Interested in improving your SPARQ Score, adding a star to your Rivals.com ranking or standing out in the crowd of college football prospects? Then improve your combine performance.

Just like any other test you’ve taken, you must prepare for the “Combine Exam.” At Athletic Republic we’ll help you improve your football speed for the 40-yard dash, add quickness to your pro-agility cuts and develop the explosive power measured in the vertical jump. We’ll also teach you the techniques that can improve your combine results and on-field performance. Along the way we’ll improve your conditioning and stamina, so you’ll be ready to start the fourth quarter with the same strength you had in the first.
 
To help you improve your scores in the Combine Exam, we’re sharing a few of our scoring secrets for running the 40-yard fast, perfecting the pro-agility, and adding height to your vertical jump.

FORTY-YARD FAST

The football combine is defined by the 40-yard dash. Want to make a lasting impression? Get noticed by your coach? Improve your Rivals.com rating? Then drop your 40 time by two-tenths. Two-tenths is two steps on your opponent and enough separation to make a big play. For a wide receiver or defensive back, two-tenths is the difference between a DI starter and DII player.

PRO-AGILITY PERFECTED

Some coaches care more about the pro-agility or short-shuttle time than the 40-yard dash, because it reflects how well a player cuts and changes direction—two essential skills for every football player.

To execute a perfect pro-agility test:

• Place your feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent at about 45 degrees, and be on your toes in an athletic position. (Or start in a comfortable 3-point stance if required by the combine administrators.)
• Your push-off leg should be your strongest leg (if this is the right leg, you will start left).
• Keep the toes on your push-off leg pointed in towards your body’s mid-line to generate more power for your first step (in other words, “cheat” your foot position towards the direction you are going to move. If the combine tests you starting in both directions, practice switching your foot position and stance depending on the direction you want to go).
• On the first step, open up your hips as you push in one, coordinated movement, then think about getting your foot down quickly to make your next step. Your leg swing needs to move your foot from toe-off to toe-touch as quickly as possible.
• As you take the second step, your body should have turned by the time your foot hits the ground and be in position to accelerate towards the cones.
• When you change direction, try to plant both feet just inside the line. Stay low, plant your toes and generate as much power as possible in the opposite direction.
• Remember: your hand needs to touch the line as you make the cut, and if you plant your foot in the right spot, it will be easy to touch the line and accelerate the other way.
• Practice running the drill at half-speed, focusing on perfecting your cuts. As you gain confidence, up your speed to 75%, then 9o%, then full speed.

Perfecting the cutting movement in BOTH directions will be the key to improving your time!

VERTICAL JUMP

The vertical jump represents a player’s explosive power. While some combine experts teach you tricks to cheat the test, the better approach is to improve your skill.

"Training with the equipment and protocols at Athletic Republic really helped me improve my speed and first-step explosiveness. You can get better too!"

- Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders Running back

Here are a few simple steps will help improve your leap:

• Don’t double pump before you jump: it will NOT improve your jump results.
• Stand on your toes, feet about shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
• Keeping your eyes on the target, quickly move down to about 60-degrees knee flexion (not 90 degrees) and explode up. Use your downward momentum to the 60-degree flexion point as a springboard to help you explode upwards. Don’t hold your crouch position at all—a quick transition always results in a better jump.
• Practice timing your “stretch” to hit the target.
• Practice finding a starting position below the target that you find easiest to reach the target at the top of your jump.

To improve your jump height you MUST improve your ability to produce power. Athletic Republic’s programs are designed to train the athlete to safely produce mega-power through resistance training, speed training and overall football conditioning.