Defensive Back Speed II

Part II


Last week, Shawntae Spencer shared his perspective with 49ers Fitness Corner about the physical characteristics a defensive back must possess to maximize performance on the playing field. This week’s column focuses on the 6 critical areas of movement which should be integrated into any defensive backs' training regimen in order to meet the demands of the position at any level.

1. Top End Speed- When a DB is defending a “go route,” it is important that he possess the ability to run with a receiver down the field no matter how fast the receiver may be. Top End Speed is developed by improving running mechanics and enhancing stride frequency and stride length. A simple but effective workout is executing a speed ladder. I.e. 10 yard dash, 20 yard dash, 30 yard dash, 40 yard dash each at full effort with full recovery (2-4 minutes) between each sprint.

2. Acceleration- A DB who possesses the ability to generate quick leg turnover within a 10 yard area poses a challenge to a receiver as they try and get in and out of their breaks. One of my favorite drills for improving starting and acceleration ability is learning how to execute a Two Point start. Start in athletic stance, maintaining a positive shin angle while keeping the abs tight. Load the gastrocsloeus complex by pressing the heel toward the ground, while simultaneously extending the hips forward and projecting the center of mass. Explosively punch one knee forward, keeping the toe cocked toward the shin and the opposite side arm backward. Concentrate on pushing the foot back into the ground while maintaining a power line position.

3. Deceleration is the ability to suddenly stop or slow down while being in control. A defensive back has to be able to stop on a dime as a receiver is getting into and out of their breaks while attempting to gain separation. Did you know most lower extremity injuries occur when suddenly stopping? The key to decelerating is learning how to absorb force by sinking the hips while keeping the body in an athletic position.

4. Reacceleration occurs after a DB suddenly stops. Once a DB stops, their ability to explosively accelerate forward again can be the difference of making a play or not. Most players have a tendency to take a long initial step when attempting to reaccelerate forward. An effective approach for eliminating a lunging first-step is to reduce a player’s first step by six inches which will ensure that the foot strike is on the ball of the foot at ground contact thereby producing a more explosive first-step.

5. Change of Direction- It is essential that a DB possess the ability to change direction in a smooth and fluid manner with minimal loss of speed, balance, and power. There are many ways to improve a DB’s ability to change direction; the most effective is mastering the technique of playing the position itself.
6. Short Area Quickness is often measured by having a DB perform the 3 Cone Drill and the 5-10-5 shuttle drill. They are two tests which require a DB to change direction quickly in a small area. Ladder Drills in combination with position specific drills is an effective approach for developing foot quickness in tight areas.

7. Back Pedal- Shawntae Spencer referred to the back pedal as a "lost art." Needless to say, he was very adamant about the need for a DB to be able to effectively back pedal. The foundation of a solid back pedal is the stance. Some characteristics of a proper stance include: setting the feet hip width apart, the butt should be positioned back and down, the back should be angled with the chin level and eyes focused straight ahead. The player’s weight distribution should be on the back of the ball of the foot.

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LIFTING ON 2/22/08

Baseball Lifting today will be at two thirty for anyone who is allowed to drive and is optional because of the snow day. Expect to be done in one hour.

-Coach R

Defensive Back Speed Part 1

Part I

What better way to find out about the type of speed a defensive back must possess than to ask one. So, I went to our starting right cornerback Shawntae Spencer and asked him a few questions about the subject at hand.

Q: How important is speed at your position?
A: It’s extremely important! During the course of a game a defensive back may get out of position when covering a receiver, but if you possess good speed you could possibly get back into position to make a play. I consistently work on my speed during the off-season.

Q: As a DB, how important is straight line speed?
A: Straight line speed is important to a certain degree, particularly on go routes. If a player has great straight line speed, it will allow him to close on the receiver quicker on deeper routes. As a DB, we need to be able to mirror the movement of a wide receiver while initially moving backwards. For example, a wide receiver may run a comeback route. Well, I need to be able to start off in a back pedal and be prepared to run with the receiver as he gets in and out of his breaks.

Q: So, you really need to be able to move efficiently in all directions?
A: Definitely! Personally, I think backpedaling is a lost art form. The key to executing an effective back pedal is possessing good feet and hips. For example, a DB needs to be able to change direction explosively out of a back pedal. A DB needs to be able to react to what they see. Eyes are very important to performing well at the position.

Q: Is it the receivers who are the fastest and the toughest to cover?
A: Not necessarily. Some of the toughest players I have faced haven’t been burners. Normally the guys who do not possess great speed possess great technique. I believe proper route running technique is 90% of what contributes to a being good receiver.

Q: By the way, what’s your best 40?
A: 4.36

As we just learned, a defensive back must possess an ability to move forward, backward, laterally and start and stop with minimal loss of speed, power, and balance. How do you develop good feet and hips as Spencer alluded to as being extremely important to excelling at the position? That’s a question we will answer next week.

by Duane Carlisle - Speed Development Coach for the San Francisco 49ers and President, Lightning Fast Training Systems.

http://www.performbetter.com/catalog/matriarch/OnePiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_148_A_PageName_E_Carlisledbspeed

The Name of the Game is Effort

Courtesy of Alan Stein, CCS, CSCS, SPARQ Certified

Elite Athlete Training Systems

Should I use free weights or machines? Would it be better to use high reps or low reps? Should I move the weights explosively or in a slow and controlled manner? Are multiple sets more productive than single sets? Should I train my entire body each workout or only certain body parts? Do I need to do any isolation movements or will compound movements get the job done? How important is periodization? Should I use wrist straps and knee wraps? What about a belt? Should I max out on the bench and squat to see how strong I am? Will Creatine and Andro help me reach my potential? Should I train in the morning or in the evening? Do I need a training partner?

