The Drills Report: Delaware’s Defensive Line Hip Emphasis Drills

As defensive line coaches, we all know the importance of developing strength, power, quick feet, active hands, and a relentless desire to get to the football. What I also add to that list is the development of the hips in relation to movements necessary to play defensive line. We work year-round on the strength, power and flexibility of the hips. Our training staff and strength & conditioning coaches work year-round improving this area and I incorporate drills that I feel are important to hip development. In the off-season and during the winter workouts we work hip development drills: Drill #1: Lateral step-over with a hip-flip (See Diagram 1) • You will need four agile bags for this drill. • Start in a good football bent-knee position. • On the coach’s signal, do a lateral step-over two of the agile bags, flip the hips to up-field shoulder after second bag and continue