NO SLACK JUST HUSTLE! That is the mindset we teach our youth athletes, and the mindset we believe that they should adopt when it comes to improving their speed and agility for their respective sport training.
The ability to move swiftly and nimbly on the field or court can make a significant difference in their overall performance.
We are going to explore what we believe are the best speed and agility workouts that will help young athletes enhance their athletic abilities.
Dynamic Warm-Up
There are two different warm-up philosophies… Static or Dynamic. Our team is a proponent of a Dynamic warm-up before being an intense workout.
A dynamic warm-up routine is ideal for priming the muscles and joints, increasing blood flow, and reducing the risk of injuries.
Great exercises to include in your dynamic warm-up are High Knees, Butt Kicks, Walking Lunges, and Lateral Shuffles. These will help activate your major muscle groups and prepare the body for the upcoming workout.
Cone Drills
Cone drills are a fantastic way to improve agility, footwork, and quickness. Set up a series of cones in various formations, such as a straight line, square, W, T, or zigzag pattern. Perform exercises like shuttle runs, T-Drills, W-Drill, or 5-10-5 drills to work on changing direction while also maintaining speed.
No Slack Just Hustle Tip: Encourage youth athletes to stay focused, maintain proper form, and push themselves to reach each cone with maximum effort. Consistency and dedication will help yield results.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics are exercises that focus on explosive movements. They will help to enhance power, speed, and coordination.
Some great plyometric exercises to incorporate into your speed and agility routine are box jumps, lateral bounds, squat jumps, frog leaps, and tuck jumps. These exercises will engage fast-twitch muscle fibers and improve the ability to generate force quickly.
No Slack Just Hustle Tip: Emphasize the importance of intensity and dedication on each jump. Encourage the youth athlete to try to challenge their limits and go beyond their comfort zone.
Resistance Training
Did you know that strength training can also help an athlete with speed and agility? Resistance training improves overall power, muscular endurance, and helps to prevent injuries.
Some great exercises to incorporate are squats, lunges, deadlifts, calf raises, leg curls, and lateral leg presses to target lower body strength.
Additionally some great upper body exercises to incorporate are push-ups, pull-ups, and planks to help maintain a balanced physique.
No Slack Just Hustle Tip: We suggest for any youth athlete 14 years or younger to do body-weight, resistance bands, or suspension trainer exercises only. A reminder for all athletes is to maintain proper form when resistance training and to focus on quality, not quantity.
Speed Ladder Drills
Speed ladder drills are an excellent way to enhance agility, coordination, and footwork!
Set up a speed ladder and perform exercises such as sprints, ladder hops, lateral shuffles, ice skaters, in-and-out-drills, and backwards running. These exercises will help improve the athlete’s ability to move their feet quickly and efficiently.
No Slack Just Hustle Tip: Emphasize the importance of precision and quickness when executing each ladder drill. Encourage your athletes to stay mentally engaged through the entire workout.
No Slack Just Hustle Youth Sports Programs
At No Slack Just Hustle we offer a variety of youth sports programs to help youth athletes learn and develop the skills needed for their specific sport.
In the fall we will be officially launching our No Slack Just Hustle Sports division to take this training for youth athletes to the next level! Our focus will be on helping youth athletes, youth parents, and youth coaches, learn the fundamental skills it takes to grow and develop into a Varsity level athlete.
Currently, we offer health and wellness solutions in regards to fitness training and nutrition as a part of our No Slack Just Hustle Membership Community. This is a great way to get started teaching youth athletes how to properly eat and exercise!
If you want to learn more ways to help your youth athlete develop, contact us today at noslackjusthustle@gmail.com or use this 30-Day Free Trial to our membership community as we celebrate our 1 year anniversary!
… And remember… in everything you do… No Slack… Just Hustle!