Optimizing Off-Season Strength and Conditioning for High School Football: Insights from Cody Hughes
In the second part of our strength & conditioning series we chatted with Cody Hughes on how effective strength and conditioning programs can make a difference, not only with performance but also in preventing injuries. Hughes, the Assistant Athletic Director and Head Strength Coach at Madison Academy Huntsville, AL, shared insights on how to optimize your programs off-season training, including specific suggestions for both the overall 8-week structure and weekly regimen. If you missed part 1 you can find it here.
Starting Light and Building Up
Coach Hughes emphasizes the importance of starting the off-season training with lighter workouts and progressively increasing the intensity. "Week one, don't kill them," Hughes advises. He emphasized that the primary goal for high school coaches should be to make sure players get to fall camp healthy. Overtraining in the first few weeks can lead to significant fatigue and increase the risk of injuries, which can derail their progress for the entire off-season program and beyond.
Key Considerations for Week One
In the first week, Hughes recommends focusing on maintaining energy levels and avoiding excessive fatigue. "There's a common trend I see around the country, especially in high school, that I think is borderline a plague," Hughes notes. Coaches can get overly excited coming out of spring ball and push athletes too hard, too soon. This can lead to cumulative fatigue that diminishes the quality of training in the next few weeks. Instead, Hughes suggests a more measured approach, allowing athletes to acclimate over time.
Movement Selection and Avoiding Pitfalls
When it comes to exercise selection, Hughes is clear about avoiding movements that pose a high risk of injury, especially if coaches are not experts in those exercises. "I think that the power clean can be the biggest waste of time in high school strength conditioning," he says, arguing that its return on investment is low. Instead, he recommends focusing on movements that can be coached effectively and safely, such as squats, bench presses, and plyometrics. (Hughes clarified that he doesn’t hate power cleans and acknowledges that most of the issues are likely due to improper teaching of the movement.)
Programming for Power and Speed
Developing power and speed is important for football players. Hughes is a big advocate of sprints, plyometrics, and jumps within the off-season program. The use of technology and metrics, such as Velocity Based Training (VBT), can help track progress and ensure players are training at the correct intensity. "If you take cleans away from your program and don't even replace it with anything, do any metrics go down? Is anything affected? So why are you doing it?" says Hughes.
Utilizing Technology in Training
VBT is a pillar of Hughes' approach. This technology measures how fast the barbell is moving and provides immediate feedback, allowing for adjustments in training intensity. "What VBT does is it helps dial in even when you're lifting heavy," Hughes explains. This ensures players are training correctly without pushing into the danger zone.
Developing Strength and Size Effectively
Hughes emphasizes the need to balance heavy lifting with volume to promote hypertrophy (muscle growth). "You need to accumulate a lot of heavy reps, but do it intelligently because too much can fry the system," he said. Hughes suggests an approach that involves more sets with fewer reps to maximize gains while minimizing the risk.
Motivating and Monitoring Athletes
Creating a competitive and motivating culture in the weight room is a must. Hughes uses data and technology to track progress, providing athletes with goals to strive for. "Creating competition and incentive to move fast is crucial," he says. This not only enhances performance but also fosters a culture of continuous improvement.
Structuring the Summer Program
Hughes outlines a structured 8-week summer program, emphasizing the balance between weight room work and field activities. Here’s a breakdown of his recommendations:
Week One: Focus on light intensity to maintain energy and avoid fatigue.
June: Accumulate work capacity with progressive increases in volume and intensity.
July: Increase intensity and volume further, preparing athletes for the upcoming season.
Practical Weekly Training Example
Hughes provides a practical example of a weekly training schedule:
Monday: Upper body focus and change of direction/agility work
Tuesday: High-intensity sprints and lower body work
Wednesday: Recovery and upper body workout
Thursday: Power output exercises and competition-based drills
Conclusion
Cody Hughes' insights offer a blueprint for high school football coaches to optimize their off-season training. By starting light, focusing on gradual progression, and incorporating power and speed training, coaches can prepare their players for fall camp. Using tech like VBT and maintaining a competitive culture makes sure players are motivated and training at a high level.
Resources and Further Reading
For those interested in diving deeper into strength and conditioning, Coach Hughes recommends the following resources:
CLH Strength - Cody Hughes' website with free resources and programs
SimpliFaster - Articles on speed training, plyometrics, and more
National High School Strength Coaches Association - Certification and educational resources for high school coaches
Follow Coach Cody Hughes on Twitter @clh_strength.