Basketball speed and agility training focuses on short and quick drills that develop your reaction time and hand-eye coordination. Basketball speed and agility training ranges from footwork drills to full-court sprints. According to Sport Fitness Advisor, speed and agility training teaches you how to change directions on the court without reducing speed and velocity. As a result, drills that improve speed and agility are often reserved for point guards, shooting guards and small forwards.
Types
Basketball speed and agility training exercises are often tailored toward your specific type of play. As a result, types of speed and agility training break down by position. If you are an offensive scorer looking to improve your speed to the hoop, you will be focusing on a series of short-distance speed drills and jumping exercises. If you are a big man looking to improve your agility in the post, you will be working on agility drills that improve footwork and reaction times.
Benefits
Speed and agility training will benefit you in several ways. Because speed and agility drills make you more flexible, you will reduce your chances of getting injured during a practice or game. Increased flexibility will also increase the amount of punishment your body will be able to take during a game. Speed and agility training also improves your endurance, which will allow you to play at a high level throughout an entire game. It will also prevent you from fatiguing midway through your season.
Time Frame
Basketball speed and agility training is required year-round for players looking to improve their game. Unlike intense conditioning and weight-lifting routines that take their toll on a player's body through the course of a year, speed and agility training exercises are relatively low stress and can be easily combined with regular in-season workouts. During a practice, the general time-frame for speed and agility training is usually 40 minutes. This gives players enough time to work on their quickness and speed without overusing their muscles.
Speed Training Drill
The box drill improves your speed and agility as well as your mental awareness. Make a square in the center of the court with four cones. The cones should be spaced 6 yards from each other. Assign a different letter or number to each cone. Stand at the center of the square and wait for your coach to call out a number. Each time a number is called, sprint toward the corresponding cone and touch it with your hand. Sprint back to the center of the square and wait for another number to be called.
Agility Training Drill
The weave-in, weave-out drill improves your side shuffle as well as your ability to cut sharply on the court. Put four cones out on the basketball court, leaving 8 feet between each cone. Put four more cones between the initial four, making sure that these cones are 4 feet to the left of the other cones. On your coach's whistle, side shuffle toward the first cone, leading with your left leg. Rotate your body and side shuffle toward the next cone, leading with your right leg. Repeat these rotations until you reach the last cone. Sport Fitness Advisor recommends performing this drill six to eight times before stopping for a break.
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