Defensive Tackle

[SteR-]

Just want to find out the best way to break through the line of scrimmage as a defensive tackle? I was reading on the internet that the best way is to just bull rush the guy in front of you low to knock him back then use rip/swim or whatever to get past and fill your gap/make the sack etc but I'm not really sure. Bear in mind I play football in the UK and I'm not really good at it but I'd like to improve. Also, how do you improve your strength for that first drive off the line? I already do squats, deadlifts, military press, bench etc but I'd like to improve my power off the mark if you understand what I mean. Please can any people who understand this position give me as many pointers as you can or direct me to any sites because I'd like to improve in this position.

Btw, you know those really tight white/black long sleeved tops the pros wear, what are they used for? Are they for anything special or are they just worn to look cool?

Cheers

[footballplaya90]

Hey whats going on. To get past / burst through the line I personally like to do push/rip or just go straight up with him and use my size. I personally dont like swimming, never have since you have to get over the person, even though im tall i dont like doing it because that means you have to be HIGH and everyone knows the lower man wins. Explosiveness - Olympic Lifts, Cleans, Snatch, etc. Also practice exploding out of your stance. About the tight black/white long sleeved tops the pros wear, thats called under armor. Its a type of shirt that keeps all the heat or cold in, there are all different types of them. I personally have never worn them before.

[BennyDHS]

get in a football stance...and do like twenty 10 yard sprints as hard as you can everyday

[VitaminX]

Powercleans. Lots and lots of heavy powercleans. I was the most explosive DT back in my day and frequently bullrushed offensive lineman all the way back to the quarterback. My bench and squat were nothing special, but I held the powerclean record. I believe that powecleans contribute to the explosive power needed to break through the offensive line.

best of luck during the season

[dabears34]

hey man im a very undersized dt..140 pound freashman playing dt..And i love the position..I just have alot of leg drive and upper body strength and i just over power them with hands and leg drive..Explsoivness you should do alot of sprints and stuff it works


Good Luck

[SteR-]

Thanks for the advice guys. I've never done power cleans before but are they when you start from like the start of a deadlift and then kinda deadlift the weight explosively up onto your shoulders and then press? I'll give them a try but would it be best to do them on shoulder day? or back or what?

[footballplaya90]

Hey, Heres video of hang clean: http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...ls.asp?exid=13

Video of powerclean: http://www.bsu.edu/webapps/strengthl...powerclean.mpg

With powercleans I like to just clean the weight to my shoulders and not use a dip. Hangcleans I dip underneath. Id do them on shoulder day that way its seperate from deadlift.

[elatham06]

Like they said before, power cleans are vital.

when you come off the line, stay low. if you're lined up on the offensive man's gap, and he tries to take it away from you, grab on to the guys shoulderpads, where there pecs/chest are, and hold on tight (this is called the "fit"). run the same direction he is, but downhill. Now, pull towards you with your inside hand, and push with your outside hand. when you have his shoulder pads turned north-south, rip underneath the release. you should now be on the other side of the line of scrimmage. just remember FIT, PUSH-PULL, RELEASE.

ok, say you're lined up on the offensive man's gap, and he DOESNT come straight at you, but away from you, and doesn't try to take away your gap. now take both of your arms and PUSH on his shoulder that is closest to you. run with him! this is called "squeezing" down the line. when he doesnt come at you, SQUEEZE.

[Pirate50]

How much do you weigh? My sr year i was an all conference dt @ 180lbs 5'9". Had a mad squat (510 my sr year) ...and the bull rush worked very well for me. BUT the only reason it worked...is because i was quicker and more explosive than most o linemen. Before they could get set i was already up underneath the rolls fighting for ground. Just be faster than they are...key to the game is speed. Stay low...dont pass the "heel line" over pursuit is the muther of all ****ups.....cardianl sin for a DT.