Progressing Collegiate Football Running Back Routines
Strength and conditioning: Up Downs
Up downs is an excellent conditioning drill that will improve reaction time and endurance. This drill starts by having the players run in place as fast as they can encourage them to get their knees up as high as they can. At the coaches signal the players will drop to the ground and do a push up, and then quickly get back up and start running again. Because this drill can be very taxing, it is important to increase the time spent at this slowly over time as the players strength increases.
Dehydration is an enemy to football success
Dehydration should never appear on the football field if both the players and coaches have good habits. Make sure that during the football practice players have their water bottles handy and are drinking often. Always remember that if you prevent, punish, or otherwise use water as a motivational tool it is very counterproductive, and there are many other motivating paths that you can take. These safe practices will help keep players energized and healthy.
Traditional Driving Block
When talking about the fundamentals of a great offense or defense, you have to know what a good driving and blocking techniques are. The most traditional or basic block is a drive block. It is a simple yet effective way to move your opponent. The first step of this block is the scrimmage alignment, in order to drive to the right or left this basic block will push your opponent in the way that they are aligned, so if they are aligned to the right the drive will push them to the right. When executing this block start with your play side foot, meaning if the play is on the right side of you it will be your right foot. Connect hard against your opponent, bring your other foot into play and continue to drive in the aligned direction.
Forcing the Fumble
The faster your defense is at getting the ball back into the offensives hands the more likely you are to win a game. Forcing a fumble is one of the quickest ways that you can turn the tides and retain possession of the football. A great way to practice is have two players line up, one as the defense, the other with the football as the offense. As the offender runs ahead of the defender, have the defender bring his clenched hands up quickly, and forcefully, as he aims his hand at offenders football. Start the drill slowly, and reward for a strong tackle that affectively tackles and makes an attack to dislodge the offensive players grip on the ball.
Up downs is an excellent conditioning drill that will improve reaction time and endurance. This drill starts by having the players run in place as fast as they can encourage them to get their knees up as high as they can. At the coaches signal the players will drop to the ground and do a push up, and then quickly get back up and start running again. Because this drill can be very taxing, it is important to increase the time spent at this slowly over time as the players strength increases.
Dehydration is an enemy to football success
Dehydration should never appear on the football field if both the players and coaches have good habits. Make sure that during the football practice players have their water bottles handy and are drinking often. Always remember that if you prevent, punish, or otherwise use water as a motivational tool it is very counterproductive, and there are many other motivating paths that you can take. These safe practices will help keep players energized and healthy.
Traditional Driving Block
When talking about the fundamentals of a great offense or defense, you have to know what a good driving and blocking techniques are. The most traditional or basic block is a drive block. It is a simple yet effective way to move your opponent. The first step of this block is the scrimmage alignment, in order to drive to the right or left this basic block will push your opponent in the way that they are aligned, so if they are aligned to the right the drive will push them to the right. When executing this block start with your play side foot, meaning if the play is on the right side of you it will be your right foot. Connect hard against your opponent, bring your other foot into play and continue to drive in the aligned direction.
Forcing the Fumble
The faster your defense is at getting the ball back into the offensives hands the more likely you are to win a game. Forcing a fumble is one of the quickest ways that you can turn the tides and retain possession of the football. A great way to practice is have two players line up, one as the defense, the other with the football as the offense. As the offender runs ahead of the defender, have the defender bring his clenched hands up quickly, and forcefully, as he aims his hand at offenders football. Start the drill slowly, and reward for a strong tackle that affectively tackles and makes an attack to dislodge the offensive players grip on the ball.
