Mar 30, 2018 Since football's game play and game speed have evolved, so must conditioning for football. STACK Expert Ryan Sprague offers four football conditioning drills that really work.
ORH's thread about breaking some bones standing on a chair inspired this one ...
This past Saturday 16 morons, including myself, decided to get together for a friendly football game because ... well ... perhaps we are fighting the disaster known as aging and it had been awhile since any of us have played any football. Back in high school or just out of high school when we'd play, there would always be some injuries, but they'd always be minor. Maybe a twisted ankle here, some cuts or scrapes there, a couple bruises the next few days, but nothing serious.
That was a few years ago, this is now, and we hadn't played in a few years. Unfortunately it didn't click in anybody's head that full contact football without any pads probably isn't the most intelligent decision, but none of us cared at the time ... we're men, right? Sure, we're men who are also bigger, stronger and hit harder than five years ago, which results in all of us breaking easier. To put it in perspective, I'm an athletic 6' 0'/190lbs, and while I'm not the biggest guy around, I'm certainly not small. But out there on the field, about 2/3 of the guys playing were clearly bigger than I was, some guys weighing as much as 270lbs. One guy probably went about 6' 4'/240lbs, and yes, he was lightning quick. On each play, guys weren't just getting tackled, they were getting anihilated or thrown around like stuffed animals. And with 16 guys playing, we were a full 8 vs. 8 and even had an offensive/defensive line of three guys each.
Yes, we take our football very seriously!
Needless to say, injuries dominated the game. Here's a sampling of the confirmed injury reports that have trickled my way since Saturday: a broken rib, a broken collarbone, a strained neck muscle, a possible sprained ankle, a direct groin shot, two unspecified knee injuries and a full collection of bloody, gory cuts. Considering I only know half the guys that were playing, it's likely more injuries occurred that I'm not aware of.
As far as my status, I'm one of the lucky few who escaped relatively unscathed. I say relatively, because while I look like I got hit by a truck with the scrapes/cuts/bruises, nothing is broken or torn and I can freely move around in one piece. Unfortunately, since it appears all of us are probably a bit too old to be playing full contact backyard football without any pads, that form of recreation for the future will likely only again be played out in loving memories.
BTW, if we get another game going in a few weeks, fellow Zoners are more than welcome to participate
Fall is in full swing, which means it’s football season once again — but not just for the Titans and Volunteers. A backyard pickup football game is a fun way for your family and friends to spend quality time together.
You don’t need to be a football fanatic (or even an athlete) to be your party’s starting receiver. Backyard pickup games are meant to be easy on kids and fun for parents. So, huddle up and learn what you’ll need to get started, and how to make the game safe for players big and small.
Hardest Backyard Football Tackles
Relax the Rules, But Count Your Players
Don’t worry about sticking with all the rules and positions you see on television. After all, a simple backyard pickup football game isn’t as complicated as a four-quarter game of tackle.
Keep things lighter by playing two-hand touch, but make each play as simple or as in-depth as your group wants. Just make sure to establish guidelines before you start playing, so no one gets confused.
You can have as many or as few people on each team as you want, as long as the teams are even. If you have an uneven number of players, one person can opt to be quarterback who plays offense for both sides. You might also take turns letting one player make calls as referee or sit out and get some rest.
Mark Your End Zones, But Simplify the Score
Next, you’ll need to define your end zones. If you don’t have fences to mark off natural boundaries, mark off your end zones with cones or lawn chairs instead.
Keeping score in backyard games is almost as easy. Depending on what your group decides, teams can earn seven, six or one point for touchdowns. Because most backyards don’t have goal posts, pickup games usually don’t need extra points, so don’t worry about losing the ball to a rogue field-goal kick.
Make It Family-Friendly
Backyard pickup games don’t just have to be for the big kids and grown-ups. Try these simple tips to help your little one get in on the fun, too:
- “Touch” instead of “tackle.” Instead of ending a play when a knee touches the ground, finish each play like a game of tag instead. It’ll give little kids a chance to learn the ropes without the risk of getting hurt.
- Get excited about uniforms. Although you don’t need uniforms for a backyard pickup game, a cool, colorful outfit can turn up the fun factor on a challenging activity.
- Shorten the game. Kids under six years old often focus on one thing for just 20 minutes, according to Parents Magazine. Not sure your youngsters will have the stamina or attention span to keep up with everyone for an hour? Try cutting your game down to a half hour instead.
- Let kids coach. Allow even the littlest ones to take charge by giving them a chance to organize plays.
Who Won?
As for determining the winner, your group can do one of two things: play until one team reaches a predetermined score, like 21; or play for a predetermined amount of time, like an hour and the team has the higher score at the end wins.
Backyard Tackle Football
Just be sure to celebrate the youngest victors, too. Congratulate the entire winning team on a game well played with homemade certificates or trophies. It’ll work wonders for their interest in sports later in life.
