Linebacker Tips (agility/speed)

[dallasblue05]

What is your 40 time?

Good luck.....

My 40 ON RECORD is a lousy 5.0.....but that was on my second run because the guy told me he was ready for me to run, but when I ran my first one, he said once I got to him that he wasnt ready, I was pissed, I bet that time was about 4.8......I want to work on that a lot, obviously!

 

[PullMyFinger]

For whats its worth.

I was 5'8 200lb LB when I played college ball, but sheesh that was back in the days..... :laugh2:



Ran a 4.6 tho

 

[Muhast]

Speed and agility are my specialty. I'll spread some love

If your looking to make your 40 time faster you should know the first 3 steps pretty much decide your time. It's all about explosion you should push off and keep your head down, gradually bringing it up as you run( about 10 yards you can lift it up). And your not looking for long strides or short choppy steps. You want to have really powerful but quick steps. It's not neccesarily how fast your moving, just how fast you get there. Power and explosions are key.

Shuttle runs are more agility and acceleration. It's VERY important you PLANT then go. If you watch you may notice the fastest guy's aren't always the quickest. When you plant your gone, you don't hesitate, you have to jump off that and go almost.

As for playing linebacker, remember everything is downhill on runs. Your NEVER going backwards, NEVER. You can't allow yourself to be blocked.

 

[Muhast]

To get stronger there is a substance called T-BOMB. I highly suggest it. It's legal you can find it at your local GNC or other nutritional stores. But it's helped me tremendously. I highly sugggest it

 

[BARRYRAY]

At the risk of raining on anybody my advice is to give it up while you can walk fairly well, my wife has two bad knees that will require replacement imminently, some things you gotta let go of, find something else that doesn't have you ending up with a cane or a walker. Not trying to scare you but man I've seen so many folks in the orthopedic surgeons office and a whole lot of them are football related, have to talk to somebody while killing time while wife is talking to Dr. wife would just be glad to be able to walk normal again and get off the pain stuff and the Vioxx which is another story/risk....

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Which LB spot are you playing? Flat out speed is nice but you may never get it. There are a lot of good football players who aren't fast. The best advice I could give is to know your position. Anticipation will help you much more then speed will. Also, don't train to gain speed. Train to gain quickness on your first step, lateral movement and the actual explosion to the ball. Work on shedding blocks and using your hands. Your first step is usually what makes or breaks you. Know your keys and responsabilities until it's second nature. Thinking is the biggest obstical you will have to overcome. If you know what your supposed to be doing on the field, you not focusing on thinking about it. Your mind can then start concentrating on what the opposition is trying to do. Tendancies and things. You can then start to get a feel and that's when you make plays.

Good luck man.

 

[TunaCaserole]

A great website to visit for training advice is crossfit.com. They have several workouts that incorporate plyometrics for explosive strength that you will need.

 

[joe_cowboy]

I played LB also, but in college. I added 20 pounds in one summer up to 245 and ran a 4.45 40 (down from 4.6) before I was injured and could no longer play (rehabbed, but kept re-injuring). Here is what worked for me (in the weight room stuff, not including running and agility, etc.):
- increased speed - speed squats, which means take about 50-70% of your max and squat as fast as you can in a controlled way. Make sure you stay in control. 10-20 reps for 3 sets. This should be on your light leg day, and it also will really get your heart pumping! No cardio needed after this workout!
- increased strength & stamina - supersetting - use heavy weights (90% of max) for as many reps as you can. When you are exhaused from that, use 50% of the previous weight and do as many rep as possible. Take short breaks between sets (1 to 1 1/2 minutes). Also, try to go up fast, and down slow. i.e. bench - up as fast as possible, down in 5-10 seconds; pulldowns - pull down as fast as possible, up slow etc.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[Muhast]

I added 20 pounds in one summer up to 245 and ran a 4.45 40 (down from 4.6) before I was injured and could no longer play
.

No offense but i highly doubt this. How many RUNNINGbacks or Wide recievers in the nfl run 4.45 even? Much less linebackers at 245.

 

[dallasblue05]

Wow, you guys have a lot of great ideas, i've almost filled up my piece of paper that have your tips on them. Thanks a lot, I hope I can get it done. The only obsticle I see in the near future is I'm getting my tonzels out tomorrow so I'll be out of it for about a week, lol, but after that I'll be able to start training hard. Thanks a lot guys.

 

[Rack]

Dallasblue, don't even worry about your technique on running the 40. You aren't gonna be using that technique while on the field so it's completely useless.


My advice is to do quickness (lateral, forward, and backwards) drills starting out in your LB spot. As a LB you WILL have to go backwards at times (getting into your zone when the offense passes) so it is good to do those kind of drills.

 

[Muhast]

I was saying if the coaches look at that, b/c thats a thing most coaches like. I dont know why, there are much more important things than that but then again speed is a nice thing to have

 

[Rack]

I didn't say Speed isn't nice to have. I said worrying about your technique on the 40 is useless. Speed in the 40 and speed on the field are two different things. Especially at the LB position where you'll rarely ever run straight ahead for 40 yards.

For another words he can use that time that he would of been spending on his 40 technique on something that'll actually help make him a better football player. Working on speed is great, just don't waste time on technique in the 40 when that time can be used on LB drills or working on running 20s starting out in your LB position.

For another words the 40 technique isn't of practical use for him. Work on getting out of your LB stance as quickly as possible, not a 40 stance.

 

[joe_cowboy]

No offense but i highly doubt this. How many RUNNINGbacks or Wide recievers in the nfl run 4.45 even? Much less linebackers at 245.

If you knew me, you would believe it. Some people can do things better than others...like Larry Allen benching 700 lbs, I guess he didn't do that either because most people can't!

 

[Rack]

Yeah I don't believe it either.


245 lbs and running a 4.4? Ummm... no.

 

[joe_cowboy]

Yeah I don't believe it either.


245 lbs and running a 4.4? Ummm... no.

Whatever. Just trying to help dallasblue. Not to sure how many of you guys have EVER done speed squats, or squats for that matter, but they do work. Hard work can improve your ability.

Not sure your age, but if you guys are young enough, in shape (no sloths), and in Orange County/South LA County, come on down for some flag football and we shall see. A bunch of us usually play Sundays. Let me know, and I will tell you the next time, then you can judge for yourself.

 

[Muhast]

It's not that, it's just if your 6' watever 245 pounds and faster then the majority of runningback and wide recievers, you'd probably be in the nfl. Especially since you say you played in college. They can teach fundamentals, they can't teach natural ability.

 

[joe_cowboy]

It's not that, it's just if your 6' watever 245 pounds and faster then the majority of runningback and wide recievers, you'd probably be in the nfl. Especially since you say you played in college. They can teach fundamentals, they can't teach natural ability.

I hear that...and that is something I live with. Injury and lack of focus/desire to push through the pain and play in pain back then. I was a lineman in HS changed to a LB at community college, as I didn't get scholarships where I truly wanted to play (USC). The training staff wasn't great (and wasn't there over the summer when I was initially injured, so it didn't hear right). At that time, I had other things that interested me more, and didn't had some doctors (and others) discouraging me from trying.

On the mental side, I know some brilliant people who don't have degrees and don't make much $$ or have great jobs. More to it than just talent.

Point is, if you know how to workout, you can greatly increase speed and strength. Most people work out and work on slow twitch muscles. Working out with speed will translate onto the field.

 

[Muhast]

a big thing to remember: always practice whenever you can. Don't watch that t.v Show. Go outside and do some drills.

You gain the advantage when your training while your competition rests. Every set or repetition is just making you that much better than them.