Speed Kills- NFL Lineman

When you are dealing with lineman getting off the line and winning the blocking battle, speed and technique play a larger role than mass. It's really about who gets to a certain leverage position first. You often hear the term 'getting low', but what does it mean? Getting low means you get to a lower contact point before your opponent. One of the best examples of this concept was the great defensive lineman, Warren Sapp. His mass was close to everyone else's, but his first step was what separated him from the rest. His speed, not his mass was his biggest attribute.

The lineman's first step is critical: you must be faster than your opponent. When you first come out of your stance, you don't stand straight up, you get to the leverage position first. The key isn't how much mass or size you carry around, but how quick you can get from one point to another. It doesn't matter if you're a lineman or a safety.

How do you enhance your first step? First you must strengthen your feet so they can push off and explode instantly. Your feet generate more force than your leg, and your feet always touch the ground. Once you strengthen your feet, you want to learn the correct movement pattern so your central nervous system can fire the correct muscles at the correct time in the correct sequence and with greater speed.

Sport is about speed: speed kills. Focus on your feet and you will flourish as an athlete.