At the time of writing this blog post, the 2023 NFL off-season has now officially started. For the lineman, the off-season is the only time of year when he can systematically utilize maximal effort training to develop appropriate levels* of absolute strength capacity. Training at this stimulating intensity against maximal forms of resistance to acquire absolute strength (i.e., utilization of the ME method) is paramount to the lineman. Why? Because we fundamentally understand that it is the absolute strength the lineman utilizes to generate LSS – thus, it must be systemically trained for and acquired in the off-season.
It is equally paramount before off-season training kicks off that the lineman has his joints assessed to ensure they are healthy and in a state of function. Just like the base lifts that enable the lineman to quantifiably know his strength capacity, there are base joints that, after being assessed, can enable the lineman to approximate his body’s overall movement capacity. Base joints have been defined in detail in the LSS Master Class and shown below:
Cultivating Capacity, Not Compensation
Football is a chaotic and violent sport that transforms healthy functioning joints into dysfunctional healthy joints. At LSS we know this to be a fact. How so? We have 5 years of postseason joint assessments on linemen which enables us to know with certainty. Dysfunctional joints must compensate for their lack of function and compensation is not something we cultivate at LSS, we cultivate capacity! We do not train to acquire absolute strength on dysfunctional joints. We train dysfunctional joints and transform them into a state of function!
Cultivating Hip Joint Capacity
Below is a simple strategy (i.e., training template) we are utilizing on recovery days to build capacity within the lineman’s hip joints:
For video support on the exercises we are utilizing visit the exercise library in the O-Line Room.
*We have quantified the optimal levels (i.e., appropriate) of absolute strength in the lower and upper zones of strength in the trained lineman lecture.