Football AGILITY TRAINING: Triangle Agility Drill

Triangle Agility Drill Training:

The difference between good skill players and the great athletes is forged in the offseason, off the field, and in the weight room.  Chris Dimry from Velocity Sports gives a demonstration of a few key drills for faster athletes looking for quicker feet.  All you need for this drill is the agility cones and a football.  This drill works on acceleration, deceleration, and cutting around the cones.  Furthermore, drills like this focus on footwork, and concentration when catching the football.  You only need a minimal amount of space for this drill so it can be performed in your backyard, field, or the park.  The cones are set up only 5 yards apart and are set up in a triangle.  For advanced athletes you would go through this drill 6-8 times in each direction for 2-3 sets.

The “W” Drill:

Once again you will be using the agility cones for this drill.  Again you will be working in a short 5 yard area.  This time you will be setting up the cones a yard apart alternating 3 on one side and 2 on the other side.  Again, this drill will be focusing on acceleration and deceleration.  The main objective in this drill is learning how to cut on your outside foot.  Football is not just about strength. In fact speed training for football might be just as important as weight lifting. The highest ranked players are more likely to outperform their peers in tests such as the 40 yard sprint than they are in the squat or bench press. You could say that speed separates the outstanding from the very good. But you certainly don’t have to be the fastest to perform at your best. Which do you think is more important? Acceleration or top speed? Consider this for a moment .  Wide Recievers average distance in most football plays is 10-15 yards unless you are an offensive or defensive lineman.  Quickeness off the ball and working on cutting is importarnt because unlike an Olympic sprinter football players will rarely reach their top speed unless it is for a long pass or on kickoff.

Strength and Conditioning with Penn State John Thomas

John Thomas Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Penn State talks about bringing freshman athletes into there strength and conditioning program.  Some of the freshman have never been involved in a conditioning program and he helps them gradually get involved into there program.  Richard Garner a corner back for Penn State mentions all he did in high school for conditioning was push ups and sit ups.  The biggest thing John needs to install in the young athletes is the “work ethic”, and understanding what hard work is.  Once they grasp that concept a majority of the athletes are able to adapt to the program.  Paul Posluszny Linebacker Penn State mentions working with coach John Thomas has really helped him putting on weight.  Paul came into camp at 215lbs now he is weighing in at 232lbs and the work that he has put in is going to play dividends for the upcoming season.  Joe Jurevicius property of the Seattle Seahawks and was a 2nd round draft choice in 1998 has worked with John Thomas and has prepared him for the NFL season.  Chip Morton, Mike Wolf both strength and conditioning coaches of the Cincinati Bengels, and Philidelphia Eagles mention when drafting a player from the Penn State Program they are getting a player that understands hard work, has a great work ethic, and are very receptive to the coaches message and understanding the principales to become a well conditioned athlete.

Fordham Football Strength Training

Fordham University Football Team gives and in depth look at there pre-season strength and conditioning program.  The players do a series of squats, plyometrics, speed drills, and power drills.  I particularly like this video because it shows all aspects of training that these athletes go through on in there pre-season practice.  The amount of weight these athletes are pushing on there one rep max is really amazing.  Let’s remember most of these athletes are 17-21 years of age.  Some of these athletes are squating 475lbs plus which is really phenominal, benching well over 315lbs, while maintaining the mobility and quickness to compete in all the plyometric, and speed drills.  Fordham played the University of Conniticut in there first regular season game September 3.  Fordham lost the game 35-3.