What does the game of football mean in your mind? Is it just a hobby that enjoy with family and friends? Do you watch it on the tube? Are you a player on your school’s football team looking to become a pro one day? Whatever the case, this article will teach you more about this great sport.

Keep your ears open to your teammates. Even if you disagree, when the day ends, they’re still your team and you all want to win. Their idea can really make your team better.

TIP! Always listen to your teammates. Even if there’s some tension, remember that you all have the same goal: to win.

Always wear your safety equipment when playing football. The chances of getting seriously hurt is just too much. If you don’t ever have the appropriate gear, then don’t play. Injuries include fractures and bone breaks, paralysis and even major brain injuries. It could mean that you never get to play a game of football again.

Weight training is critical if you play football. You have to stick to a routine. You want to use both basic lifts and heavy weights to obtain strength and speed. If you want to be a skilled, winning player, this sort of workout is a must.

Use both your feet to play football, so that you can get faster and better. Most players have one foot that they perform better with than the other. If you can learn to use your other foot as well, you can pick up your pace, and out-maneuver your opponents better.

TIP! Go into every play like the entire game is on the line. Although the football season can be trying at times, you never want to give less than your best.

Your work ethic will factor into how much field time you get. Even though natural talent plays an important role, work ethic is even more important. Coaches like players that want to learn, rather than lazy ones who already know how to play.

Kickers should push themselves to kick field goals at fifty yards. Build your muscle strength to increase the distance the ball travels after you kick it. Flexibility exercises need to be completed, too. Do your best to stretch multiple times a day to improve flexibility in different areas.

Stamina is just as important as strength when it comes to football. To boost stamina, choose a cardio routine and follow it for 60 minutes or more every day. You can choose to run, ride your bike or run up and down stairs. This exercise should be easy, that way you can do more reps and build up stamina.

TIP! Practice drills that improve how quickly you can move. Football players are some of the more agile athletes out there.

Try using shuttle runs for boosting endurance, stamina, and developing your ability to do abrupt stops. Run from one goal line to the 10 yard line and touch it. Then go back to the line you started at and tap it as well. Attempt to do more of these with every passing day, and monitor your success in order to see yourself get better as time goes by.

Sometimes football players need to bulk up their muscle mass for their position. To become big and strong, eat a lot, but eat the right foods. They must avoid unhealthy fats while increasing caloric intake. Look for healthy fats to add into your foods, such as pure olive oil.

Technique is key when catching a wet ball. Keep your feet pointed toward the ball to prevent slipping. It’ll help you have much more control. Your legs, hips, and chest should be positioned similarly. Grab the ball with both hands, and keep going!

TIP! As a football player, weight training is crucial. A solid regimen must be followed year round.

Five cones placed in a line about five yards apart will create an obstacle course for you to run to increase the flexibility of your hips. Begin at the end of the line, and zigzag between each, running as quickly as possible. Lean toward the direction you need to go, head up and eyes looking down field.

A half-hearted effort will bring you half the rewards. You and whole team will be very disappointed if the game is lost because you did not make your best effort. Work hard with passion to win the game.

Focus on your footwork if you’re the quarterback. Solid footwork is crucial for quarterbacks, because each second counts, as does every single step. Practice twisting and back pedaling on a regular basis.

TIP! Learn how to use your feet effectively for better speed and overall performance. Most people favor one foot.

Send potential colleges a video of highlights for coaches to watch. Make sure that you apply to a great number of schools at the game level you hope to play at. Your first choice may not recruit you to play for them, so you need to have options.

Mental prowess is an ability that differentiate the great players from the good ones. You must understand every part of the game. Watch old tapes of older, classic NFL games to learn the basics that might be overlooked today. Anticipation of the opponent and strategic moves are qualities that legendary football players possessed.

If you’re the quarterback, learn how to scan defenders from right to left and left to right. Many quarterbacks will only look from side to side. By changing up how you look at the field, the defense never knows which direction of the field you are focusing on.

TIP! There are a lot of schemes, techniques and strategies in football; you can’t know every single one. Learn about the game of football to have an edge over other players who may be smarter and faster.

Vertical leaping can improve your game. This may seem like a skill needed for basketball, but it is important in football as well. Sometimes, the ball is just out of your reach and a vertical jump is necessary. Or you need to leap over a pack of opponents on the goal line for the winning touchdown. Either way, the better your leap, the greater your chances for success.

No matter if you are a recreational player or a serious prospect, football should receive the attention it deserves. Studying up on it will only improve your love for it, so make sure you learn all that you can. Keep practicing, exercising and focusing on the techniques within this article so that you can be the very best player you hope to be.