Progressive Agility Ladder Drills

‏Athletes cannot always perform the most difficult or challenging agility ladder drills at the beginning stages of training. Some athletes who are new to the Speed and Agility Ladder Drills and lack sufficient coordination or foot speed will need to begin at more basic agility ladder drills and advance into more difficult agility ladder drills.

But, even athletes who are skilled and experienced in speed and agility ladder drills can enhance their training by progressing through a series of Speed and Agility Ladder Drills. These Speed and Agility Ladder Drills should begin with less advanced phases of a more advanced sequence of movements. These early Speed and Agility Ladder Drills should act as an exercise guide for the feet in the following, more difficult, Speed and Agility Ladder Drills.

This same progressive workout concept can be applied to exercises and training outside of Speed and Agility Ladder Drills. Progressing through a series of Speed and Agility Cone drills or using Agility Hurdles can act as stimuli and markers for the speed and agility training drills.

Rapid Response Ladder Trainer

The Kbands Rapid Response Ladder Trainer is a progressive sequence of agility ladder drills that will help athletes develop impressive, reactive foot speed, agility, and coordination. The Rapid Response Ladder Trainer is made up of several different drills and in order for athletes to optimize their results with the agility ladder drills the order of the rapid response exercises should be followed.

The only equipment athletes will need to complete the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer drills is a Speed and Agility Ladder and a set of Kbands Leg Resistance Bands. Athletes will lie the Speed and Agility Ladder flat on the ground and attach their Kbands Leg Resistance Bands securely just above the knees.

The first of the agility ladder drills is the In and Out Singles. Athletes will line up at the side of the Speed and Agility Ladder and begin the Rapid Response In and Out Singles by tapping their inside foot in the Speed and Agility Ladder. Athletes will stay stationery during the rapid response drill and will use the same square on the Speed and Agility Ladder for the entire In and Out Singles portion of the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer.

As athletes tap their inside foot in and out of the Speed and Agility Ladder they will be shuffling or pattering their outside foot so both feet are coming on and off the ground. Work for speed during the Rapid Response In and Out Singles as athletes will complete 6 sets of 15 seconds on each leg before moving onto more Rapid Response Agility Ladder Drills.

The next exercise in the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer is the Stationery Icky Shuffle. Just like a traditional icky shuffle athletes will be alternating tapping one foot inside of the Speed and Agility Ladder as they move across the ladder. Athletes will stay stationery as one foot taps in the box and then moves across and taps outside the Speed and Agility Ladder while the opposite foot moves from tapping outside the box to inside of the Speed and Agility Ladder. The key to being quick with the Stationery Icky Shuffle is to keep the weight centered so athletes can smoothly move back and forth across the Speed and Agility Ladder. Complete 6 sets of 15 seconds before moving into the next portion of the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer.

Agility Ladder Drills Exercise Guide

The Stationary Step Over Icky is a modified version of the previously executed Stationary Icky Shuffle. The main differences between the two agility ladder drills is that the Stationary Step Over Icky requires a cross body movement and both feet will be outside of the Speed and Agility Ladder at the same time.

Athletes will begin to the outside of the Speed and Agility Ladder and drive their outside knee across their body into the Speed and Agility Ladder. Athletes will still only have one foot in the box at a time as they bring their outside foot all the way across the ladder, step their crossed over foot to the same side of the Speed and Agility Ladder, and then repeat the movement moving back across the Speed and Agility Ladder. Athletes will complete 6 sets of 15 seconds before resting and performing the Reverse Crossover Icky by crossing the leg behind the body instead of in front. Athletes will also complete 6 sets of 15 seconds of the Reverse Crossover Icky.

Athletes will then move into the Scissors and Reverse Scissor Drills. Athletes will line up to the side of the Speed and Agility Ladder and facing the ladder will alternate tapping their feet inside of the box. As athletes step their feet in and out of the Speed and Agility Ladder they need to patter or shuffle their feet after making contact. After completing 6 sets of 15 seconds athletes will turn around and perform the same Scissors movement jabbing their feet into the Speed and Agility Square behind them. Complete the Reverse Scissors for 6 sets of 15 seconds.

Exercise Guide For Rapid Response

Continuing with the agility ladder drills athletes will move into the Crossover Scissor and the Reverse Crossover Scissor. For this portion of the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer athletes will need to utilize two boxes on their Speed and Agility Ladder. Athletes will start outside the ladder and alternate taking their foot across their body and tapping inside the opposite box. Athletes will complete 6 sets of 15 seconds before turning around and performing the same Crossover Scissor motion backwards. Complete an additional 6 sets of 15 seconds.

For the final portion of the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer athletes will utilize the entire Speed and Agility Ladder as they perform a combination of several agility ladder drills that have already been performed. Athletes will start at the base of the Speed and Agility Ladder, jab their inside foot in and out of the ladder, crossover the outside leg in front of the body and tap it in and out of the next ladder square, then shuffle across the ladder and repeat on the opposite side. Each time athletes go across the Speed and Agility Ladder they should gain ground. Halfway down the Speed and Agility Ladder athletes will switch their crossover from in front to behind the body. Complete 6 down and back sets of the ladder drill to complete the Rapid Response Ladder Trainer.