Strength and conditioning specialists Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle define agility as the ability to accelerate, decelerate and change directions quickly. Agility is especially important for athletes who play sports such as basketball, racquetball, soccer, softball and tennis because these sports require frequent starts, stops and movements in all directions. Athletes in these sports should perform exercises and drills at least three times per week to improve their agility.
Figure Eights
Figure eights require you to sprint, slow down and turn around as quickly as possible. Place two cones about 10 yards apart. Start on the left side of either cone. Sprint to the right side of the other cone, loop around it, sprint back to the opposite side of the first cone, loop around it and continue this figure eight pattern until you have gone around each cone three times.
Four Corners
The four corners drill improves your ability to change directions. Place four cones in a square shape with 10 yards between each cone. Number the cones from one to four in a clockwise direction. Start at the first cone, sprint to the second, side shuffle to the third, backpedal to the fourth and then side shuffle back to the first cone. Rest for about 30 seconds and then perform the drill in the opposite direction, sprinting from cone one to cone four first.
Weave Drill
The weave drill improves your cutting ability while sprinting forward. This drill is especially helpful for basketball, football and soccer athletes because they often have to change directions to evade defenders. Position five to 10 cones in a straight line, each 5 yards apart. Start at either end on the right side of the first cone. Sprint to the left side of the second cone, plant your left foot and cut diagonally to the right side of the third cone. When you reach the third cone, plant your right foot and sprint diagonally to the left side of the fourth cone. Continue this pattern until you have passed all of the cones.
Star Drill
The star drill requires you to change directions from forward to backward quickly. Place four numbered cones in a square shape just like the four corners drill, but add a fifth cone in the middle of the square. Start at the middle cone, sprint to the first cone, backpedal to the middle, sprint to the second cone, backpedal to the middle and continue like this until you have sprinted to and backpedaled from each of the four corner cones.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, Second Edition"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
- "Training for Speed, Agility, and Quickness, Second Edition"; Lee E. Brown and Vance A. Ferrigno; 2005
- Elite Athlete Training Systems: General Agility Drills
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