How to Train to be a Faster, Better Receiver

Receivers need a weight lifting workout to make them faster, not weight them down.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Football receivers, like every other position on the field, are skilled athletes trained in a specific way. Typically, when a whole team is on a lifting schedule together, that routine is based on linebackers. Receivers are not pounding other players, they aren't blitzing and they sure aren't making tackles, so why are receivers spending hours doing heavy, slow lifts like their 240 pound teammates?
   
   Poor coaching.
   
   Great receivers are separated by speed and finesse, not the power to drive someone back or make tackles. Receivers need weight training that will help them improve their skills on the field. They need strong, explosive legs for sprinting and jumping. They need strong calves and ankles to make quick cuts while running routes and they need strong, explosive arms to handle the bump of a defensive back. Here is a training routine to cater to the needs of today's football receiver.
2. Day 1
   Push - Chest, Shoulders and Triceps
   Keep all of the movements explosive. One count up and three counts down. Use a weight light enough that you can quickly press it but heavy enough that you only have one or two reps left in the tank after the set. Don't work to failure, as you will over train.
   Bench press 3x8
   Cable crossovers 3x8
   Dumbbell incline press 3x8
   Dumbbell shoulder press 3x8
   Skull crushers 3x8
3. Day 2
   Pull - Back, Biceps
   Take your time on the dead lifts to avoid a lower back injury but explode on everything else. One count up and three down. Like on your press day, don't work to failure.
   Dead lift 3x8
   Shrugs 3x12
   Dumbbell row 3x8
   Lat pull down 3x8
   Dumbbell curls 3x8
4. Day 3
   Legs - Glutes, Hamstrings, Quads and Calves
   These movements are meant to build up your posterior chain and help you to jump higher and run faster. Make all of the exercises quick and explosive. Also, do your calf raises with your feet pointed in, strait and out to build up all the muscle of your lower leg and surrounding your ankle.
   Jump squat 3x8
   Hang clean 3x8
   Stiff leg dead lift 3x8
   Leg curls 3x8
   Calf raises 3x15
5. Remember to keep lifts quick and explosive like you would be on the field. Lifting slow makes you slow and slow is the enemy of receivers. Keep up the tempo of the workout by only resting for one minute between sets and two minutes between exercises. Remember to do a quick warm up set before each major movement and do a proper cool down stretch at the end. Flexibility is very important to receivers and all football players to prevent injury and keep you on the field.