Each group lifted three days a week (Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays) in their high school’s weight room.
The resistance-training program for this study,with the exception of the hang cleans,utilized an undulated periodization approach geared towards enhancing sports performance.
The weight for hang cleans was progressed in a linear manner to gradually build up the resistance for the athletes due to their inexperience with performing this exercise.
Each work out was designed towards a total body approach, having lifts that targeted each body section.
Exercises in this program were all multiple-joint exercises requiring synergy to occur among different muscle groups.
The program consisted of a mixture of Olympic and traditional style exercises.
Rest time between sets was not tightly controlled nor was other physical activity outside of football practice.
Although this may have affected results it was the desire to keep this study as close to “real world” experience as possible
Athletes were advised to eat a balanced diet and encouraged to drink appropriate amounts to offset sweat and maintain reduced thirst however there was not a registered dietitian assigned to either group
Excluding hang cleans; all exercises consisted of three sets with the total volume
progressing in an undulated manner.
Hang cleans were placed at the beginning of the workout for each day it was performed, with a total of five sets with the reps not exceeding three.
During the first four weeks, hang cleans were referred to as “speed cleans” to emphasize bar speed and utilized lighter weight to help develop proper form and technique.
Exercise resistance for each work out was predetermined for hang cleans, bench, and squat based on each individual’s multiple rep max pretest.
For all other exercises involving free weights, the athletes were instructed to use an appropriate amount of resistance in order to perform only the required number of repetitions for that given set.
Athletes were instructed to perform each set of inverted rows and pull ups to max.