Championship Productions Blog

Archives by Tag 'Agility'

3 Exceptional Drills to Improve Your Quickness/First Step

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, March 12, 2013

For many lacrosse players across the country, mid-March means its preseason time, a period to get prepared and conditioned for the regular season. To work on that first step and improve your overall quickness this spring, look to implement these dynamic conditioning drills led by renowned fitness expert Rob Rose.

Ball Drops

The following drills focus on proper form and technique of a linear first step. You can eventually progress to angles and lateral movement from here, but the first drill we cover is a good launching point.

The goal: Be as efficient as you possibly can. If you can’t do this on a hard surface like a basketball court, you probably won’t be able to use hard balls and may have to go with using your hands. In terms of equipment, look to use two lacrosse balls.

<br />

Set 1: Ready Position

Start in a nice low ready position. Your feet should be side by side and wider than shoulder width. You should always be on the balls of your feet. Goal: Get the ball before it bounces twice. The goal for the coaches is to challenge the players. Make sure that the players don’t step back when accelerating to catch the ball.

The coach should bounce the ball. As soon as he/she does, the players are off and getting to the ball quick. Accelerate out and go through. Do not step back. While it may seem quicker, it’s inefficient. Instead, try a drop and push technique. As you get better at it, you will get quicker. Get a quick arm snap too.

Tip: Make your first step a small one. Otherwise, you will be off balance and won’t have the power for your second.

Set 2: Rapid Fire

Now it’s time to really challenge your players. When in ready position, have your players move their feet quickly (while in place) before accelerating to the ball.

Set 3: 180′s

Stay with the rapid fire, but now let’s get into a 180 position. Every time the coach yells “TIME,” the players will turn and do a 180. After doing it straight on, move into 180s at an angle.

Look to perform this drill at a distance of 5-7 yards

Tip: If you don’t have any balls or a hard surface available, then make the goal for each player to get to the hand of the coach before the other player does. Go two players at a time.

<br />

The previous workouts are featured in Championship Productions’ DVD “Complete Conditioning for Lacrosse” featuring Rob Rose. To check out more videos featuring lacrosse drills and exercises, click here.

Filed in Lacrosse Newsletter • Tags: Agility, conditioning, Conditioning Drills, Inside the Crease, Lacrosse Conditioning, Quickness, Rob Rose

12 Simple Drills to Improve Player Agility

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Many of our features this summer focus on helpful tips, workouts and drills that players can use during the offseason – no matter if they have access to a lacrosse field or not. When it comes to getting the body prepared for the rigors of the lacrosse season, there are a number of useful drills and workouts players can turn to.

In this week’s player development feature, we highlight 12 easy drills to improve agility. The drills — led by renowned strength & conditioning coach Alan Stein — are easy to implement and only require a few cones. Then, see how your hard work pays off for the upcoming season when you have an added advantage on the competition.

Agility Workout Background

Agility is defined as the ability to start, stop, and change direction at full speed. It’s important in every sport. It’s also key to be able to react at a split second, whether it’s for a ball or reacting to an opponent’s move. When working on changing direction, it’s also important to key in on footwork, body balance, and the ability to accelerate and decelerate effectively.

Key Coaching Points:

1) Change direction from a low, athletic stance

2) Keep your feet wide and your hips low

3) Use shorter, choppier steps when decelerating and keep the hips low

4) When accelerating, have a slight lean in the direction you want to go

5) Plant using a T-step, which is perpendicular to the direction you want to go

6) Practice planting off of both ankles equally

Drill 1: 135 Degree Angle Cut Right

One at a time, start in the center (let’s say at the baseline of a basketball court) and then sprint to the center cone (set out at the foul line). For now, do everything to the right. Going to the right, we will plant off of our left foot heading into the first cone with slow deceleration, and then proceed to get the ankles, knees, hips and shoulders facing the next cone. Sprint directly at the next cone and run right through it.

Drill 2: 90 Degree Angle Cut Right

This drill is the same as before, except now we are cutting at 90 degrees. Plant with the left and go right.

Drill 3: 45 Degree Angle Cut Left

Again, this is the same as before, except now we are cutting at 45 degrees (diagonal but more backwards this time).

Drill 4: Right Cut Combinations (Coach’s Call)

A coach will now call out a number as a player is approaching the center cone. 1 is for the top, 2 is for the middle and 3 is for down low. Do the same as before in terms of your cuts.

Drill 5: 135 Degree Angle Cut Left

Remember go hard to the center cone, decelerate, plant with the right foot, and then sprint straight over at a 135-degree angle.

Drill 6: 90 Degree Angle Cut Left

Remember, plant with the right and go left this time.

Drill 7: 45 Degree Angle Cut Left

You’ll be cutting almost backwards on a diagonal.

Drill 8: Left Cut Combination – Coach’s Call

Call out the same numbers as before.

Drill 9: Agility Square

Each player starts out in a different corner. Meanwhile, each player will do something different at the same time. The first player will sprint, turn and face the outside, touch the next cone, turn back, sprint again, and then touch the other cone with the left hand, turn back again, and then give a nice easy jog back to the near corner where the other player started out from.

