Football coaches need to prepare their team for the upcoming season by getting players in the best possible shape. Professional and college teams have regular workouts in the off-season and so do some high school teams. These are designed to get players stronger and keep them in top shape. Many high school teams don't have these programs and neither do youth programs, so need to perform conditioning exercises and drills to get in excellent shape.
Interval Sprints
Make sure your players condition themselves to play at maximum speed and develop their quickness. Have all your players line up at the goal line and on your signal have them sprint from to the 10-yard line and back, then to the 20-yard line and back, the 30-yard line and back and the 40-yard line and back. After this sprint is finished, give each players two minutes off, then repeat the drill.
Agility Drill
Set up athletic cones every five yards starting at the 30-yard line and going up to the 50. The cones should be placed in a diagonal pattern until the last one has been placed at the 50-yard line. On your whistle, a player will sprint to the right of the first cone, the left of the second cone and continue in this matter until he reaches the 50. At that point, he picks up a football and sprints straight back to the starting point. Have each player do this drill twice.
Blocking Sled Drill
Players have to reacclimate themselves to hitting and blocking at the start of training camp. Hitting the blocking sled is one of the best ways of doing this. It allows coaches to observe blocking form and make immediate corrections. Hitting the blocking sled also is a demanding activity that gets players quicker and stronger. Have four players hit the blocking sled at a time and move it in five-yard increments.
Distance Running
Players must develop their endurance when preparing for a long football season. Late-season games can be tough to play and so can the second half of all games if players don't have the proper endurance. Have each player start off practice by running about a half-mile to get ready for practice. During the early stages of training camp, each player should finish practice by running the same distance. This will help players perform at their best in late-game situations.
References
- "Play Football the NFL Way"; Tom Bass; 1991
- "The New Thinking Man's Guide to Pro Football"; Paul Zimmerman; 1984
Member Comments