A football safety has many roles on a defensive team, ranging from calling formations, to intercepting passes, to tackling effectively. According to authors Howie Long and John Czarnecki in "Football for Dummies," a safety is so crucial, he is often referred to as the quarterback of the defense. Defensive teams usually have a strong safety and a free safety, with the former needed to be physically bigger and stronger than the latter.
Step 1
Increase your total body strength through weight training. Design a weight-training program that emphasizes movements you will need on the field of play. Include exercises like squats, bench press and power cleans. Perform each exercise with 60 to 80 percent of your one-repetition maximum and lift the bar with explosive movements to increase the speed of your muscle contractions.
Step 2
Run sprints at every practice to improve your speed and agility. Select sprinting distances ranging from 5 to 40 yards, and keep the rest between each sprint to less than 20 seconds. Allow a little longer rest after the longest sprints, if necessary. Begin each sprint in your typical strong or free safety stance.
Step 3
Perform high-knee runs, broad jumps and other plyometric exercises during practice. Execute each leap and bound with as much force as possible for as many repetitions as you can in one to two minutes. If you become tired and begin to have poor technique with the exercise, stop and rest. Limit your plyometric training to two or three sessions per week to prevent overtraining.
Step 4
Drill running and passing situations that require you to read the actions of offensive team members. For example, have two receivers start from the line of scrimmage and run upfield 15 to 20 yards. Watch the quarterback's body language and eyes to determine which receiver he will throw to. Run to intercept or tackle that receiver.
Step 5
Practice open-field tackles regularly. Drop your center of gravity during the tackle and hit the receiver or running back at an angle that will fully stop his forward momentum. Drive through the offensive player, lifting him if possible to remove his balance.
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