Football Foot Speed Drills

Football foot speed drills help players to get in shape for the upcoming season. Many coaches will devote an entire practice session to foot speed drills. Depending on the position they play, some players may do more speed drills than others. The coach may well use these drill sessions to help determine which players will be in the starting lineup when the season begins.

  1. Running Bleachers

    • Players run up and down the bleachers to improve their stamina.

      Running up and down the bleachers helps to increase a player's speed and stamina. Have the players loosen up by doing some stretching exercises, then tell them to jog a lap around the football field. If the bleachers are not very wide, make the players run in small groups to avoid bumping into one another. Tell the players to sprint to the top of the bleachers in single file. Once a player reaches the top of the bleachers have him turn around and run back down, avoiding the players who are still making their way to the top. Continue the drill until each player has run the bleachers at least five times.

    Plyometric Training

    • Plyometric exercises work on a player's leg strength and agility.

      Football speed drills often include plyometrics, which are jumping exercises the players can perform to increase their leg strength and agility. Box jumps are a plyometric exercise that many coaches prefer. Have the players use a wooden box that is roughly one foot high and two feet wide. One exercise the players can do is to jump off both legs at the same time up onto the box, landing on their left leg first. After they land, tell them to immediately jump forward off the box and to land on their right leg first. Make the players do this box jump five times. Have the players perform a variety of box jumping exercises for at least 15 minutes during each plyometric training session.

    Cone Running

    • Running through cones increases a player's quickness.

      Cone running is one of the foot speed drills that players use to increase their quickness and agility. Set up 20 cones in a straight line on the football field, roughly three feet apart. Tell the players to line up behind the first cone. Instruct them to run between the cones, making sharp cuts along the way. Once they pass the final cone, have the players sprint back on the outside of the cones. Repeat the drill until each player has run through the cones five times.

    Sprinting

    • Sprinting is essential speed work for football players.

      Sprinting will help the players increase their speed and overall fitness level. Tell the players to stretch and to jog a lap around a quarter-mile track. Have them form groups of three to perform the sprinting drill. Make each group sprint 40 yards, then have them walk the next 40 yards. Tell them to alternate between sprinting and walking 40 yards, until each group completes one lap around the track. Let the players take a five minute break and have them get a drink of water. For their second trip around the track, have the players alternate sprinting and walking 30 yards. Let them rest for another five minutes after finishing the lap. For the third and final lap, have the players run and walk 50 yards. Conclude the drill by having the entire team jog one full lap.