Whether you're trying out for your high school team or have aspirations to become part of the NFL, being a football player requires a lot of hard work.
You have to be physically strong, mentally agile and have the stamina required to be part of the team whenever you're needed. This often means keeping yourself fit off-season as well.
There are plenty of ways to do this.
Start With Nutritional Supplements
If you're trying out for the high school team, you probably have a lot of homework on your hands. Older football players often need to juggle work or other responsibilities while they're trying to get in shape for the season.
When life gets busy, it gets easy to let nutrition fall by the wayside. A lack of nutrients leads to poor brain health, a loss of muscle mass, and a decrease in energy.
For this reason, it's a good idea to find the best protein powder and healthy snacks that you can to ensure you're keeping yourself fed and nourished even on your busiest days.
Step on the Treadmill or Head Outside
Football players need to be able to sprint down the field as fast as possible when they're trying to get a touchdown. If your sprinting skills aren't up to par, the off-season is the time to work on them.
When it's warm enough outside, head to a local park or even your own backyard and practice your sprinting. If it's too cold to be outside, set your treadmill at a fast enough speed (working up to it so you don't fall over, of course) and practice your sprints inside.
Be sure to use a timer to track how fast you are and to record your times so that you can see how well you improve as you train.
Improve How Quickly You Change Directions
Running a fast sprint speed is only one part of being able to make it down the field. You also need to be able to change direction quickly and efficiently to avoid being tackled by the other team.
One way to practice this is to place cones at even intervals from each other and practice sprinting through them in a zig-zag formation.
Even if you don't have cones, you can still practice running in a zig-zag line on your own. Try this for a while on your own, then add the ball to your drills. After all, changing direction is even harder when you're trying not to lose the ball.
Develop a Better Core
To get yourself down the field without losing the ball or being tackled, you need to have more than speed and agility. You also need to have a strong core. This helps you to push people away from you as you make your way through the opposing team's defense.
Strengthening your core is about more than sit-ups and crunches, though. While they are a good start, true core strength requires you to be able to do unstable exercises, since the field will feel different every time you run down it.
Do exercises such as squatting on Bosu-balls, deadlifting on a T-bar, or doing plank jacks on a TRX. This not only strengthens your core but improves how stable you'll be when fighting to keep the ball.
Allow Yourself To Recover
It can be tempting to work out every single day during the off-season when you have a big goal in mind, but never allowing yourself to rest could do more harm than good for your physique. Allowing your body to recover from workouts is very important.
Resting, using foam rolling balls to ease sore muscles, and even getting regular massages can help prevent muscles from becoming too tight and keep you from becoming too overwhelmed by your workout routine as well.
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If you have big dreams of becoming a big football star, the time to start is now. Use these tips and tricks to help you get fit and stay fit so you make the team and hopefully, become its next big star.
