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Physics
of Blocking
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The
objective of blocking is to keep a player from going in a particular
direction.
A few fundamental physics concepts are key to accomplishing this goal.
Two in
fact, low center of mass and torque. Center of mass in a player is
located
roughly around the torso area the geometric center of a body in which
the net
weight can be associated. The low center of mass created by staying
lower than
your opponent and coming in low and driving up into your opponent,
throws of
his center of mass and allows you to manipulate him as needed. 
You can exert
far more torque on his body than he can on you by doing this. You still
exert
the same force on him that he does on you (Newton’s 3rd
law), but
you can manipulate his force to dominate him. The force exerted farther
from
the center of mass, and increasing the distance of the lever arm
(distance from
force applied to pivot point) you can manipulate the opponent as
needed.
Additional physics concepts involved are that if the coefficient of the
friction between the player and the grass is not great enough to
support the
opposing forces the players will slip and in turn fall as a result.
These
principles can be applied to running as well.
Football Physics:
The science of the Game (bibliography pg. 38)