Many parents call me and inquire about training their son or daughter with the primary goal of improved speed.  Most of the time, I turn the conversation to body control (acceleration & deceleration) as well as agility.  Most sports are not won or lost with pure linear speed.

Most sports I watch are won by superior athletic movement skill.  In other words, superior footwork and body control.  Over the years, I have been both awed and left wanting while watching some of my clients move for the first time.  The truly great ones make movement seem so fluid and effortless.

Those who struggle most on the court or field simply need to work to improve their footwork.  In particular, I like to focus on lateral quickness (agility).   Today’s short video clip reveals one of my favorite drills to heighten the ability to move side to side quickly and effortlessly. 

If your athlete has difficulty maintaining the proper form and rhythm initially, slow the drill down.  Emphasize that both feet touch down (minimal pressure on inside foot) but that the power comes from the outside foot pushing off.  I typically have my athletes work for 20-30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times.  Once they master the form, you may elect to use a higher hurdle to increase the emphasis on power as well.