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How to improve your agility in basketball
6 Best Basketball Agility Drills and Exercises
Home > Player > Athletic Development > 6 Essential Lateral Agility Drills for Basketball
Basketball is Not Played in A Straight Line!
What is the fastest way to get from point A to point B. The obvious answer would be in a straight line. Yes, sometimes this is all you need to do, move quickly in a straight line. But when you play basketball, that is not how you normally must move on the court to be effective. Lateral movement and agility is used during every possession in basketball.
Let me briefly give you a few typical basketball scenarios that occur on offense and defense.
Offense
Flaring or V cutting off a screen to catch and shoot a 3 point jump shot
Weaving between defenders down the court and finishing with a Euro step at the rim
Attacking with a double move off the dribble and finishing with a step back 3
Defense
Making the offense zig zag the ball up the floor as you dog them defensively
Going over and under multiple screens to deny their best offensive player the ball
Sliding laterally to cut off the drive and taking a charge
These are not unusual movements in the game of basketball. You see examples of lateral agility during EVERY possession of a basketball game. These scenarios are typical movements in the game of basketball. Each one of the plays described above becomes easier for you the more agile your body is.
SMOOTH
With more agility, you will become smooth on the court. Fans won't say you are AGILE on the floor, you will hear them say that you are SMOOTH (you will know that you look smooth because of your lateral agility!) Improved lateral agility is a tremendous benefit to any basketball player. It will help make you look smooth and fluid on the basketball court. Ultimately it will help you make more plays!
Characteristics Of Agility
When you talk about agility you are talking about something that is complex. There are many different characteristics of what makes up agility. Some of those characteristics include:
Strength
Speed
Balance
Coordination
If you are looking to improve your lateral agility and athleticism, make sure you are doing a workout that is designed specifically for this. Don't guess about what to do! Follow a program that has exercises specifically designed to improve lateral agility such as The Cody Roberts Athletic Development Program.
Experts like Cody Roberts have researched exercises and have designed programs that are research based to benefit athletes of all levels.
6 Essential Basketball Agility Drills
1. Shuffling Scoop This exercise focuses on having a wide stance and staying low to the ground. It puts you in a great athletic position for quickly moving laterally. By keeping your chest up and heels apart, your lateral agility will improve with practice.
2. Single Leg Lateral Leap & Hold A great exercise for developing lateral power and control in each leg. This exercise focuses on creating maximum lateral force while helping your body learn to manage that force with the opposite leg. This is a progressive drill. As you get comfortable with the drill, challenge your body more and more with each rep that you complete.
3. 2-4-6 Shuffle With A Stick With this drill, you are working on perfecting acceleration and deceleration mechanics. It will challenge your balance and control while allowing for reactivity in the drill. Each time you come to a stop (stick), make sure you reset to the proper position (low, wide, toes pointing forward) in case you are off a little each time you come to a stop.
4. 1-2 Crossover & Stick Excellent drill for learning to accelerate and decelerate quickly, covering as much ground as possible. Also working on turning the hips and maintaining control through the torso. Start slow with this exercise and gradually add speed.
5. 2-4-6 Reactive Shuffle You are now working on applying technique with maximal intent, focus and speed. Throughout this drill you need to be quick, as well as keep your feet apart.
6. Partner Mirror Shuffle - This drill challenges your reactive lateral movement. Make sure to keep your feet wider than your knees as you mirror the lateral movement of your partner.
Lets Get Uncomfortable
Being low and wide is key to lateral agility. Being low and wide is an uncomfortable position for most athletes. The positions that these drills put in you will make you feel uncomfortable... at first. The more you perform these exercises, the more comfortable you will get in these uncomfortable positions.
More Agility = More Success
Agility helps performance in activities that require quick change in direction while maintaining balance, speed, strength, and body control. It is an important aspect in many sports. Good agility can translate into better performance and faster response, and can give one an edge over their competition. And these equals more success for you as an athlete!!!
20 Questions
If you told me you were trying to improve your agility because you play a sport, it would probably take me 20 questions to figure out what sport you were talking about. Lateral agility is a key component to being successful at any sport.
I gave you several examples of the importance of lateral agility in basketball, but the same can be said about the importance of lateral agility in almost any sport.
Whether you are...
Stealing bases in softball or baseball
Sliding to dig a volleyball
Shuffling through defenders to make a tackle in football
... lateral agility is key!
Why do great athletes make sure their off season workouts improve their agility?
