Saturday, November 20, 2010

Defensive Backs Football Training - Stripping the Football

Today we are seeing more defensive backs stripping the football from receivers. It has become a football skill unto itself, requiring corners, line backers and safeties training and practicing drills to hone their ball stripping football skills.
More coaches are teaching the art of stripping the football, running practice drills with the defensive players, teaching them how stripping the football is done. A stripped football, is a down used, with no gain. When the defenders are successful at stripping the football from the receiver, the ball comes out. Giving the defensive unit an opportunity for a possible take-away.
More often than not D-backs are not in position to bat the ball down, leaving them two options; make the tackle or stripping the football.
Training the D-Back for stripping the football requires two basic sets of football skills. Mental and physical training are the essential football skills needed to be successful at stripping the football.
Football Skills for Stripping the Football:
Football skills for stripping the football begin with the proper mind set and attitude. The defender must approach the receiver with his mind set that he is going to strip the football from the receiver's hands. In order to be successful at stripping the football from the receiver, the back must first understand the fundamentals of catching the pass.
Learning the pass catching mechanics are essential and can be achieved by studying DVDs and videos dedicated to teaching pass catching football skills.
The defensive player will learn the basic positions a receiver may hold his hands prior to making the catch. If the ball is in front of the receiver are his hands above or below the shoulder pads, if behind the receiver are his hands above or below the shoulder pad, is the receivers back to the defender. These are important football skills defensive backs need to develop.
Next, the D-Backs training should show them which arm to attack. If the ball is thrown over the receivers left shoulder, the left arm is the point of attack, just as if the ball arrives over the receivers right shoulder, attack the right arm. In each case if the ball is caught going over the left shoulder, the defensive back uses his left arm to attack and if the ball is over the right shoulder he attacks using his right arm.
Practice Drills for Stripping the Football:
The first ball stripping practice drill should start with the receiver and the defender being stationary. In some parlances this defensive back practice drill is called a reach-and-pull.
The " reach-and-pull' technique is where the receiver stands back to the defensive back holding the ball on either side, the defensive back reaches out (left arm to left arm, right arm to right arm) and pulls the arm holding the ball downward stripping the football from the receiver.
Next is a walk through practice drill followed by running the stripping the football drill.
Ball stripping practice drills should be run about 3/4s speed and should not be exercised as a full contact practice. The focus of the drill, is to give the defensive back training on how to successfully strip the football from the receiver. Which arm the defensive back should attack and the football skills needed to strip the football from the receiver's hands.
In this drill the receiver and defensive back typically face the sideline, the defensive back about 10 yards away from the receiver. At the coaches signal the receiver starts running about 3/4s speed directly towards the side line. The defensive back takes off angling towards the point where he will intersect with the receiver as the ball arrives.
Once the receiver has run a few yards the coach throws him the football. The defensive back if he has timed his run and has taken the proper angle should be at the receiver the same time the ball arrives.
Using his attack arm the defensive back should be reach out and pulling the ball carrying arm down, dislodging the football. With his other arm, he should be hitting the receiver in the back with his fore arm and grabbing a hand full of jersey. Then if the defensive back is not able to dislodge the ball he is in position to make the tackle.
Who ever is throwing the ball to the receiver must throw the ball behind, high, low, left and to the right of the receiver giving the defensive back training on all the angles passes are caught.
In conclusion stripping the football requires both physical and mental football skills. Knowing which arm to attack, which arm to attack with and being able gage where the ball and receiver will meet and intersect with them all the while running at full speed.
A defensive back good at stripping the football doesn't happen by luck, it takes diligence and a strong practice work ethic.
We have several defensive training back videos on how to take the ball away use this link to view one of them. http://www.scoretouchdowns.com/product/827008383191
Please visit our defensive back section and see if we have the training video you need at http://www.scoretouchdowns.com/page/398204258 Copyright 12/25/2008 Andrew Berkey & ScoreTouchdowns

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Health Benefits of Physical Fitness

Regular activity has a number of proven, positive health effects, especially on heart health. Vigorous exercise strengthens the heart as a pump, making it a larger, more efficient muscle. Even moderate activity can boost HDL ('good') cholesterol, aid the circulatory system, and lower blood pressure and blood fats. All these effects translate into reduced risk for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
 
Exercise can also offer other benefits, including strengthened muscles, increased flexibility, and stronger bones, which can help ward off the bone-thinning condition called osteoporosis.
Regular activity also promises mental-health benefits, like relieving stress and anxiety. It can help you sleep better and renew your energy. If exercise could be bottled, it would be a best-selling potion at the local pharmacy.
Activity is for Everyone
Virtually everyone can get health benefits from activity. But every few years, surveys confirm the well-known fact that most people aren't active enough. Unfortunately, we pay for it. The American Heart Association attributes about 250,000 deaths a year in the US - about 12 percent of total deaths - to lack of regular physical activity.
The reasons for inactivity aren't hard to figure out. Most of us have jobs where we sit most of the time, so chances are limited to be physically active at work. We also rely heavily on modern, labor-saving devices - cars, appliances, and power tools - to spare us manual effort.
But there's another reason why many people, especially the overweight, avoid activity. Check out the firm, supple bodies shown exercising on television or on magazine covers. They give the impression that exercise is sweaty, strenuous work best reserved for the young, super-fit, and athletic. But the latest research is proving that picture false: Benefits can be gained even from low-intensity activity, like gardening.