Improve your Footwork and Increase your Football Ability
30
JUNE, 2017
Training
Footwork is incredibly important in football. Being able to move your feet quickly and accurately can have a big impact on your performance. It can help you sprint, change direction, block, tackle, throw and even catch the ball.
Here are 3 simple things that you can do to help you with your footwork for football.
1. JUMP ROPE
A jump rope is probably the simplest, least expensive tool you can use for improving footwork, overall athleticism, strengthening your ankles, feet and shins, and improving your conditioning. The first step is to make sure you are using a rope that fits you. Adjust the handles so they both come up to your armpits.
Start these drills with a 30-second goal and gradually improve that to a minute for each drill. Keep your knees and ankles soft; most of your movement should be from your ankles.
Traditional Jumping Rope: Basically you are jumping over the rope using both feet and landing on the balls of your feet. If this is done properly, you should not have to jump very high.
Jump side to side: Move side to side, jumping over the rope as you move. Again, you should not need to jump very high.
Jump forward and backward: Jump forward and then backward over the rope.
Jump rope for quick feet.
2. DO CONE DRILLS
You don’t need fancy equipment to help you improve as an athlete. All you need is your body, space and cones. Yes, those annoying cones you see on the road signaling that road work and delays lie ahead. These cone drills can help you improve speed, conditioning, footwork and athletic performance. You will need no more than six cones for these drills, and you can get some from your local department of highways office if they’re willing to give them out, or you can buy some plastic ones at your local sporting goods store.
“You don’t need fancy equipment to help you improve as an athlete.”
3-Cone Drill
This is a classic football drill. You will need three cones set up 15 feet apart and in the form of a right angle.
Start at the bottom cone and sprint to the second cone.
Touch the ground and return to the first cone.
Touch the ground and sprint around the outside of the second cone, to the inside of the cone to the side. Make a turn around this cone, run around the outside of both this cone and the second cone.
Finish by sprinting past the first cone. In video game terms, you go up, down, up, around right, around and left, down.
Run for time and repeat for the desired number of rounds for the best time possible.
4-Cone Drill
This one is a basketball drill. Set up four cones 12 to 15 feet apart, or if you’re on a basketball court, set up one cone on each corner of the painted area and foul line.
Start at the back left cone.
Run to the front cone.
Sidestep to the cone on your right.
Back step to the cone behind you, and sidestep to the cone on your left, which is the cone you started at.
Go back the opposite way and sidestep to the cone on your right.
Sprint to the cone in front of you.
Sidestep to the cone on your left.
Backpedal to the cone behind you, which is where you started.
That is one round. Run this drill for time and repeat for the desired number of rounds for the best time possible.
5-Cone Agility Drill
Now we use five cones. Set four cones up in the form of a diamond about and set the fifth cones in the middle. Each of the outer cones should be 10 feet away from the center.
Start at the middle cone with your left hand on it. Run to the right cone and touch it with your right hand.
Run back to the center and touch it.
Repeat this pattern with each cone at the bottom, to the left, and the top, in that order. When you touch the top cone, you’re finished.
Run for time and repeat for the desired number of rounds for the best time.
6-Cone Wide Receiver Drill
If you play WR, you already know this one. Set up six cones in diagonal angles 5 yards apart so that the first and last cones are 25 yards apart.
Start at the first cone and run around the outside of each cone as fast as possible without losing your balance or speed until you pass the last cone.
Run for time and repeat for the desired number of rounds for the best time.
Sympathetic Nervous System.
3. Train your Nervous System
Having quick feet is a combination of your brain and nervous system wanting to make a move and your fast twitch muscle fibers coordinating that movement with your body. During these movements your muscles are working but also your nervous system. It is your nervous system that is telling your muscles how fast to go and when to react. If your nervous system and muscular system is not well trained and on the same page then it could lead to an athlete wanting to make a move but his body not responding.
Below is a drill that develops your Neuro (nervous) Muscular (muscle) System.
– Machine Guns: Stand in an athletic position, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, butt back, ankles bent, shoulders slightly forward and head up. On command, rapidly alternate your feet as if you are running in place without lifting your feet higher than three inches off the ground. Perform this exercise three to five times for 15-20 seconds straight. You will notice that your legs will get heavy and your speed will decrease. The more you do this drill the more your muscles and nervous system will be ready to make any move your mind tells them to.
