Take away your arms during speed and agility ladder---sometimes!

I always encourage my athletes to use their arms during training sessions that involve the speed/agility ladder. As athletes sprint through a high knee agility ladder drill I will often shout out, "Arm action, foot action!" as a way to remind them to pump their elbows and arms from the shoulders as they move their feet.

As a way to work balance and control of an athlete, I like to work drills where the athlete is not allowed to move their arms. In these drills an athlete either must keep arms straight with hands at their side or grab hands behind their backs. Once this is done try these agility ladder drills and do not move your arms:

• High knee run forward, 1 foot in each rung through the agility ladder
• High knee run laterally, 1 foot in each rung through the agility ladder
• Quickfeet run forward, two feet inside each rung through the agility ladder
• Quickfeet run laterally, two feet inside each rung through the agility ladder

Now repeat the above drills while moving your arms. You'll notice it's much smoother when moving your arms. Learn how to move without your arms and you see you body adjusts and learns to balance better. Try other drills such as plyometric jumps and change of direction drills without using your arms. You'll find this challenge to be one that makes you a better balanced athlete.