Acceleration Ladders

Objective

• -Improve the first five yards
• -Develop quick feet then drive
• -Practise a strong start position

Setup

1. 1Ladder at the start with a ten yard sprint zone after it.
2. 2Cones marking start and finish.
3. 3Two lanes to keep the group moving.

How to play

1. 1Quick feet through the ladder then explode into a ten yard sprint.
2. 2Walk back to recover fully.
3. 3Six to eight repetitions.

Progressions

• +Progressive Tempo: add a fourth maximal round
• +Ball For Every Player: shrink the working area
• +Reaction Start: two cues, one a decoy
• +Add a competitive scoreline for the last round

Regressions

• -Progressive Tempo: stay at the first two tempos only
• -Ball For Every Player: bigger area, share a ball between two
• -Reaction Start: coach counts players in
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Progressive Tempo — Three rounds: 60% pace, 80% pace, then match pace with full recovery between.
• -Ball For Every Player — Every player works with their own ball so no one waits in a queue.
• -Reaction Start — Every repetition begins from a visual or audio cue rather than a set count.
• -Partner Race — Players work in matched pairs and race each repetition, best of five.
• -Mobility Focus — Each round finishes with a controlled mobility hold for the hips, groin and ankles.
• -Change Of Direction — Add a 90 or 180 degree turn into every repetition before the finish.
• -Team Target — The whole group works to a shared score target and repeats the round if they miss it.
• -Flip the practice to the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Slowing at the end of the ladder
• -Standing upright on the first strides
• -Short rests and dropping quality