Weightlifting

No practice regime would be complete without lifting weights. 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 differs in importance to strength due to the fact that it is exertion during play and not just muscle mass. It is the quickness and exertion that will enable a football player to accomplish their plays with skill on the field. As you continue in your weightlifting program, we highly recommend that you get a personal coach to push you in your goals, teach you proper techniques, and ensure that you are doing the right work for your position.

Proper Catching Leads to Great Ball Security

To insure a proper catch, a receiver must secure the football into a proper carrying position. The points of a proper catch are: First, opening up your hands with an open triangle. Second, follow the ball with your eyes from the first time you see it in the air until it is securely placed in a tight hold. Third, roll the ball into a secure ball position before you take your eyes off the ball. The problem is that receivers have a tenancy to start looking down the field before they have the ball properly secured. Taking your eye off the ball increases incomplete passes, fumbles, and turnovers. To prevent this, have two receivers throw to each other and as they catch it have them slow down the motion so that they pause at each catch, follow through and tuck.

Playbook Practicing

Learning a play is critical because when an individual learns a play and executes it properly, it benefits the whole team. In order to start learning a play, make sure that you first pay attention to the instructions when they are given. A lot of habits can form in the first couple of practice plays, for this sake it is a good idea to take them slow at the start. Practice is a great time to get some extra help, so if you are struggling with a certain play remember that your coaches are there to help you master the techniques. Always, always ask for the help that you need. The last helpful hint that we want you to learn is the power of visualization. Go over the plays in your mind, over and over again. Make your mind work them out and your muscles memorize them even when you sleep

Protecting the football as you run

A team that prevents fumbles is a team that wins. Football teams have lost many games because a couple of players were lax in there ball carrying and fumbled the football. A great way to teach tight ball security is with four points. The claw position is the first point, meaning that you grab the football clawing at the point of the football with your fingers. The second point is your forearm wrapped around the ball and shielding it from the defense. The third point is securing the other point of the football with your bicep making sure that it is right up against it. Last point is to hold the back of the football right up against the ribcage and as you run keep it high and tight. As a player, you will want to make sure that you are well practiced in this skill, and as a coach you should dedicate some time to ball carrying skills. In this way you can practice great defensive moves to force a fumble, and also focus on offensive ball protection.