Basic Speed, Agility & Quickness Ladder Drills

The ladder is a training tool used to primarily improve speed, agility & quickness (SAQ). Being able to readily stop and go, change direction and move rapidly transfers into proficient sports performance. I frequently use ladder drills to better my footwork, coordination and ring generalship.

Covered in the video are basic drills that can be performed with a speed ladder, but there are a great number of exercises that can be progressively developed from these base maneuvers. For an exercise to be characterized as a speed drill; it must be performed with one's fastest effort. For this reason I recommend doing such drills in 10-20 second burst with 10-20 seconds of rest in between. If your short on stamina, it's advisable to take up to 60 seconds to recover.

Sample Speed Ladder Routine For A Boxer (work intervals based on a 3-minute round)

1. Double-step lateral sprint - (15 seconds work, 15 seconds rest) x 2


2. Double-step forward sprint - (15 seconds work, 15 seconds rest) x 2


3. Forward lateral sprint or slalom - (15 seconds work, 15 seconds rest) x 2


4. Ali shuffle - (15 seconds work, 15 seconds rest) x 2


5. Lateral push up - (15 seconds work, 15 seconds rest) x 2


6. Bear crawl - (15 seconds work, 15 seconds rest) x 2

Complete all the intervals in consecutive order followed by 1-minute of rest. Then you will perform the sequence two more times. Upon conclusion, the total number of work intervals will total three 3-minute rounds. Do these drills twice a week to be able to stop on the dime, and then change directions in the blink of an eye. Your opponents will pose like mannequins trying to keep pace.

Wear loose comfortable clothing, and athletic footwork that grips the training surface. Also do the drills on the balls of your feet to keep tension in the calf muscles to be able to spring quickly.