WHY ARE SOCCER AGILITY DRILLS IMPORTANT?
Want to improve soccer stamina and explosiveness? Then you have to train the right way. Soccer agility drills are important because they teach players how to create space for themselves and move quickly in any direction. Soccer speed training is essential because in a real game, there are constant fast bursts of speed and quick directional changes, and speed and agility workouts for soccer are a certified way to make sure players come to the field prepared to play. To help get you ready for your next match, we teamed up with pro athlete Ali Krieger to teach us six essential speed and agility drills for soccer. Also, as you increase your speed with our agility drills, be sure to explore the rest of our adidas soccer content for everything dedicated to the beautiful game.
ESSENTIAL SOCCER AGILITY DRILLS
Soccer agility and speed should always be part of your practice routine just like passing or kicking a ball. Understanding and knowing how to put these skills in play during a game creates indispensable and hard-to-beat players. These speed and agility soccer drills will help soccer athletes level up their balance, quickness, coordination, and ability to change direction in the game.
1. SHUTTLE RUNS
Equipment: Cones
Focus: The shuttle run is one of the most well-known drills in all of soccer. It builds explosive power, agility, and endurance–all skills that will come in handy on the pitch. If you want to know how to get faster at soccer, shuttle runs are a great start.
Instructions:
- Set up three cones in a line five yards apart.
- Start at the first cone and run to the center cone.
- Plant your foot at the center cone and pivot back to the first cone.
- Lastly, sprint to the end cone. If you want an extra challenge, sprint all the way back to the first cone like Krieger demonstrates.
- Reset and repeat.
2. TUCK JUMPS
Equipment: None
Focus: If you’re looking to build explosive power before you step onto the field, you’ve found the right drill. Tuck jumps are a great drill to enhance and maximize explosive speed, control, and power.
Instructions:
- Start standing shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body into a squat.
- Jump up by tucking your knees up into your chest.
- Land on the balls of your feet in a squat position.
- Reset and repeat.
3. SLALOM
Equipment: Cones or poles
Focus: In the sport of soccer, footwork is key. While there are many ways to get fast feet, no drill is quite multifaceted than the slalom drill. The slalom drill enhances your dribbling skills and your soccer agility and speed by emphasizing quick movements and lateral control. With work, this drill can improve both your dribbling ability (along with these soccer dribbling drills), and your downfield speed.
Instructions:
- Set your poles in a line three feet apart from each other.
- Weave through the poles as fast as you can while dribbling the ball.
- When you get to the last pole, sprint back to start in a straight line.
- Reset and repeat.
Low-Impact Modification: You can run this drill without a ball if it’s too challenging.
4. LADDER SHUFFLE
Equipment: A ladder or cones
Focus: Soccer ladder drills are a staple of the sport and a great all-around skill builder. The ladder shuffle is a great soccer agility drill to enhance fast footwork and agile leg movement. There are many variations of this drill, and a popular one is doing it with a ball to practice ball movement and control. Having fast legs is an integral part of the game and can help in every aspect from moving downfield to juggling a soccer ball.
Instructions:
- Place a ladder on the ground. You can use cones if you don’t have a ladder.
- Shuffle in a zig-zag diagonal pattern between each ladder square.
- Keep one foot in each square space at all times.
- Go through the ladder as many times as you can.
5. BOX DRILL
Equipment: Cones
Focus: In soccer, being able to be light on your feet and change direction is a must. The box drill helps strengthen your multi-directional speed and agility by focusing on angled movement and speed in between points. Drills like the box drill can improve speed when positioning yourself on field or staying on the correct side during gametime.
Instructions:
- Set up four cones in a large square about 10 feet apart.
- Start at the top right cone.
- Back pedal to the bottom right cone.
- Then shuffle sideways to the third cone.
- Sprint forward to the fourth cone, then shuffle sideways back to the starting cone.
- Reset and repeat.
6. LADDER SERIES
Equipment: A ladder or cones
Focus: This ladder series drill is a fantastic way to practice fast footwork and precise foot placement. A soccer must, quick and precise footwork is the basis of every movement on-field. Work through this ladder progression to improve a range of motions to get ready for your next match.
Single-Leg Hops
- Start in a shoulder-width stance.
- Lift one of your legs to your chest.
- Using your planted leg, quickly hop through each square.
- Go through each square and then do the same movement on your opposite leg.
Two-Leg Hops
- Start in a shoulder-width stance.
- Hop with both feet shoulder-width apart into each ladder square.
- Land on the balls of your feet and stay agile.
- After you hop through the ladder, reset and start again.
Quick Feet
- Start in a shoulder-width stance.
- Run through the ladder, quickly tapping one foot into each box.
- After your run through the ladder, reset and start again.
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR OWN TRAINING
Lean in whenever there is an opportunity to work on your soccer agility. There will be times when you're tired or not mentally present but pushing through will be worth it in the end. "There are some days that you do not want to show up for work, or you're just too tired, mentally exhausted, or maybe you're not doing well,” said Krieger. “Those are difficult moments. Those are moments where you have to fight through the adversity and continue to show up." Remember that on the other side of discomfort is growth and success. Continue to put in the work to enhance your speed and agility skills, and you'll see and feel the results in due time.