Agility Ladder Training

Agility ladder, also referred to as speed ladders, is a fitness equipment, used in various sports to enhance the flexibility and quickness in athletes. Agility ladder training involves working on this ladder by moving the feet at a steady pace, while moving in and out of the enclosed boxes in the ladder, either forward, sideways or backwards. These exercises are considered ideal for improving balance, muscle endurance, reaction time and coordination between the various parts of the body. Other than these physical benefits, agility ladder exercises also help in improving the nervous system and related muscle groups.

Equipment

Agility ladders come in various sizes, ranging from 5 yards to 10 yards, and sometimes even more. Being lightweight and portable, these ladders can be conveniently carried and used outdoors as well as indoors. Speed training agility ladder are used by coaches in several sports, ranging from baseball to boxing. Nowadays, these ladders are also used in schools by the physical education instructors in order to train students. If you don't own one, you can build agility ladders of your own, using wood or thick rope. In one of the variants of this training, the ladders are replaced by vehicle tires. A simpler form of this equipment, the simulated agility ladder marked with rope or chalk on some flat surface, is also quite popular.

Agility Ladder Training

Agility ladder drills help in improvising various aspects of movement. These exercises utilize the strength of the hips, to control feet movement and strengthen the body and its balance. The training focuses on forward, backward, as well as sideways movement in a vigorous manner. Continuously practicing these drills help in increasing the stamina as well as reaction time of the individual. Agility ladder exercises may include simple exercises, such as lifting knees high while running sideways, as well as complicated exercises, such as both feet moving into the same box and out of it simultaneously.

• In the first step, run forward while placing one step in each square.
• In second step, run forward while placing each foot twice in each of the squares.
• In third step, place one foot in first square, then both feet in following square and repeat the process while using alternate foot in single foot square.
• In fourth step, start by stepping left foot outside, then right foot outside, then left foot inside and then the right foot inside.
• In the fifth step, step twice into the first square (first left then right), then twice outside the first square towards the right, subsequently twice in the second square and twice outside the second square towards the right.
• Lastly, turn on to one side and shuffle through the ladder, first on the right side, and then on the left side.

When working keep your hands and shoulders relaxed, torso controlled and head steady and upright. More importantly, before you indulge in these fitness training exercises, ensure that you warm up, to avoid unnecessary cramps.

With time your stamina will increase and you can add more exercises to your routine. As we said earlier, agility ladder drills help in improving speed, balance, timing and coordination. May it be sprinting or power training, agility ladder training helps in all variants of sports, and therefore has become one of the most popular training program in the world.