Football is a game of skill and strategy. This is one of the biggest reasons it is America’s favorite sport, and is so difficult to master. There are many trains of thought of how to be successful on the football field. Some coaches gravitate towards the strategy aspect of the game and incorporate various offensive or defensive schemes to out-man and out-position their opponent. Other coaches gravitate towards skill and spend their time and resources perfecting every aspect of the game. While the real answer to success is somewhere in between, there’s no denying that when it comes to the offensive line, skills are superior to strategy. As Joe Moore once said, “There is no greater joy in life than moving a man from Point A to Point B, against his will.”
Offensive linemen don’t get to score often, but for us, every play is an opportunity to physically dominate an opponent - and if you ask me, it’s hard to find anything more fun than that.
Although us big men upfront still don’t get as much attention as other positions in football, there has been an increase in interest in the offensive line over the last decade. But with that comes its downsides. As social media has magnified every facet of sports training, even the realm of offensive line development is filled with the latest high dollar gadgets and equipment, each promising to sculpt the next generation of elite players.
This digital exposure has inadvertently led many athletes to believe that the secret to being a better offensive lineman is locked into having $10,000 worth of the latest equipment. However, the truth remains that the foundations of becoming a top-tier offensive lineman are rooted not in the fanciness of the tools at one's disposal, but in the dedication and focus in mastering basic fundamental techniques.
Historically, the most successful linemen have emerged from programs that prioritize hard work, resilience, and the honing of basic skills over reliance on expensive, high-tech gear. Being an offensive lineman is simple - but simple doesn’t mean easy. The essence of offensive line play—leveraging strength, understanding leverage, and perfecting footwork—can be achieved with minimal equipment, underscoring that at its core, the development of elite linemen is more about substance than flash.
Improving Strength with Specialized Tools: The Exception
One area in which we can find some benefit in special equipment for offensive linemen is the weight room. Football is a unique sport in that you will have players of all sizes, shapes, and demands. A skill player may need to sprint 40+ yards dozens of times in a game, but an offensive lineman may run a maximum of 30 yards on a handful of plays. Conversely, a wide receiver will experience much less strain trying to run block a stand up defensive back in comparison to a center trying to dig out and overcome the force of a 300+ pound defensive tackle.
Because of that, different positions have different needs in their strength training programs. Often, there simply aren’t enough resources, equipment, or coaches in a high school setting to ensure that each position group is getting the maximal benefit from their training. As such, we see offensive linemen often improve with our supplemental strength programs. One of the reasons for this is we have special equipment to develop the weak points we often see in the offensive line.
An example of this is the reverse hyper. Known in the powerlifting world and the collegiate and professional levels of football, this piece of equipment is an invaluable piece of equipment for developing the back, glutes, and hamstrings, often referred to as the “posterior chain.”
Additionally, we also have a multitude of specialty bars that allow us to train with different angles and positions to target our training to the needs of linemen. I know, I said you don’t need special, expensive equipment, but the weightroom is the one exception to that rule.
Preventing Injuries During Training
Another critical benefit to utilizing proper football training equipment is preventing injuries. In the State of Ohio, the OHSAA forbids the use of pads and helmets outside of the season except for a very small window carved out for high schools during the summer. Being that football is a contact sport, that means we are at a disadvantage in Ohio compared to other states that would allow pads to be worn. So how do we provide opportunities for athletes who play a full contact position in a contact sport? By using proven techniques, selective drill work, and proper equipment.
“But I thought you said you don’t need fancy gear to boost performance?” Correct. Just because you paid a lot for your equipment, doesn’t mean it is more effective than simple, traditional football equipment like blocking pads and handshields.
In fact, a handshield or blocking pad is often the most common equipment used to develop offensive linemen. Cincinnati coaches often incorporate protective gear like blocking pads and dummies because they allow you to simulate game-day collisions safely. Tools like a handshield are the main staple of any of our training. Although they are not ground breaking or a fancy new technology, they provide a ton of versatility and safety to training. These tools help players handle the physical demands of football and lower the risk of injuries during practice. In fact, hand shields are the same equipment we used the most at The University of Iowa during our off-season skills and drills.
Encouraging Additional Training
Having simple, cost effective, and easily accessible equipment means more than just saving a few dollars. In fact, it opens a whole world of possibility for some of our athletes. Because the barrier to entry is low enough, our athletes often tell us how they are able to duplicate our training at home and improve with a friend, brother, or even dad in the backyard.
One of the biggest reasons we are expanding The OH Line Academy to Cincinnati is because we constantly have athletes wanting to train with us that live 2 hours or further away. For many, that makes it hard to commit to the training necessary to improve in the off-season.
