any advice for a newbie linebacker?

[turtlesauce]

literally have never played before. going in as a jr at my high school and trying to play lineback for jv. any good workout tips, [as to important excercises and muscles more than others], diet, and training?

thanks. apoligies for being an amateur. :P

[Cowart69]

Lets start off with your measurements first....height, weight, bench, squat, clean numbers?

[kup]

when do your practices start? if i were you, i'd bulk for now. the main lifts as far as i know are bench, squat, deadlift, and power clean. i'm not completely sure <b>exactly</b> what muscles are vital, but definitely the legs and back are.

[turtlesauce]

Lets start off with your measurements first....height, weight, bench, squat, clean numbers?
heheh, my numbers aren't quite in my favor, but thats why im aiming for jv.

5'6"
145 lbs
bench - latest 225 max
squat - 275x5
clean - 135x5 :(

[teriyakisaki]

go into the football faq and use google. do as much studying of the x's and o's as you can. know as much about the mental aspect of the game as possible, so you can put more focus on the physical. most of all, be a sponge. soak up and retain as much information as possible.

[bsoates]

Click Here (http://www.usafootball.com/articles/displayArticleIndex/5/403/3)

[canadianlb]

I completely agree with teriyakisaki, learn your x's and o's. Linebacker is probably one of the most mentally challenging positions on defence, and if you don't know what you're doing on a given play it doesn't matter how physically strong you are. On the other hand, if you know your stuff real good, you don't have to be the strongest or fastest to make a play.

Try to get ahold of your jv coaches and ask them what they'd like you to do for workouts. With your size and weight, and if you're quick enough they might put you at a strong safety position, which is just pure fun :D

For the explosiveness aspect needed for a linebacker, and because i'm guessing your season isn't too far off, work on those numbers; cleans, squats and bench. Start off with lighter weights and more reps, and each week increase the weight and lower reps. If you want some specific strength and explosive workouts, PM me and I could forward you something similar to what I'm using if you'd like.

[Matt_SD]

heheh, my numbers aren't quite in my favor, but thats why im aiming for jv.

5'6"
145 lbs
bench - latest 225 max
squat - 275x5
clean - 135x5 :(

Your clean is bad because you have bad form, probably...

[Agallah Adams]

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md60.htm

without good/decent footwork and quick feet, coaches are gonna move you down DL

[turtlesauce]

this is all helpful, thanks. i've been bombarding my brain with as much football info as possible lately

[turtlesauce]

this is all helpful, thanks. i've been bombarding my brain with as much football info as possible lately

[kptran21]

ever think about playing DB?

[Trevdude7]

ive seen people play with numbers similar to those. i started at middle at 5'9" 160 (bench was 175x5 squat was maybe 315) against a team who was in top ten by USA Today. just be a bad ass. if you walk around the field like a bad ass, dont take **** from linemen, make contact first with every back and play fast you will do great. confidence is a very large part of it.

[gmenfan40]

all i can say is on running plays dont hesitate and just be very aggresive. Alot of first time linebackers watch the play and dont leave their stance. I would key the guard on your side, if he pulls you follow him and fill the gap, If he down blocks the tackle then the play is going to the outside etc.

[Cowart69]

Just so that you know....your lifts are not terrible...they aren't freakish but they ar enot terrible either. Just continue to work on them.....eat big and lift big.

X's and O's ARE important.....and another suggestion I would have is work on your side line to side line speed. Some totally dont understand this but if you want to be able to make plays you need to be able to get from one side of the field to the other quickly.

[nightrain36]

Train and play like a demon. Hurdle the weak and trample the dead. Kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out.

Best of luck to ya.

[turtlesauce]

i haven't really considered db. idk why, but lb is just more appealing to me. and yeah, i've been lifting heavy and eating up as much as i can lately, but im kinda worried im going to over-eat and put on too much unecessary fat that will slow me down. i used to be 195 [fat] but then i went down to 140 in seven months and figured, this is probably as far as ill go, might was well bulk up. so im between 147 and 153 right now. fun. but im noticing some extra chub as well. i guess that kind of comes with the bulking, but i need more weight on me, but i dont want any fat. anyway to do this? its kind of hard trying to get in good condition but bulking up because i can't do the cardio i'd like to because it will burn all my calories.

and thanks guys, all the advice and support really helps.

