PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Collegiate football programs strive to create a winning team that includes recruiting massive individuals to play in line positions. Often, these athletes are encouraged to continue to increase their body size with little advice given on proper nutrition or specific goals for dietary intake. Body weight can indicate if players are increasing in size, but body composition also needs to be considered. In this study, body composition in the younger linemen had unfavorable changes at postseason, although these younger linemen had no significant change in weight. Results from our study could be used to support the implementation of a “training table” program for the athletic department lead by a dietician so that nutritional education programs could be initiated. A dietician also could offer advice on dietary intake and help athletes monitor energy and protein intake according to their activity level needs. Possible suggestions for changes to the in-season training program would be to incorporate some high-intensity low-volume training in the earlier part of the season. It seems that 60 to just over 70% intensity is not adequate to maintain lean mass for these players. Collegiate football programs that include nutrition counseling, dietary recommendations, monitoring of weight, and skinfold testing as an estimate of body fat during the season would be beneficial to these players. Strength and conditioning coaches and staff need to consider these strategies and incorporate these practices into their programs for the well-being of their athletes.