Agility Ladder Drills And Why They Are Beneficial for Soccer Players
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What are agility ladders?
An Agility ladder is a fundamental training tool that is used to enhance an athlete's foot speed, coordination, and overall agility. They are flat ladder like structures that is placed on the ground horizontally. The player then uses the squares of the ladder and gives in and out of them while employing explosive quick feet movements. As a soccer player myself, I bring the agility ladder to every one of my training sessions. This tool is used across a plethora of different sports, but in my opinion, it’s most effective for people in the soccer world.
Agility ladder drills
Two Step Drill
Let’s start with the basics. The most simple drill that everyone should be doing with agility ladder is the two-step drill. This is when you place both feet in each square before moving to the next one. This is not a hop, but instead sort of like a shuffle forward. You can start slow when you’re learning it but by the end you should be attempting to do this drill as fast as possible. This is true for all of the drills I’ll show you today. All in all, the two step drill is a great beginner exercise and can really help enhancing a players balance and coordination.
Lateral Two In Two Out
This drill is quite similar to the two step drill but with just a slight twist. You’ll still be doing the two steps in but instead of facing forward, you’ll be sideways. From the side of the ladder you’ll explode into the first square by placing two feet in, and then you’ll do the same thing but backwards and at a lateral angle. This is done at a lateral angle so you can end up facing the second square on the ladder. You will then proceed to do the exact same steps at a rapid pace until you reach the end of the later. This a phenomenal drill to do if you want to enhance your coordination and later movements.
Lateral Shuffle Drill
The lateral shuffle drill is also a staple for any athlete using an agility ladder. You need to start on the side of the ladder facing forward. You then need to laterally move down the ladder by placing your feet in and out of the squares. You should stay on the balls of your feet the entire time and move as quick as possible. The goal for this all is to be explosive. When you get to the end of the ladder don’t stop. simply just go the other way. After a couple consecutive repetitions you should really start feeling it in your legs. By doing this drill often, You’ll see the effect it has on your game in no time.
Single Leg Shuffle Drill
To begin with, you need to stand parallel to the side of the ladder. then as you move forward, tap one foot in the square and then take it back out. The foot you will use in the squares will be the one closest to the ladder. After you take the foot out you should place it one time on the ground and then immediately tap it into the next square. Just move forward and keep going one by one through every square. The whole time as you are doing you should be pumping your arms so you can have a good flow and structure throughout your body. When you get to the end of the ladder, just turn around and use the other foot.
Ickey Shuffle Drill
The Ickey shuffle is the hardest drill on this list but is probably the most effective and is used by all the pros. You been with standing at start of the ladder facing forward. You want t be standing a little bit to the side though so you can explode in at an angle. So you want to move forward at a lateral angle by placing both feet in. Then when the lateral foot comes out and steps on the ground next to the square, explode in the other direction going laterally across the next square. Continue to do this until you reach the end of the lateral. If you're doing it properly you should be going in sort of a zig zag motion. Additionally, when you reach the end you can do the same drill but backwards. This makes the drill flow even better and will really get your heart rate up.
Benefits For Soccer Players
As a soccer player your agility, foot speed, and coordination are crucial to whether or not you go to the next level. As a kid they are not so important and you can get by without them. However, if you want to go the next level like college soccer or even the pros, you must perfect these three elements. if not, you will surely fall behind. Here is where the agility ladder comes into play. There are other drills you can do to help things like your foot speed, but the agility is truly fr above them all. By doing the intricate drills I stated above every time you go to the fields, your agility, foot speed, and coordination will all drastically improve. And not to mention those are not the only benefits. By using the agility ladder you will also build stamina and strengthen your leg muscles. Two things that are also extremely important for soccer players to do. Incorporating an agility ladder in your training routines will really help you excel above any opponent that comes in your way.
