Will A Speed/Agility Ladder Make Me Faster?

I hear a lot of athletes say they want to get faster. A lot of coaches/parents think the best way to get faster is to improve foot speed with speed ladders and jump ropes. Makes sense, right?

Not necessarily. The question of improving an athlete's speed is a loaded one. There are many factors that go into an individuals' running speed. Starting with your feet, you must look at dorsiflexion, whether you pronate/supinate excessively, your balance in split stance (or upon foot strike), excessive heel strikes, etc.

But that's just the start. The fact of the matter is that we don't gain speed by increasing how quickly our feet move. We get our speed from the force we generate into the ground. To generate a greater amount of force, we must improve the strength and power of our lower extremities.



Speed ladders make good warm-up tools, but shouldn't be used as the primary exercise to improve speed. I primarily use agility ladder drills as a multi-planar dynamic warm-up. That's not all they are good for, however. They also help athletes develop coordination, proprioception, and are excellent for eccentric strength and stability. I have my athletes move forward, laterally, and diagonally with different patterns.

To improve pure speed, we need to increase lower body strength, preferably in a split stance position. Split squats may be your best bet. But if you or your athlete doesn't have the balance to correctly perform the exercise, you may be doing more harm than good. To be sure of good balance, you should incorporate some half-kneeling exercises as well. I prefer using Chops & Lifts with my athletes (Note: You don't necessarily need to use a cable, a small 2-8 pound weight works just as well).

Remember, however, your feet are just as important to the entire process as well. If you have a strong/explosive lower body but can't transfer that power through the ground, it won't make a difference. First and foremost, wear proper shoes (if you aren't sure what's considered proper footwear, just ask). Next, you need to have good dorsiflexion. Here is a solid dorsiflexion exercise.

One thing you may notice: athletes with higher verticals also tend to be faster. Now you know why. Not only is a vertical is an explosive movement, but so is a sprint.