Proper football agility drills can work wonders for both speed and acceleration. Agility drills as a whole are designed to increase speed, acceleration, and the ability to change direction while in motion.
Increasing Speed
Football agility drills aimed solely towards speed will help you move faster and maintain those higher speeds across a longer distance. Here are the top 3 drills used by professional athletes aimed at increasing speed. Check out sassportsperformance.com for more information on increasing your speed!
1) Speed Ladder Drills
Side to Side (Lateral Running) – With a low center of gravity, step in each ladder space while moving side to side. Bring your knees up high and land on the balls of your feet.
Forward Running – Jog through the ladder bringing your knees almost up to your chest. Make a conscious effort to land on the balls of your feet and use your arms to propel your body forward.
2) Plyometric Box Jumps
With a box in front of you, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Drop quickly into a quarter squat position, push your feet through the floor as you swing your arms up and propel yourself onto the box.
3) The Flying 20
You will need 50 yards for this drill. Set a cone 30 yards away, and a second one 50 yards away. Start out slow and slowly increase your speed from 0-30 yards. Once you hit the 30-yard mark, you should be running full speed.
Increasing Acceleration
Football agility drills aimed more towards acceleration will help you find that burst of energy needed to go from prone to running or to turn on the afterburners and go into full sprint while already running. Here are 3 more football agility drills athletes use to increase acceleration. Be sure to visit sassportsperformance.com for information on more acceleration training.
1) Hill Sprints
Hill sprints are a great way to increase acceleration and bursts of speed without the use of any special equipment. When sprinting uphill, remember to focus all of your energy in just 10-20 yard bursts and keep your knees high. Each sprint should take under 10 seconds.
2) Tennis Ball Cuts
Have a teammate stand 15-20 yards in front of you holding a tennis ball in each hand. Sprint directly towards him and have him drop one of the balls. Quickly plant a foot and dive to catch whichever ball he drops.
3) Four Corners
Set up 4 cones or objects in the shape of a square and number them 1-4. Stand in the middle and have a teammate or partner call out a random number. Upon hearing the number you sprint towards the cone or object, touch it with your hand, then sprint back to the middle.
Football agility drills are a great way to increase both speed and acceleration. SAS Sports offers a unique approach to agility drills. Visit us online at sassportsperformance.com to learn more about getting a custom, personalized agility routine tailored just for you!