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.
Always be moving during the game. You must move to create space between you and the defensive players. Be sure to be aware of what is going on while moving. You need to be able to know when you have open space to turn and reposition yourself to receive the ball.
When working on improving yourself as a football player, keep in mind that the only thing you really can’t change is your height. You can change your diet to lose or gain weight, and train to build your muscles up. You can also work with a trainer to increase your speed and skill. If anything, height should be your only handicap.
Agility makes for great football players. You can increase your ability by jumping rope and over cones as well as running through tires. Power, speed and quick reflexes are requirements for strong players. The exercises mentioned above all require these abilities, and that is why they can help you to grow as a player. The more you do these training exercise, the more your agility will increase.
If you want to involve the whole family in a game of football, make it flag football that you play. Flag football is much safer than tackling, so it works well for all generations of players and all genders too. You can have a whole bunch of family bonding time with the game.
Don’t concern yourself over your weight immediately. You may think that you need to gain a ton of weight to be a great football player, but really all you are doing is becoming fat and slow. More important is your conditioning. You want to be able to perform with the weight on you, so consider adding weight on slowly and with a good fitness plan.
When your child plays football, make sure he wears the proper helmet to avoid injuries. The helmet should have an outer shell made of hard plastic and the padding should be thick. It should also have a face mask that’s rigid and a chin strap containing a protective chin cup. The chin strap should always be snug and fastened when playing.
Get in shape for your next football game by practicing vertical power jumps. These are achieved by thrusting yourself in the air vertically as high as you possibly can. The goal is to build muscles in your legs. Bend slowly at your knees, then project your body into the air repeatedly, up to 20 times in a row.
When tackling, decrease the risks of a traumatic injury to the neck or head by practicing the correct form. When you make a tackle, maintain your head up and do not lead with your helmet’s top. Not only is this illegal, but it greatly increases the chances of an injury.
Watch old tapes of the greats, so you can get pointers. Watch professional players who play your position, so you can watch how they move and play the game. This is almost as helpful as having them there with you, because you can study every move they make during a game.
Get used to playing off of your weaker foot. If you’re like many athletes, you’ll favor one foot over another. It’ll tend to be the foot that you pivot on and use for running fakes. If you want to confuse the opponent covering you, surprise them with some moves using your weaker side. It’ll give you some real advantage.
Include a DVD that highlights your play time with college applications. Apply to at least 10 schools at the level of play you wish to join. Then, if you have the choice, pick the one that not only has a great athletic organization, but also a top-notch education.
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.
The old saying “practice makes perfect” applies to the game of football as well. Don’t miss one of your practices. See if you can get a friend or a family member to help you work on your skills during your down time. The more you practice, the better you will be during the games.
Choose a professional player who also shares your position and start looking to them for advice. You likely can’t ask them directly, although it never hurts to try, but you can watch them play and learn from what they do. Watch their form, check out interviews about their training and learn from their plays.
Practice whenever you can, even if it’s by yourself. You don’t need to be around your team to get a good practice session in. While it’s helpful, it’s definitely not necessary. You can practice sprinting, agility moves, your patterns, and even catching by throwing the ball high into the air.
If you would like to increase your speed, ensure that you’re doing squats correctly by being parallel. This is the only way to build up leg muscles, which in turn give you strength for speed. You’ll hit hard and be a better player.
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.