For those athletes who can’t train with us all off-season, or even those that do but want to get additional sessions in on their own, many of our athletes are able to extend our training to their own back yard. This is in part because of versatility in our techniques and fundamentals and because we use simple, effective, and easy to obtain equipment in our training.
I’ll say it again - simple doesn’t mean easy. If you don’t think a couple hand shields and some cones can make you a better offensive lineman, you haven’t been to one of our practices.
Accessing Proper Football Training Equipment in Cincinnati
In Cincinnati, access to the quality football training equipment you need is easy and convenient.
When blocking, you produce force from the ground up to move your opponent from point A to point B. Because of that, what shoes you choose matter as an Offensive lineman. Don’t buy your cleats by what they look like, by them based on the features that they provide. For the best traction, look for shoes with as many studded cleats as you can. Additionally, you need a shoe that has a high ankle support. The Nike Force Savage Pro 2 cleat is a great example of this. In football, we want our feet in the ground as often as we can and when they are in the ground, we want as many cleats to push with as we can.
Stores like Dicks Sporting Goods, offer a comprehensive gear range, including shoes, cones, and even blocking pads. For budget-friendly options, Play It Again Sports in Colerain provides new and used equipment. Many athletes prefer online shopping for their football equipment, easily found on e-commerce sites.
List of the Best Football Training Tools for Offensive and Defensive Lineman
Offensive Linemen:
Blocking Pads - Build strength, technique, and drive.
Hand Shields - Practice hand placement, leverage, and drive.
Resistance Bands - Improve explosiveness and adds resistance off the line.
Agility Cones - Provides visual cue for blocking landmarks, defenders, or other positions on the offensive line.
Defensive Linemen:
Pop-up Dummies - Work on tackling form and power.
Agility Ladders - Improve footwork and quickness.
Hand shields- Develop hand strikes and block shedding.
Medicine Balls - Improves explosiveness and hand positioning during get offs.
Agility Cones - Visual cues for pass rush lanes, offensive linemen, and timing of steps.
Considerations for Purchasing Football Training Equipment
1. Quality and Durability
Quality and durability are key when choosing football training equipment. High-quality gear helps build a strong foundation for success. We have tested a lot of handshields and bags over our 6 years of training and it’s clear that some bags are just built better. A couple tips: Look for something with a dense foam padding and durable stitching on the handles. You may need to try a couple different brands before finding the right one, so using a company or ordering site that allows you to return equipment is a great idea.
By choosing equipment that can handle tough practices and games, you ensure your team has the best tools to succeed.
2. Cost-effectiveness
When buying football training equipment, your budget matters. It’s fine to look for affordable options, but balance price and quality. Cheaper equipment might seem like a good deal. However, it often doesn’t last or perform as well as better-quality gear. Think about how long the equipment will last. Spending a little more is usually worth it in the long run.
I know, I know. The whole point of this article is you didn’t have to buy fancy or expensive equipment! Stay with me. If you’re buying the right type of gear, spending a little extra on high-quality gear can save you money in the long run.
At the end of the day better equipment lasts longer, so you won’t have to replace it as often. Choosing the right gear means your team gets the best value for the money spent. If one handshield costs $40 and another costs $60, there may be a reason. After ordering 3 or 4 replacement bags, you’ll wish you just spent the extra $20. That is way different than spending $2500 on a sled.
3. Versatility
Equipment is one area in which you don’t want too many tools in your toolbox. The best equipment is the equipment you have access to, that doesn’t require a ton of set up, is easily moved, and can be used for multiple drills.
For instance, items like hand shields, agility ladders, speed cones, and resistance bands are invaluable, as they are readily available and can be implemented across a wide range of exercises to improve footwork and technique. These tools do not require elaborate set-ups; they can be easily transported to and from the field, and are pliable enough to be used in drills that target different aspects of a lineman's game.
By utilizing equipment that supports a variety of drills, athletes can focus on honing their abilities without the distraction of managing an overabundance of specialized, and often unnecessary, training tools. This approach not only streamlines the training process but reinforces the maxim that in football, especially in the trenches, the basics done well lead to excellence.
Conclusion: Elevating Football in Cincinnati
Football training equipment is constantly changing. There will always be a new shiny toy to play with, but the methods for developing great athletes in Cincinnati will never change. Offensive linemen need repetition, effort, and toughness. That means training the best fundamentals and techniques and experiencing the most strain possible on those fundamentals and techniques in a training environment.
Whether you're a player, coach, or a parent supporting an athlete, our training for is the right decision for offensive linemen in Cincinnati. Enroll in our Cincinnati Academy today!
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