[Cowart69]

i haven't really considered db. idk why, but lb is just more appealing to me. and yeah, i've been lifting heavy and eating up as much as i can lately, but im kinda worried im going to over-eat and put on too much unecessary fat that will slow me down. i used to be 195 [fat] but then i went down to 140 in seven months and figured, this is probably as far as ill go, might was well bulk up. so im between 147 and 153 right now. fun. but im noticing some extra chub as well. i guess that kind of comes with the bulking, but i need more weight on me, but i dont want any fat. anyway to do this? its kind of hard trying to get in good condition but bulking up because i can't do the cardio i'd like to because it will burn all my calories.

and thanks guys, all the advice and support really helps.

Young people are able to eat a lot "dirtier" and still gain weight without fat IF they are doing the right amount of cardio and lifting. But the staple of your diet would be to make sure you are getting protein which is the biulding block of muscule. I suggest eating foods that are high in protein while also supplementing with a quality protein shake. It is a lot cheaper to do this make making shakes rather then bars and you can also add other things to it.

An example of my sons supplementation who is currently at 185 and trying to get to 200 before the start of the season at varsity....looks like he will back up at OLB and start at DE. 16 years old 6 ft tall.

- Musclejuice protein powder
- 1 banana
- healthy scoop of peanut butter
- 2 percent milk

This all adds up to about 1700 calories per shake....but also mixes in some other things that are good for you. The peanut butter adds protein and calories. The banana is good to keep your immunity system up and also helps with soreness in the muscules. The 2 percent milk helps everything to mix well.

He takes that twice a day while also eating 4 meals. Obviously this is like a zillion calories but due to his body type he needs them to put on weight.

[Ironstone-]

get big and mean like me and ****.

oh ya and learn how to read the o-line.

[TakeDownkid]

Well since your a smaller guy. Watch the 0-line and hit the holes to plug them up hard and stay low. Just mostly work on your squats, leg press, do drive through on all tackles.

I am a monster back which means I rotate to strong sides. Hammering kids is the best thing in football. And since your still in JV you will be fine.

[turtlesauce]

my coach says that powercleans translates to damn near everything on the football field. should i apply special emphasis on my weekly workouts to powercleans?

[nightrain36]

be careful about power lifting of any kind. I've seen great careers end because they didn't do it properly and are suffering serious injuries to their backs. get a certified trainer before you do anything like that.

[teriyakisaki]

all i can say is on running plays dont hesitate and just be very aggresive. Alot of first time linebackers watch the play and dont leave their stance. I would key the guard on your side, if he pulls you follow him and fill the gap, If he down blocks the tackle then the play is going to the outside etc.

a little bit more to it than that.

typically if your gaurd downblocks, you'll want to fill because its most likely action on b or c. pull to your side you'll want to scrape across the top and fill the hole. pull away, scrape across the top, slow ball read, cutback responsibility. man block, take it on, get extension and see where the ball is going. cutoff/scoop block, make a move to get around it, preferrably a rip under. this is also somewhat situational depending on the team's offensive tendencies.


i wouldnt work on the powercleans until you have somebody qualified teach them to you. not ony is this lift 75% form, but you also can be seriously hurt (career-ending) if you do not do them right. they are important, but not worth the risk to do them wrong.

[turtlesauce]

thanks for those tips.

&im pretty sure that im getting form pretty right for that. coach and the lifting coach haven't noticed anything wrong. head and chest up, power with my legs til the top peak then drop down and lock it out.

so should i pretty much just eat balls to wall? nohomo

[nightrain36]

Don't forget to do sprints and reaction drills. Too many people focus solely on strength. Speed kills. They can't beat you if they can't catch you. A linebacker has to be strong but also has to chase down the ball, whether it be from the running back or all the way down the field to the receiver.

[turtlesauce]

Don't forget to do sprints and reaction drills. Too many people focus solely on strength. Speed kills. They can't beat you if they can't catch you. A linebacker has to be strong but also has to chase down the ball, whether it be from the running back or all the way down the field to the receiver.

oh yeah, never will i neglect doing my sprinting cardio drills. im doing, at minimum, 2 miles a day 3-4 days a week right now. i dont want to completely burn out my calories though, but im trying to work on my endurance. true what you say. will concentrate on sprinting more. thankss.