The more agility you have, the more success you are likely to have in any sport. So even if you are working on your lateral agility to make more plays on the basketball court, ultimately it will end up benefiting you in any sport you play in the future.
Basketball Agility Drills - Sport Fitness Advisor
by Sport Fitness Advisor Staff
These basketball agility drills will improve your speed around the court, quickness, co-ordination and most importantly your ability to change direction with minimal deceleration.
Basketball players who excel move with lightening-like speed. But it’s not necessarily the athlete who can run a quick 100M time that makes the quickest player…
Much more important in basketball is your ability to rapidly switch between forward, backward, lateral and vertical movements.
Integrating the basketball agility drills below within a speed training program can have a dramatic impact on your game. Not only will you be able to move from one end of the court to another much more quickly, you’ll be able to transfer much or all of that energy into other basketball-specific movements.
Agility Drill #1 – Super Shuttle
Starting underneath the basket with your back to the court.
Shuffle backwards with hands in a defensive ready position to point A.
Sprint backwards from A to B focusing on minimizing the time to change direction. 4. Side step facing the court from B to Start position (again keep hands in defensive position).
Jump to touch the net or backboard.
Repeat the back shuffle from Start to C.
Sprint forwards from C to D.
Side step with back to court to Start position.
Jump to touch the net or backboard.
Repeat for 6-8 repetitions with at 60-90 seconds rest between.
If you use this drill with a team of players, simply stagger the start. So player 2 starts just as player 1 reaches point A. The group can be split into two equal teams at either end of the court. A race makes things more interesting.
Agility Drill #2 – Weave In Weave Out
Place 4 markers out in a straight line approximately 3 yards apart (see right).
In between each set of markers place another marker only 3 yards to the left.
Sprint to marker A and then side step/shuffle to marker B leading with the left leg.
Side shuffle to marker C this time leading with the right leg.
Repeat to the finish.
Walk back to the start and repeat for up to 6-8 repetitions.
Agility Drill #3 – Shuttle With Passes
Start on the baseline facing the court to the left hand side of the basket.
Sprint to point A and receive a pass from another player or the coach (red marker).
Immediately pass the ball back to the coach, turn and sprint to point B.
At point B, jump to touch the net or backboard.
On landing, turn and sprint to point C. Receive a pass and return it.
Turn and sprint to point D. Jump again to touch the rim or backboard.
Turn and sprint to pint D. Receive a pass but this time keep the ball.
Turn with the ball, dribble or drive towards the finish.
Repeat for 4-6 repetitions.
Agility Drill #4 – Box Drill
Mark out a square approximately 6 yards X 6 yards.
Place a cone in the center. This is the starting position.
Give each cone a letter or number. The coach calls out the a number/letter at random.
The player sprints to the cone and shuffles back to the center.
As soon as they arrive at the center, the coach calls another number/letter.
Repeat for 60-90 seconds.
With a group of players set out several boxes. Switch players every 60 seconds. Basketball agility drills like these are great for combining physical AND mental awareness. It’s uncanny how often players fail to remember how the cones were originally numbered when they are fatigued.
Combine these basketball agility drills with other speed training sessions. Together they will help to significantly increase your quickness and quality of movement around the court.
Paramount to optimal speed and agility is sport-specific strength training. Be sure to look into the most effective approach for developing basketball specific strength and explosive power.
Agility exercises: methods, tools, games
Author: Maxim Gordienko
Hello, dear visitors of the site " Basketball Lessons ". Today we will talk about a skill that absolutely all basketball players need to constantly develop. There are: jumping agility , acrobatic , speed , etc. Agility should be developed from 6-8 years old and work on this quality constantly, introducing new, more complex exercises into the training process.
Agility is the ability to quickly coordinate movements in accordance with the changing game situation. This is the most general definition, since dexterity is a complex quality , which combines the manifestation of speed, coordination, a sense of balance, plasticity, flexibility, as well as mastery of playing techniques. If we try to give a narrower, more specific definition, then we can say that dexterity is the ability to quickly and accurately perform complex movements in coordination.
Agility Exercises
Centers and all tall players who are not naturally endowed with ease of movement, speed and coordination need to master these techniques and constantly improve them. Although the game itself greatly contributes to the development of coordination and dexterity , nevertheless, when teaching basketball, it is difficult to do without special exercises. Usually, when working with tall players, I use a set of warm-up exercises aimed at stretching all muscle groups and preparing the joints for work.
