Football is a very popular sport for a lot of reasons. There is something for everyone to enjoy about it, from the players to the fans in the stands. The more you know about football, the more you will enjoy watching those action packed games. If you enjoy football, here are some ways to bring the game to a whole new level.
Condition yourself more for practice, then for the game of football itself. While you need to be ready for game day, practice will take the most out of you physically. Therefore, it’s vital that your conditioning keep you up to par in practice and making a good impression there, to avoid much bench time.
You should practice all of the positions so that you can easily slip into one if the need arises. Even if you normally play defense, practice throwing the ball and you might actually get to play as quarterback someday. If you are well rounded, the coach will appreciate your dedication.
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.
If you learn that a new trick is working exceptionally well on the field, don’t overuse it. It is a good idea to use something that works. However, use it too often and the opposition will learn to spot it ahead of time.
A great football tip when you’re trying to tackle is to attempt your tackle from a low position. Staying low will give you a lot more power and it will make it harder for the opposing player to be able to shake off the tackle. Not staying low could actually get you run over instead.
You must learn to read the different formations of opposing teams. You can anticipate the next play by watching where the receiver is. Watch professional and college games to help understand the formations used, and create your own playbook with the different plays.
Always support your fellow teammates. There aren’t as many sports where teamwork matters as much as in football. Your team is going to enjoy wins and suffer losses together. Always think we, not I. Make your teammates more confident by supporting them. When your team is confident, you’ll have many more wins!
Try to focus some of your exercises on increasing speed. Do jumping squats to increase the speed of your reflex muscles. Squat down and jump on a step. Stand straight up and then jump back down and into a squat. Repeat this exercise 40 times daily and gradually increase the height of the step.
A great football tip is to practice doing squats in the weight room. Doing squats will build up your legs, which will give you tremendous power, no matter what position you’ll be playing. It’s especially important for runningbacks, linebackers, and linemen who need all the power that they can get.
Always drink plenty of water when you are practicing or playing football. It is very easy to get dehydrated during a game or during practice. This will not only impact your performance, but it could be dangerous as well. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after any football related activity.
Play with friends and family to practice without any pressure. You won’t have a coach yelling at you to give him 2 laps and you won’t have team mates judging your form. You’ll just have a good time enjoying a great game and getting some exercise while you are at it.
Turn your football lifestyle in a permanent fixture. You should eat right, work on your cardio and strength, and even work on speed and agility all year round. It shouldn’t stop when you stop playing football competitively as a healthy body will carry you through a long, happy life.
You will want to be sure the conditions are right for the game. Your playing field should be safe and even. If you’re going to play with friends, you should avoid any areas that have holes and dips. Dress appropriately for the temperature and stay hydrated when it is very warm. Think about these things in advance so that you are not distracted during the game.
When on the sidelines, make sure to stand back far enough to avoid getting hit by players on the field. Give them the space that they need to make the plays. You do not want to get knocked out of the game or even the season just because you were standing too close to the field when you were not even playing.
Work on your hand strength. This will help your control and power when you are throwing or catching the football. There are a number of tools you can use to help you build the strength in your hands and fingers. Taking up the guitar as a hobby is one fun way to achieve this.
Once a ref whistles that the ball is dead, you have 40 seconds before you have to start a play. If there are less than 40 seconds left in the game, you can literally just stand there until the game clock runs out. If there are more than 40 seconds and you don’t start the play, you will be penalized.
You should work on preparing your body and muscles for the position you will be playing. The position you play determines your conditioning plan to avoid fatigue in games. No matter your position, explosive power and strength are essential to football players.
Watch NFL games to learn from the pros. There is nothing better than watching both the mistakes and the good plays made in the big leagues. You can see their form, pay attention to what they excel at and then mold yourself to match their performance and benefit from the results.
As you can see, there is a lot to know about football. There is always something more to learn about his exciting and fast paced game. Use the information from above to help you perfect your skills or simply to bring a new level of understanding to the excitement of the game.
