5 Agility Drill Combos for Fast Feet and Full Body Moves

This article is from our new regular contributor Lizelle Din of NTBFit.

Agility drills are a great way to mix up traditional cardio exercises in a workout. Not only do they work on coordination, campers get a little mental workout too. Agility drills are also easily adaptable to do for time, distance or rounds. Below are my favorite agility drills but upgraded, by adding a strength or plyometric exercise to incorporate the whole body and turn it up a notch. Each strength/plyometric exercise can be easily modified or substituted to adapt to the campers abilities and levels. Always challenge campers when performing agility drills to look up and not at their feet!

1. Ladder Scissor Jumps + Plank Walk

Starting at the beginning and moving laterally along the ladder, scissor jump so that both left and right feet hop in and out of each rung until the end is reached. At the end, drop down into a Plank and Plank Walk so that both left and right hands make it through each rung back to start.

2. Cone Weave and Sprint + Wide/Narrow Push Ups

This one can easily be turned into a partner drill, where partner 1 is performing the sprint and partner 2 is either resting or performing the Push Ups. Set up 5 cones about a foot apart at the beginning and 5 cones at the end (depending on space, this can be anywhere between 10 to 50 yards apart).

Starting at the first 5 cones, have campers quickly weave through all 5 cones and immediately sprint to the other set (only weaving at the beginning.) When they reach the end, have them drop down into a plank position and perform alternating Wide and Narrow Push Ups (aim for 10 total). Repeat the weave and sprint back to start.

3. Ladder In and Out + 2 Tuck Jumps + Backwards Bear Crawl

This is probably one of my all time favorite combos.

Starting at the beginning of the ladder and moving forward, quickly step the left foot and then right foot inside the first rung, then stepping both feet out. Repeat as quickly as possible down the ladder to the end.

At the end of the ladder, perform 2 tuck jumps (offer variations here) and return back to the start by stepping to the side of the ladder and Bear Crawl backwards.

4. Cone Figure 8 + Burpee

This drill seems simple at first, but then gets hearts racing after just a few reps! Set up 2 cones a little wider than shoulder width apart. Start by standing in between the cones, then weave in a Figure 8 shape around the cones. When the Figure 8 is complete, drop down and perform a Burpee. Repeat, but reverse the direction of the Figure 8.

5. Cone Side Shuffle + Ladder 1-foot Hop

Why not combine the powers of both cones and ladders?

Set up a line of cones that run parallel to the right of the ladder, about 10 to 15 feet away (The number of cones depends on how many rungs are in the ladder). Starting at the first cone, side shuffle left with hips low and facing forward until the ladder is reached. At the ladder, hop on the left foot only into the first rung and quickly hop back out on the same foot, then shuffle right but to the 2nd cone.

Repeat until the end of the ladder is reached, moving forward one cone at a time. Rest, then turn around and do the hops on the right foot back to start.

What are your favourite agility ladder drills? Share with us in the comments below.