At the beginning of warm-up , a player sitting on the floor with his legs wide apart should be helped to reach his knees with his head and the floor with his elbows. This assistance can be provided by coaches, a massage therapist, a team doctor or players if the exercises are performed in pairs. The players perform the following warm-up exercises while standing: they bend back, reaching for their heels with their hands. In addition, to develop agility, I use a series of acrobatic exercises. Three times a week in the wrestling hall, players do acrobatics for 30-40 minutes.
General exercises for the development of agility
Forward roll over the head with a preliminary jump on the arms bent at the elbows. Having mastered the exercise, you can do up to 10 somersaults in a row.
Back somersault over the head with a fall on the arm bent at the elbow.
The same somersaults as in ex. 1, 2, but to the sides.
Falling back and getting up quickly.
Falling forward and getting up quickly.
Gymnastic wheel left and right.
Headstand, initially against a wall.
Handstand.
Walking on hands.
Jumping on a trampoline with a 180-360° turn with a fall on the back, on the knees, on the stomach, with 180 and 360° turns, somersaults forward and back. After landing, stand up immediately. You can complicate the exercise: at the highest point of the jump, the player catches the ball and passes.
A gymnastic swing bridge is installed on the free throw line. The player runs up and, pushing off, throws the ball into the ring from above. A more complex version of the exercise: during the run-up, the player dribbles, and the throw is performed with a turn.
Throw on the ring with the rotation of the ball around the body (1 or 2 times) during two steps.
Agility can be trained using elements of other sports - for example, water skiing or diving from a 1-3-5-meter tower: a soldier, head down, doing somersaults. Great for developing coordination, and therefore agility, walking on a balance beam, on a rail, a bench with the ball rotating around the body, with feints to the side, forward.
Special Agility Exercises
Jumping on the spot with 90° and 130° turns dribbling one or two balls.
Snatch dribbling one or two balls 5-6 m, forward somersault with ball in hand and sprint again.
Walking on hands with rolling ball in front of you. The partner supports the legs.
Team relay in running on hands (as in exercise 3) with the ball rolling in front of you. Stage length - up to 30m.
Passing the ball against the wall in pairs with changing places. Performed with one ball.
Dribbling from the center of the field to the free-throw line, rolling forward with the ball in hand and throwing the ring.
Serial dribbling over hurdles.
Snatch with dribbling for 5-6 m, jump over a gymnastic goat from a throw-up board with a ball in hands.
Leapfrog game with each player dribbling. During the jump, the player takes the ball in his hands.
Various types of running with two balls at the same time: with a high lifting of the hip, throwing straight legs forward, boarding on two legs and on one leg, etc.
Passing the ball in pairs with resistance. Players in a pair pass the ball to each other from the ground, the distance between them is 4-5 m. The defender tries to intercept the ball. The exercise is performed first in place, then in motion.
Same as ex. 11. Transfers follow at chest level. The task of the defender is to dodge the ball.
Playing "tag" in pairs with the ball dribbling by both players.
Game of "tags" in the programs. Two drivers pass the ball to each other and try to stain the rest of the players leading the balls by touching them with the ball without releasing it from their hands. The stained player joins the drivers.
A ball rolls along the ground at a constant speed. Players jump over a rolling ball on one or two legs. It is held as a competition: the winner is the one who makes the most jumps from the front to the center or opposite front line.
Jumping over barriers with catching and passing the ball. The player jumps over 10-12 barriers in a row. During each jump, he catches and gives the ball.
Jumping over gymnastic benches with ball dribbling. Jumps are performed on one or two legs, sideways or back.
The player makes a dash for 5-6 m while dribbling the ball, and then, bouncing from the platform under the hoop, kicks the ball into the hoop from above.
Same as ex. 18. Before throwing, the player performs a 90 or 130° turn in the air.
Jumping over the gymnastic bench with simultaneous passes to the wall. Performed with one or two balls.
Walking on the balance beam while juggling two balls.
Jumping rope with dribbling. Twisting the rope also lead the ball.
Jumping over a long rope in pairs with ball passes. Players twisting the rope also pass to each other.
Rope jumping with ring throws. The jumping rope player is at a distance of 4-5 m from the ring. 2-3 players alternately serve him balls. Catching the pass and throwing the ring are performed in one jump.
Throws on the ring after a fast dribble with a 90 or 180° turn.
Throw over the ring from above after jumping from two feet from the distance as far as possible from the ring.
A player takes two steps after a quick dribble and makes two turns of the ball around the body.
