Running and Agility
The running and agility drills are designed to improve efficiency, speed, and quickness through all planes of movement. Listed below (with explanations following) are the drills which will be done during the summer in order to further prepare you for August football. Refer to the Weekly Schedule for specific daily workouts.
Note: During all movements, a dorsiflexed (toe up) ankle should be maintained.
Top Speed Drills / Acceleration Drills / Agility DrillsHigh Knee / A-Skip / Backpedal to Sprint
Butt Kicks / Wall Drill / 5-10-5
Ankling / Power Skip / Lateral Shuffle
Fast Claw / Alternate Leg Bounds / Lateral Shuffle to Sprint
Alternate Fast Leg / Reactive A-Skip / Lateral Wall Drill
Rapid Fast Leg / Hill Runs / Z Pattern Run
Build Up Runs / Resisted Starts / X Pattern Run
Sandwich 40's / Push Up Starts / Hoop Drills
Top Speed Drills
High Knee
Knee up, toe up. Lift Knees to 90 degrees as fast as possible. Repetitions are more important than distance. Quality reps every time!
Butt Kicks
Toe up, aim your heel to your butt. A slight bend at the hip is acceptable. This is a rapid movement. Repetitions are more important than distance.
Ankling
Small circular ankle motion. Knee up, Toe up. Strike the ground directly below your hips with the ball of your foot. Pretend you are riding a small tricycle with your feet never raising more than two feet off the ground. Repetitions are more important than speed and distance.
Fast Claw
Place one hand on the wall facing sideways. Knee up, Toe up. Claw at the ground as fast as possible, striking with the ball of the foot. Your heel should never touch the ground. Start and finish with tall body position, squeeze the glute of your plant leg to stabilize.
Alternate Fast Leg
While taking short steps similar to ankling, every 3rd step pick up one leg, step over the knee, kick out and cycle it through as fast as possible. Keep the toe up and pull the leg down quickly to the ground, attacking with the ball of the foot directly below your hips. DO NOT DROP YOUR TOE, and do not strike with your heel.
Rapid Fast Leg
Continue the ankling motion with one leg, and the other leg will be quickly cycling the entire time.
Build Up Runs
A-Skip for 15 yards, (without stopping) transition into a high knee run for 15 yards, (without stopping) transition into a sprint for 15 yards, (without stopping) then jog it out for 15 yards. This drill also gradually builds up the mechanics and intensity into the full sprint.
Sandwich 40’s
Start at the goal line. Slowly accelerate to the 30 yard line. By this time you should be in an 85-90% sprint for 40 yards, once you hit the opposite 30 yard line, slowly decelerate to the opposite goal line.
Acceleration Drills
A-Skip
Knee up, Toe up. Similar to high knee, only punch back into the ground below (slightly behind) your hips with the ball of your foot to propel into a forward skip.
Wall Drill
Lean against the wall at a 45 degree angle. Bring one knee up to about 90 degrees, then attack the ground behind your hip while driving the other leg up. Ankles should be dorsiflexed. Do not jump off with the foot on the ground, but rather drive into the ground with the foot that is up in order to initiate movement. Perform 1 rep, 2 reps continuously, and then 3 reps continuously. Then perform rapid repetitions for 5 seconds, rest 10 seconds and repeat 4 times in a set.
Power Skip
A-Skip for height. Drive forcefully into the ground with the ball of your foot and drive the other knee up to about 90 degrees. Opposite arm should be forward (mimic running motion).
Alternate Leg Bounds
Power Skip, but for distance. Minimize foot to ground contact. (Think of a gazelle) This movement should look graceful, not clumsy. Find a rhythm by practicing with shorter bounds, and then building into the full movement.
Reactive A-Skip
Hands on hips. Your feet should bounce as is you’re jumping rope. At every 5th rep, you should drive one leg up to about 90 degrees and back to the ground in time to land again with the other foot. This is an advanced, rapid movement. Focus must be on maintaining perfect form throughout.
Hill Runs
Up hill running. Find a hill around 30-40 yards long, with a gentle incline (7-10 degrees). Grass would be best. Try to maintain a constant speed.
Resisted Starts
A partner provides resistance by holding a towel around your waist. With a 45 degree lean, sprint 5 yards while maintaining proper running mechanics. After the 5 yards you are released and run an additional 10 yards while maintaining a proper lean. The resister must stay clear of the runner’s foot drive.
Push Up Starts
Start from your stomach. Get up as fast as possible. Maintain good start mechanics and running form.
Agility Drills
Backpedal to Sprint
For a specified distance, backpedal, and then transition into a sprint. Transition may occur multiple times throughout drill. Keep your hips low, and focus on the lower body shift rather than your entire body.
5-10-5
Starting in the center in a 3-point stance, sprint to the right 5 yards. Touch the line with your right hand. Turn and sprint across 10 yards and touch the far line with your left hand (do not spin around). Turn and sprint through the center line to finish. Do not let up until after you have crossed the line.
Lateral Shuffle
Using the push-to-move technique, drive off the back leg (full extension) in order to generate movement of the hips. DO NOT REACH WITH FRONT LEG. Pick the front leg up and let the movement of the hips be the driving force for the front leg to gain ground. Recover with feet shoulder width apart. Keep toes forward during entire movement.
Lateral Shuffle to Sprint
Change of direction. From a lateral shuffle, plant the front leg and explosively in the opposite direction. Turn and sprint for specified distance.
Lateral Wall Drill
Lean sideways at a 45 degree angle with one arm on the wall. Start with outside leg up, knee at about 90 degrees (knee up, toe up), and outside arm locked at 90 degrees with your hand at hip pocket. Drive the outside leg into the ground while simultaneously punching the standing leg into a knee up, toe up position. The outside arm should switch with the leg drive. Keep ankles flexed as to plant on the edges of the feet while on the ground. Perform 1 rep, 2 reps continuous (2x), then 3 reps continuous (2x). Turn and face opposite side, using the opposite arm for support and repeat sequence. Then go full speed for 5 seconds, two times on each side with 10 seconds rest between each.
Z Pattern Run
Place cones 5 yards apart, staggered, for 10 yards. Sprint to each cone, cutting with the outside foot around each cone, and then 10 yards after the last cone.
Finish
Start
X Pattern Run
Defensive players- Sprint, backpedal, sprint, backpedal, sprint.
Offensive players- All sprints.
Finish
Start
Hoop Drills
HL- Start on right. Run one full hoop, turning left. Sprint 5 yards to finish (focus- running on edges of feet).
HR- Start on left. Run one full hoop, turning right. Sprint 5 yards to finish (focus-running on edges of feet).
CL- Start on right. Run ¼ hoop, turning left. Sprint 5 yards to finish (focus-rounding the edge).
CR- Start on left. Run ¼ hoop, turning right. Sprint 5 yards to finish (focus-rounding the edge).
LCR- Start on right. Run ¼ hoop, turning left. Cut back and sprint 10 yards right (focus- pursuit angle).
RCL- Start on left. Run ¼ hoop, turning right. Cut back and sprint 10 yards left (focus- pursuit angle).
BLCR- Start on right. Sprint left to back edge of hoop, then cut back and sprint 10 yards right (focus- blitz, then chase).
BRCL- Start on left. Sprint left to back edge of hoop, then cut back and sprint 10 yards left (focus- blitz, then chase).