Agility

Agility – USA Hockey 1998

Agility drills are drills that emphasize the ability to rapidly and efficiently change
direction while controlling your body’s center of gravity. They will put you in control of
your body - rather than having your body be in control of you.
There are three general types of agility drills:
 Ladder Drills
 Dot Drills
 Cone Drills
Agility Program
Work on your agility 2-3 times per week for 10-20 minutes. Select any one of the three
different types of agility drills for a given days workout. It is not necessary to perform
each different type. When choosing the type of drill or the specific drills, select the ones
you are most comfortable with and which seem to have the greatest positive effect. Do
not pick the ones that require the least amount of effort, pick the ones that challenge you.
Get something out of your workout.

Ladder Drills
Start with One-In and progress to 2 Count with Hip Rotation.
Select and perform a couple of drills from each category, making sure to run the
variations as well (starting going right and left, alternate lead foot, perform backwards…)
Do not perform Plyometric Ladder Drills on the same day that you are performing other
Plyometric exercises or as warm-ups on game days.
One-In 2 Count with Hip Rotation
Quick Run – 1 In Turn Out
3 Count Turn Out (Lateral)
2 Count
Waltz, In-In-Out Hip Switch
Quick Run – 2 In
Cross in Front Hip Switch (Lateral)
Lateral – 2 In
Cross Behind Lateral Crossover
Scissors
Carioca
Over/Back
4 Count 180’s
Over/Back Cross
In-In, Out-Out Snake
Ali Shuffle
In-In, Out-Out (Lateral)
Stack Out
1-2-3-In
Hopscotch – Both In
1-2-3-Out
Hopscotch – Single In
1-2-3-In (Lateral)
2 Becomes 1
1-2-3-Out (Lateral)
Single Leg Step Over

Plyometrics
Speed Hops Slalom (Lateral) Single Leg Slalom
Ankle Bounce Giant Slalom Single Leg Slalom (Lat)
Ankle Bounce (Lateral) Giant Slalom (Lateral) Skater Hop’s
Split Jumps Mini-Giant Slalom Shuffle Wide & Stick
Slalom Mini-Giant Slalom (Lat) Shuffle Quick
 Agility

Shuffle Quick & Stick

Dot Drills
Do not perform Plyometric Dot Drills on the same day that you are performing other
Plyometric exercises or as warm-ups on game days.

Figure 8 – 2 feet 4 Corners, 2 ft

Hourglass (Slalom) Out – In – Out, 2 ft in middle (Plyo)
M, 2 ft Out – In – Out, 1 ft in middle (Plyo)
Top 3, 2 ft

Cone Drills

4 Cone Drills: Zig-Zag Drills:

4 Cone: Carioca Sprint/Shuffle/Backpedal/Shuffle
4 Cone: Shuffle Shuffle/Sprint
4 Cone: Sprint/Sprint/Shuffle/Backpedal Sprint/Shuffle Step
4 Cone: Backpedal/Carioca/Sprint/Sprint Diagonal Shuffle
Small 4 Cone W Drills
4 Cone: Backpedal Cross
Other Drills:
4 Cone: Inside Outside Figure 8
Figure 8 Drill
3 Cone Drills: Wheel Agility Drill
3 Cone: Straight Sprints I Drill
3 Cone: Inside Curl, Single 1-2 Y Drill
3 Cone: Inside Curl, Triple 1-2
Shuttle Runs:
3 Cone: Inside Curl into Triangle
PRO Agility
3 Cone: Outside Curl, Triple 1-2
30 Yard Shuttle
T Drills: 40 Yard Shuttle
T Drill: Shuffle/Shuffle/Shuffle 60 Yard Shuttle
T Drill: Shuffle/Carioca/Sprint 10 x 20 Seconds
T Drill: Shuffle/Sprint/Shuffle
 Agility

