I believe that practising agility drills is essential for your kids to experience success in sports.
Agility is the ability to move quickly and change direction with control and balance. Athletes in sports like football, basketball, and tennis rely on agility to stay competitive and perform at their best.
It also reduces the risk of injuries by improving balance and coordination. It helps in physical development, too.
In this blog post, I have included a list of agility drills for your kids to practice. So, keep reading!
Agility vs. Other Physical Skills
Agility combines several physical skills such as speed, balance, and coordination, but it’s more focused on quick direction changes and controlled movement:
- Speed is about how fast you can move in one direction, while agility focuses on quick turns and adjustments.
- Balance helps keep you stable, and agility uses that balance while you’re in motion.
- Coordination helps your body parts work together smoothly, and agility takes this to a dynamic, fast-moving level.
Before we move on to other points, let me tell you how agility is beneficial in different sports.
Agility in Different Sports
Agility is critical in a variety of sports where fast, precise movements are necessary:
- Football: Players constantly change direction, sprint, and dodge opponents, making agility a key factor for success.
- Tennis: Quick lateral movements and adjustments to hit the ball require excellent agility.
- Basketball: Agility allows players to dribble, make sharp cuts, and react to defensive plays with quick adjustments.
It helps athletes control their movements while running fast, giving them an edge in these sports. You know how important it is in sports, but let me tell you how much it is for kids.
Key Benefits of Agility Drills for Kids
Injury Prevention
Agility drills teach kids how to move quickly and change directions safely, reducing the risk of injuries during sports and everyday activities.
This helps them learn proper movement mechanics to avoid falls and sprains.
Improved Coordination
It improves kids’ motor skills by requiring precise movements and timing.
As kids practice agility, they also improve their hand-eye coordination, which is essential for sports.
Research shows that agility training boosts coordination by improving body awareness and quick reactions.
Source: Enhancing Balance and Neuromuscular Coordination
Increased Speed
Agility training includes sprints and quick direction changes, helping kids become faster.
This increased speed can give them a competitive edge in sports like football and soccer.
Improve Flexibility, Balance, and Control
Agility drills promote flexibility and improve balance, allowing kids to maintain proper posture during movement.
This is crucial for performing well in sports and reducing the risk of falls.
Strengthened Mind-Body Connection
Agility drills require quick thinking and reactions, helping kids develop better decision-making skills in sports.
They also strengthen fast-twitch muscle fibres, which improve overall athletic performance.
I hope you get an idea about agility. Now, let me tell you some agility drills that your kids can do.
Agility drills for kids
Ladder Drills
Practising drills with ladders is a popular agility practice that your kids can try as a cross-training to improve their speed, burn calories, and allow them to be quick on their feet.
A few examples of ladder drills that your kids can do are –
- Place one foot in each square
- Place two feet in each square
- Move in and out of the squares
- Laterally, step into the squares
I must point out that the end goal of this exercise is to let your kids work on their footwork and their ability to move quickly.
Pro Tip:
You can invest in a good quality agility ladder that you can use many times.
Agility Balls
Agility drills with balls are simple and can be done with just the balls and a wall at home.
Some agility ball drills that your kids can do are –
- Kids can hold the ball next to the ear and drop it from that height. Then, they can squat on the floor and try to catch the ball before it hits the ground.
- Kids can toss a ball toward a wall and catch it with one hand, repeating it with both hands.
- Kids can hold one ball in each hand and bounce each ball as fast as possible, taking turns between each hand.
You can make your kids do each drill, divide it into sets, and repeat the routine.
Practising agility balls can help our kids improve their concentration and focus and work on their coordination skills.
Shuttle Runs
Shuttle runs are one of my son’s preferred agility drills that he does often.
Steps to do:
- Make your kids stand at the starting line and also mark a finish line.
- Now, get your kids to sprint as fast as they can from the starting line to the finish line and back a few times, maybe 5-6 times.
- Kids can rest for 5 minutes and then resume this drill again.
Shuttle runs help kids increase their speed and pace and the ability to take quick turns.
Side Shuffle
Side shuffles are an agility drill that helps boost your kids’ metabolism due to lateral movement.
Steps to do:
- Make your kids stand in one place with their feet a bit wider apart than hip distance.
- Then, get them to bend their knees a little and bend forward with their hips.
- Now, they can move to the right or left with quick and small shuffles until a certain marked point or distance and repeat the same shuffles in the other direction.
