Playing a great game of football take the right skills, knowledge and attitude. No matter how great of a football player you are, there are always things you can to do increase your skills on the field. Follow these easy tips and tricks to become a better football player.
Always keep your ears open to your teammates. Even if you disagree, when the day ends, they’re still your team and you all want to win. The input you receive from them may give you some good ideas about how to skunk the other team.
Understanding the rules of football is just as important as practicing drills or building your strength and stamina. Be sure that you know all of the rules of the game inside and out, and quiz yourself once in a while to help cement the knowledge in your mind as you play.
The position of your body when receiving will help determine the success level you achieve. Your shoulders should be angled from the passer. Stay on your toes and be ready to adjust your position to the pass. The better your body positioning, the more likely you will be to see the ball and catch it.
Treat all of your fellow players, even your opposition, with the respect they deserve. Football is a taxing sport on body and mind. Everyone that plays is a warrior in his own right. It shows great courage and teamwork. Keep that in mind, and don’t react poorly to misplays and losing. Treat your fellow players the way you’d want to be treated.
Learning to understand the formation used by the opposing team you are playing is crucial if you play defense. When you take a look at the offensive lineup, you can learn a lot about what their intentions are as far as the upcoming play. Watch tape of NFL games or college games to get a handle on how different formations look.
Watch professional football players. Try reproducing their moves when you play. You can really progress by reproducing what you see in professional games, even if you are not able to use all the same moves at first.
A kicker should have the ability to kick a field goal from 50 yards. In order to be able to kick the ball for a long distance, the kicker will need to incorporate leg strengthening exercises into their workout routine. Flexibility exercises need to be completed, too. Stretch after each work out session and make sure to get your leg muscles extra loose to improve your range of movement.
Increase your speed. A good football player needs to be quick on his feet, not only in sprints, but in reaction time and reflexes too. Try adding in some track exercises into your workout regimen and before you know it you will be leaving your opponents behind in the dust.
One of the most important things a receiver must learn is how to line up properly. If you do not line up properly, it can result in an illegal formation call. Seven players must be lined up with the football prior to the snap for a legal possession to take place.
If you want to be able to play harder and longer, try using shuttle runs. Start at the goal line, and then run and tap the 10-yard line. Then reverse back to the goal line and tap it. Do this over and over again daily, and document the results to monitor your progress.
A good piece of advice if you’re a runningback or a wide receiver in football is to learn to give into a tackle and to not resist it. By this I mean it’s important not to get too tense when you’re about to get tackled because it may result in an injury.
Never take the field without a helmet. Each season, your helmet should be inspected thoroughly. The plastic shell should not have any cracks in it and the padding must be in good condition. It should also have a face mask that properly attaches to the helmet and a chin strap that fastens securely. All this is to be sure to prevent head injuries during play.
While you can’t alter your height, you can improve your game. You can work on your confidence, agility, strength and more. If you’re determined to eat right, exercise and practice, you can change most anything.
Work on agility. Work with a jump rope or an obstacle course. This will help you to remain agile and limber on the court, so you can be a better player. Use your agility exercises in your workouts and practices, too.
Choose a professional player who also shares your position and start looking to them for advice. You likely can’t ask them directly, although it never hurts to try, but you can watch them play and learn from what they do. Watch their form, check out interviews about their training and learn from their plays.
Practice whenever you can, even if it’s by yourself. You don’t need to be around your team to get a good practice session in. While it’s helpful, it’s definitely not necessary. You can practice sprinting, agility moves, your patterns, and even catching by throwing the ball high into the air.
You need to increase your balance while playing ball. Many people have heard of football players taking ballet. Did you know the reason football players take ballet is to increase their balance. Being light on your feet and having the ability to maintain your balance can help you jump over a player and keep running down the field towards a touchdown.
To be a star on the football field you need the right attitude, skills and knowledge to play the game right. Even if you feel you have all these qualities, there are always steps you can take to better your game. That the tips above to heart to increase your skills and play a better game.
