Becoming a great football player takes a lot of practice. It takes time to develop the speed, strength and stamina that a great player needs for the game. Below are some tips to help your practice sessions more productive and to help you develop the game skills that you need to score those winning points.
Remember that safety should always come first when you are playing football. From working out to playing a game, be safe. Wearing the right protection can help you remain safe.
When selecting which position you will play, consider your strengths. If you’re great at catching the ball and you are a fast runner, then you should fill such a position. If you are large, nimble and strong, then maybe you should be playing defense. If you have a great arm, go for quarterback!
If you aren’t tough, football is not the game for you. Honestly, if you can’t handle being tackled, you should play tennis or golf or some other non-contact sport. Don’t play the game because your Father wants you to if you really don’t want to get thrown to the ground.
Keep a positive attitude at all times when playing football. Even if you feel down about your performance, keep things up beat and focus on the game at hand. A negative attitude will not only pull your play down, but it will also become contagious and infect the attitude of the entire team.
If you want to be a good football player, then you need to constantly work on your agility. Great agility exercises that you can use for regular workouts include jumping rope, jumping over cones and running through tires. If you can, set up yourself a course for each activity for regular use.
Get in shape for your next football game by practicing vertical power jumps. These are achieved by thrusting yourself in the air vertically as high as you possibly can. The goal is to build muscles in your legs. Bend slowly at your knees, then project your body into the air repeatedly, up to 20 times in a row.
Ladder drills are a great way to improve your agility and coordination. Your training should include them. Draw a ladder with chalk, and step into and out of every square from the bottom to the top. It is crucial to do this exercise the right way, so get the technique down in your mind first by watching the process on video.
If you want more field time, then take a close look at the work ethic you have developed. Natural talent can help, but work ethics make you a great player. Your coach will appreciate a player that learns and works hard over a player that has natural abilities but is lazy.
Build power and muscles by training with box jumps. Make sure you have a very sturdy large box with a height between 2 feet and 3 feet, determined by your own height. Jump onto the edge of the box repeatedly, straightening your back each time you reach the top of the box. Repeat up to 20 times.
Try learning some tricks of the trade by watching professionals play the game. Watch film online and then take it to the practice field for 10 minutes a day. Practice it and learn how to perfect this trick so that when you need it, you have it. Don’t overuse tricks because your opponents will learn from you and figure it out.
Don’t be afraid to be intimidating as a football player, because this can really help your game. When opponents think you’re bad and know you’re going to hit them hard, it can change the way they play and cause them to make mistakes. Be known as somebody they really don’t want to face, and you have an advantage before you even show off your real playing ability.
Create strategies that include good passing routes. Receivers do not normally run up the football field straight. There are different routes that make for a successful receivers. Receivers sometimes run forward in a play and then cut across the field. This is called a crossing route. With a slant, the run is diagonal. Either method will prove useful in moving the ball fast and far.
Consume adequate amounts of protein to give you the strength and body mass you need as a football player. Avoid getting your proteins through junk food, as this will contribute to an unhealthy body that does not function well for you. Get protein from meat, eggs, fish and protein powder shakes.
As you know, Becoming a great football player doesn’t happen overnight. It will take many hours and days of practice to get you to where you want to be as a player. It takes determination and motivation. Use the hints from above to help you make your practice sessions more productive and become a better player.
