What does it take to be a great running back in football? Most people would automatically say “SPEED”. Which is true, but it is more than that. I have seen running backs over the years try so survive off natural talent and speed alone. It did not last. Why? I am going to share with you what a running back is and what it takes to be a great running back in football.

First, what is a running back in football? Running back is a position that usually lines up in the offensive backfield. A running back’s main roles are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a running play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block. There are one, two or possibly three running backs on the field for any given play, depending on the offensive formation. The running back position is every young athlete’s dream to play. But there are numerous responsibilities that go into this position.

The running back is responsible for carrying the ball on the majority of running plays, and may frequently be used as a receiver on short passing plays. Effective running backs must have speed, quickness, and agility as a runner, as well as sure hands and great vision upfield as a receiver. When a running back is not participating as a runner or receiver, the primary responsibility of a running back is to assist the offensive linemen in blocking, either to protect the quarterback or another player carrying the football. In some trick plays, running backs are occasionally used to pass the ball on a halfback option play or halfback pass.

The question you need to ask yourself: Can I be a great running back?

Sure you can. Anybody can do anything if you put in the work and dedicate yourself to being successful which requires “EFFORT”. What is effort? Effort is work done by the mind or body, when energy is used to do something produced by hard work.

To be the best running back you can be starts in the weight room. You have to commit yourself in the weight room to getting stronger. Some young athletes do not like to lift weights because of the extra force and soreness in the body. Some young athletes believe if they can run and have more talent, then they should be okay. If you play in the backfield, you need to develop lower-body power and game-breaking speed. Whether it’s lowering your 40-Yard Dash time, improving flexibility or lifting more weight. Running backs take a numerous amount of hits. This gets you ready for the contact and punishment.

Here are the basic beginner workouts that running backs do in the weight room:

  1. Bench Press
  2. Squats
  3. Deadlift
  4. Core (Ab) Workouts
  5. Power Clean

Here are the basic Speed and Agility drills for running backs:

  1. Box Jumps
  2. Cone Drills
  3. Jump Rope Drills
  4. Sprint Drills

So keep in mind, if you want to be a great running back, you have to work at it and be committed to getting bigger, faster, and stronger through “EFFORT”.