Break Tackles in Football
When you see the defender running at you and you know you have to get the first down, what do you do? Break the tackle, that's what.
Contents
Steps
- Know your opponent well enough to anticipate his strength and the tackling technique.
- If you are going to get hit in the upper chest, push your opponent off with a stiff arm or simply duck down and get your center of gravity lower.
- If you are getting hit stomach and waist level, it is best to keep your feet moving. Do not stop running. It is best to try to get to where you need to go. If you feel that your legs are getting tangled up and you can't keep moving, then you are in a tight spot but not helpless. You need to focus your energy on staying up. Don't let the defender pull you down. Then you should work on pulling your legs out from his grasp.If you can keep your legs moving you will stand a much better chance of breaking that tackle.
- When trying to just avoid a defender, do not juke around too much! It will only slow your speed and make you more vulnerable to get tackled. You should juke with your upper body but keep your legs moving.
- If you are breaking down the sideline and you see a defender coming from the side, keep running but be ready to make the first move. When you see him get close enough but not too close, make a small juke with your shoulders to try to get him to slow down and wait for you. Then bolt into the open field right as this pause happens; usually he will be caught off guard.
- Stay moving. If you can't break the tackle and you are locked up, then it's time to give up. Trying to stay up in this situation makes you prone to injury and to fumble the ball.
- Keep your hips bent, but not too much. Also keep your shoulders diagonal a bit, but not too much so that your head isn't looking straight. Being able to look across the field easily is important.
Tips
- When running with the football always brace for hit.
- When you know there is no chance of you getting pass a defender simply put your shoulder pads in the defenders chest and try to push forward for extra yardage.
- As a wide receiver, it is often best to fall to the ground (after catching the ball). Just anticipate the hit and when you feel the slightest nudge, move. Do anything, run faster, stop completely (only if the tackler is to the side or in front of you. Never stop if he doesn't have you and is behind you. Keep fighting.
- If you happen to be on the smaller side, use your low center of gravity to your advantage. If you are locked into a tackle battle with your opponent, duck down your upper body and try to duck under his arms and start running away. Just keep fighting. be careful however, because the more you fight, the more prone you are to fumbling.
- Don't try to truck your opponent if you're small. Try using more skill moves like a juke or spin move. Overall, if you are smaller then your tackler, try to be more elusive, and also what the tip above this one says, use your low center of gravity to help break tackles.
Warnings
- Keep your head up. Going head down may break your neck.
- While trying to break tackles you are more prone to fumbling, so be sure to cover up the ball well.
- Stopping completely is risky (not injury-wise, but game wise.) It might get your coach mad, and if the defender isn't fooled, you'll get hit hard.
- If you are super small, then trying to do a power move to break tackles is probably a very bad idea. Be more elusive.
- You can injure yourself by breaking tackles, so be careful. If you bend or fight too much and get hit, you can have broken bones or you can blow out your knee. Know your limit.
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