How better to best the competition than to dedicate yourself to the game? If you not only practice hard, eat right and work out, but also learn from expert advice, you truly become unbeatable. This article has some tips and tricks you just can’t play without, so read them below.
If you are a football player, then weight or resistance training is essential. A good workout routine can go a long way towards bettering your skills. Utilize basic compound lifts to improve your strength, power and speed. To be a winner, you must have both skills.
Don’t concern yourself over your weight immediately. You may think that you need to gain a ton of weight to be a great football player, but really all you are doing is becoming fat and slow. More important is your conditioning. You want to be able to perform with the weight on you, so consider adding weight on slowly and with a good fitness plan.
Never be the stereotype. Often people see football players as jocks with few brain cells. You all know that’s far from the truth. Football works all aspects of who you are. Your mind needs to be as agile as your feet. So don’t play to this silly stereotype. Show people that athletes excel in all aspects of life.
Practice all that you can. Football may look easy when watching it on television, but that’s far from the truth. It’s a very physically demanding sport that also take a lot of brain power. You need to remember patterns and think on your feet with little notice to succeed. All of this takes practice.
Try learning how to start a football game properly. The game should start with a coin toss. The team that wins the toss then gets to decide the end of the field they’d like to defend for the first half, or if they’d like to receive the ball. One team will kick the ball to the other. The kickoff will occur at the start of each half and after each score.
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.
Speed is an important attribute for a football player. Regardless of your size or the position you play on the field, you need to practice improving your speed. Working on increasing your speed before you worry about adding weight to your frame. The extra weight may slow you down and being big and slow is not going to help your team.
Teamwork is important. Although it can be difficult if you are the star player, the sport is about the team, not just you. Winning is a team effort and not the result of one individual. To be a good professional player you must rely on your teammates to help elevate your game to a common goal, which is winning.
Be sure to drink lots of water or a sports drink as you play. Being in the hot and heavy equipment you have to wear to play football safely will leave you sweating buckets. Replace that water by drinking so that you don’t end up with a cramp or an injury.
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.
Your skills can make all the difference in improving your game, so constantly work to refine them. While others might have a body built to play football, you can improve your skills and beat them every time.
To prevent the ball from bouncing off your body, catch the ball away from your body. The rule of thumb is that if you can touch the football, you should be able to catch it. After making a successful catch, pull the ball close to your body and run to gain more yardage.
Pay attention to where you are on the field at all times. You need to keep your head up and know where the other players and the ball are at all times. This will help you prevent accidental collisions that could injure you or the other player. Never watch the ground while running.
The first thing you must remember when you are learning to catch a football is to make sure you are using your hands. Keep your eye on the ball and always try to use your hands instead of your body to catch. Cushion the football with your hands and then bring it into your body.
Learn to play with both sides. If you throw with your right arm, practice and perfect your skills with your left arm, as well. It will help you fake your rivals out and give you more options on the field. You should also learn to kick well with both feet.
Your playbook is your best friend. Take the time memorize each play and practice each play often. By knowing each play in your playbook, you can call a little used play when the defense keeps shutting you down. Each player should know every play in your playbook for the best results.
With this priceless advice in your arsenal, you are ready to wage war against your opponents. Keep your heart passionate, your mind focused and your body strong, and nothing will stand between you and winning. You’ll drive your team to success and leave everyone watching the game shocked by your improvement.