[nightrain36]

Do HIIT. Football is a sprint sport bro. Long distance running keeps you in good condition but it won't make you the football player you want to do. Hard heavy sprinting. A couple 100 yd. sprints. 40s. 20s. etc. Ask any player here. Sprints (for the purposes of football) are the better thing to do. Also , reaction drills. You gotta practice reaction. Don't let that running back shake you and you turn into an idiot.

[turtlesauce]

thanks. im applying all of this. in terms of reading the o-line, what sorts of things should i look for? like, when the o-line blocks in certain ways.. etc, etc. thanks!

[canadianlb]

Well generally reading the o-line is easy. If they come off the ball toward you, its going to be a run. Smack the guy in front of you and plug up your gap. (depending on the play you have different gap assignments). Just remember to keep the shoulder into your gap free. (i.e. if you have to plug a gap between a guard and tackle that is to the right, keep your right shoulder free) Keep the o-lineman's hands off your shoulderpads by hitting him first and keep fighting him off. If the RB runs to your gap your outside shoulder is then free to put a hurtin' on him.

O-linemen have many different blocking schemes; reach, stretch, hooks, bull-rushes, down blocks, traps, and the one every linebacker loves, the cut block.

Reach/stretch: They're trying to beat you to your point of attack, usually by scraping down the line of scrimmage while coming out at you, so they can then hook you and get you out of the play. If your gap responsibility is on the outside of the reach block, you have to ultra aggressive and explode through to get back into your gap responsibility. I find this one of the toughest things a linebacker has to do, but if you destroy the o-lineman trying to block you and regain your gap, you're going to make a play.

Hook: A hook is very similar to a reach or stretch except they just try to turn you in so the RB can bounce out. If your gap responsibility is on the outside, again just fight through it. Explode into the lineman and get off as quickly as possible to regain gap control.

Bullrushes: Those are the easiest to attack; The only question is do you want to win? Its a head on head collision and you just have to knock the f**k out of the lineman. Get him back on his heels, then read for the RB.

Traps/Counters: I love when offenses run counters. Depending on where you are as a LB, you have different assignments for counters. If the linemen in front of you downblock (in other words they reach for the people on the inside of the defence) you have to 'fill'; run up to where the o-linemen were before the snap. Scrape down the line behind the o-linemen and expect that the linemen from the other side of the formation to be pulling around toward you. If you time it correctly, you should be coming off the downblocking linemans butt just as the pulling lineman come around. He won't see you, and you tattoo riddell into his chin. The entire play is blown up and the RB has nowhere to go but down as the rest of your buddies make the tackle (kind of self sacrificing I know, but its not all glory at the LB position)

Cut Block: Its a dirty play and I get pissed everytime it happens. Its when the linemen jump out at your knees and try to cut your legs out from underneath you. You have to be quick on your feet and use your hands for this one. You shoot your feet out from underneath you (keeping balance of course) as he tries to cut, and you take your hands and slam his head as hard as you can into the ground. Make it very violent and explosive, and if you do it hard enough he'll second guess cutting you again. Most smaller linemen will cut block you (especially if you've destroyed them head on once or twice in the game already)

Those are just a few of the blocks you'll face as LB.

If its a pass play, at the snap of the ball the linemen will usually drop back on their heels to create the pocket for the QB. Then you can make your reads and drop into your pass responsibility.

The only time this doesn't happen is when its a draw play, and the easiest way to tell if its a draw play is that when the RB will stay beside the QB instead of stepping up to block with the linemen. If this is the case, take that extra second before dropping off into pass to make sure.

Hope that kind of helps.

[turtlesauce]

you have no idea how much that has helped. haha thanks, definately looking forward to practice today. my groin and neck are always super sore the next day. maybe i'm hitting wrong? in contrast to the point of contact, which way should my head be? thanks again. oh btw, i gained 5lbs! =D

[canadianlb]

There are lots of articles about proper form for a tackle, but for your head you should be putting your helmet on the side that the RB has the ball. Remember to keep your head up so you don't bust up your neck, tuck your tail, eyes to the sky and explode through with your hips. Your aiming point should be his waist, but about a yard behind him to get maximum thrust through the hit.

But, because you're brand new to the LB position and the amout of hitting, its probably just that. Welcome to the position.

[turtlesauce]

thanks. repped. i have a 4 day football camp starting tomorrow. hopefully it will go well. thanks again!