Training Methods to Improve Agility

Agility is important in many sports. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer and tennis, to name a few sports, require exceptional agility to compete at the higher levels. While some people are quicker than others, agility is not an innate trait. Practice and repetition can improve the agility of almost anyone. Improved agility, combined with actual sport practice, makes for better performance. Specific agility drills are the key to improvement.

  1. The Rope Drill

    • Agility is important in any sport that requires lateral quickness, like basketball.

      Stretch a piece of rope out straight. Stand next to the rope with your shoulders parallel to the rope. Jump to the other side of the rope and immediately back to the side you started on. Do this drill as fast as possible for a total of 30 repetitions, with one rep being each time you jump across the rope. This drill will help develop fast lateral movement. Work your way up to 150 jumps.

    The 'T' Drill

    • The "T" drill is great for football defensive backs and all basketball players.

      Go to a tennis court. Stand on the center of the baseline facing the net. A line will be directly in front of you that forms a "T." Sprint as fast as you can to the top of the T, then shuffle all the way to the left side of the T without crossing your feet. As soon as your left foot touches the boundary line, shuffle quickly to the right side of the T. When you reach the right boundary line, shuffle back to the middle and then backpedal to where you started. Immediately start your next repetition. Do the drill five times per session. This is an excellent drill for both football and baseball players.

    The Diamond-Cone Drill

    • Each of these drills will improve your agility in whatever sport you play.

      The name of this drill comes from where the cones will be placed. Every athletic department has orange cones. Borrow four of the cones. Go to whatever surface your sport is played on. It could be grass for football or soccer, a basketball court for that sport or a tennis court. Give yourself plenty of space. Put the first cone where you are standing. Take 10 steps forward and place the next cone. Place yourself in the middle of those cones and walk out five yards. Turn around and place the final cone 10 steps away. You should now have four cones that are placed in a diamond pattern, each cone spaced the same distance to the ones on its right and left. Go back to the first cone. Sprint as fast as possible to the cone 10 yards in front of you. When you touch it, backpedal so that you are in the middle of the cone pattern. Now shuffle to the left cone, then back to the right one. Now shuffle back to the middle and then backpedal to the start. Your feet should never cross during any of the shuffling. Immediately start again. Do this drill five times as well. You are on the road to greatly improved agility.