Michigan Football Series: Movement Training for Changing Direction, Sprinting & More

with Ben Herbert,
Los Angeles Chargers (NFL) Executive Director of Player Performance;
University of Michigan Assistant Head Coach & Director of Strength & Conditioning from 2018 to 2023;
2023 College Football Playoff National Champions;
3x Big Ten Champions;
4x Big Ten East Division Champions;
has worked with 95 NFL draft picks, including twelve first round selections;
certified member of the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA);
in 2015, was named a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) by the CSCCa (youngest coach ever to earn the honor at age 35);
Arkansas Head Strength & Conditioning Coach from 2013 to 2017;
Wisconsin Head Strength & Conditioning Coach from 2009 to 2012;
Wisconsin Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach from 2003 to 2008;
played college football at Wisconsin

Your athletes could be the strongest in your league, but it doesn't mean anything if they're all slow and unable to react quickly on the field! To ensure your team is full of players who are strong AND mobile/quick, Michigan's Director of Strength & Conditioning, Coach Ben Herbert, is here to give you plenty of exercises that train fast and fluid movement.

Mobility Exercises

Coach Herbert begins by demonstrating some of the mobility and preparation work that he does with his athletes in training. Mobility of the foot, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, and elbows are discussed and several exercises and techniques are shown that will help your athletes develop enhanced mobility and stability in their joints, as well as address tightness in any particular area that would limit their potential for improvement through a training program. Herbert then demonstrates several of the warm-up drills that he uses with his athletes that get them ready for training, but teach and reinforce proper running and movement mechanics.

Speed and Quickness Drills

Next, you'll get an explanation of the plyometric exercises that are used at Michigan and what they are designed to improve. Coach Herbert demonstrates several of these exercises, including box jumps, hurdle jumps, low cone jumps, and multiple box jumps. He also discusses how to make these exercises more difficult once your athletes become proficient in each one.

Several speed and quickness improvement exercises are shown as well, which include implements such as parachutes, sleds, hills, and various other resistance devices. Coach Herbert explains how starts and acceleration can be greatly improved by using any of those devices and devoting proper time and effort to training. In all, you'll learn:

• Plyometric exercises that will help develop explosive power in your athletes.
• Acceleration exercises and drills that will improve the quickness of your athletes in a short area.
• To teach your players the most efficient way to run the 5-10-5 shuttle, which is a popular test at combines and prospect camps.

This excellent video from Coach Herbert will give you several exercises and drills to improve the mobility, explosiveness, and speed of your football team!

52 minutes. 2019.