When you step onto the field, your heart swells up. Your head is filled with the sounds of the crowd and your body begins to heat up. It is the passion of the game which overwhelms you, and your drive to win carries you forward. Read on to find out how to become a better football player.
Have a plan in place whenever you get ready to practice. You need to know your schedule, including how long you will spend on each drill. Have a list of drills you can use and then choose which you’ll do each day. Don’t forget to warm up before you begin!
A valuable football fitness training technique is shuttle runs. These help to increase speed and endurance, while also having the added benefit of developing lower body muscles. Shuttle runs increase distance gradually, by reaching specific yard lines, then returning to starting position. The next yard line is a further distance away, and the action is repeated, typically by 10-yard lines.
Keep a positive attitude at all times when playing football. Even if you feel down about your performance, keep things up beat and focus on the game at hand. A negative attitude will not only pull your play down, but it will also become contagious and infect the attitude of the entire team.
Remember that making a running play is a little different than making a receiving play. You want to take the football from the quarterback with only one hand. You don’t cover it up with both arms until you are about to be tackled. Make sure that you hold onto the ball until you hear the whistle stopping play.
To play football, you need to know what a down is. Downs are the four attempts that the team with the ball gets. They use these downs to advance the ball 10 yards. When the offense is successful with gaining 10 yards, they will get another set of downs. If they fail to get 10 yards after the four plays, the opposing team gets the ball.
Do at least one basic drill specific to your position on a daily basis. Running backs are wise to work on ball handling drills every day. Quarterbacks should spend at least an hour a day working on throwing accuracy and arm strengthening. Linebackers need to constantly work on their tackling, as well as shedding blockers.
Practice your drills every day, especially those that are specific to the position you play. Even if you only have football practice a few times per week, make sure you put in extra effort. Your game will improve, and your coach is sure to notice your dedication to the sport and the team.
To catch a football during rainy conditions requires perfect technique. Point your feet in the direction that the ball is coming towards you to avoid slipping. You will also feel more in control when the ball lands in your hands. Put your hips and chest in that same position. Place one hand on either side of the ball to the front.
Be sure to drink lots of water or a sports drink as you play. Being in the hot and heavy equipment you have to wear to play football safely will leave you sweating buckets. Replace that water by drinking so that you don’t end up with a cramp or an injury.
If you start feeling sick or just “not right”, get off of the football field immediately. Even if it isn’t physical, the fact that you aren’t quite yourself can lead to a serious accident if you aren’t careful. It may mean that you sit out for 10 minutes or more (maybe even the game), but your health is well worth it.
Always pretend that there is a scout watching you play. Do this at games, at team practices and even when you practice alone. If you keep your form up every time you play your position, you are teaching your body exactly how it has to move to be successful.
Play with friends and family to practice without any pressure. You won’t have a coach yelling at you to give him 2 laps and you won’t have team mates judging your form. You’ll just have a good time enjoying a great game and getting some exercise while you are at it.
Turn your football lifestyle in a permanent fixture. You should eat right, work on your cardio and strength, and even work on speed and agility all year round. It shouldn’t stop when you stop playing football competitively as a healthy body will carry you through a long, happy life.
A receiver must work to provide a target for their quarterback. The goal is for the ball to be delivered to your midsection. If you are to the quarterback’s right, place your left arm on top of your right arm. Likewise, if the ball is to the left, place the right arm atop of the left arm. This allows you to defend the ball to the best of your ability.
It is important that you set goals when it comes to your game. Set daily goals such as working out every single day. Set weekly goals for your stamina or strength. Then set long-term goals for your game play and how great your strategies turn out on the field.
Don’t try to turn every down into a big play or a scoring opportunity. Think of football as a game that moves ten yards at a time. When you try to make a big move every time you have the ball in your hands, you will leave your team open to turnovers.
Once the game is over, all that matters is that you had a great time playing. If you won or if you lost, the fun of playing will get you to your next game. The more research you do in the meantime, the better your next game will be, so keep reading and learning all you can.
