I think I’ve found all the relevant threads buried on the forum referencing Dave’s x-men blocking (like this one). I’m pretty sure I’ve got a good handle on it, but just curious if there’s any video available on people using it, specifically at the youth (12u) levels. Going into my second season this fall with double wing, and I want to teach blocking this way.
thanks!
Same here. Had a 2-3 hour chat with Dave about it and I'm comfortable with where I'm going with it. I'm a proponent of active feet and active hands while blocking, so I figure "active elbows" would work the same. We're essentially going to try to beat the starch out of defenders with our elbows. If you've got your guy under control, keep the "X". If he's trying to move, spin or otherwise compromise your leverage, start striking fast and hard. Planning on using our "split the crotch with the near foot" technique that we use with tackling. Only difference is the X fit instead of near shoulder. I'll try to document it this season and share my successes/failures.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
If he's trying to move, spin or otherwise compromise your leverage, start striking fast and hard
Are you saying elbow strikes or revert to palm? Just trying to make sure I'm following you here.
I also agree it's a good logical connection to the "split the crotch with the near foot" teach. I generally teach blocking and tackling the same... the only difference is you wrap up when you tackle.
If he's trying to move, spin or otherwise compromise your leverage, start striking fast and hard
Are you saying elbow strikes or revert to palm? Just trying to make sure I'm following you here.
I also agree it's a good logical connection to the "split the crotch with the near foot" teach. I generally teach blocking and tackling the same... the only difference is you wrap up when you tackle.
Elbow strikes.
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
I think I’ve found all the relevant threads buried on the forum referencing Dave’s x-men blocking (like this one). I’m pretty sure I’ve got a good handle on it, but just curious if there’s any video available on people using it, specifically at the youth (12u) levels. Going into my second season this fall with double wing, and I want to teach blocking this way.
That makes you one of three(?) I'll be using it again this year (and Lar). If you have questions about it, feel free to hit me with a phone call and I can talk you through the process. One question, what made you want to teach blocking using this approach?
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
#BattleReady newhope
to answer your question about why, it’s a combination of a few reasons. In looking back at last season, my first as a youth header, one of my primary areas of improvement I identified was in line play and coaching. I didn’t coach the OL last year, and it was a big mistake. In prepping for this year and coaching OL, I dug through as much material as I could, and the threads I read on X-Men convinced me. I want to be physical, punishing, and I want the other teams to dread playing us. X-men, from everything I see, accomplishes that. I’m also planning on going with GOOD/GOD rules instead of TKO (so I can better pinpoint double teams on some tough DTs we see) and X-men looks to pair well with that, too.
I’ll shoot you an email to set up a time to chat through the details a little more.
thanks!
X-man question for @coachdp:
When I teach my form tackling, I have the first step is far foot to just outside BC's near foot. This is the "load" step. Next step is near foot splitting BCs feet. This is the "explode" step where arms are shot through and near shoulder makes contact.
I have been building this methodology into my form blocking, but I think I have a problem. In typical "Load, Explode, GO' footwork, the LOAD step is near foot first and explode step is far foot.
How important is it to ensure the "Explode" step is the far foot in X-man blocking? Am I over-thinking this?
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
Am I over-thinking this?
Yes.
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
#BattleReady newhope
X-man update.
Loving it. Absolutely loving it. Frankly, I expected a lot more coaching to be involved. I am absolutely amazed at how many "coaching points" just "happen" with this fit. I'm starting to think that hands blocking is stupid. Mahonz still thinks that you need hands for fan pass pro, but I'm not sure. X-man forces you to use your feet. "Look up his nose" helps them get into position by using their feet.
3rd Graders:
We have an AC who "disagrees 100% with teaching kids to put their thumbs in their armpits and block with their elbows". No idea where he got the "thumbs" from, but what would you expect from a guy who comes to practice once per week (so I'm told. I never see him), becomes a "coach" from the minute he closes his car door upon arrival and stops being a coache the minute he opens his car door upon leaving. He wants to see some documentation that this is a legitimate technique. I was about to start an email thread with him and DP, but why punish DP? I offered for him and the other to come watch our fight club to see the potential of X-man. I hadn't yet seen the 3rd graders in fight club.
Then, I saw the 3rd graders in fight club. Good Lord! My 6th graders should come watch them do it. I don't see how any coach would watch these kids attempt to kill each other with X-man blocking and not walk away thinking, "This is exactly what I want from my blockers". I watched a 3rd grader go up against a much taller, heavier kid, get his elbows under the bigger kid's breast plate, roll his hips and pancake the bigger kid. Absolutely unbelievable. Same feedback from the 3rd grade HC.
Me: "How much coaching did you do on this?"
HC: "You're looking at it."
DP, I think you told me that the origin of this fit was one of your kids just decided to lead with his elbows in Fight Club, then a few of your other players picked up on it and started doing it. Is that correct?
Game plan? I got your game plan. We gonna run the bawl some. We gonna throw the bawl some. We gonna play some defense. We gonna run some special teams, but we better not run kick return but one time and we sure as heck better not punt.
Loving it. Absolutely loving it. Frankly, I expected a lot more coaching to be involved. I am absolutely amazed at how many "coaching points" just "happen" with this fit.
--I think it's one of our better innovations.
I'm starting to think that hands blocking is stupid.
--Our success using X-Men is why I think hands blocking is stupid and lazy.
X-man forces you to use your feet.
--^ This.
I was about to start an email thread with him and DP, but why punish DP?
--Nope. I won't talk to him. I have long since given up trying to convince others of anything. I just do what I do. If others want to learn about these things, then I'm glad to share. But try to convince a naysayer? It's a waste of time to describe what the sunset looks like to a blind man.
Then, I saw the 3rd graders in fight club. Good Lord! My 6th graders should come watch them do it. I don't see how any coach would watch these kids attempt to kill each other with X-man blocking and not walk away thinking, "This is exactly what I want from my blockers". I watched a 3rd grader go up against a much taller, heavier kid, get his elbows under the bigger kid's breast plate, roll his hips and pancake the bigger kid. Absolutely unbelievable. Same feedback from the 3rd grade HC.
--Yeah, I get it. I've been saying this for years. Then coaches ask me how I get my linemen to block like that and I (used to) tell them. Their response at that point was, "Meh..." In other words, they wanted to teach blocking the way they wanted to, but were hoping to add some magic bullet that already fits in their pistol.
DP, I think you told me that the origin of this fit was one of your kids just decided to lead with his elbows in Fight Club, then a few of your other players picked up on it and started doing it. Is that correct?
--Putting fists in the pits was simply to find a place for their hands because initially, I had their arms/hands behind them, "executioner" style. Taking "hands" out of the equation put the reliance on their footwork. But putting their fists in their pits gave us a blocking surface that not only worked as a "scoop," it gave our players a physical "hit to hurt" advantage. When we did this for the first time, they both interlocked with a nice blocking surface and on "Go" one of my players charged the other one while absolutely bludgeoning him. We discovered the value of the X-Men as not just a blocking surface, but as a weapon.
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
#BattleReady newhope
And you can thank Brian Jackson for the very cool name for it. Until Brian came along, when coaches asked me what I called it, I would say "Like this" and showed them. He also came up with a name for our dynamic warmups which he called, "Dynamic Chaos" which was so much more palatable than John Koester's "Mind-#&@% Drill." lol. Thanks again, BJ!
--Dave
"The Greater the Teacher, the More Powerful the Player."
The Mission Statement: "I want to show any young man that he is far tougher than he thinks, that he can accomplish more than what he dreamed and that his work ethic will take him wherever he wants to go."
#BattleReady newhope
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