Ladder Drill Instructions

Specifically, Ladder Drills will work on foot quickness, changes of directions, body
awareness and control.
Tips and Things to Remember: (MF Athletic)
 Begin with a proper warm up and flexibility program.
 Relax! You’ll move with greater precision and balance if you avoid tensing your
muscles.
 Always see if you can relate the elements of any drill to the movements you make
in competition. Often drill movements are identical to competition movements
with only the added challenge of placing your feet precisely in and out of the
ladder.
 Go as fast as you can: Not as fast as you can’t. Don’t sabotage yourself by
attempting to make your feet go faster than they are able to correctly negotiate all
the rungs of the ladder. Remember: You want to develop quickness and control.
 Learn quickly, by first practicing slowly.
 Get a rhythm, then try to pick up your tempo.
1. Get the drill right
2. Get the drill right going slow
3. Get the drill right going fast
 Allow for proper rest between drills. Do not perform to fatigue.
 If you are struggling with a particular drill, count the rhythm out loud (either with
numbers, or work cues (“In”, “Out”, “Cross” etc.)) until the movement begins to
flow.
 Use your arms! (Try sprinting with your hands clasped behind your back. You
will go much slower than you are able to run with your arms moving with you.
The same holds true for movements on the ladder.) See if you can’t generate
more speed by employing your arms as an additional balance and power-
producing force.
 You can use many drills to increase explosive power simply by amplifying your
last step away from the ladder. This turns the drills into functional plyometric
training for sport.
 Alternate the foot you start with, so you are not always leading with your
dominant foot.
 Focus on learning one or two drills per training session until you have developed
a good base of exercise options.
 Don’t be afraid to fail! All of these drills can be learned quickly – if you don’t
quit on them!
 Agility
Ladder Drill Diagrams
One-In
Quick Run – 1 In Variations: - Start with opposite feet
- Backwards
L0 R0

L1

L3
R2

R4
2 Count
Quick Run – 2 In Variations: - Start with opposite feet
upper body: arm swing and good - Backwards
posture - High knees
- Quick Feet
- Lateral
L0 R0

L1 R2

L3 R4

L5 R6

Scissors Variations: - Start going to Right and Left

both feet move at same time - Face towards Ladder, Face away
hips square from Ladder

L0 R1 L2 R3

R0 L1 R2 L3

Over/Back Variations: - Starting from Left and Right

“Over – Back”
R1 R3

L1 L2 L3 L4

L0 R0 R2 R4

Over/Back Cross Variations: - Starting from Left and Right

“Over – Back” - Face towards ladder, Face away from ladder

L1 L3

R1 R2 R3 R4

L0 R0 L2 L4
 Agility

Ali Shuffle Variations: - Start going to Right and Left

- Face towards Ladder, Face away
from Ladder

L2 R1 L4 R3

L0R0 L1 R2 L3 R4

Stack Out Variations: - Backwards

“Stack-Out-Stack-Out” or…
“Out-Scissors-Out-Scissors”
both feet move at same time
L1

L3

L5

L7
L0
L2

L4
L6

L8
R0

R2
R4

R6
R8
R1

R3

R5

R7

Hopscotch – Both In Variations: - Backwards

“Out-Both In-Out-Both In” - Single foot In (alternating feet in)
L2

L4

L6
L0 R0
L1 R1

L3 R3

L5 R5
R2

R4

R6

2 Becomes 1 Variations: - Backwards

“2 In-1 Out-2 In-1 Out”
L2

L6
L0 R0
L1 R1

L3 R3

L5 R5

L7 R7

L9 R9
R4

R8
 Agility
3 Count
Waltz, In-In-Out Variations: - Forwards and Backwards (for backwards,
“In – In – Out” slightly rotate hips)

L0 R0

L6
L2 R1

L4 R5

L8R7
R3

R9

Cross in Front Variations: - Forwards and Backwards

“Over-Out-Out”
use slight hip turn
left over right, right behind left
right over left, left behind right
L0 R0

L5 R6
R4
L1

L7
L3R2

L9 R8

Cross Behind Variations: - Forwards and Backwards

“Behind-Out-Out”
use slight hip turn
left behind right, right over left
right behind left, left over right
L0 R0

L5 R6
R4
L1

L7
L3R2

L9 R8
 Agility
4 Count
In-In, Out-Out Variations: - Start with opposite feet
- Backwards
- Lateral
L0

