Agility ladder drills, such as hopscotch, bunny hops, zig zags, and high knee runs, improve speed and coordination. They can be performed on a ladder made of cloth or plastic, or lines drawn on the floor. Maintaining good form is important for maximum benefit.
Ladder agility drills provide excellent speed training and help develop speed and coordination. The agility ladder is placed on the floor, so that the athlete can run, step, jump, or jump between the rungs or to both sides, depending on the exercise. Ladder agility drills include the hopscotch drill, bunny hops, zig zags and high knee runs.
Agility ladders are made of cloth or plastic, outlining a series of squares. In the absence of an agility ladder, lines could be drawn on the floor for agility drills the way a child might draw for hopscotch, and the chalk lines would prevent potential tripping. However, athletes are more likely to notice stepping on a nylon strap than a chalk line and are more likely to perform ladder agility drills correctly.
To perform the hopscotch drill, the athlete should start at one end of the ladder with their feet shoulder-width apart. The athlete jumps to the first box, landing on the ball of the left foot. He or she jumps to the next square, landing on the balls of both feet. The athlete lands on the ball of the right foot in the third square, then the balls of both feet again in the fourth, and repeats the pattern to reach the other end of the ladder. This exercise should be completed as quickly as possible for maximum benefit.
Bunny hops are very simple: the athlete jumps from square to square, from one end of the ladder to the other, with both feet together. As with the hopscotch drills, the athlete must remain on the balls of their feet and not allow their heels to touch the floor. The athlete must jump to each frame as quickly as possible.
Zig zags use the space on both sides of the stairs. This ladder agility drill can be performed by hopping on alternate feet or with both feet together. The athlete begins by standing to one side at one end of the ladder, then jumps to the first box and continues to jump to the opposite side of the second box. He or she continues to cross back and forth in this pattern until they reach the other end of the ladder.
When performing the high knee sprint, both feet will land on each square. The athlete runs up the stairs, entering each block as quickly as possible. He or she should focus on running with the knees raised and the thighs parallel to the ground with each step.
Maintaining good form is important when performing ladder agility drills. Often these exercises are done at the beginning of a workout, when the muscles are fresh. However, agility ladder drills can be effective during a workout, and a series of drills can be effective in increasing heart rate. Exercises performed at the end of a workout are great for testing endurance and building stamina.
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