Athletes, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, strength coaches, personal trainers, and any one else interested in training and conditioning search for these answers on a daily basis - in hopes of finding the perfect strength training routine. Most of these people are under the assumption that if they find the answers to these questions that they (or those that they train) will start attaining maximum results. While I have my own thoughts and opinions on each of the above questions, I think they miss the big picture. The real question that needs to be asked is, "how hard do you train?" Regardless of your methods or modalities, I firmly believe that maximum results are a product of maximum effort (which in this case effort is a synonym for intensity). Without maximum effort and intensity the rest is rather meaningless. The more effort you put into each rep, set, and workout - the better your results. It's that simple.

Unfortunately, there is a catch. Putting forth true effort each and every time you train is easier said than done. It takes determination, perseverance, and a will to succeed. It takes discipline, focus, and extreme concentration. It takes the ability to fight through the "discomfort" that accompanies intense training as well as the power to push yourself to your limits. For these reasons, and these reasons alone, most people fall short of tapping into their true physical potential and never attain the results they desire.

Next time you work out, when you finish, take a good hard look in the mirror and ask yourself if you trained as hard as you could have. Ask yourself if you put forth the kind of effort necessary to be a champion. Ask yourself if you did everything in your power to reach your goals and improve yourself. Only YOU know the real answers.

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CALORIC NEEDS FOR THE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE

+ For maintenance, males will usually need an intake of approximately 20 calories per pound of body weight per day and females will need approximately 17 calories per pound. So a 180 lb male athlete will need a daily intake of about 3600 calories for maintenance and a 100 lb female athlete needs about 1700 calories.

+ Generally speaking, an intake of between 24-27 calories per pound is needed for building muscle mass.

http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=522840

TRICKS TO EATING OUT HEALTHY

Your are a busy person with your athletics and studies. Often, you will be on the road for games, which means you'll be eating out or eating "fast food." The following suggestions will give you ideas on how and what to order:


Ordering at a Restaurant


+ Choose items that are prepared by low fat methods-steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, stir fried.
+ Eat a salad chock full of vegetables with your meal. Don't load up on cheese and meats on the salad.
+ Ask for salad dressing, butter and sour cream on the side.
+ Enjoy the bread basket but limit the number of rolls and the butter.
+ Choose red sauces instead of white sauces.
+ Go for fish or chicken as long as it is grilled
+ Try low fat frozen yogurt or fruit for dessert
+ Check the menu and the nutrition analysis on line

Fast Food

+ Look for items that are broiled or grilled stay away from anything fried.
+ Request extra tomato, onion, and lettuce.
+ Ask for no cheese and order the smallest burger.
+ Ask for no mayonnaise or "special" sauce.
+ Top your sandwich with ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, or relish.
+ Think salads grilled chicken salad or garden salads beat fatty taco salads. Ask for non-fat salad dressing.
+ Look at the nutrition information to make the best fat gram or calorie choice.

http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9200&ATCLID=522834

6 GOALS FOR OPTIMAL TEAM NUTRITION

Clyde Williams, Ph.D. and Ceri W. Nicholas, Ph.D.
www.gssiweb.com

SSE #70: Nutrition Needs for Team Sport

1.) High-carbohydrate, pre-exercise meals improve exercise capacity.

2.) Carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks ingested during exercise are of benefit during competition and training.

3.) Fluid ingestion during prolonged exercise helps delay the deterioration in motor skills.

4.) Recovery is improved when about 50 g of carbohydrate are consumed immediately after prolonged exercise and at 1-h intervals thereafter.

5.) During daily training or competition, recovery is likely to be improved when carbohydrate intake is increased to 10 g per kg body weight each day.

6.) Rehydration is quickly achieved during recovery when athletes ingest fluids equivalent to at least 150% of the body weight lost during the exercise.

Adopting nutritional strategies within the broad recommendations for healthy eating will often improve exercise tolerance and help team-sport athletes recover rapidly from training and competition. High-carbohydrate meals 3 to 4 h before heavy exercise should result in greater exercise capacity than fasting or eating pre-exercise meals containing only modest amounts of carbohydrates. During prolonged training sessions or competition, there are likely to be performance benefits gained from drinking a well-formulated sports drink in small quantities (150 ml) at 20 min intervals. Recovery begins immediately after exercise ends, so it is essential to take advantage of the opportunity to increase the rate of glycogen restoration by consuming about 50 g of carbohydrate at the beginning of recovery and every 1 to 2 h up to the next meal.The dietary carbohydrate intake for team-sport athletes should be prescribed when recovery must be completed within 24 h or less. The carbohydrate intake should be increased to about 10 g/kg body weight during the 24-h recovery period and should include mainly high-glycemic-index carbohydrate foods. During recovery periods limited to only a few hours, rehydration and some refueling can be achieved by ingesting carbohydrate-electrolyte solutions in volumes of at least 150% of the exercise-induced loss in body weight (Shirreffs et al., 1996).

5 NUTRITIONAL MYTHS ATHLETES BELIEVE BY DAWN WEATHERWAX

Dawn Weatherwax of Sports Nutrition 2 Go is a dietician who works closely with Elder Athletics to ensure athletes reach their maximum physical potential. Here is a link to 5 common nutritional myths most athletes believe:

http://www.sn2g.com/downloads/SN2Go_Download-Myths.pdf

ZIG ZAG AGILITY DRILL WITH CHAMP BAILEY

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