Josh Freedland is a former collegiate football player and current National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer. He heads Brain & Body Performance, an enhanced neuroplasticity and performance training center, in the greater Boston area. He has a BA in psychology, with a concentration in Biology and Health, from Bates College. You can read more articles from Freedland by visiting his blog at www.brainbodyblog.com
You’re probably thinking: “Identifying a play before it happens? Impossible.” But if you study enough and know which cues to look for, yes, you just may be able to figure out what the offense is doing before they even snap the ball.
There are 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. The opposing team is losing 10-7 and is currently on offense, about to face 3rd-and-8 from their own 25-yard line. The offense lines up in a Shotgun Doubles formation (2 wide receivers spread out to either side of the quarterback with a running back flanked next to the quarterback). You’re the linebacker. What are the steps you take in identifying the play coming your way in just a few seconds?
Good players have the physical attributes to compete and contribute to the team. Great players differentiate themselves by their hard work, dedication, and mental training. They spend hours studying film to pick up on the smallest cues that could give them an edge over their opponent. They are also able to mentally process a wealth of information in just fractions of a second so that they can make quick decisions under immense pressure.
Great players then take their game to the next level by doing cognitive training to achieve superior on-field awareness and mental stamina to make the 'clutch' play, when the other players have exhausted their mental capabilities.
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Josh Freedland is a former collegiate football player and current National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer. He heads Brain & Body Performance, an enhanced neuroplasticity and performance training center, in the greater Boston area. He has a BA in psychology, with a concentration in Biology and Health, from Bates College. You can read more articles from Freedland by visiting his blog at www.brainbodyblog.com
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