L3

L7
L1 R2

L5 R6

L9 R10
R0

R4

R8

1-2-3-In Variations: - Backwards

“In-1-2-3-In-1-2-3-In” - Lateral
outside foot stays in straight line
L0 R0

L2 R3
L4

L6 R7
L8
R1

R5

R9

1-2-3-Out Variations: - Backwards

“Out-1-2-3-Out-1-2-3-Out” - Lateral
inside foot stays in straight line
L0 R0

L2 R3
L4

L6 R7
L8
R1

R5

R9

Single Leg Step Over Variations: - Each leg

“Over-Over-Out-Up” - Backwards
L0

L3

L7
R0

R2

R4

R6

R8
L1

L5

L9
 Agility
2 Count Drills with Hip Rotation
Turn Out Variations: - Backwards
“Turn-Out-Turn-Out”
feet will point in opposite
direction on each “turn”
more hip rotation is better
L0

L2

L4

L6
R1 L1 L3 R3 R5 L5
R0

R2

R4

R6
Turn Out (Lateral) Variations: - Start going to Right and Left
“Turn-Out-Turn-Out”
feet will point in opposite
direction on each “turn”
more hip rotation is better
R1

R5

R9
L3

L7

L0 R0 L2 R2 L4 R4 L6 R6 L8 R8
R3

R7
L1

L5

L9

Hip Switch Variations: - Backwards

foot in ladder slightly ahead of foot - Lateral
outside ladder
L1

L3

L5
R1

R3

R5
L0

L2

L4
R0

R2

R4

Lateral Crossover Variations: - Start going to Right (Crossing Left over

*Same foot crosses over each time Right) and to Left (Crossing Right over
Left)

L0 R0 L1 R2 L3 R4
 Agility

Carioca Variations: - Start going to Right (Crossing Left over

alternate left behind, left in front Right) and to Left (Crossing Right over Left)
“cross in front, cross behind”

L0R0 L1 R2 L3 R4 L5 R6

180’s Variations: - Backwards

L0 R0 R1 L1 L2 R2 R3 L3 L4 R4 R5 L5 L6 R6

Snake Variations: - Backwards

Both feet move at same time
Right foot Out then In, Left foot Out
then In etc.
L3

L7
R8
L0 L1

R4

L4 L5

R6 R7

L8
R3 R2
R0

L2

L6
R1

R5

Plyo Drills
Speed Hops Variations: - Backwards
(plyo)
L0 R0

L1 R1

L2 R2

L3 R3

Ankle Bounce Variations: - Lateral

push off on toes-curl toes up
hop through ladder
L0R0

L1R1

L2R2

L3R3

L4R4

L5R5

L6R6

L7R7

L8R8

L9R9
 Agility

Split Jumps Variations: - Forwards and Backwards (for bkwds slightly

rotate hips so outside foot slightly leads
inside foot)

L1

L3
L0 R0

R1

R3
L2

L4
R2

R4
Slalom Variations: - Backwards
- Lateral
L1 R1

L3 R3

L5 R5

L7 R7

L9 R9
L0 R0

L2 R2

L4 R4

L6 R6

L8 R8

Giant Slalom Variations: - Backwards

- Lateral
L3R3

L7R7
L0R0

L2R2

L4R4

L6R6

L8R8
L1R1

L5R5

L9R9

Mini-Giant Slalom Variations: - Backwards

Similar to Giant Slalom only hitting - Lateral
every square
L2 R2
L1 R1

L3 R3

L5 R5
L0R0

L4R4
 Agility

Single Leg Slalom Variations: - Right Leg and Left Leg

- Backwards
- Lateral

L1

L3

L5

L7

L9
L0

L2

L4

L6

L8
Skater Hop’s Variations:
L0 R0

L2

L4
R1

R3

Shuffle Wide & Stick Variations: - Backwards

“In-In-Out”
Out is wide and
hold Out (Stick) before return
L0 R0

L6

L12
L2 R1

L4 R5

L8R7

L10R11
R3

R9

Shuffle Quick Variations: - Backwards

“In-In-Out” - Stick one side only (Ex. Left Side always
not as wide and quick, Right Side stick)
don’t hold Out (Stick)
L0 R0

L12
L6
L2 R1

L4 R5

L8R7

L10R11
R3

R9