Agility Hurdles Exercises

Developing your agility means that you’re able to change directions more quickly. To improve your agility, you’ve got to develop better coordination, balance and explosiveness. Training with agility hurdles will improve how fast you’re able to accelerate, decelerate, cut and take off from the floor. Find an open area free of obstacles to set up the hurdles and go through your workout.

  1. Practical Benefits

    • After training with agility hurdles, you see significant improvements in your athletic performance. Hurdles force you to step and hop over each obstacle as quickly as you can while minimizing the time you’re in the air and the time your feet are in contact with the floor. If you play basketball, this means you’ll be able to effectively play defense on a quicker offensive player. Volleyball players will be able to move around the court faster and get more digs.

    Step Drills

    • Step drills, such as high knee step, single-leg high knee step and butt kicks, are done while facing the line of hurdles. Set each hurdle about a foot apart. High knee step is performed by stepping over the hurdles, one leg at a time, while driving each knee up as high as you can between steps. To perform the single leg version of high knee step, move to the edge of the hurdles so only one of your legs has to go over the top of them. When you step with your inside leg, perform the high knee movement over the hurdle. When stepping with your outside leg, simply step forward. The butt kick drill involves stepping over the hurdles one leg at a time, but while bringing each of your heels to your butt with each step.

    Hop Drills

    • Hop drills, such as single hop, double hop and straight-leg double hop, require you take off and land from the same foot or with both feet simultaneously. Single hop involves hopping over each hurdle on just one leg while moving through the hurdles. On the way back, switch legs. Double hop is done by hopping off both feet and landing on both feet over each hurdle. The straight-leg double hop exercise is similar, except that you do the exercise while keeping your knees straight.

    Lateral Drills

    • Lateral hurdle drills, including lateral hop and lateral high knees, are done while standing perpendicular to the hurdles. To do lateral hop, stand sideways to the ladders and hop with both feet over each hurdle. Land on both feet and then immediately take off again. Lateral high knees are done just like the high knee step exercise, but while traveling laterally.