Back & Core

Dear Snappers,

Last week's Long Snapping Strength Training was focused on the upper and lower body. Please go ahead and check out the post if you missed it, there are some really great workouts to add to your routine. This week it is time to connect that upper body to the lower body. I'm talking core and back brother!

Do you want monster abs?!? Do you want to be incredibly shredded for spring break?!? Well this blog post isn't for you then. These exercises are going to be tools for bettering your long snapping, not to make you look like The Hulk walking down Muscle Beach. Trust me, they aren't the beginning and the end of your workout regimen. However, if added into your current routine, you can expect to see results when it comes to your snapping in the fall.

Back

Football is a compression sport, no matter what position you play. Our bodies get smacked, our backs compressed, and our muscles get worn down. Just the price to pay in order to live the Long Snapping Lifestyle. To deal with that abuse, we need to strengthen every part of our body, especially our back. Great snappers have great flexibility in their back and that comes from strengthening and stretching those back muscles. Just think about how much you use your back when you are fully extended at the release of a snap!

Some of the commonly overlooked lifts to help your long snapping are:

• Back Extension
  • In my opinion, the most crucial back exercise you can do as a long snapper. Make sure to keep that back flat and really feel the burn in your lower back. Getting a full release at the bottom can help tremendously with the compression that your spine goes through as a football player. I love doing these in season to work out any kinks or soreness in my back.
• Stiff Legged Good Mornings
  • Another great lower back exercise that will add stability and strength to your snapping. Don't try to be Hulk Hogan with this workout. If you've never done a good morning, then just start with the bar and go from there. It's only a great workout if it is executed with proper form. We aren't going to look like Arnold from doing this, our goal is to improve our snapping.
• Seated Cable Row
  • Cable row is a great exercise to hit your mid-back. You're going to want to set yourself up at a nice 90 angle with a little bend in the knees. Make sure to pull the weight all the way back as if you were trying to crush a can between your shoulder blades. Make sure to keep your back straight up and down, bending the torso can create back issues that we are trying to avoid!

Core

• Cable Crunch
  • Cable crunch is one of those workouts that is often forgotten about or not done because it requires a little bit of setup. Trust me on this one, it will pay off. As with most ab workouts, you aren't trying to keep your back tight. If you can't contract the abs then you aren't building that six-pack. Also, don't cheat it by using those arms. As a long snapper, it feels natural to just pull down the weight with those triceps, but save some gains for the core.
• Hanging Knee Raise
  • What I like about this workout is the stabilizing muscles that it works while shredding up your abs. You're going to build grip strength, stabilizing muscle in your shoulders, and obviously building up that core. Try your best to pause after each rep in order to avoid swinging and to push yourself to be disciplined.
• TRX Body Saw
  • This is another great ab workout that will leave you with a great burn. TRX workouts are often overlooked because not everyone has access to a TRX or folks just choose not to spend the time to set it up. The time is worth it! It is another great workout that uses those stabilizing muscles in your shoulders combined with the shredding of the abs to make for one great pump.

Snappers: Get out there and hit the weights!!

As I have said before: I am not a physical trainer, I don't have formal education in the subject of weight-lifting, but I am surrounded by some of the best minds on the topic. I have gotten to learn from some of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the industry while being at Northern Iowa. I want to pass along the knowledge that I have gained as a long snapper to all of you out there living the Long Snapping Lifestyle.

Let's keep this off season grind going! A football career only lasts so long, so let's make the most of it! Hit every off-season lift with intensity, precision, and discipline. We all strive to live the Long Snapping Lifestyle in the weight room just as much as we live it on the field.

Please comment below and let me know what you think! Any additional workouts that have made an impact on your long snapping, any ideas you have for blog posts, or just something you want to share with me!