Linear Run
Linear runs are a simple agility drill that your kids can do to improve their reaction time.
Make your kids stand at the starting line and run as fast as they can in a straight line. Now, randomly ask them to stop for them to halt running.
You basically decide where the finish point will be, and this helps your kids work on the time they take to respond and stop running.
High Knees
High knees are an effective agility drill that kids will benefit from.
Steps to do:
- Make your kids stand at the starting line.
- Then, get them to run forward on their toes and raise their knees high up as they run.
- You can mark a start and finish point for kids to follow.
The main goal of this drill is for kids to raise their knees higher as they run forward rather than the length of their steps, which improves their balance and helps increase their speed.
8 Drills
8 drills are a challenging way to improve agility, especially for kids.
Steps to do:
- Set up two cones or markers about 1 meter apart.
- Have your kids stand at one cone.
- Instruct them to run to the second cone while imagining they are drawing the shape of an “8” with their feet.
- Encourage them to move quickly and avoid hitting the cones or stepping on the ground outside the path.
- Repeat the drill several times, allowing rest in between sets.
The main goal is to develop quick footwork and improve overall agility by changing directions rapidly.
Shuffle to Explosive Jump
The shuffle to explosive jump drill helps improve lateral movement and explosive power.
Steps to do:
- Set up two cones about 2 meters apart.
- Have your kids start at one cone, facing sideways.
- Instruct them to shuffle quickly to the second cone using small side steps.
- Once they reach the second cone, they should perform a quick and powerful jump with their knees raised high.
- After landing safely, they should immediately shuffle back to the starting cone.
The main goal is to improve agility and explosiveness while ensuring proper landing technique.
Linear Bound
Linear bounds are great for developing leg strength and coordination in a forward motion.
Steps to do:
- Place two cones about 1 meter apart.
- Have your kids stand at the first cone, one foot in front of the other.
- Instruct them to jump from the first cone to the second cone, landing on one leg.
- Encourage them to switch legs with each jump while maintaining balance.
- Repeat the jumps for several repetitions, focusing on landing softly and controlled.
The main goal is to improve balance, power, and coordination while moving forward.
Cone Square Drill
The 4 Cone Square Drill is an excellent agility exercise that improves overall athletic performance.
Steps to do:
- Set up four cones in a square, with each cone about 2.5 meters apart.
- Have your kids start at one cone.
- Instruct them to sprint forward to the next cone, then shuffle sideways to the adjacent cone.
- Next, backpedal to the previous cone and shuffle to return to the starting cone.
- Encourage them to maintain quick movements and good form throughout the drill.
The main goal is to improve agility and speed while changing directions quickly.
Balloon Drill
Most kids love playing with balloons, which come in handy as an agility drill that kids will enjoy.
Steps to do:
- You can choose two colors of balloons and fill them with air.
- Now, make your kids choose an order of the colors and toss them in the air,
- Your kids can hit the balloons based on the order of the colors, making sure they stay in the air without touching the ground.
- For example – if they choose blue first and red second, kids can first hit the blue balloon in the air, followed by the red, then blue, and repeat, making sure they don’t hit the floor.
Practicing agility drills can help kids improve their concentration and response and develop their coordination abilities.
Practical Tips for Agility Training
Consistency and Practice
Regular practice is the key to improving agility. Schedule agility training sessions several times a week to help kids develop muscle memory and improve their skills.
Short, focused sessions are often more effective than longer ones. Encourage kids to practice drills consistently to see progress over time.
Using Agility in Game Situations
Applying agility training in real game scenarios is crucial. Help kids to use their agility skills during practice games or scrimmages.
This helps them move and respond quickly when it matters, making them better players in games.
Cross-training for Agility
Doing various physical activities can improve agility. Help kids to try different sports, dance, or even martial arts.
These activities not only improve agility but also develop strength, coordination, and balance, contributing to overall athletic performance.
Conclusion
I’m happy to report that these agility drills have helped my son a lot while he plays sports.
They help our kids move their bodies more efficiently and quickly, and I hope your kids benefit from the agility-based drills like my son did.
I hope you enjoyed reading this list of agility drills and found some ideas for your kids to try.
I’m a former teacher (and mother of Two Childs) with a background in child development. Here to help you with play-based learning activities for kids. ( Check my Next startup Cledemy.Com)