12 Drills To Improve Sprint Performance in Football

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In football, speed and agility are crucial components of your performance.

Improving your sprint performance gives you a competitive edge.

Here are some essential drills to improve your sprinting capabilities.

Essential Football Drills For Speed and Agility

Two Point Start

This is a great starting point for anyone looking to work on their speed from a standing start, especially footballers.

Stand with your dominant leg forward in a staggered stance.

Maintain a relaxed, curved spinal posture, and keep your eyes focused on your feet.

Your neck should remain relaxed, and your arms should hang freely.

From this position, gradually increase your speed.

Drop In Start

This start changes the dynamics of the way you accelerate.

It reduces the need for stationary start power, which is more replicable to being on the football field as you’re always on the move.

Push Up Start

Starting from a push-up position adds a unique challenge to your sprint training.

In this drill, you begin parallel to the ground, which puts you in a forward lean position.

The challenge is cycling your feet quickly to maintain balance and continue accelerating.

This drill is particularly effective for the short bursts of speed in football.

Skipping

Skipping is excellent for blending rhythm and reflex action.

High knee skips, like the A-skip help coordination for jumping.

If you are to improve sprint speed you’re better off skipping at your max speed.

To be fast you need to skip fast!

Basic skipping can be a valuable part of your football warm-up routine too.

Shuttle Runs

Shuttle runs are excellent for building explosive power, agility, and endurance.

To perform shuttle runs, you'll need a few cones.

1. Set up three cones in a line, each five yards apart

2. Start at the first cone and sprint to the center cone

3. Plant your foot at the center cone and pivot back to the first cone

4. Sprint to the end cone and back to the first cone

5. Rinse and repeat

Tuck Jumps

Tuck jumps are a simple yet effective drill that requires no equipment.

They improve your power which will increase the speed you run at, and how fast you can accelerate.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart

2. Lower your body into a half-squat position

3. Jump up, tucking your knees into your chest

4. Land on the balls of your feet, returning to the half-squat position

5. Keep doing for 3-8 reps

Another good exercise to bring into your football session.

Ladder Shuffle

You need to be able to keep the ball close to you, to take the ball away from your opponent, and accelerate as fast as possible.

To do this you need fast feet.

The ladder shuffle is an excellent drill for improving fast footwork and agility.

For the ladder shuffle drill, you'll need a ladder or cones.

1. Place the ladder or cones on the ground

2. Shuffle in a zigzag diagonal pattern between each square of the ladder

3. Make sure one foot stays in each square space at all times

4. Go through the ladder as many times as you can

Slalom

This is a very specific football drill as you use a football throughout.

The slalom improves your dribbling skills, agility, and speed.

It improves your speed with the ball, not your speed without.

To perform the slalom drill, you'll need cones or poles.

1. Set up the poles in a line, spacing them three feet apart from each other

2. Weave through the poles as quickly as possible while dribbling a ball

3. When you reach the last pole, sprint back to the starting point in a straight line

4. Rinse and repeat

Box Drill

This is excellent for strengthening your multi-directional speed and agility.

For the box drill, you'll need four cones.

1. Set up the cones in a large square, each about 10 feet apart

2. Start at the top right cone

3. Backpedal to the bottom right cone

4. Shuffle sideways to the third cone

5. Sprint forward to the fourth cone, then shuffle sideways back to the starting cone

6. Rinse and repeat

Sprint-Backpedal Repeats

This drill mimics field movements and reinforces proper acceleration mechanics.

1. Set up five cones in a straight line, each five yards apart

2. Number the cones from 1 to 5

3. Stand at Cone 1, lean forward, and sprint to Cone 3

4. Backpedal to Cone 2, keeping your core set, posture low, and weight on the balls of your feet

5. Change direction by driving with your legs and sprinting toward Cone4. Get your knees up and punch the ground with the balls of your feet.

6. Backpedal to Cone 3

7. Change direction one last time and sprint past Cone 5

Lean, Fall, and Sprint Drill

This drill helps you learn how to fall into the correct angle when accelerating.

Ultimately this means you’re going to be faster when running.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your body rigid from ankles to neck

2. Lean forward until you start to fall. If you don't step you'll fall on your face. This helps create forward momentum

3. As you lean, rise up on the balls of your feet without bending at the waist

4. When driving out of the fall, move your knees and push off the ground with your legs to drive your body forward

5. Keep your elbows bent at 90 degrees and swing your arms from the shoulder joint

6. Keep your hands open and relaxed

7. Sprint 10 to 20 yards

8. Walk back for recovery

9. Repeat 8 to 10 times

Ladder Series

For the ladder series, you'll need a ladder or cones.

Single-Leg Hops

1. Start in a shoulder-width stance.

2. Lift one leg to your chest.

3. Using your planted leg, quickly hop through each square of the ladder

4. Go through each square and then repeat the movement on your opposite leg

Two-Leg Hops

1. Start in a shoulder-width stance

2. Hop with both feet shoulder-width apart into each ladder square

3. Land on the balls of your feet and stay agile

4. After you hop through the ladder, reset and start again

Quick Feet

1. Start in a shoulder-width stance

2. Run through the ladder, quickly tapping one foot into each box

3. After you run through the ladder, reset and start again

The ladder series drill is a fantastic way to practice fast footwork and precise foot placement, both of which are essential for football players.

Conclusion

Improving your sprint performance in football requires dedication and the right set of drills.

Stay focused, and be consistent watch your sprint performance soar with these drills.

If you want help improving your sprint performance in football…

See how an Unstoppabl Sprint Coach can help here.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to improve sprint speed for football?

To improve sprint speed for football, focus on drills that enhance your explosive power, agility, and endurance.

Incorporate exercises like shuttle runs, tuck jumps, and ladder shuffles into your training routine.

Consistency and proper technique are crucial for making significant improvements.

What are the best exercises for sprinting?

The best exercises for sprinting include shuttle runs, tuck jumps, ladder shuffles, and sprint-backpedal repeats.

These drills help build explosive power, agility, and endurance, all of which are essential for improving your sprint performance.

How do you sprint speed drills for soccer?

To perform sprint speed drills for soccer, focus on exercises that enhance your speed, agility, and endurance.

Drills like shuttle runs, slalom, and box drills are excellent for improving your sprint performance on the soccer field.

Consistency and proper technique are key to maximizing the benefits of these drills.

How to get explosive speed for football?

To get explosive speed for football, incorporate drills that focus on building power and agility.

Exercises like tuck jumps, push-up starts, and the lean, fall, and sprint drill are highly effective.

Consistency in training and focusing on proper technique will help you achieve explosive speed on the field.