The best speed and agility drills train three things: how fast you accelerate, how quickly you reach and hold top speed, and how well you brake and change direction. Do them fresh, at full intent, with plenty of rest, two or three times a week. Below are 12 drills with clear steps, doses and a weekly plan you can start this week.
Whether you play football (soccer), basketball, tennis or rugby, these speed and agility drills build the qualities that decide matches: the first step, the burst into space and the sharp cut that leaves a defender behind.
In this guide
Why Speed and Agility Drills Work
Speed is a skill as much as a physical quality. Sprinting fast relies on good posture, powerful ground contacts and a nervous system that fires quickly, and all three respond to practice. Agility adds two more layers: the ability to decelerate under control and the ability to react to what an opponent or ball is doing.
The key principle behind all speed and agility drills is quality. Speed work only improves speed when every repetition is close to maximum effort. Once you slow down noticeably, you are training endurance instead, which is useful but a different goal. That is why the doses below are short and the rest periods long.
Warm Up Before Every Session
Never start speed and agility drills cold. A thorough warm-up prepares your muscles, tendons and nervous system for explosive work. Structured neuromuscular warm-ups such as FIFA 11+ have been shown in controlled trials to reduce injury rates in amateur and youth football, so treat this part as non-negotiable.
Spend 10 to 15 minutes moving through three phases:
- Raise: three to five minutes of easy jogging, skipping or shuffling to lift your heart rate and body temperature.
- Mobilise and activate: leg swings, walking lunges with a twist, glute bridges, inchworms and lateral band walks.
- Potentiate: two or three build-up runs over 20 to 30 metres, rising to around 90% effort, plus a few low pogo hops.
12 Speed and Agility Drills
These speed and agility drills are grouped by purpose: technique, acceleration, top speed, elastic power, footwork and change of direction. You need little more than cones, a ladder and some open space.
1. A-Skips
What it trains: sprint posture, knee drive and fast, stiff foot contacts.
- Stand tall with hips high and arms bent at roughly 90 degrees.
- Skip forward, driving one knee up to hip height while the other foot strikes the ground under your hips.
- Pull the foot down actively, keeping contacts quick and quiet, and swing the arms in rhythm.
Dose: 3 x 20m, walk back to recover.
2. Wall Drives
What it trains: the forward lean and leg action of acceleration.
- Place your hands on a wall at shoulder height and lean in at about 45 degrees, body in a straight line.
- Lift one knee in front, toes pulled up.
- On a cue, switch legs explosively, driving the foot down and back under your hips.
Dose: 3 x 5 single switches per leg, then 2 x 3 rapid triple switches.
3. Falling Starts
What it trains: the first two or three steps of acceleration.
- Stand tall with feet together and lean forward from the ankles.
- When you feel you are about to fall, drive one knee forward and sprint.
- Stay low for the first few steps and rise gradually to full height by 10m.
Dose: 4-6 x 10m, 60-90 seconds’ rest.
4. Hill Sprints
What it trains: acceleration strength and pushing mechanics, with lower impact than flat sprinting.
- Find a moderate hill, roughly a 5-10% gradient.
- Sprint uphill for 8-10 seconds, pushing powerfully off the ground with a forward lean.
- Walk back down slowly to recover.
Dose: 4-8 reps, full walk-back recovery.
5. Flying Sprints
What it trains: maximum velocity and relaxed speed.
- Set three cones: 0m, 20m and 40m.
- Build up gradually over the first 20m.
- Hit top speed between 20m and 40m, staying tall and relaxed through the face and shoulders.
Dose: 3-5 reps, 2-3 minutes’ rest.
6. Pogo Hops
What it trains: ankle stiffness and elastic, springy contacts.
- Stand with feet hip-width apart and knees softly locked.
- Bounce on the balls of your feet using mainly your ankles.
- Aim for minimal ground contact time, as if the floor is hot.
Dose: 3 x 15-20 contacts.
7. Lateral Skater Bounds
What it trains: side-to-side power and single-leg landing control.
- Stand on your right leg, slightly crouched.
- Push off sideways and land on your left leg only.
- Stick the landing for one second, then bound back.
Dose: 3 x 6 per side, 60 seconds’ rest. Remove the pause once landings are stable.
8. Ladder Lateral Shuffle (In-In-Out-Out)
What it trains: foot speed, rhythm and coordination.
- Stand side-on to an agility ladder.
- Step in with the lead foot, then the trail foot, then out with the lead and out with the trail, moving one square sideways.
- Keep your hips low and your eyes up, not on your feet.
Dose: 3-4 runs each direction. Ladder work sharpens coordination but should complement sprinting, not replace it.
9. 5-10-5 Pro Agility Shuttle
What it trains: braking, turning and re-accelerating over short distances.
- Place three cones in a line, five metres apart, and start at the middle cone.
- Sprint 5m to one side and touch the line, then 10m to the far line.
- Finish by sprinting 5m back through the middle.
Dose: 4-6 reps, alternating start direction, 90 seconds’ rest.
10. T-Drill
What it trains: forward, lateral and backward movement in one pattern.
