Football requires its athletes to repeatedly sprint, stop and change directions. Elements of speed and agility are necessary for every position on the field, from quarterback to defensive lineman. Nearly every football athlete participates in speed and agility training, which can improve athletic ability and thus performance on the field. Because speed and agility are such important components of football, the combine program for players trying to reach the National Football League requires them to perform speed and agility tests.
Definition
Football speed is the ability of an athlete to reach his maximum velocity and is measured by the amount of time it takes him to get from one location to another. Running down and tackling the player with the football requires speed. Agility is the ability to accelerate in one direction, then decelerate quickly, change directions, and accelerate again. A running back uses agility to move back and forth to avoid tackles.
Components
Increasing your speed consists of improving your starting ability; getting to your maximum stride length as quickly as possible; increasing your stride rate, or the number of steps you take per unit of time; and ensuring that your form and technique allow you to run most efficiently. Improving your agility consists of training your leg muscles to contract quickly so that you can explode toward a specific direction; efficient joint coordination among your hips, knees and ankles; and learning the most efficient foot placement as you prepare to change directions.
Exercises and Drills
To improve your speed, perform exercises such as high knee kicks, butt kicks, running with resistance and high-speed sprints. Exercise Rx, a training resource, states that football players should concentrate on sprint distances of 10 to 40 yards, because these are the distances most often run during competition. Rest 25 to 30 seconds between sprints. To improve your agility, do exercises that incorporate sprints and shuffles around cones and footwork drills through an agility ladder.
Design of Training Program
Speed and agility training should be done as a supplement to football skill practice and strength training. If possible, it's ideal to schedule it on days that you don't participate in weight training, so that you have adequate energy to perform the exercises to the best of your ability. It's most beneficial to participate in a speed and agility exercise session three times per week. It's important that you test yourself at the beginning of the training program and periodically as you train, perhaps every four weeks, to monitor improvements and adjust your program if necessary.
Tailoring Program to Position
To make your workouts more efficient, tailor them to train the elements that are specific to your position. If you play quarterback, you nearly always have to avoid tackles but don't have many plays on which you're required to sprint. So focus primarily on developing your agility. If you're a wide receiver, you run quickly up the field more often than other players and may want to focus on sprint work. If you're a running back you need both speed and agility, so you may want to make your workouts more balanced.
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