Bear crawl box
Why it works
The bear crawl loads the neck, shoulders and core the way a football stance does, with no equipment and no weights. Going forward, sideways and backward without turning makes the body hold the same flat position from every direction, which is the strength a young player needs before he ever blocks or tackles.
Run it
5 MINFive minutes, two trips round the box each way. Stop a player whose hips keep popping up; a tired bear crawl trains a bad position.
Say this
“Flat back, like a table.”
A flat back is the strong position; hips up or a sagging belly takes the work off the core.
“Knees an inch off the ground.”
Keeping the knees low is what makes the shoulders and legs carry the weight.
“Head up, eyes forward.”
Holding the head up is the neck strength this drill is for.
Good looks like
- The back stays flat from the first cone to the last.
- Knees never touch the ground.
- The head is up the whole time.
- Players move at the same speed in every direction, not fast forward and slow backward.
The mistakes
Hips piked high in the air. Lay a cone on the player's back; if it slides off, the back is not flat.
Say: “Flat back, like a table.”
Crawling on the knees. Have them hover in place for five seconds before each rep so they feel the height.
Say: “Knees an inch off the ground.”
Head hanging between the arms. Stand at the next cone and have them look at you the whole way.
Say: “Head up, eyes forward.”
Crawl forward only, five yards, and walk back. Add sideways once they can hold a flat back for the whole five yards.
Race a partner round the box, or have a partner crawl alongside and try to tap your hand off the ground, which adds balance and reaction to the strength work.