Starting Strength during football season?

[bluejay44993]

I have recently decided to keep playing football and now 2 adays start today. From now on till the end of the season I need a program to follow so that I can maintain strength or possibly add strength. I will be tracking calories and macros, trust me I will be in a surplus so that I can recover from the workouts. I am practicing Monday through Friday with a game on Saturday usually. I read the football faq thread and I am considering doing Starting Strength. What days do you think I should run it on and if you don't think I should run this program then what should I run? Current stats are squat: 275x5 deadlift: 295x5 bench: 195x5 military: 115x5 Also should I eat surplus calories or maintenance?

[cthulhupun]

Check out The Strongest Shall Survive by Bill Starr. He was/is Rippetoe's mentor, and Rippetoe's program is based on Bill Starr's. The difference is that Bill Starr's program is built around getting you strong for football, so it takes into account the rigors of football practice (while Starting Strength is focused purely on strength).
http://aasgaardco.com/store/books/th...g-for-football

[sowilson]

Does your football team / school have a strength and conditioning coach? If so I would follow their program unless it's useless. When deciding on a program I would want to know more about your practice schedule in season. Things like what days are heavy hitting days, which are light, if you have a Saturday game is Friday a walk through, etc? You'll want to have your workout jive with your practice intensity. On my son's team the offensive and defensive lift two days a week on different days. Both days are full body with one day being heavy and the other light. You need to schedule your work so that there's plenty of rest prior to the contest. Besides playing DT, my son is also prepping for Basketball and Baseball (Saturday basketball, Sunday Double Header baseball) and he'll usually get in a third lift after the 2nd baseball game on Sunday (his lift days are Tuesday and Thursday). Whatever program you choose be flexible enough in your routine to add or subtract lifts based on how your body feels. Sometimes my son's groin tightens up, if so he'll add a bit of abducter/aducter work, which works for him. If his back took a beating in a game (handling double teams of 300lb offensive lineman, or helment hits in the back) he may skip squats with a bar and do belt squats (no spine loading). More important than gaining strength in season is recovering from the brutal nature of the game. Ice baths, foam rolling, and lacross balls are your friends.