Flag Football Program

An off-season and in-season template for flag football athletes. Speed-first, lean-focused, no collision prep.

Overview

Flag football is not tackle football. Without collisions, linemen, or mass-building demands, it’s closer to a speed-and-agility sport. This program reflects that.

Phases:

• Off-season (12-16 weeks): Build speed, power, and lean strength
• Pre-season (4-6 weeks): Sharpen speed, COD, and sport-specific conditioning
• In-season (season length): Maintain speed and strength, prevent injury
• Post-season (2-4 weeks): Rest

Who It Is For

• High school, college, or adult flag football players
• All positions — but speed is the shared priority
• Athletes transitioning from tackle football (drop the neck work, add conditioning)

Not for:

• Beginners (build a strength base first)
• Athletes with active hamstring, ankle, or knee injuries

Position-Specific Emphasis

Position	Emphasis
Rusher	Acceleration, change of direction, agility
Receiver	Acceleration, top speed, cutting
Running back	Acceleration, power, cutting
Safety / DB	Backpedal, break on ball, COD
Center	Snap accuracy, quickness, route running
Quarterback	Arm strength, mobility, decision-making

Off-Season (Weeks 1-12)

Goal: build speed, power, lean strength.

Weekly structure: 4 lifts + 3 speed/conditioning days

Day	Session
Mon	Lower body + speed
Tue	Conditioning + agility
Wed	Rest / mobility
Thu	Speed + COD
Fri	Upper body + power
Sat	Skill work / open play
Sun	Rest

Monday — Lower + Speed:

• Back squat: 4x5 @ 80%
• Romanian deadlift: 3x8 @ 70%
• Bulgarian split squat: 3x8 each leg
• 10m sprints: 8x, full recovery
• Nordic curl: 3x5

Tuesday — Conditioning + Agility:

• Small-sided games or repeated sprint intervals: 8x30 sec hard / 60 sec easy
• 5-10-5 shuttle: 6 sets
• Pro-agility shuttle: 6 sets
• Lateral shuttle: 6 sets

Thursday — Speed + COD:

• 30m sprints: 6x, full recovery
• 40yd sprints: 4x, full recovery
• L-drill: 6 sets
• Cut drills: 6 sets
• Box jumps: 4x5

Friday — Upper + Power:

• Bench press: 4x5 @ 80%
• Barbell row: 4x6 @ 75%
• Overhead press: 3x6 @ 75%
• Pull-up: 3x6
• Med ball throws: 3x5 each (chest, overhead, rotational)

Pre-Season (Weeks 13-16)

Goal: sharpen speed and COD, maintain strength.

• Reduce main lift volume to 3 sets
• Keep intensity (RPE 8)
• Increase speed and COD work
• Sport-specific conditioning: small-sided games
• Deload 2 weeks before season

In-Season

Goal: maintain speed and strength, prevent injury.

Weekly structure: 2 lifts + practices/games

Day	Session
Mon	Full body (low volume) + speed
Tue	Practice / game
Wed	Recovery + mobility
Thu	Full body (low volume)
Fri	Game
Sat	Game
Sun	Rest

Monday — Full Body + Speed:

• Back squat: 2x3 @ 85%
• Trap bar deadlift: 2x3 @ 85%
• 10m sprints: 4x, full recovery
• Nordic curl: 2x5

Thursday — Full Body B:

• Bench press: 2x3 @ 85%
• Overhead press: 2x3 @ 80%
• Pull-up: 2x5
• Single-leg work: 2x8
• Copenhagen plank: 2x20 sec

Rules:

• 45 min max per session
• No soreness-inducing work
• No max sprints in-season — practice provides that
• Nordic curls every week
• Single-leg balance every week
• Sleep 8-9 hours

Speed Training Focus

Speed is the #1 quality for flag football. Do not skip it.

Off-season:

• 3-4 speed sessions per week
• 2 sessions with acceleration focus (10-20m)
• 1-2 sessions with max velocity (30-40m)
• Full recovery between sprints

Pre-season:

• 2-3 speed sessions per week
• More max-effort work

In-season:

• 1-2 speed sessions per week
• Maintenance only

Never train speed when tired. Speed is a CNS quality and requires fresh legs.

Injury Prevention (Every Session)

Even without collisions, flag football has notable injury rates from sprinting and cutting.

• Nordic curls: 2-3x per week (hamstring)
• Single-leg balance: 3x per week (ankle)
• Copenhagen planks: 2-3x per week (groin)
• Lateral band walks: 2-3x per week (hip stability)
• Landing mechanics: 1-2x per week (ACL)
• Hip flexor mobility: daily
• Ankle mobility: daily

Progression Rules

Off-season:

• Add 5-10 lbs per week to main lifts
• Add 5% per week to speed volume
• Deload every 6-8 weeks

Pre-season:

• Maintain main lift loads
• Increase speed and COD specificity
• Deload 2 weeks before season

In-season:

• Hold the weights steady. No PRs.
• Deload every 4-6 weeks

Testing

Test at start and end of off-season, and mid-season:

Test	Metric
40-yard dash	Time
10m sprint	Time
30m sprint	Time
5-10-5 shuttle	Time
Pro-agility shuttle	Time
Vertical jump	Height
Broad jump	Distance
Back squat	3RM
Nordic curl	Reps

Body Composition

Flag football rewards a lean, powerful build. Unlike tackle football, extra mass slows you down.

• Target body fat: 8-15% (males), 15-22% (females)
• Prioritize power-to-weight ratio
• Don’t chase mass
• Eat enough protein (1.6-2.2 g/kg)
• Calories at maintenance or slight surplus during off-season

Common Pitfalls

• Training like tackle football. No neck work, no mass building, no lineman strength.
• Skipping speed work. Speed is the sport.
• Not enough conditioning. Flag football has more continuous movement than tackle.
• Getting heavy. Extra mass = slower. Stay lean.
• No Nordic curls. Hamstring injuries are the #1 soft tissue injury.
• Maxing out in-season. Never do this.

When to Switch

• After off-season: transition to pre-season
• After pre-season: transition to in-season
• After in-season: 2-4 weeks of rest, then off-season

Journal

Uses the Training Log — Flag Football template. Track lifts, speed results, COD times, and injury prevention work.

Related Resources

• Flag Football Training (concept)
• Football Training (concept — for overlap on skill positions)
• Sport-Specific Training (concept)
• Sport-Specific Program README
• Speed (concept)
• Conditioning Methods (concept)