Speed & Agility Warm-Up | Drill-Based Work to Sharpen Speed and Agility

Overview

• Works for 5th graders (U12) all the way up through every age group
• A go-to warm-up you’ll want to run regularly before matches
• Teams that want to build both speed and agility
• Teams that struggle with changing direction and turning

Objectives

• Build speed, agility, and quickness (reaction time) all at once
• Get bodies ready for the fast change of direction the game demands
• Warm up several qualities in a short window
• Sharpen your players’ focus and get them switched on

Setup

This is a foundational warm-up drill that uses ladders and cones to ramp up speed and agility step by step.

１）Setup: Put out 4 ladders (or agility ladders) and 4 cones on the field. Split 8 players into 2 groups of 4.

２）Base movement: Each group cycles through quick-feet reps in the ladder and cutting drills around the cones.

３）Rhythm: Run one drill for 60–90 seconds → short 30-second recovery → move on to the next pattern.

４）Sets: Run 3–5 sets, bumping up the tempo with each one.