The NFL Scouting Combine came and went, and the top players all went head-to-head to see who is the most athletic in their draft class. If your numbers fall short of your peers’, here are some drills to improve your combine numbers to compete with the best of the best.
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40-Yard Dash
The proven method to improve your 40 time is resistance running and improving your start. Many runners will tell you short distance sprints are all dependent on the first three steps.
Before you start the drill, wrap a resistance band around your chest. The goal of this drill is to create the drive with your legs, so start in your three point stance and begin by taking three steps. Focus on keeping your body over your toes and driving through to build more power in your legs. The start can make or break a good 40 time.
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Three-Cone Drill
The three-cone drill is all about having quick feet and reflexes, as all of your movement is happening within 10 yards for this drill. The dot drill comes in handy, as it spreads five cones in an “X” formation, and jumping quickly in different formations allows you to improve your quickness and jumping ability.
One important aspect of the dot drill is to focus on your movement. In a drill with quick feet, extra movement will only slow you down. Leap, be precise, and focus on body control as you go from cone to cone.
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20-Yard Shuttle
Lateral quickness is essential to football at any level. Whether you’re a running back or linebacker, being able to cover sideline to sideline separates the good from the great. The perfect drill to improve your speed laterally is to work together on it in the mirror drill.
Find a partner and take turns initiating each time as one is the starter with the other mirroring his movements. This drill forces you to react quickly and instinctively, but requires you to do it constantly to show improvement. Challenge yourself and your teammate to be better and work on moving laterally.
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Vertical Jump
Athletes often focus on building strength in their calves to jump higher, focusing on the leg press as the way to improve their vertical. But what goes overlooked is how important flexibility – the motion of your joints – is to leaping.
To improve a vertical jump, you must improve your flexibility in your calves, Achilles, hips, and hamstrings, as all of these muscles and joints work together when you leap.
Two simple exercises open up these muscles. Start by doing simple calf raises against a step. Place the balls of your feet on the step and raise your calves. You’ll feel them and your Achilles opening up as you do it.
The next is the glute bridge. Simply lay on your back with your knees at a 90 degree angle and lift your glutes up until they’re in line with your knees. Do this until you feel your hip muscles begin to open up. Building muscle is important, but maintaining flexibility is just as important for a successful combine.
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