Resisted Pyramid Drill: Agility Workout

The Kbands Reactive Stretch Cord can be put to use in multiple ways to enhance the value of any training program, and while previous videos have emphasized the benefits of overspeed training and sprinting, this demonstration will show how the Reactive Stretch Cord can be used for resistance training.

By adding resistance to an athlete’s center of gravity, the Reactive Stretch Cord pushes the athlete to dig in during the beginning of the sprint and apply greater pressure to the core and hip flexors during the run. Added resistance can also support agility training, since the athlete will have to work harder to stay in balance during sudden direction changes and shifts from a straightforward sprint to a backpedal or a lateral sprint. This specific drill, called the Resisted Pyramid Drill, pushes athletes to develop balanced linear speed by shifting the angle of the applied resistance during five different sprints in five different directions.

This drill can be adjusted to meet various levels of skill and the length of each resisted sprint can be altered to match the experience of both advanced and beginning athletes. The agility workout is simple to set up and can be executed in just a few minutes, which means it will be easy to add to the beginning or end of any training workout. In just a short time, athletes will begin to feel the strength and agility benefits of this agility workout and they’ll see a clear difference in speed and control during unresisted sprints.

The Resisted Pyramid Drill: Setting Up the Drill

This agility workout will require a very simple set of equipment: just a Kbands Reactive Stretch Cord for each participant and five speed and agility cones. The cones can be placed on the ground in a pyramid or fan formation in way that allows the athlete to sprint to the first cone, then backpedal, then to the second which is placed a yard farther away, then back again, then the to the third, and so on.

The third cone will be placed at the maximum distance away from the starting point, which should never be more than 20 feet, since this is the maximum safe length for the Reactive Stretch Cord. Before the agility drill begins, the athlete will strap the belt around the waist, making sure the strap is snug enough to stay in place and not rotate around the body. When the belt is in position, the athlete will clip the cord to the D-ring, which will be positioned in the center of the back.

The anchor strap can then be clipped to the opposite end of the cord, and the strap can be placed in the hand of the anchoring partner, who will stand at the starting point for the duration of the drill.

The Resisted Pyramid Drill: Executing the Agility Drill

As the agility drill begins, the athlete will stand at the starting point and sprint toward the first cone in the pyramid formation. During the dig phase of the sprint, the chest should be low and forward, and the athlete should be digging in and working hard against the resistance. Upon reaching the first cone, the athlete can immediately switch direction and backpedal toward the anchoring partner, who should be maintaining dynamic control over the level of resistance in the cord.

When the resistance gets too high, the partner can take a step forward. When the resistance is too low, the partner can step back. At all times, the resistance should be strong enough to push the athlete to the next level, but not so strong that the body shifts off balance and the benefits of the workout are undermined.

Since maximum explosivity will be essential to the success and benefits of this drill, athletes will need to take sufficient rest breaks in between each rep, which will last for at least one minute to one minute and a half. If the athlete isn’t launching into the sprint with full explosive force, that means the rest breaks are probably too short or the resistance is too high, or both. In either case, athletes will need total energy restoration to dig in and make the most of this exercise.

Resisted running is used to improve stride length and add power to the stride, so if athletes are provided with too much resistance, their center of gravity may shift off balance and their stride and technique may be altered and disrupted. If this happens, the anchoring partner will need to make some adjustments, which may require the help and observation of a coach who can recognize alterations in the stride of the athlete.

This drill can be completed in two to three reps with the athlete moving from the left to the right, and then two to three more with the athlete moving from the right to the left. For each rep, the reactive stretch cord should be in place and the resistance level of the athlete should be carefully controlled and should match his or her level of speed and experience.

Resisted Pyramid Drill: Final Notes

Athletes can complete this Resisted Pyramid Drill agility workout in team settings or on an individual basis with a partner. As long as the resistance is monitored and the athletes are investing full explosivity in every sprint, the drill will be equally valuable in any setting.

Teams and individual athletes looking for more ways to build agility and speed can visit KbandsTraining.com and explore the training resources on the site, which include a growing set of training and demonstration videos like this one. To take this dynamic resisted agility workout to the next level, athletes can try the Kbands Wall Drill. In the meantime, both athletes and coaches can use the video tutorials and resistance training equipment available on the site to bring team and individual improvements across a range of sports, including football, baseball, basketball, track, cheer, lacrosse and soccer.