A base block is a blocker going straight at a defender and driving them back. This is the simplest block and the one that builds everything else. Cue: Plant, Punch, Drive, Finish.
What you need: Two bags, two cones, or just a lined field.
Setup: Mark a line in the middle. One kid starts 3 yards away, the other stays at the line.
How to run it:
- Review the cue: Plant, Punch, Drive, Finish.
- The blocker (Kid A) comes forward. Plant the front foot and punch both hands into the defender’s chest. Punch hard.
- Drive the legs. Once the hands are in, the job is to keep running the feet forward. The defender should move backward.
- Finish means they keep the block until you blow the whistle.
- Do 5 reps. Then switch roles.
What to watch: Are the feet moving after they punch, or do they stop? The feet have to keep going. That’s where the power comes from.
If they’re struggling: Have the defender stay still and not resist. Just let the blocker practice the motion of planting, punching, and driving without the defender pushing back.
If they’ve got it: Have the defender lean into the block a little. Now the blocker has to work harder to move them.