Workout Wednesday: Football Field Speed Workout

A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to join my parents for some speed training and conditioning at my little brother's high school in D.C. I know that sounds weird, but I am not using any metaphors, people. This is real life!

There is a nice football field at the school that is basically empty on Sunday mornings. This field would serve as the perfect location for sprints and lots of sweating.

Fortunately, the ground was dry, because there is no fun in running on a slippery surface! The temperature was great for running sprints outdoors in the late fall, and there wasn't much wind to add more difficulty to the workout.
Now, before I go over the workout, I have to explain that I did not come up with the workout. My dad used to be a high school football coach, and the workout is all his! I was just a willing victim that day, and got some pictures in for you lovely readers.

In case you're unfamiliar with football fields, here's a quick little picture:

Source: Wikimedia Commons

The numbers correspond to yards, which my non-American/British readers may not appreciate, and I'm sorry. :-( Just for your reference, a yard is almost as long as a meter. It is just barely shorter than one meter.

So, what will you need for this workout? Comfortable clothes that you can actually sprint in. I make this distinction because you will want something that fits closer to the body so that your clothes don't slow you down. You're going to be sweating more than if you were just jogging, so you want to make sure that you aren't going to get too hot. I wore my sunglasses while running because I didn't want any bugs flying into my contacts. Ew.

You're also going to want to make sure you have plenty of hydration on hand. I love to use NUUN tablets, so I threw a couple into my water bottle before driving over to the field. None of the sprints require a timer, so you won't need that. You might need a towel if you're a sweaty Betty. Other than that, and clearance from your doctor of course, you're ready to go! Keep in mind that I am not a certified trainer, so these are workouts I have personally done, but it also means that if you do it as well, you do so at your own risk.

Here's the workout, with a pinable image (at the bottom) to save for future reference!

Flecks of Lex Football Field Speed Workout

Warm up lap around the outside of the field (don't cut corners!)

Side shuffle to the 50 yard line, pivot, and shuffle back (use a different lead leg in each direction)

Number sprints -- This one should be done quickly. If you don't sprint, it makes it very difficult to cut to each side. In the center of the end zone, facing the other end zone, sprint to the 10 yard line. Turn to your left, and sprint towards the hash marks. Turn to your right, and sprint until you get to the 20 yard line. Turn to your left, and sprint until you get to the actual number "20" on the field. Turn to your right, and sprint until you get to the number "30." Sprint to your left until you get to the sideline. Turn right, and sprint until you get to the 50 yard line. Then, sprint to the center of the field. Jog back to start. Repeat this, but start by sprinting to the 20 yard line instead of the 10, until you just sprint to the 50 yard line. Repeat on the RIGHT side of the field. *I know that this sounds super confusing, so I created a little diagram for the first set of sprints (see below). Feel free to leave a comment on this post or drop me an email if you need any further clarification. It makes more sense when you're actually out on the field.*

1-minute break

Line Touch Sprints -- You probably know this by another name, but you'll likely know this exercise. Start at the end zone. Sprint to the 10 yard line. Once you touch the line with your foot, turn back and sprint to the end zone. Sprint to the 20 yard line. Sprint back. Sprint to the 50 yard line. Sprint back. Sprint to the end zone on the other side of the field (100 yard line), and sprint back. 

30 second break

Repeat line touch sprints

Jog two laps around the outside of the field as a cool down.

Number Sprints Diagram:

Have you ever done a workout with your parents? Have you ever had a workout on an American football field? Did the field seem smaller than it looks on TV? What do you use to hydrate during a tough workout?