Agility Training With Soccer Exercises

The first agility training drill is the Kbands Situational Attack. Athletes will need a set of Kbands, Speed and Agility Ladder, 9-12 Speed and Agility Cones, and 1-3 soccer balls. Set up the drill by placing three Speed and Agility Cones 5-8 feet apart with the Speed and Agility Ladder even with the last Speed and Agility Cone and centered in front of your goal. A final cone sequence will be placed 4-5 feet in front of the end of the Speed and Agility Ladder on the opposite side of the field from the start of the agility training drill.

This three line sequence will consist of 2-3 Speed and Agility Cones placed in 3 straight lines 2-3 feet apart. One soccer ball will be placed at each end of the Speed and Agility ladder and at the end of the three line sequence of cones to implement sports specific scenarios into the agility training.

After attaching the Kbands just above the knees athletes will backpedal from the starting Speed and Agility Cone, keeping a low chest, turn and sprint from the second to third cone, and take a shot on the goal once the final Speed and Agility Cone is reached. Immediately after the shot is taken athletes will continue the agility training by performing a resisted lateral high knee through the Speed and Agility Ladder. As athletes move through the Speed and Agility Ladder they need to be quick off the ground while driving the knees high and working through the resistance while quickly and powerfully pumping their arms. Once the end of the Speed and Agility Ladder is reached athletes will execute a cross pass in which they mimic setting up a teammate for a shot on the goal. Once the pass is executed athletes will work quickly through the three line sequence moving through each sequence of cones quickly not allowing the feet to come to far outside of the Speed and Agility Cone set up. Athletes will want to keep a low chest and avoid leaning back in order to keep a good center of balance while moving through the Speed and Agility Cones. Once the line sequence has been cleared athletes will take a final shot on goal to complete one set of the soccer agility training. Complete 6 resisted sets of the agility training 3 from the left and 3 from the right. Athletes will follow this with 2 unresisted sets, one from the left and one from the right.

Improve Ball Control With These Soccer Exercises

For the MRC 1v1 dribbling drills athletes will need 2-5 Speed and Agility Cones set up to mimic the last line of defense. These Speed and Agility Cones should be placed at the spot on the field where the athlete takes the majority of their shots. Athletes will attach the Kbands and execute the Matthew’s move by making one small touch and then exploding at a 45 degree angle. This creates space between the athlete and the defender and opens up the goal for the shot. When taking the shot it is important to put the ball on the back post while the goalie is guarding the front side of the goal. Complete 1-2 resisted sets from each side.

After completing the dribbling drill with the Matthews move athletes will execute the same shot on goal while first completing the Ronaldo. The Ronaldo can be completed with one small touch behind the foot and then taking a 45 degree angle to move past the defender and take a shot at the back post of the goal. Complete 1-2 resisted sets of the dribbling drill from each side.

The final move in the dribbling drill is the Cruyff and is a great soccer move if you are cut off by a defender. This move permits soccer players to avoid a defender and still get a great shot on the goal. Perform 1-2 resisted sets of the agility training. After completing all resisted sets of the dribbling drills soccer players will remove the Kbands and perform 1-2 unresisted sets of each drill from each side. When performing unresisted sets focus on being quick and having proper body position, maintain a low chest and not overstepping when performing the dribbling drills.

Transitional Shooting Soccer Exercises

For the transitional shooting soccer exercises athletes will need a set of Kbands, Speed and Agility Ladder, a soccer ball, and 9-10 Speed and Agility Cones. The Speed and Agility Ladder will be set up off to the side of the drill with 4 Speed and Agility Cones 6-10 feet apart at 45 degree angles from each other. Just to the outside of the goal athletes will place 5 Speed and Agility Cones in a straight line. Athletes will place 4-6 feet between the first two cones and 2-3 feet between the remaining 4 Speed and Agility Cones.

Athletes will begin this series of soccer exercises at the Speed and Agility Ladder and can perform the step over, icky shuffle, high knees, or lateral high knees through the Speed and Agility Ladder. Whichever ladder sequence is chosen for the agility training, this sequence should be used for all repetitions of the soccer exercises. After working through the Speed and Agility Ladder athletes will continue the agility training by backwards shuffling between the first three angled cones and sprinting to the final Speed and Agility Cone. Athletes will then move into the ball control portion of the soccer exercises by taking the soccer ball, moving in and out of the 4 Cone sequence and taking a shot on the goal. While moving in and out of the four cone set up athletes need to work against the resistance, keeping a low chest over the toes, good center of balance, and always moving forward gaining ground toward the goal.

Athletes will complete 3 resisted sets of the soccer exercises from each side of the field before removing the Kbands and performing 2 unresisted sets from each side of the field. When performing unresisted sets of the soccer exercises it is important athletes keep good body position and actively increase the speed at which their feet and legs are moving.

Attacking Footwork Dribbling Drills

For the attacking footwork dribbling drills soccer players will need a set of Kbands, 4-6 Speed and Agility Cones, and a soccer ball. Athletes will place the Speed and Agility Cones in a square formation to create boundaries which the athlete must stay within. The box should be 20-25 feet wide. After attaching the Kbands athletes will work through five dribbling drills as they work down the field toward the goal. First sequence involves the Matthews, Ronaldo, and Inside Outside.

Begin with the Matthews and give a small tap across the athletes body, as if to change the point of attack, then move it back out with the same foot to open up a shot on the goal, or make a pass to an open teammate. Athletes will perform 2 resisted sets of the agility training on each leg.

Next athletes will execute the In and Out maneuver utilizing small, quick touches to move through the agility training rapidly and under control. This agility training is great for beating the last line of defense and getting close, easy shots on goal. Perform 2 resisted sets on each leg.

Athletes will then execute the Ronaldo in the same fashion as the previous two dribbling drills. Athletes need to move quickly, driving off their back leg and moving at a 45 degree angle. This angle is important to mimic running past a defender for a shot on the goal. Athletes will work through 2 resisted sets of the agility training on each leg.

Athletes should take a 1-2 minute rest period in between sets of the dribbling drills, performing 2 unresisted sets on each leg after all resisted sets of the dribbling drills have been completed. Once all resisted and unresisted sets of the dribbling drills have been completed, and a rest period has been taken, athletes will move into one final super set of soccer exercises.

Athletes will first perform the step over, focusing on being quick to outmaneuver a defender, working both the left and the right foot, always moving forward at a 45 degree angle. Second, the athlete will perform the scissors maneuver, performing 2-3 steps moving toward the goal. With each exercise athletes will perform 2 resisted repetitions on each leg followed by 2 unresisted repetitions on each leg.