Category: Offensive Line
Type: Philosophy
THE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN'S STANCE
The most basic thing, and often overlooked weapon in our arsenal, is the stance. We have practiced it since we were infants playing with our parents. Yet, I see linemen using bad form all the time. A proper stance is one of the most important things for an offensive linemen and can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Key Points To Remember
-The feet should be about arm pit width, no wider than your shoulders. (Avoid the SUMO or SPRINTER style stances)
-The toes should point straight ahead, we don't want to point the defender in the right direction. (Trick) Test the defender across from you. Point one of your feet in a direction opposite the play. Then see if he goes with your bluff. If he does, you will need to make sure your stance is text book perfect from now on. If he doesn't bite for your lure, you maybe able to get away with a little cheating (this is something I do early in the game.)
-Once your feet are set, drop into a squatting position and extend the down hand slightly inside the near foot, forming a tripod. Use the hand closest to the ball as your down hand.
-The weight should be distributed between the ball of the feet and the down hand in a 60-40 ratio.
-The off hand needs to be ready for quick use (I prefer to have the off hand resting above my knee between my wrist and elbow).
-Your shoulders should be square to the line of scrimmage and parallel to the ground. The back flat with the shoulders elevated slightly.
-KEEP YOUR HEAD UP! It is hard to see the blitz if you are looking at the ground. Adjust your stance so that you can see what is going on without any neck strain. Neck rolls and xxx shoulders pads may reduce your ability to lift your head. If this is the case, drop your butt to the ground and rotate your hips forward.
The stance is the basic key to all good things on the offensive line. If you start having problems with a defender, go back to the basics and see if you are slacking off with your stance. Brock Hartman HOGS: Semi-Pro Linemen www.semiprolinemen.net
Submitted by: Brock Hartman
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