15 Explosive Football Workouts to Build Speed and Power

The right explosive football workouts and football strength training program will drastically improve your game. Using speed training and explosive football training will have you feeling elite on the field . In this guide, I’ve listed the best explosive exercises, so you can have a huge advantage and become a better football player.

What Exercises Increase Explosiveness?

Speed kills and all the great NFL players have their explosive training program.

I’ve broken down the my most explosive exercises into to the following group: plyometric, strength training and on field speed and agility drills.

Plyometric Exercises

Plyometric exercises are renowned for their ability to develop explosive power. Incorporate the following exercises into your training routine:

Box Jumps
Medicine Ball Slams
Depth Jumps
Tuck Jumps
Lateral Bounds

Box Jumps

Instructions:

Stand in front of a sturdy box with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend your knees, swing your arms backward, and lower your hips into a squat position.
Explosively jump upward, extending your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously.
Land softly on top of the box with your knees slightly bent.
Step down carefully from the box and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Propel yourself onto a sturdy box, focusing on a quick and powerful jump.

Medicine Ball Slams

Instructions:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a medicine ball with both hands.
Lift the medicine ball overhead, fully extending your arms.
Forcefully slam the medicine ball onto the ground in front of you, using your core and upper body strength.
Squat down as you slam the ball, engaging your legs and hips.
Retrieve the ball and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Grab a medicine ball and forcefully slam it into the ground, engaging your entire body.

Depth Jumps

Instructions:

Stand on a sturdy platform or box that is around knee height.
Step off the box and as soon as you land, explode into a vertical jump as high as possible.
Focus on minimizing ground contact time and maximizing the height of your jump.
Land softly with your knees slightly bent to absorb the impact.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

Step off a box and immediately explode into a vertical jump upon landing.

Tuck Jumps

Instructions:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
Squat down slightly and swing your arms behind you.
Explosively jump upward, driving your knees up toward your chest as high as possible.
At the peak of the jump, tuck your knees in and grab them with your hands, maintaining a tight core.
Extend your legs back out and land softly with your knees slightly bent, then repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Jump as high as you can, bringing your knees up toward your chest.

Lateral Bounds

Instructions:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
Shift your weight onto one leg while keeping the other leg slightly lifted off the ground.
Explosively push off with the grounded leg, propelling yourself sideways.
While in mid-air, switch the position of your legs, landing on the opposite leg.
Repeat the movement in a lateral hopping motion, alternating between legs for the desired number of repetitions.

Leap laterally from side to side, emphasizing a quick change of direction.

Strength Training

Gym Equipment — Scene Of Empty Gym And Exercising Equipment

Let’s talk about exercises to try in the weight room. You need a solid foundation of strength that will help translate to the football field. Incorporate these key strength exercises into your regimen to gain explosive strength:

Squats
Deadlifts
Power cleans
Lunges
Hip Thrusts

Squats

Instructions:

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward.
Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your chest up and back straight.
Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below.
Push through your heels to return to the starting position, fully extending your hips and knees.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Perform barbell squats to strengthen your lower body and improve your explosive leg power.

Deadlifts

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell in front of you.
Bend at the hips and knees, lowering your torso while maintaining a neutral spine.
Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width overhand or mixed grip.
Keeping your back flat and core engaged, drive through your heels to lift the bar by extending your hips and knees.
Stand up tall, then reverse the movement by hinging at the hips and lowering the bar back to the ground.

Engage your posterior chain with deadlifts, building overall strength and explosiveness.

Power Cleans

Instructions:

Begin with your feet hip-width apart and the barbell on the floor in front of you.
Squat down and grasp the barbell with a shoulder-width grip.
Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles while shrugging your shoulders.
As the barbell rises, pull yourself under it and catch it on the front of your shoulders in a racked position.
Stand up fully, then lower the barbell back down to the starting position with control.

Develop explosive power by incorporating power cleans into your routine.

Lunges

Instructions:

Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart.
Take a step forward with one leg, lowering your body until both knees are bent at approximately 90-degree angles.
Ensure that your front knee stays directly above your ankle and your back knee hovers just above the ground.
Push through your front heel to return to the starting position.
Alternate legs and repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

Strengthen your legs individually and improve stability with walking lunges or reverse lunges.

Hip Thrusts

Instructions:

Begin by sitting on the ground with your back against a stable bench or platform.
Position a barbell or a weight plate over your hips.
Plant your feet firmly on the ground, hip-width apart, and drive through your heels to lift your hips off the ground.
Squeeze your glutes at the top and ensure your body forms a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
Lower your hips back down to the ground and repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.

Target your glutes and hamstrings to enhance your explosiveness off the line of scrimmage.

Speed Training Drills

When it comes to football, speed can be a game-changer. By focusing on specific drills and exercises, you can improve your acceleration and top speed, enabling you to blow past defenders. Here are some effective football drills to enhance your speed:

Shuttle Runs
L-Drill
T-Drill
Ickey Shuffle
Sled Pushes

Shuttle Runs:

Instructions:

Set up two cones approximately 10-20 yards apart.
Start at one cone and sprint to the other cone as quickly as possible.
Touch the line with one hand, change direction, and sprint back to the starting cone.
Repeat for several sets, gradually increasing your speed and intensity.

L-Drill:

Instructions:

Set up three cones in an L-shape formation, with 5 yards between each cone.
Start at the base of the L, sprint to the first cone, pivot and sprint to the second cone, pivot again, and sprint through the finish line.
Focus on explosiveness, precise footwork, and quick changes of direction.
Repeat the drill for several sets, aiming to improve your speed and agility with each repetition.

T-Drill:

Instructions:

Set up three cones in the shape of a T, with the top cone at the top and the other two cones forming the base.
Start at the base of the T, sprint forward to the top cone, touch it, then shuffle to one side cone, touch it, shuffle to the other side cone, touch it, and finish by backpedaling to the starting position.
Focus on explosiveness, quick changes of direction, and maintaining proper form.
Repeat the drill for several sets, aiming for precision and agility.

Ickey Shuffle:

Instructions:

Set up five cones in a straight line, approximately 1 yard apart.
Start next to the first cone and shuffle laterally to the second cone, step over it with one foot, shuffle to the third cone, step over it with the other foot, and so on until you reach the last cone.
Focus on quick and precise footwork, maintaining a low and athletic stance throughout the drill.
Repeat the drill for several sets, gradually increasing your speed and agility.

Sled Pushes:

Instructions:

Load a sled with an appropriate weight and position yourself behind it with a strong athletic stance.
Drive forward explosively, pushing the sled with maximum force.
Focus on driving through your legs, maintaining a low center of gravity, and engaging your core and upper body.
Push the sled for a predetermined distance or time, rest, and repeat for several sets, gradually increasing the weight or distance as you progress.

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Executive Summary

There you have it – my list of the best explosive exercises.

These football drills will help with sprint speed and explosive strength.

Let me know what other exercises outside of the traditional box squats, power clean, and clean pulls that you enjoy.

15 Explosive Football Workouts to Build Speed and Power