In part one of football tackling we asked if there was a new science to tackling and as taught by Chuck Clemens from the University of Central Missouri we determined there is.

Nothing says good hit like hearing the pads popping and nothing feels better to a tackler than driving a ball carrier to the ground.

Those kinds of tackles happen by design and begin with the basics. This article will focus on proper tackling drills, training football players tackling techniques that are safe and work.

Starting with angle, regardless of how fast the ball carrier is, if you have the right angle of pursuit, you can hone in on the runner like radar and make a bone jarring tackle. The kind of tackle the opponent remembers and will make him want to stay out of your area.

Regardless if you are tackling at an angle or from the front, as you approach the ball carrier, lower your body, knees bent and have your arms spread wide to wrap around the ball carrier. As you prepare to explode into the tackle, keep your head up, eyes on the runner and throw your arms forward, thrusting your arms with force will add to your forward momentum.

Make sure your head is on one side of the runner, or the other, never hit an opponent with your head. It can lead to serious injury or death. As you explode into the ball carrier, lead with the outside shoulder and wrap your arms around the ball carrier. Keep your feet moving so you can drive through the guy so you can drive him out of bounds or into the turf. You want to hit the runner around the waist or legs.

Great tackling starts with practicing the fundamentals. When practicing these tackling drills, use a tackling dummy or a teammate, always start at half speed and focus on tackling techniques, balance, feet moving and driving up and through the ball carrier and always have the head on one side or the other of the runner.

There are several top quality training videos available, demonstrating sound tackling techniques and practice drills. Use the link in the box below to see if these tackling DVD's can help you improve your football skills and deliver run stopping tackles.