Building your muscles and endurance through Weightlifting

Let's not forget weightlifting. It is one of the essential elements that will help you improve your game. Not only will it add muscle to your body and increase your strength, it will also help you to increase your maximum power. Maximum power is different from strength because it is the power that you exert on the field during a play. Strong and powerful execution will enable fast plays, quick action, and recognition on the field. Weight lifting can cause injuries, and as such we highly recommend having a professional coach on hand during weightlifting sessions. You trainer will also help you accomplish your weightlifting goals and teach you new techniques.

Making a great hand off

Learning the basics in a handoff is essential to a strong offense. We will explain this in a common scenario between a quarterback and a running back. The running back starts the hand off running towards the quarterback with his arms open creating a pocket for the quarterback to slide the football right into the running backs chest. When the quarterback slides the ball into the arms, or the pocket as it is called, the running back closes his arms around the ball to protect it. As the running back runs off with the football it is important to stay low to increase agility and speed.

Constant motion drill to increase ball handling skills

This drill is used to increase players ball handling skills on the field. Players will move the football from one hand to another hand around differing parts of their body. The drill starts by having players hold the football above their head and start to pass it around their head, moving to the chest, under the arms, around the waist, knees, and completing with passing it through the legs.

In this drill the coaches responsibility is to observe the smoothness of the drill, and to also shout commands of body positions to move the ball around, and also to reverse the direction of the football. This change of motion will keep players from falling asleep, and ensure that you are developing handling skills and not just muscle memory.

When the coach calls and end to the drill the players will drop the ball several times (at least 7). For example, the player drops the ball and retrieves it quickly. It will also help to change the hand that the players uses to pick up the ball to ensure both hands are learning this technique.

Tackling Fundamentals and Safety

It has been stated many times that a defensive teams win games, and the most fundamental part of a defensive team is performing a great tackle. If you, or your players dont take tackling seriously you will not stop the offense and could also cause injuries. When you tackle your opponent remember three important steps:

First is to cut off your opponent by placing yourself directly in front of them. Plant your cleats in the grass squarely in front and in the middle, bisecting the player in half. Also, and in coordination with your feet throw your arms back preparing to grab.

Second, thrust your other foot again squarely in front of your opponent and with all the momentum that you have brought to the tackle grab your opponent. As your feet plants your head should be making its first contact. To protect yourself never, ever try to tackle with the crown of your head, but instead keep your head back, and your head square. A great way to insure that you are in the right position is to practice touching your facemask to the football of the opposing player.

Third, at this point you have successfully grabbed your opponent and all thats left is to lunge your hips forward and bear all of your momentum against your opponent. The more momentum that you bring to the table on steps two and three the more effective your speed will be in this last step.