Agility Exercises for Youth

Developing strong agility allows our athlete(s) to improve their flexibility, control and balance. Not only does agility training develop these fundamental things but it also improves posture. So what exercises can we give to our athletes to develop these essential skills?

Interested in learning more about core conditioning for your athletes? Take the Conditioning Young Athletes by Human Kinetics to learn more.

Ontario coaches will earn 3 NCCP PD points.

This is an excerpt from Human Kinetics Conditioning Young Athletes by Tudor Bompa & Michael Carrera.

Forward Crossover

Focus: quick leg action, agility

1. Moving left, the right leg crosses in front of the left leg for 10 meters or yards in each direction.
2. Repeat.

Backward Crossover

Focus: quick leg action, agility

1. Moving left, the right leg crosses behind the left leg for five to eight meters or yards in each direction.
2. Repeat.

Carioca

Focus: agility, quick feet

1. Quickly shuffling sideways facing in one direction, perform 3 to 4 forward crossovers, followed by 3 to 4 backward crossovers. You should cover a distance of 8 to 10 meters sideways, facing one way, forward crossover, backward crossover.
2. Quickly turn around at the end of the 10-meter distance and repeat the same actions facing the other way.
3. Complete at least 2 to 3 sets facing both ways.

Foot Touches

Focus: quick footwork, agility

1. While standing, perform these movements by lifting the feet to meet the hands. touch the left hand to the right heel in front of the body, then the right hand to the left heel in front of the body, then the left hand to the right heel behind the body, then the right hand to the left heel behind the body.
2. Repeat as quickly as possible.

Note: Simple reaction-time training should be part of most activities the children perform. Reacting to the demands of play will result in a reaction-time training effect.

Go, Go, Go, Stop

Focus: reaction time, acceleration, deceleration

1. An athlete stands 10 meters or yards ahead of the remaining participants, facing away from the group.
2. The caller calls out “Go” as many times as he likes and then calls out “Stop.”
3. At “Go,” the runners run toward the caller, and at “Stop,” they freeze on the spot.
4. After calling out “Stop,” the caller turns to see whether anyone is still moving.
5. The last person caught moving becomes the caller for the next round.

Interested in learning more about core conditioning for your athletes? Take the Conditioning Young Athletes by Human Kinetics to learn more.

• Ontario coaches will earn 3 NCCP PD points.

This is an excerpt from Human Kinetics Conditioning Young Athletes by Tudor Bompa & Michael Carrera.