Q&A for How to Hit Harder in Tackle Football

It's important to remember that it's not the size of the dog that wins the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Even if you're not the biggest or strongest, showing a determination to never quit will show everyone that you're confident and strong enough to take the tackles. Over time, your body itself will adjust to the pain of being tackled.

Work on your size/mass, use effort and leg drive, keep yourself balanced, timing, and using center of gravity.

Lower yourself and explode toward the player. By lowering yourself, you can resist more impact and are less likely to get trucked - hence, the fear is gone.

Work on your legs a lot. Go for jogs and stretch; over time, your speed will improve. Use a treadmill often.

Squats, deadlifts, wall sits and plyometric box jumps.

Personally, because I play football as a defensive lineman, I don't think about the bad things that could happen I just try my hardest to get the tackle as I know my coaches will be proud of me. Try doing the same.

Go for the waist or legs, but accept your limitations. If someone is that much larger than you, you're not always going to get an effective tackle.

There are good and bad football players who are fat, skinny, tall, short, strong, weak, fast, and slow. Especially if you're playing in a boys league, you need a good mindset. With some practice, you should be fine!

Keep practicing and working with your coach to improve your skills.

If you want to, and you think you'd be good at it, go for it! All it takes is hard work and practice.

Get very low and grab his ankles and hold on as hard as you can until your teammates come make the tackle.

Don't lead with your helmet. Lead with your arms and a shoulder. Don't make contact before the receiver touches the ball.

No. It will cause bad leverage and you wont be ready for a opponents truck. Just explode into the other player's legs or waist and you'll be fine.

Head up, protect the ball, and when you're about to hit the person, make sure you're lower than your opponent and drive through them.

It's a simple matter of speed and strength.

I don't know how tall or how old you are, but a linebacker could be a good fit at high school level or lower since you can read plays. If you are high school or higher, you could be a cornerback or wide receiver also.

You already have a lower center of gravity, so use that to your advantage. Stay low and drive right into them. You need to have strong legs and momentum. Never stop driving either. You won't always get someone down on your initial hit, but you can drive your feet and push them off to get them out of your way to get more yardage.

It depends on whether you're on offense or defense; you could dislocate your arm if you drop your shoulder on defense. Focus on getting lower than your opponent with your head up. Make sure to drive your feet. If you're on offense, you want to get lower than your opponent, protect the ball, keep your head up, and drive your feet.

You could be a lineman, but some coaches might want to try you at full back.

Yes, you can. Practice will help you develop these skills, and will also make you stronger and better at football.

If you don't have the size advantage, use psychology instead. Practice your frowning and intimidating stare in the mirror and use it on your opponent. It may sound funny, but making a growl or other noise before hitting can also be quite intimidating. Try to make your opponent afraid of you despite your size, which will make tackling easier (and give you more confidence, especially if your reputation spreads).

You should look into positions that do not require hitting.

Not all girls suck at football, and that's a sexist statement to make in the first place. Women tend to be less interested in sports in general, and their playing style may be different due to biological differences between men and women, but that doesn't mean "girls suck" at football overall.

If the ball carrier pushes off and goes around you, it usually means you were too focused on the initial contact or your positioning wasn’t solid enough. To prevent this, stay balanced and low, keep your feet moving, and maintain a good defensive stance. If they try to push off, use your hands and arms to prevent separation, but avoid grabbing or holding, as this could lead to penalties. If they get around you, stay engaged and use your speed to cut off their angle and pursue from the side. Always read the ball carrier's body and react quickly to adjust your positioning.

To hit hard in football while staying safe and legal, combine technique, strength, speed, and preparation. Build explosive power with exercises like squats and power cleans. Increase upper body strength with bench presses and rows, and develop core stability with planks and leg raises. Always keep your head up and bend your knees to stay low for leverage. Practice hitting with your shoulders, not the top of your helmet.

Focus on strength, explosiveness, and agility. Try power cleans for explosive power, squats for lower body strength, and deadlifts for the posterior chain. Medicine ball slams improve core power, while push-ups and bench presses build upper body strength. Incorporate lateral agility drills and sled pushes/pulls to enhance power, speed, and balance.

You can't completely avoid getting tricked, but you can stay prepared for jukes or spins.

To tackle better, ensure you use proper form by watching the near hip while in pursuit, keeping your head up, placing your head on the ball before contact, and wrapping your arms while driving your feet until the ball carrier is down.

You should aim low and drive your feet on contact to tackle someone bigger than you.

To convince your parents to let you play tackle football, have an honest conversation. Show responsibility by demonstrating how you've considered the risks and safety measures, like wearing proper gear and following safety guidelines. Express your passion for the sport and how it will help you develop physically and mentally. Listen to their concerns and respectfully address them, showing that you understand their perspective. Offer solutions, like agreeing to regular check-ins or participating in conditioning drills to stay fit. Showing maturity and preparedness might help persuade them.