- Set a cone at the start, one 10m ahead, and two more 5m either side of that cone.
- Sprint forward, shuffle left, shuffle across to the right cone, then back to the middle.
- Backpedal to the start, staying low and balanced.
Dose: 4 reps, 90 seconds’ rest.
11. Sprint-to-Stick Deceleration
What it trains: controlled braking, which underpins every change of direction.
- Sprint 10m at around 80% effort.
- Stop within three short, choppy steps, lowering your hips.
- Hold a balanced athletic stance for two seconds, knees tracking over toes.
Dose: 2 x 5 reps. Progress by raising entry speed.
12. Partner Mirror Drill
What it trains: reactive agility, reading and responding to an opponent.
- Face a partner inside a 5m-wide channel marked by cones.
- The leader shuffles, feints and sprints unpredictably side to side.
- The follower mirrors every move, trying to stay square to the leader.
Dose: 4-6 bouts of 5-8 seconds each, swapping roles, 60 seconds’ rest.
Weekly Sample Plan
This plan suits an athlete in season or pre-season who also trains with a team. Run your speed and agility drills early in the session, straight after the warm-up, while you are fresh.
| Day | Focus | Drills | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Acceleration | A-skips, wall drives, falling starts, pogo hops | Short sprints, full recovery |
| Tuesday | Strength | Gym session: squats, hinges, lunges, calf raises | Strength supports speed |
| Wednesday | Agility and change of direction | Ladder shuffle, sprint-to-stick, 5-10-5, T-drill | Perfect technique first |
| Thursday | Recovery | Easy cycling or swimming, mobility | Low intensity only |
| Friday | Top speed and reaction | Flying sprints, skater bounds, partner mirror drill | Skip if a match is within 24 hours |
| Saturday | Match or hill sprints | Hill sprints if no fixture | Keep volume modest |
| Sunday | Rest | Walk, stretch, sleep well | Recovery is where adaptation happens |
Adjust around your sport’s schedule. In-season, two short sessions of speed and agility drills a week are often enough to maintain gains.
Safety and Progression
Explosive speed and agility drills place real loads through your hamstrings, calves and Achilles tendons. Follow these guidelines to keep improving without breaking down:
- Stop when quality drops. If a rep is clearly slower or sloppier, end the set.
- Rest fully. Speed reps need long recoveries; you should feel fresh before each one.
- Progress one variable at a time. Add a rep, a few metres or a bit of entry speed, never all three at once.
- Count jumps. Beginners should keep total plyometric contacts modest and build up over weeks.
- Choose good surfaces. Grass, turf or a track are kinder than concrete. Wear supportive, well-fitting footwear.
- Build a strength base. Regular lower-body strength training helps tissues tolerate sprinting.
- Respect pain. Sharp pain, especially at the back of the thigh, means stop immediately.
Young athletes benefit from the same speed and agility drills, framed as games with lower volumes and supervision. For population-wide guidance on safe exercise, the American College of Sports Medicine is a reliable starting point.
If you are injured, returning from injury or managing a medical condition, consult a physiotherapist, doctor or qualified strength and conditioning coach before starting these drills.
Put your new speed to use on the pitch or court. Brush up on the football (soccer) rules or our guide to basketball rules, scoring and positions to see where that extra burst makes the biggest difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I do speed and agility drills?
Most athletes do well with two or three sessions a week, separated by at least a day. Each session can be short, around 20 to 30 minutes after a warm-up. Because quality matters more than volume, a few sharp, well-rested reps beat long, tiring circuits that leave you running slower.
Can I do speed and agility drills at home?
Yes. Wall drives, A-skips, pogo hops, skater bounds and sprint-to-stick work need only a few metres of space. A driveway or quiet park is enough for short accelerations. Use a forgiving surface, wear supportive trainers and make sure there is a clear run-off area before sprinting.
How long does it take to get faster?
Improvements in technique and coordination can appear within a few weeks of consistent practice. Gains in raw speed and power usually take longer, because they depend on strength and tissue adaptations built over months. Progress varies with age, training history, sleep and how consistently you train.
Do agility ladders make you faster?
Ladders improve foot coordination and rhythm, which makes them a useful warm-up or skill tool. On their own, they are unlikely to make you much faster in a game, because real sprinting and cutting involve bigger forces and reacting to opponents. Combine ladders with a full mix of speed and agility drills, including sprints, deceleration and reactive work.
Should I do speed work before or after strength training?
Do speed work first, straight after your warm-up, while your nervous system is fresh. Fatigue from heavy lifting reduces sprint quality and may raise injury risk. If you train both on the same day, sprint early, rest, then lift. Otherwise, put them on separate days.
Key Takeaways
- Warm up for 10 to 15 minutes before every session.
- Use speed and agility drills that cover acceleration, top speed, deceleration and reactive agility, not just one of them.
- Keep reps short and rest long so every effort is near maximum.
- Progress gradually, and get professional advice if you are injured.
Pick four of these speed and agility drills, follow the plan for six weeks and retest yourself on a 10m sprint and the 5-10-5 to measure your progress.
