1. FOOTBALL | PERFORMANCE CENTER | SPEED DRILLS
3 Effective Speed Drills for Football
Article By: Bill Hogue | July 17, 2012
Speed is essential in football. That's why fast times in the 40-Yard Dash and other Combine speed drills are
highly valued by scouts. If you are looking to take your gridiron game to the next level and get noticed by
coaches and scouts, you must make speed training a priority.
Football is an unpredictable game played in multiple directions. The average play lasts about seven seconds
and involves running for between seven and 10 yards. Big plays may occur a few times during a game, but
they are not your focus. That said, your speed workouts should improve short bursts of speed, acceleration,
lateral movement and change of direction.
Before starting a speed-training program, it's a good idea to get a baseline of how fast you are. Check out
your speed by running a 40-Yard Dash, and have a coach or teammate time you at the ten- and forty-yard lines
to measure both your acceleration and top speed.
Once you have established your baseline, begin incorporating these three football speed drills into your
workouts about twice a week. They will help make you a better football player.
2. V-Drill
Place three cones five yards apart in a triangle. Assume starting stance at cone one. Sprint to cone two. Stop
and backpedal to cone one. Stop and sprint to cone three. Stop and backpedal to cone one. Continue for
specified time.
Sets/Duration: 2-3x10-30 seconds
3. T-Drill
Place four cones five yards apart in a T shape. Assume starting stance at cone one. Sprint five yards to cone
two. Shuffle five yards to the right to cone three. Shuffle ten yards to the left to cone four. Shuffle five yards to
the right to cone two. Backpedal five yards to cone one. Continue for specified time.
Sets/Duration: 2-3x10-30 seconds
4. Shuttle Drill
Place three cones five yards apart in a straight line. Assume starting stance at cone one. Sprint five yards to
cone two. Stop, change direction and sprint to cone one. Stop, change direction and sprint to cone three. Stop,
change direction and sprint to cone one. Continue for specified time.
Sets/Duration: 2-3x10-30 seconds
Photo Credit: VCStar.com
About the Expert
Bill Hogue - Bill Hogue is an athletic performance trainer at X3 Sports in Atlanta. He spent the past two years
as the strength and conditioning coordinator and weightlifting coach at Lexington High School in Alabama.
