Playing football requires an athlete to be in excellent physical condition if he wants to compete at a high level. Football has become a sport for which players train regularly, so players are often in good shape even when the sport is well out of season. However, at the start of training camp, coaches will put players through a series of conditioning exercises in order to get them ready for the season.
Interval Sprints
Coaches have players run interval sprints at the start of practice during training camp. Players line up at the goal line, sprint to the 10-yard line and them back to the goal line. The drill continues with a sprint to the 20-yard line and back, the 30-yard line and back and the 40-yard line and back. Players receive a one-minute break and then repeat the interval sprints. During a demanding training camp session, the coach also may repeat the interval sprints at the conclusion of practice.
Up-Downs
Football players must have the ability to recover quickly after being knocked down. They may have to fight off a block or pick themselves up after being blocked and then chase a ball carrier down to make the tackle. Up-downs help prepare a player for this game action. In this drill, players run in place at 75 percent speed for 10 seconds and then fall to the ground and pick themselves up as fast as they can and sprint for 10 seconds again. Do this for one minute, take a 30-second break and repeat the drill.
Triple Block and Sprint
To prepare offensive linemen for the arduous task of blocking defensive players, each player gets down in a three-point stance. Three players line up in front of the player holding the blocking pads. On the coach's signal, the blocker rises up out of his stance and hits the player to his left, then the player standing directly in front of him and then hits the player to his right. After that the third block, the player sprints 40 yards. Each blocker executes this drill two times.
Distance Running
At most levels of football, players must run distances at the start of practice during the first two weeks of training camp. Each player runs two laps around the football field. This is quite demanding, especially when it is done in the heat of summer. Players usually dislike the exercise, but it is a long part of football training camp. Coaches expect players to condition themselves during the off season but distance runs are part of football's training regimen at all levels of the game.
References
- "Play Football the NFL Way"; Tom Bass; 1991
- "Inside the Helmet"; Peter King; 1993
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