Agility Ladders, Part I, By: Tony Reynolds, MS, CSCS, YCS II

Important Notice
Tony Reynolds, Progressive Sporting Systems Inc, and their associates
and affiliates are not affiliated with Anabolic Steroids in anyway and
do not promote or encourage the use of these drugs. His articles within this section of our site are published to offer a broad range of fitness and nutritional knowledge that will help you to achieve your health and fitness goals without the use of Anabolic Steroids.

Ladder Basics

Ladder drills are fun and functional ways to teach movement skills.  Although linear and lateral movements are biomechanical simple, their combination can be complex and many times overwhelming for the athlete.  Buy teaching the mind and body to understand a variety of foot combinations, the chance for confusion and subsequent error decreases.

Ladder drills should be learned in a slow controlled environment.  Introducing movement skills too rapidly can ingrain poor motor patterns that may be difficult to override.  Skilled movement should be optimized before the drill is advanced.

Training Tip

There is no need to go out and spend $60-$100 on a ladder.  If you have tape or even sidewalk chalk, you can make you own for pennies.  Your typical ladder is made up of 18-inch squares that cover a 16-foot distance.  This is not biblical in nature, so feel free to adjust the length and size of the ladder and or squares.

Perform approximately three reps of each exercise.  Feel free to spend as much time as needed on any specific drill.  Once these drills have become reflexive in nature, it is time to move the next group of ladders drills (next article).

1 Foot In Each - Start behind the ladder facing down it.  Lead with either foot stepping 1 foot per square.

2 Feet in Each - Start behind the ladder facing down it.  Step with either foot into the first square, followed by the second foot into the same square.  Repeat the drill leading with the other foot.

1 in Lateral - Start by facing to the side with one foot in and one foot out.  Lead with the foot that is in the ladder and step into the next square.  Follow with the trail leg by placing that foot into the first square.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.

2 in Lateral - Start by facing to the side with both feet outside the ladder.  Step into the first square with the closest foot, followed by the second foot.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.

In In Out Out - Start by facing the ladder from the side.  Step with the inside foot (foot on the long side of the ladder) into the first square followed by the second foot.  Step back out with the inside foot to the side of the second square followed by the other foot.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.

In Out Out - Start by facing the ladder from the side.  Step with the outside foot into the first square.  Step to the side of square two with the inside foot.  Step back out of square one with the outside foot to the outside of square two.  Step with the inside foot into square two.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.

X-Over Lateral - Start at the end of the ladder facing to the side.  Begin with the outside foot slightly in front of the inside foot.  Cross the outside foot over in front and into the first square.  Next step the inside foot into the first square.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.

Carioca In Each - Start at the end of the ladder facing to the side.  Begin with the outside foot slightly in front of the inside foot.  Step across the front into the first square with your outside foot.  Trail with your inside foot into the same square.  Step behind into the next square with your lead foot followed by your right foot.

Carioca Every Other - Start by facing to the side with one foot in and one foot out.  Begin with the outside foot slightly in front of the inside foot.  Step across the front into the first square with your outside foot.  Trail with your inside foot into the second square.  Step behind into the next square with your lead foot followed by your right foot into the next square.

Ickey Shuffle - Start by facing down ladder and to the side.  Using a 1-2-3 rhythm, step into the first square with the inside foot, followed by the outside foot.  Next, step to the outside of the second square with the lead foot.  Now step into the second square with the trail foot.  Step with the lead foot into square two.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.

X-Over Zig Zag - Start by facing down ladder and to the side.  Step into the first square with the outside followed by the inside foot (across the front of the body).  Step to the outside of the first square with the lead foot followed by the trial foot.  Step into the second square with the lead foot followed by the trail foot.  Repeat the exercise leading with the other foot.