Quick feet are helpful at any position in football. Most especially in the speed positions -- quarterback, wide receiver, running back and defensive secondary -- quick feet help you to execute the play and try for extra yardage on offense or a stop on defense. Training camp for the pros and preseason practice for school teams provide an opportunity to work on foot speed and quickness.
Step 1
Place 20 training sticks, each 2 feet long, on the practice track 18 inches apart to mark a total distance of 10 yards> This set-up allows you to measure yourself on the quick feet test at the beginning of the season, speed coach George B. Dintiman recommends in "Sports Speed." Have your timing assistant start a stopwatch when your foot first touches the ground between the first and second stick and stop it when you reach the ground beyond the last stick. Run over the sticks with a vigorous sprint-arm movement and little knee lift. Keep the best time of two trials to provide a baseline and retake the test to mark improvements over the season.
Step 2
Lay an agility ladder on the ground, either a commercial one or one your own made of adhesive tape laid down on the track or thin rope tied into squares 18 inches per side. Skip sideways through the squares, hopscotch through the squares and repeat going backwards.
Step 3
Repeat your agility ladder work with the quick-feet drill from the drills collection, "Training for Speed, Agility and Quickness." Place one foot down between each rung, focusing on foot speed in terms of touching the ground, not forward speed. Follow with bunny hops, hopping with both feet into each square. Minimize your ground contact and go as quickly as possibly, working on quick ankle motions.
Step 4
Practice your first step after the snap. Get into the proper stance for your position in line with the coach's preferences: four-point with two hands lightly touching the ground, three-point with one hand touching or two-point with your hands lightly on your thigh pads, weight balanced on each side, torso leaning forward. Take your first step with the foot on the side toward which you are moving, coach Tom Bass writes in "Football Skills and Drills." Move quickly, taking your proper path to your running lane or blocking assignment.
Things You'll Need
- Training sticks
- Agility ladder
