Speed & Agility

Reaction & Agility Circuit

Improve footwork and first-step speed

Speed & Agility
Warm Ups

Reaction & Agility Circuit is a 10-minute speed & agility drill for 4-20 players, suitable for Under 5 to Adults at beginner, intermediate level. You need cones, ladder, balls. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.

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Speed & Agility
Warm Ups
Warm Up
Beginner
Intermediate
Full Squad
Agility Kit
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Quick 10 Minutes

Duration

10 min

Players

4-20

Pitch size

10 x 10 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Reaction & Agility Circuit1210 x 10 yards

Reaction & Agility Circuit — Pairs facing each other · 10 x 10 yards

Step 1 of 3Work through the ladder with a set pattern.

  1. 1. Work through the ladder with a set pattern.
  2. 2. Coach points to a colour on exit and the player sprints to it.
  3. 3. Six to eight reps each with a jog-back recovery.
  • Ball
  • Pairs working across a marked lane
  • Agility ladder
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Improve footwork and first-step speed
  • -Sharpen reactions to a visual cue
  • -Prepare the body for high intensity work

Setup

  1. 1Ladder or eight cones in a line with a 5 yard sprint zone.
  2. 2Three coloured cones in a fan beyond the sprint zone.
  3. 3Players in pairs behind the ladder.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1Work through the ladder with a set pattern.
  2. 2Coach points to a colour on exit and the player sprints to it.
  3. 3Six to eight reps each with a jog-back recovery.

Coaching points

  • -Quiet contacts on the balls of the feet
  • -Arms drive to help rhythm
  • -Low body position out of the last rung
  • -Eyes up on exit to read the cue early

Common mistakes

  • -Heavy flat-footed contacts
  • -Slowing down before the sprint zone
  • -Looking at the feet instead of the coach

Where this drill fits

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