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Use an APRE Program for Gains
Use an APRE Program for Maximum Gains
BY DAN GUTTENPLAN, FNF COACHES EDITOR
Todd Rodgers has established one of the top programs in the country at Argyle High (Texas). The
veteran coach has won 210 games in 18 seasons, including two state championships (2013, 2020).
Rodgers credits his team’s strength and conditioning program, led by Sports Performance Director Matt Jordan, as a major reason why his team has been able to be consistently dominant over the last decade. Rodgers uses the Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise (APRE) program for his players.
The 6-week program starts with a test phase in which Rodgers measures the number of repetitions performed to determine the weight that the athlete should use during his next lift.
“It’s all based off of percentages,” Jordan said. “We might say we’re doing a back squat at 75% with 12 reps or more. We stay away from 1-rep max because it takes an entire week to do testing. We continue on with our program that whole week while pushing numbers.”
Jordan said programming the strength and conditioning schedule at Argyle is a collaborative process; every coach is involved.
“As a staff, we have meetings about the logistics of exercises,” Jordan said. “It makes it easier if everybody takes ownership and shares their ideas.”
The Argyle players also wear GPS tracking devices -- Freelap USA timing devices -- during speed training. All results are recorded and posted.
“Whichever program produces big, fast athletes who know how to play football, that will be the program that wins,” Rodgers said. “We emphasize rangy kids. We put a lot of emphasis on speed development and Olympics movements to make them strong from the tip of their toes to the top of their heads. I believe an athlete that can be athletic while on one leg and balanced, that will be the best athlete.”
Example APRE Routine
Set 3rm routine 6rm routine 10rm routine
0 Warm up Warm up Warm up
1
2 6 reps at 50% 3RM
3 reps at 75% 3RM 10 reps at 50% 6RM
6 reps at 75% 6RM 12 Reps at 50% 10RM
10 reps at 75% 10RM
3 Reps to failure at 3RM Reps to failure at 6RM Reps to failure at 10RM
4 Adjusted reps to failure Adjusted reps to failure Adjusted reps to failure
Adjustment Table for APRE
3rm Routine 6rm Routine
10Rm Routine repetitions set 4 repetitions set 4 repetitions set 4
3-4 Same 3-4 Decrease 0-5lbs 7-8 Decrease 0-5lbs
5-6 Increase 5-10lbs 5-7 Same 9-11 Same
13+ Increase 10-15lbs 17+ Increase 10-15lbs
