If you are an offensive or defensive lineman wanting to improve your skills during the off-season, the single most effective strategy is private coaching. Founded in Columbus, Ohio, and also serving the Greater Cincinnati area at our Cincinnati, Ohio facility, The OH Line Academy focuses on this personalized approach to help offensive and defensive linemen improve their skills. Here's a look at why private coaching can make a significant difference in a player's development.
Separating Yourself from Your Peers
Virtually all top high school recruits seek out some form of private training to improve themselves in their position or as an athlete. One of the most important concepts we instill in our linemen is if they expect to be an above average or elite player in the state of Ohio, by definition they have to dedicate themselves to doing more than the average high school football player in Ohio.
The average Ohio high school football player’s workload in the off-season is likely either playing another sport and/or regularly participating in their school’s off-training program. So how do you separate yourself from the average high school player? By seeking out private coaching.
The average high school athlete trains 3-4 times per week with their team for an hour and a half, then maybe does some position work with their school coach once or twice a week for an hour. That accumulates to between 5 and 8 hours of training per week for the average high school athlete. The NCAA limits college athletes from training over 20 hours and every serious program utilizes all 20 of those hours in the week, even in the off-season.
By finding a private training program like The OH Line Academy, you can increase your workload and begin to leave the average player in the dust. Without question, if you are training 50-80% MORE than the average player, that hard work will show up on the field next fall.
Training Programs Tailored to Your Position
One major advantage of finding a private position coach is the ability to receive specialized training that is centered around your position. Adding to that, a good coach will also begin to specialize individual sessions to the skill level and needs of the athletes in the group.
The one caveat of this, is that you need to find a program that limits the number of athletes training together. Too many athletes can be just as much of a problem as too few athletes. We have found that between 6 and 10 athletes is the ideal number for a session. This often allows athletes to work with other athletes of similar age, size, or ability and gives them competition to increase the intensity of their workouts - while at the same time, not overloading a group with too many athletes that they don’t receive great coaching.
Whether it's improving technique, strength, or overall performance, the focused nature of small group, private coaching ensures that players receive the guidance they need to excel.
Time Devoted to Technique and Fundamentals of Private Football Coaching
Many bad habits and mistakes can be fixed with small group, private coaching because these formats of training allow for intense focus on technique and fundamentals. The typical high school practice is going to spend a the majority of it’s time working on the team, not the individual. This means installing plays, working on an offensive or defensive scheme, or running plays against the JV team as a scout opponent. This makes sense, as the job of your coaches in an in-season, high school football practice is to prepare the team to win a football game.
Conversely, the only job a private coach has is to make you a better football player at your position. He does not have to worry about installing a new blocking scheme against this week’s high school football opponent, make sure the scout team is giving you a good look, or worrying about how to pick up a blitz package your opponent may throw at you.
Private coaching allows for a more intensive learning experience. With small group offensive and defensive line training sessions, players can focus on mastering specific skills much faster than if they were with their team during the fall. This concentrated approach accelerates skill development, with immediate feedback from your coach helping to correct and refine techniques in real-time.
Making the Most of the Off-Season
The off-season is a critical time for development. Instead of seeing it as a break from football, players can use this time to focus on improving their game. Private coaching offers a structured approach to off-season training, ensuring that players return to their teams stronger, more skilled, and ready to compete at a higher level.
For those looking to make significant strides in their development as football linemen, private coaching offers a comprehensive approach to improvement. By focusing on personalized training programs, accelerated skill development, and mental preparation, players can use the off-season to transform their performance on the field.
Interested in taking your skills to the next level? Consider reaching out to The OH Line Academy and inquiring about some of our programs to see if a private coach can be your key to off-season improvement in football.
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