Things You'll Need:
- Wood or Metal poles
- Nails or Welder
- Padding
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Step 1
First you have to decide what type of resistance and durability you want your football sled to have. Choose either wood or metal.If you choose wood it could snap and break with to much impact or to much usage. Metal will bend a little more and last a little longer. That is what most manufactured sleds are composed of.
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Step 2
With your chosen material you will need to make an L shape. The part that sits on the ground should have a wide base or have two legs connected by a cross bar. The part of the L that stands up should have a slight lean forward so that it can bend back slightly on impact. If it doesn't have the slight lean forward then it would defeat the purpose. It should be as close to the proper position of an opponent as possible. Remember your opponent won't be standing straight up.
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Step 3
Buy a pad similar to a punching bag for boxing. The pad should have a hole or slot in the middle of it so it can slide on the top of the L. Make sure that there is a lot of padding so that you don't feel the hard metal when you make contact with it. If there isn't enough padding you could sustain a serious injury.
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Step 4
Set it up in a open field or big yard so that you will have space to push the sled around with someone standing on the back base of the L. You want to simulate the actual movements that you would use in a real game, so come from your stance and explode into the sled and drive it about five feet or until your practice partner blows the whistle.
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Step 5
If your pad is made out of wood then keep it stored in a safe place so that it doesn't get caught in heavy rain or intense heat. Those types of conditions could have a negative effect on the wood and make your sled unusable.
