How to Juke Like LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson holds the National Football League record for touchdowns in a single season with 31. He is able to score because of his ability to juke the opposition, or make tacklers miss. Tomlinson leaves opponents grasping at air as he deftly rushes past for another touchdown. While a person may not have the physical tools of Tomlinson, he can employ some of his moves in the recreation league or any other level.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Stay low to the ground when you are running the football. Tomlinson gets low towards the ground before juking a would-be tackler. This enables him to hide from the defense and makes it tough for the defender to tackle him.
2. Wear a tinted visor on your helmet so the defender cannot see your eyes. Not only does the visor look intimidating but it also allows Tomlinson to hide his eyes from the defense. In a recent article in "Sporting News," an NFL defensive player said, "(Tomlinson) wears that (tinted) visor at times, so you don't know where he's looking."
3. Run both inside and outside on the football field. Tomlinson has the speed to go outside and the power to run inside. This keeps the defenders off balance because they never know for sure which way he will run. If you get the defender flatfooted and hesitant, the juke is that much easier to execute.
4. Use your head and shoulders to fake a move in one direction, and then quickly shift your feet to run the other way. Tomlinson will shift his upper body while keeping his lower body still. This makes the defender move in the opposite direction from where Tomlinson intends to run.
5. Utilize the defenders' momentum against them on the juke. Run quickly in one direction, and then suddenly cut back against the grain on the oncoming play. Tomlinson uses a jump stop go against the momentum of the defense. He will run full speed, and then plant both feet, turn and run the other way. This juke requires you to understand where all the defenders are on the field. When you stop, you risk an oncoming defender hitting you if you do not know where he is.