Using Density in Your Football Training to Get Bigger
One of the great mysteries to athletes and coaches is how to continually make progress in their Strength and Conditioning programs. We’ve all seen over and over again that simple progressive overload is quite limited in its effectiveness.
If it were as simple as slapping on another 5lbs on the bar every week, then we’d all be benching 8,000lbs and squatting around 10. Obviously, this is not the case.
To make matters worse, when you simply continue to cycle up-ward time after time you will not only hit a huge wall, but injuries will start to pile up.
The major flaw in football training programs that use progressive overload, especially when coupled with traditional Western Periodization, is that the athlete is under-prepared for the majority of the year. And, when it’s time to peak, guys start getting hurt. When it comes down to it, you’ve spent 8 weeks doing nothing to prepare yourself for a max lift, and cramming it into a small 3 – 4 week cycle just won’t cut it.
A Better Solution?
Now, when one utilizes the conjugate or Westside-esc method, progress can be continually attained.
Remember, however that the Westside approach is geared towards powerlifters specifically. Despite this fact, it is easily adaptable to the world of football training. Louie Simmons has certainly helped countless non-powerlifting athletes achieve great success in the gym and on the field. He’s the mad genius behind the system and therefore is quite capable of adapting and customizing the template.
However, I’ve noticed too many coaches who advocate the conjugate method, both in-person and in print, ignore a key factor: Density.
EDT and the Density Factor
No one on this site has to be reminded of the tremendous success of Coach Staley’s Escalating Density System (EDT).
The system has become extremely popular, much like Westside. But, with popularity comes perversion of the system. Both systems are very straightforward. However, peruse any Internet lifting forum and see people list their EDT or “Westside” plans that are so different from the original outlay that they are unrecognizable! The funniest thing about this is that both systems are highly adaptable to fit the user’s needs, yet some people are still managing to screw things up!
Density, for our purposes simply, is getting in as much muscular work as possible in a given amount of time. Looking at the classic Westside Dynamic, or speed day, one can see elements of the density factor (tightly timed rest periods, getting to 12 sets in a very short amount of time).
In the case of EDT, along the way someone got it in their head that this is a bodybuilding only style of training. I’ve seen people write about their training volumes that make feel like blowing my mind up!
Is there anything wrong with high volume? No, it’s necessary at many points and on many movements. But, when you look at the load they are using, it’s immediately obvious as to why they stopped making progress…there’s not enough damn weight on the bar!
Using Both Systems to Create a Sure-fire, Guaranteed Successful Program
So, how do we tie these two seemingly different systems together to improve athletic performance?
Simple. In fact, it’s not a wholly new concept, as Simmons has touched on it in some of his own articles.
Football players need to be strong, no doubt. But there are other factors involved in being a great player
1. Strength – Max Strength is foundational to all other elements of training.
2. Speed – No matter how strong you are, if you aren’t quick, the game will fly by you.
3. Power – A player must be able to put their strength to use in an explosive environment, otherwise it’s wasted. Power, or explosiveness, is a must. You must be able to convert your weightroom strength into useable skill on the field
4. Size – Football players are bigger than ever. In the 1950′s and 60′s, a 210lb lineman would’ve been able to play in the NFL. Now, high school running backs weigh 220. We are starting to see 250lb Quaterbacks and the rise of the 260+ running back. If a player isn’t big enough for his position, in most cases, he’s a goner.
5. Attitude – Football, and most sports, are more mental than physical. A wrong attitude (this ties in strongly to work ethic) will end your career faster than any injury ever could.
6. Football Skill – While this can’t be addressed specifically in the weightroom, there are elements of the program that can help. But, playing the sport will always be the ultimate way to acquire the skill necessary to succeed.
Putting It All Together
Take a good look at that list of attributes. Notice anything? All but number 6 are addressed in some way by both conjugate periodization and EDT. So why not take elements of both and create a system that will always deliver results? You can, and it’s really quite simple.
See, without density, progress will stall. Football training must always move us to the next level – more muscle, more speed, more strength!
Using the density factor, you will be able to get the appropriate amount of volume and intensity on both the main (max or dynamic effort) movements and the accessory exercises needed to build quality muscle. Basically, the density factor, when applied properly, regulates volume and intensity by managing fatigue, rather than performing a set number of sets and reps. Why stick to 3 x 8 if you are having a good day and could do 3 x 12?
