Becoming a football player at a highly competitive level takes a lot of physical work, mental preparation and significant amount of confidence. Sportswriters often use militaristic comparisons when writing about football: When players go into a game, they have to be ready to fight and battle for 60 minutes. That takes preparation and a desire to hit your opponent harder than he hits you.
Conditioning
Football players must get themselves in top shape to play the game well and do it for four full quarters. This requires hours in the gym getting stronger, and cardiovascular exercise to build endurance. You need to do the bench press, arm curls, lunges, the leg press and the deadlift to get stronger. Lift weights three times a week --- but don't lift more often, because your muscles need a full 24 hours to recover after a heavy weightlifting session. Run interval sprints to help increase speed and build endurance, the Sports Fitness Advisor website recommends.
Technique
Whether you are a lineman, linebacker, running back, receiver, defensive back or quarterback, you must work on your technique in order to improve. Lineman need to keep the concept of leverage in mind and work on getting lower than the player on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage. Quarterbacks need to work on their passing accuracy. Running backs have to hit the holes quickly. Receivers must make quick cuts and catch the ball in their hands and not let it bounce off their shoulder pads. Linebackers and defensive backs have to hit hard when tackling.
Attitude
Football players need to have an aggressive attitude that is unique in athletics. You have to go out on the field with the attitude that you are going to fight and win throughout full four quarters of the game. You must be hungry to be on the field during the middle of the battle --- and you have to want hit your opponent hard. It's not enough to want to be on the team because your father played, because you like the uniform or for the glory that will come your way. You must be excited to hit your opponent or you won't be able to play well consistently.
Teamwork
Football is a game based on teamwork --- and no matter how good you are or what position you play, that means you. A running back may turn the corner and score on a 50-yard run down the sidelines --- and he will get the glory of scoring the touchdown, but he never could have done it if the offensive linemen didn't execute their blocks well and the receiver didn't carry out his fake as part of the play. Football success is based on team play. All members of the offense or defense have to function as a unit. You need timing and coordination, and that's what coaches are looking for when practicing on a daily basis.
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