Lower Body (Isolateral)  Dumbbell Supine Bench Press -
 ABC Sit Ups  Push Press  Barbell & Dumbbell Box Step Ups Both arms together, alternate
 Twisting Sit Ups  Push Jerk  Barbell & Dumbbell Stationary press or single arm only
 Bicycle Lunges  Dumbbell Incline Bench Press -
 Flutter Kick Power Snatch Progression  Barbell & Dumbbell Walking Both Arms together, alternate
 Dying Cockroach  Snatch Grip Jump Shrug from Hang Lunges press or single arm only
 Lawn Chairs  Snatch Grip High Pull from Hang  Single Leg Squat Barbell or  Dumbbell Decline Bench Press -
 Pikes  Hang Snatch Dumbbell Both arms together, alternate
 Cherry Pickers  Snatch Grip Olympic Deadlift  Single Leg Bear Squat Machine press or single arm only
 Front Plank  Snatch Grip Clean Pulls from floor  Single Leg Leg Press
 Side Plank  Power Snatch Shoulder Press
 Upper Body (Bilateral)  Dumbbell Standing Overhead -
 Explosive Power Variations Bench Press Variations Both arms together, alternate
 Explosive Box Step Ups with  Regular Supine Bench Press press or single arm only
bodyweight or vest  Close Grip Supine Bench Press  Dumbbell Seated Overhead -
 Explosive Bear Machine Jumps  Supine Bench Board Press Both arms together, alternate
 Vertimax Machine Jumps  Power Rack Partial Bench press or single arm only
 Plyometric Box Jump Variations Lockouts
 Hammer Jammer Machine  Incline Bench Press
 Speed Back Squats with Tendo  Decline Bench Press
Machines  Chain or Band Supine Bench Press
 Bench Press Machine

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Step 4: Use the Predicted Maximum Chart to Program Core Lifts
Use of the Predicted Maximum Chart will allow you to properly program your athletes’ core lifts
throughout the cycle. This knowledge will allow you to systematically move the athletes toward
appropriate near max per repetitions (training peaks) as they progress through the training
cycle. As an example: 75% for 10 reps, 85% for 5 reps, 92% for 3 reps. You should gradually
move the athletes toward a theoretical max per repetitions as they progress through the cycle.
(See Chart 3)

Predicted Maximum Chart

Number Percentage of
of Repetitions One Rep Maximum
1 100%
2 95.5%
3 91.7%
4 88.5%
5 85.7%
6 83.2%
7 80.9%
8 78.8%
9 76.9%
10 75.2%
11 73.6%
12 72.1%
Example:
Calculate Maximum of 5 reps with 280 pounds
Step 1: Convert to Decimal
85.7% /100 = .857
Step 2: Calculate Predicted Maximum
280/.857= 325

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Step 5: Write Your Periodization Schedule
After choosing your primary or core lifts, write your periodization schedule for the training
cycle. The schedule provides the target intensity for the last set of preselected core exercises
through each week of the cycle. These intensities are selected based on the goal of the
program, the athlete’s general profile and length of the cycle. (See Chart 4)

Virginia Tech Football Winter Off-Season Periodization Schedule Example

Back Squat Bench Press Power Clean Push Press Push Jerk
Week 1 64% – 10 reps 70% – 8 reps 73% – 3 reps 67% – 3 reps n/a
Week 2 76% – 6 reps 76% – 6 reps 76% – 3 reps 70% – 3 reps n/a
Week 3 79% – 5 reps 79% – 5 reps 79% – 3 reps 73% – 3 reps n/a
Week 4 82% – 5 reps 85% – 5 reps 82% – 3 reps n/a 82% – 3 reps
Week 5 85% – 3 reps 88% – 3 reps 85% – 3 reps n/a 85% – 2 reps
Week 6 88% – 3 reps 91% – 2 reps 88% – 1 rep n/a 88% – 1 rep
Week 7 Get 3 rep max Get 1 rep max Get 1 rep max n/a Get 1 rep max

Step 6: Write Your Weekly and Daily Training Program

The next step in the writing process is to determine your weekly training frequency (as an
example, three or four days of resistance training per week.) I believe a variety of training
frequencies can be effective. I’ve chosen the four-day-per-week model for our winter Off-
Season approach.

Remember, at this time of the year, our most important adaptation is to become stronger and
gain muscle. This chart represents the framework I used to develop this particular off-season
program. I recommend developing your weekly and daily training programs with support from
your periodization schedule, predicted max chart and exercise menus. (See Chart 5)

Organization of Daily Training Schedule Example

Monday Tuesday Thursday Friday
Dynamic Warm Up Dynamic Warm Up Dynamic Warm Up Dynamic Warm Up
Foot Speed Drills Foot Speed Drills Foot Speed Drills Foot Speed Drills
Court – Abdominal Ex. Court – Abdominal Ex. Court – Abdominal Ex. Court – Abdominal Ex.
Explosive Exercise (Heavy) Explosive Exercise (Light) Explosive Exercise (Heavy) Explosive Exercise (Light)
Lower Body Strength (Heavy) Upper Body Strength (Heavy) Lower Body Strength (Light) Upper Body Strength (Light)
Assistance Exercises Assistance Exercises Assistance Exercises Assistance Exercises
Conditioning – Resistance Conditioning Speed, Agility, Quickness Conditioning
(i.e. Boards or Sleds) -or- Drills -or -
-or- Speed, Agility, Quickness -or- Speed, Agility, Quickness
Speed, Agility, Quickness Drills Drills Competitive Games Drills

Flexibility – Recovery Flexibility – Recovery Flexibility – Recovery Flexibility – Recovery

(i.e. Static, Hurdles, Straps, (i.e. Static, Hurdles, Straps, (i.e. Static, Hurdles, Straps, (i.e. Static, Hurdles, Straps,
Bands) Bands) Bands) Bands)
Foam Rolling Foam Rolling Foam Rolling Foam Rolling

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Using the framework shown above, along with the periodization schedule and your particular
exercise menus, you are ready to craft the program that you feel will be the best fit for your
particular team, facility and overall situation. Please refer to the charts for the 2014 Winter Off-
Season Strength – Power Schedule and 2014 Winter Off-Season SAQ Schedule that are posted
on AmericanFootballMonthly.com. This will include the total six week off-season training plan,
including the SAQ and conditioning elements of the plan.

Step 7: Test and Evaluate

I encourage you to include some form of testing and evaluation in your program. Testing allows
you to evaluate your athletes’ progress and your program’s effectiveness. When structured and
administered correctly, this testing phase will provide motivation to the athlete and reinforce
correct exercise technique.

Be sure that your testing protocol measures your training objectives.

In the next issue of AFM, I will be addressing coaching methods and philosophy. Your skills in
these areas are arguably more important than your programming expertise in developing
winning athletes. Stay strong.

Winter Off Season SAQ Schedule PDF

Winter Off Season Strength - Power PDF

About the Author: Mike Gentry is Associate Athletic Director for Athletic Performance at
Virginia Tech. He has been a head coach on the BCS level for 32 years. Gentry has a Bachelor’s
Degree, Master’s Degree and a Doctorate in Education. He won Samson Equipment’s Strength
and Conditioning Coach of the Year award in 2004. Gentry and Dr. Tony Caterisano recently
completed a book on strength and conditioning - The Ultimate Guide to Physical Training for
Football. Gentry was inducted as a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by the CSCCA in
2003. Mike served two three-year terms on the CSCCA Board of Directors from 2006 to 2012.
Gentry was inducted into the USA Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame Collegiate Division
in 2011.

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