The second player will sprint and then backpedal with the cones. Also, the third player will sprint to the cones but slide back (like a shuffle). The players will go through the same motions even when they get to the next corner. When players get to the next set, they should start things up again immediately.

Drills 10-12: Wheel Sprint Series

This is similar to the agility square, but now players will go around a wheel established with the cones. Basically, it’s a circle of cones set 3-4 yards apart. There are about eight cones on the outside and one in the middle where the player starts out.

You can go clockwise or counter clockwise, but you must go around the horn. Start with sprints and touch each cone, then sprint and do side shuffles back, following by sprints and backpedals to each cone.

The follow clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “130 Pro Power Speed, Quickness, and Reaction Drills” with Alan Stein. Check out the entire collection featuring renowned strength and conditioning coach Alan Stein by clicking here.

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: Agility, Alan Stein, Inside the Crease, Quickness, Quickness Drills, Speed

20 Drills to Increase Speed, Agility and Quickness

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, November 2, 2010

20 Drills to Increase Speed, Agility and Quickness

Speed, agility and quickness are three necessary ingredients for success in any sport, but most particularly in the fast-paced game of lacrosse. Whether it’s a making an effective split dodge or coming away with possession at the face-off X, having superior speed, agility and quickness will ultimately play a huge role in determining your success on the field.

By following these drills designed by Alan Stein, professional strength coach and owner of Stronger Team Strength and Conditioning Services, athletes will be able to make major strides with their overall speed and agility development while maximizing their athletic potential. Athletes will see improvements with their communication skills, mental focus and hand-eye coordination as well. Plus, the drills use minimal equipment, so they can be done anywhere by anyone and on any kind of budget.

This week’s workout is a standard warm-up intended to raise the body’s core temperature and make the muscles more relaxed. The workout — which should last between 5-15 minutes — features movement preparation, where the goal is to get athletes to go through all of the fundamental athletic movements they will need on the field.

In these speed and agility drills, eight key movements and motions are used: Forward Sprints, Back Pedals (focus on leaning forward with your chest out over knees), Side Shuffles (do not cross feet while ankles, knees, hips and shoulders stay square), Side Runs (waist and above stays square, but ankles, knees and hips facing the side), Jumps (stay stationary and vertical and land easy), Pivots (one leg moves in quarter pivots in one direction while other leg remains flat on the floor), Twists (running in one direction but looking another way) and Athletic Stance (keeping a wide base and a low center of gravity).

The following is a standard warm-up session aimed at improving overall speed and agility. Drills should be conducted for about 45 feet (half of a basketball court) before repeating over.

Speed, Agility and Quickness Workout #1

Drill 1: 3 Steps Forward and 1 Step Backward on Left (Go right, left, right and then step back with the left foot)

Drill 2: 3 Steps Forward and 1 Step Backward on Right (Go left, right, left and back on the right foot)

Drill 3: 3 Steps Backward and 1 Step Forward on Left (Go right, left, right and then forward with the left foot)

Drill 4: 2 Steps Forward and 2 Side Shuffles (Jog two steps and then laterally shuffle two steps. Stay nice and low with your hips square)

Drill 5: 2 Steps Back Pedal and 2 Side Shuffles (Same as before, just with back pedals)

Drill 6: 2 Steps Forward and 2 Cariocas (Focus on quick hip turns with your feet)

Drill 7: 2 Steps Back Pedal and 2 Cariocas

Drill 8: 2 Side Shuffles and Reverse Pivot (After pivot, you will be facing the opposition direction)

Drill 9: 2 Side Shuffles and Front Pivot (Same as before, just with a front pivot instead of back)

Drill 10: High Knee and Butt Kick Combo (Give two high knee kicks followed by two butt kicks and repeat. Always be moving forward)

Drill 11: Cross-Country Skier (Switching places with your feet and always moving forward. Legs will stay fairly straight but not stick-straight. Feet are always flat on the floor)

Drill 12: Basic Forward Skip with Arm Swing (Repeat with a backward skip and arm swing)

Drill 13: Lateral Skip with Arm Swing (Always be facing forward)

Drill 14: Basic Skip with Lateral Hip Movement (Skip and then rotate your hip out on the second hop. Repeat with high knee Out to In. Just opposite direction with knee from before)

Drill 15: Frankenstein Skip (Leg is extended straight out as shoe meets fingertips)

Drill 16: Carioca with High Knee Punch

Drill 17: Carioca with Quick Feet (Fast touches with feet out front and behind; rapid fire)

Drill 18: Skip with Dead Leg Left (Right leg is just trailing behind. Repeat with opposite side)

Drill 19: Forward Jog with Lookbacks (Every couple of steps forward, rotate, look back and put out your outside hand)

Drill 20: 45 Degree Angle Cuts – (Zig Zags forward. Stay low. Repeat with backward cuts. Give two drop steps and then switch directions. Similar to a basketball defender)

This workout can be seen on the Championship Productions DVD “130 “Pro Power” Speed, Quickness and Reaction Drills.” To view additional warm-up drills and more speed, agility and reaction workouts, visit our Performance Training homepage.