When training for competitive sports, speed and agility drills are great functional training tools that can help increase your competitive edge. Building strength, control, speed, and a quick reaction time are all parts of agility on the field or court that need to be addressed. Functional training is the best way to train the body for a sport, as it has direct application to the type of movements performed during competition.

The following is a two-day agility and speed training workout program that can be used in various physically demanding sports, such as; soccer, basketball, football, field hockey, volleyball, tennis, rugby, and many more.


Agility and Speed Training Workouts

Day One (Strength)

Warm Up (10 -15 minutes of any kind of light cardio)

Cycle 1
Complete 3 sets of these three exercises with their corresponding repetitions:
-Side Plank with Leg Raise (L&R) - 12 reps
-Clock Lunge (L&R) - 3 reps
-Side Hip Raise (L&R) - 12 reps


Cycle 2
This cycle is done in a “ladder” progression, starting with 5 repetitions and decreasing by 1 rep each set until you reach one repetition for one cycle. Complete 3-5 cycles. This speed and agility drill is best if done with a partner; one person rests while the other person does the repetitions, then switch. If done alone, rest only as long as it takes to do the last completed repetitions (for example; do 5 reps, take 5 reps worth of rest, do 4 reps, take 4 reps worth of rest, and so on until you reach 1 rep).
-Squat Jacks
-Jack Knife Crunch
-Jump Squat
-Windshield Wipers
-Crossover Lunge
-Back Bow Crossovers
-Flutter Kicks

Cool Down - Stretching



Day Two (Balance and Speed)

Warm Up (10-15 minutes of any kind of light cardio)

Cycle 1
Tabata (20 seconds on 10 seconds off); complete each exercise for 2 minutes using the Tabata timing technique; do each exercise just once through. Take 10-90 seconds rest between exercises.
-Mountain Climbers
-Captain Morgan
-Agility Dots
-Single Leg Ventral Hops (L&R)
-Single Leg Lateral Hops (L&R)
-Knee Tuck Jumps
-Russian Twist
-Broad Jumps
-Lateral Jumps

Cool Down – Stretching


This is a great sports conditioning workout that can be used for preseason training or training during the season. You should only use each day of the drills once or twice per week.