You do not have to be a natural to play a great game of football. A lot of the skills and techniques that can help you stand out as a player are learned with a little research and practice. Use the following tips to help you become a better football player.
Discover your best talent in football and focus on that, rather than trying too hard to be a superstar player. Coaches need specific plays and players, not fancy show-offs. Practice and perfect your best drills and make sure you can participate with those exact moves when the coach and team needs you most.
Play each play like it was the last play of the game. Some players just go through the rote motions, and they miss things they will ultimately regret. If you give your all, you can’t regret anything.
Even when your team isn’t practicing, you should be. Practice constantly, and practice the skills of your specific position the most. On top of that, you should also build your strength and stamina through other athletic pursuits, such as running, working out at the gym and even other sports.
A crucial part to playing football well enough is weight training. You must stick to a solid regimen year round to optimize your play. Basic lifts combined with heavy weights should be used to build speed and strength. Both of these skills are a necessity to become a skilled and winning player.
It is very important that you do everything to keep your body in shape if you want to be a football player. The game requires a lot of physical exertion, so being out of shape will only make you more susceptible to injury. Dieting and exercising will help you get into good shape.
If you want to be a quarterback, or just be better at playing the position, the one thing you need to work on more than anything is passing. Even when you don’t have access to a field, step outside with a friend and aim to throw past them so they have to run and catch it. If you don’t have someone to practice with, throw at a stationary target.
Football is frequently perceived as just involving brute strength, but stamina also plays an important part. In order to increase your stamina, you’ll need to do cardio exercises for about an hour every day. This can be running, cycling or even stair climbing. Ironically, you want this exercise to be as easy as possible so that you can do it longer for more stamina.
If you aren’t mentally in the game, don’t play. Let your coach know if you are not feeling well because of a loss, a fight, a break up, a bad grade or anything else which might be getting you down. He can talk you out of it, or allow someone else to play for you.
Play the position that works to your personal strengths. If you strong, fast and good at catching a football thrown from different angles, play safety or wide receiver. If your body is bulky and you have a lot of strength, play defensive or offensive tackle. If your good at kicking the ball with accuracy, you may be the perfect field goal kicker or punter.
Become a student of the game prior to taking your place on the field. Understand the rules and you will play better. You can learn about football by watching a game on television, picking up a book on the subject or even going and watching your local high school football team play.
Learn how to properly tie your football cleats. Many players sustain ankle injuries because their football cleats are not tied tight enough. A football cleat should fit like a glove to offer the best protection to your feet and ankles. Always pull the laces as tight as possible for added protection.
Hit the gym as much as you can. Building muscle will make you stronger, and in that way you can be a more powerful football player. You might even want to consult a personal trainer to find out which exercises are best to bulk you up for your football games.
There will be times that opposing teams play rough or target you. If you think that they are deliberately trying to cause you physical harm, tell your coach. Do not retaliate on the field. It could lead to injuries, cause your team penalties and possibly get you thrown out of the game.
Always remember to use your stretching techniques. It might be boring, but if you play, you must warm up your muscles before you injure them. If your body tightens up, you won’t be any good to your team. Taking time to stretch will prevent more extensive work in the future.
Great football players need to develop lateral agility. Practice drills that increase agility as a regular part of your routine. Set up a set of six lines with three cones each. Then step sideways over the cones with two quick steps. Make sure to lift the knees high as you go over the cones.
Learn to beat stress on game day. If you are very stressed-out, you can’t play well. Being stressed can take a toll on your game. Learn visualization methods and deep breathing exercises to help you.
As you defend, follow the movements of your opponent. Make sure your knees are bent and shuffle wherever you need to go. Your head and your hands need to be up, and keep your elbows locked. Force the person you are covering to move further and further away from the quarterback.
Take the time to plan out a workout routine and stick with it. You can vary it or improve upon it but don’t try to drastically change it every time you read something new. Consistency and persistence are what pays off and builds up muscles and stamina. The payoff come when you finally hit the field and start playing.
As stated above, being a great football player does not just come down to being born with the skills. The key to being a great football player is having determination and practicing the skills you learn. Use the advice above to become more determined and increase your skills at the game of football.