This is a dynamite guest post regarding off season lineman work.

Thank you to Strength and Conditioning Director and Offensive Line Coach James Burk at Cistercian Preparatory School in Irving, Texas for this write up!

DOMINATING THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE IN THE OFF SEASON

During this time of year every team is doing everything they can to help prepare their team for success on the field in the fall.  Whether it is developing a leadership council, having quarterback meetings, competing in 7 on 7… But what are you doing with your offensive lineman beyond the normal strength, power, and agility development to help them get better?  Extra work can be done outside of the normal off season workouts.  While your skill guys are taking time to hone their skills with 7 on 7, prepare a plan to help your offensive lineman.

These movements also provide an opportunity for the lineman to hear the same cues and execute the same movements that will help them during the season.

CHOICES ON HOW TO IMPLEMENT:

• As it’s own workout that is done to supplement the regular off season workout

• As a station when doing outside speed, agility, power development

• Movements used in between sets of a weight workout / matching upper body with lower body

• As a supplemental movement towards the end of the weight workout

WAYS TO CATEGORIZE MOVEMENTS:

• Pass Pro Punch / Upper body
• Run Block work / Upper body
• Pass Pro Footwork / Lower body
• Run Block work / Lower body
• Combination Pass pro work / Upper & Lower
• Combination Run block work / Upper & Lower

Let’s take pass protection as an example of how to incorporate between workouts.

PASS PRO CUES:

Incorporating offensive line movements into your physical training during the off season provides you another opportunity to utilize your coaching cues with your players.  Below are some of the cues we use for pass protection, use whatever cues you utilize during the season to continue to ingrain the technique you are looking for.

Stool – Cuff – Nail

Stool = bend knees and hips as though sitting in a stool

Cuff = wrists tight as though wearing hand cuffs (can actually use thera-band as hand cuffs during drill work)

Nail = imagine hammering a nail with the back of your head, which will help get shoulders back

2 BY 4 – 6 INCH STEPS

2 BY 4 = the lineman imagines there is a 2 by 4 between his ankles so that he maintains a wide powerful base

6 INCH STEPS = if the right foot moves laterally, the left foot also moves only 6 inches.  This helps avoid “heel clicks” and limiting lateral movement so that they can “cover up” the defender.

THUMBS UP – ELBOWS IN – GUNS IN HOLSTER – LOW TO HIGH – 75%

THUMBS UP – thumbs up when punching, which will allow striking with the butt of the hand

ELBOWS IN – the elbows are down and in when preparing to punch and when punching

GUNS IN HOLSTER – I believe in carrying low hands , referring to the belly button area as the “holster”.  This allows for a low to high punch which will help the shoulders go back and gain leverage when landing the punch

LOW TO HIGH

75% – We teach only reaching 75% extension on the punch.  When getting full extension it tends to shift bodyweight towards the toes and forces shoulders to come forward

LADDER WITH HANDS

1. Minimum time investment
2. Can paint ladders if don’t have, minimum financial investment
3. Can include as part of warm up

• Shoulder stability
• Triceps work
• Hand quickness
• Low level upper body plyometric
• 1 hand in every square
• Hop scotch
• Forward icky
• Backwards icky
• Lateral 2 in
• Lateral 2 in 2 out

BEAR CRAWL BOX

• Forward bear crawl 5 yards
• 5 triangle push-ups
• Lateral bear crawl
• 5 regular push-ups
• Backwards bear crawl
• 5 staggered push-ups right hand up
• Carioca bear crawl
• 5 staggered push-ups left hand up

PUNCH WORK:

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