Lower Body Power & Tendon Strength
(Week 7, Power Sprint Program)Day Overview
This session emphasizes explosive leg movements and tendon resilience, especially in Achilles and tendons supporting knee and hip. Heavy compound lifts are combined with accessory work to build strength, muscle, and tendon durability, crucial for football speed and injury prevention.
Exercises
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• Back Squat (Safety Squat Bar)
The Back Squat with a Safety Squat Bar involves placing the specialized barbell with padding across the upper back and shoulders. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly pointed outward. Keep your chest up, core engaged, and maintain a neutral spine. Initiate the movement by hinging at the hips and bending the knees to lower your hips downward and backward, as if sitting into a chair. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground or slightly below, ensuring knees track over toes. Push through your heels to return to the starting position, maintaining proper form throughout. The Safety Squat Bar's design reduces stress on the shoulders and allows for a more upright torso, making it suitable for individuals with shoulder or wrist limitations. It primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core muscles, with emphasis on maintaining stability and proper alignment during the movement.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 6-8 reps at RPE 8-9. Focus on proper depth, controlled descent, and explosive drive upward. Builds maximal leg strength and tendon resilience.
Working Sets:
4
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• Romanian Deadlift
Focus on hamstring engagement by lowering the barbell with a slight knee bend while keeping the back straight.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 8-10 reps at RPE 8. Emphasize hip hinge and posterior chain engagement to strengthen hamstrings and glutes, supporting Achilles health.
Working Sets:
4
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• Leg Press
Sit on the leg press machine and push the platform with your legs to extend your knees.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 8-10 reps with RPE 8. Focus on full range of motion and controlled tempo to maximize hypertrophy and tendon loading.
Working Sets:
4
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• Walking Lunges
Begin by standing upright with feet hip-width apart. Step forward with your right foot, lowering your hips until both knees are bent at about 90 degrees. Keep your torso upright and your front knee aligned over your ankle. Push through the heel of your front foot to stand up and bring your back foot forward into the next lunge position, stepping ahead into a new lunge. Continue alternating legs in a walking motion, maintaining proper form throughout. Keep your core engaged, shoulders back, and avoid letting your front knee go past your toes.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 3 sets of 12 reps per leg at RPE 8. Use bodyweight or light dumbbells, emphasizing stability and control to strengthen tendons and muscles supporting knee and ankle.
Working Sets:
3
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• Single Leg Dumbbell Calf Raise
Perform standing calf raise with a barbell or a dumbell. Use a single leg if using a dumbbell.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 15-20 reps at RPE 7-8. Focus on slow, controlled reps and full stretch/contraction to strengthen Achilles and calf tendons.
Working Sets:
4
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• Hip Abduction Machine
To perform the hip abduction machine exercise, sit on the machine with your back against the padded support. Adjust the seat height and backrest to ensure comfort and proper alignment. Place your legs inside the padded levers, ensuring that your knees are aligned with the pivot point of the machine. Grip the handles or the sides of the seat for stability. Begin the movement by pushing your legs outward against the resistance, focusing on squeezing your glutes and outer thighs. Keep your feet flexed and avoid arching your back. Slowly return to the starting position while maintaining control. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 12-15 reps with RPE 7-8. Targets hip abductors for lateral stability and injury prevention.
Working Sets:
4
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• Reverse Hyperextensions
To perform reverse hyperextensions, lie face down on a hyperextension bench with your hips positioned at the edge. Secure your legs under the pads or supports. Keep your arms crossed over your chest or behind your head. Engage your glutes and lower back muscles to lift your legs and hips upward, extending your hips and legs behind you in a controlled manner. Avoid using momentum; focus on muscle engagement. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout. Keep your neck in a neutral position and avoid overarching your lower back during the movement.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 10-12 reps at RPE 8. Focus on glute and lower back engagement to support posterior chain health.
Working Sets:
4
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• Kettlebell Swing
Swing a kettlebell between your legs and then up to shoulder height, hinging at the hips.
Prescribed Sets:
Perform 4 sets of 12-15 reps at RPE 8. Explosive hip hinge movement to develop power, speed, and tendon resilience in posterior chain.
Working Sets:
4