GROUP TRAINING — UPPER MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL · UP TO 12 ATHLETES
THE ART OF BEING A RUNNING BACK — 60 MIN · SATURDAYS
WHAT IS RBU
THE ART OF BEING A RUNNING BACK.
RUNNING BACK UNIVERSITY IS A POSITION-SPECIFIC SKILLS CLINIC FOR UPPER MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL RUNNING BACKS. THE PROGRAM IS BUILT AROUND THE TECHNICAL, PHYSICAL, AND COGNITIVE DEMANDS OF PLAYING THE RUNNING BACK POSITION AT A HIGH LEVEL.
ANY ATHLETE CAN WALK IN ON ANY SATURDAY AND GET A COMPLETE, VALUABLE SESSION. RETURNING ATHLETES BUILD PROGRESSIVELY THROUGH A 7-WEEK THEME ROTATION THAT COVERS EVERY DIMENSION OF THE POSITION — FROM CUTTING MECHANICS TO BALL SECURITY TO GAME-SPEED OBSTACLE WORK.
POSITION
RB
RUNNING BACK
GROUP SIZE
12
MAX ATHLETES
SESSION LENGTH
60
MINUTES
FREQUENCY
SAT
WEEKLY
LEVEL
MS–HS
MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL
THEME CYCLE
7 WK
ROTATING THEMES
SESSION STRUCTURE
THE 4-BLOCK SESSION.
01
12 MIN
CNS ACTIVATION WARM-UP
THREE-PART WARM-UP: NERVOUS SYSTEM WAKE-UP, LATERAL ACTIVATION & HIP FIRING, AND THE BALL SECURITY CIRCUIT — HIGH-POINT TUCK, SWITCH HANDS, LOW-CARRY GAUNTLET, CATCH & CUT.
02
15 MIN
MECHANICS LAB
FOUNDATIONAL RB MOVEMENT SKILLS AT 60–75% SPEED — CUTTING ANGLES, ACCELERATION, HIP-OVER-FOOT POSITIONING, ARM DRIVE, PAD LEVEL. THE TECHNICAL FOUNDATION OF EVERY SESSION.
03
15 MIN
THEMED COMPETITIVE WORK
EVERY SESSION HAS A THEME. DRILLS ARE BUILT AROUND THAT THEME AT 85–100% INTENSITY. ATHLETES COMPETE AGAINST EACH OTHER OR THE CLOCK WITH FULL REST BETWEEN REPS.
04
15 MIN
GAME SPEED FINISHER
FULL-SPEED CONE, HURDLE, AND OBSTACLE SEQUENCES AT GAME INTENSITY. COACHED IN REAL TIME. ATHLETES RUN IT, COMPETE, AND LEAVE FEELING LIKE BALLERS.
INSIDE THE SESSIONS
THE SYSTEM
7-WEEK THEME ROTATION.
EVERY SESSION HAS A THEME THAT GIVES RETURNING ATHLETES A SENSE OF PROGRESSION AND IDENTITY FOR THE DAY. ANY ATHLETE JUMPING IN FOR THE FIRST TIME GETS A COMPLETE, VALUABLE SESSION REGARDLESS OF WHERE THE CYCLE IS.
WEEK 1
THE CUT
45° AND 90° CUTS, PLANT-AND-DRIVE MECHANICS. MASTERING THE ANGLE OF ATTACK.
WEEK 2
THE BURST
FIRST-STEP EXPLOSION AND ACCELERATION OUT OF BREAKS. ZERO TO FULL SPEED.
WEEK 3
VISION & SETUP
READING SPACE, SETTING UP DEFENDERS, PATIENCE BEFORE THE CUT.
WEEK 4
CONTACT BALANCE
RUNNING THROUGH CONTACT, LOW PAD LEVEL, LEG DRIVE AFTER THE CATCH.
WEEK 5
THE JUKE
LATERAL EVASION, STUTTER STEPS, AND MISDIRECTION AT FULL SPEED.
WEEK 6
OFF THE CATCH
EYE DISCIPLINE, CATCH-TO-TUCK TRANSITION, AND THE IMMEDIATE FIRST MOVE.
WEEK 7
HOME RUN SPEED
TOP-END SPEED MECHANICS AND OPEN-FIELD RUNNING. FINISH THROUGH THE LINE.
EVERY SESSION
BALL SECURITY. EVERY REP.
THE BALL SECURITY CIRCUIT IS EMBEDDED INTO EVERY SINGLE WARM-UP — NOT BECAUSE IT'S A DRILL, BUT BECAUSE IT'S A HABIT. HOLDING ONTO THE FOOTBALL IN A VARIETY OF POSITIONS AND ORIENTATIONS IS TRAINED UNTIL IT BECOMES AUTOMATIC.
HIGH-POINT TUCK
SWITCH HANDS ON THE RUN
LOW-CARRY GAUNTLET
CATCH & TUCK
CATCH & CUT
OVER-THE-SHOULDER
READY TO BALL?
EVERY SATURDAY. EVERY LEVEL. EVERY RUNNING BACK.