Two players are on opposite free throw lines. On a signal from the coach, they perform a forward somersault and make a dash to the center of the field, where the ball lies. The player in possession of the ball attacks the ring indicated by the coach.
Team players are divided into two groups and stand on opposite free throw lines facing the backboard. At the signal of the coach, the first players of each column hit the balls into the shield and run to the opposite shield in order to catch the finishing touch. Finishing the ball into the shield can only be performed in one jump. In the center of the field, players perform a forward somersault.
The player makes a dash from the center of the field to the free-throw line with his back forward, on the penalty line performs a back somersault. The coach, standing on the end line, passes the ball with a rebound from the floor so that the player can get it after a somersault.
The player is on the free throw line with his back to the ring, jumps out, hits the ball on the floor between the legs so that it bounces behind his back. When landing, the player turns around, catches up with the ball and hammers it into the ring with a throw from above (for undersized players - with a weak hand).
Same as ex. 31. The exercise is performed with two balls.
Well, now you and I know how to develop agility in basketball players. Good luck with your training and see you soon on the pages of this site!
Development of Agility - All about Basketball
Agility is the ability to quickly coordinate movements in accordance with a changing game situation. This is the most general definition, since dexterity is a complex quality that combines the manifestation of speed, coordination, a sense of balance, plasticity, flexibility, and mastery of playing techniques. If we try to give a narrower, more specific definition, then we can say that dexterity is the ability to quickly and accurately perform complex movements in coordination. There are jumping, acrobatic, speed, etc. Agility should be developed from the age of 6-8 and work on this quality constantly, introducing new, more complex exercises into the training process. Center and all tall players who are not naturally endowed with ease of movement, speed and coordination need to master these techniques and constantly improve them. Although the game itself largely contributes to the development of coordination and dexterity, nevertheless, it is difficult to do without special exercises. Usually, when working with tall players, I use a set of warm-up exercises aimed at stretching all muscle groups and preparing the joints for work. At the beginning of the warm-up, a player sitting on the floor with his legs wide apart should be helped to reach his knees with his head, and the floor with his elbows. This assistance can be provided by coaches, a massage therapist, a team doctor or players if the exercises are performed in pairs. Players perform the following warm-up exercises while standing: they bend backward, reaching for their heels with their hands. In addition, I use a series of acrobatic exercises to develop agility. Three times a week in the wrestling hall, players do acrobatics for 30-40 minutes
General exercises for the development of dexterity
1. Somersault forward over the head with a preliminary jump on arms bent at the elbows. Having mastered the exercise, you can do up to 10 somersaults in a row. 2. Somersault back over the head with a fall on the arm bent at the elbow. 3. The same somersaults as in ex. 1, 2, but to the sides. 4. Falling back and getting up quickly. 5. Falling forward and getting up quickly. 6. Gymnastic wheel left and right. 7. Headstand, initially with support against the wall. 8. Handstand. 9. Walking on hands. 10. Jumping on a trampoline with a turn of 180-360° with a fall on the back, on the knees, on the stomach, with turns of 180 and 360°, somersaults forward and back. After landing, stand up immediately. You can complicate the exercise: at the highest point of the jump, the player catches the ball and passes. 11. A gymnastic throwing bridge is installed on the free-throw line. The player runs up and, pushing off, throws the ball into the ring from above. A more complex version of the exercise: during the run-up, the player dribbles, and the throw is performed with a turn. 12. Throwing around the ring with the ball rotating around the body (1 or 2 times) during two steps, Agility can be trained using elements of other sports - for example, water skiing or diving from a 1-3-5-meter tower : a soldier, head down, doing somersaults. Great for developing coordination and, consequently, agility, walking on a balance beam, on a rail, on a bench with the ball spinning around the body, with feints to the side, forward.
Special Agility Exercises
1. Jumping in place with 90° and 130° turns while dribbling one or two balls. 2. Snatch with one or two balls dribbling for 5-6 m, forward somersault with ball in hand and sprint again. 3. Walking on hands with rolling ball in front of you. The partner supports the legs. 4. Team relay race on hands (as in exercise 3) with the ball rolling in front of you. Stage length - up to 30m. 5. Passing the ball against the wall in pairs with changing places. Performed with one ball. 6. Snatch dribbling the ball from the center of the field to the free-throw line, roll forward with the ball in hand and throw around the ring. 7. Serial dribbling over hurdles. 8. Snatch with ball dribbling for 5-6 m, jump over a gymnastic goat from a throwing board with a ball in hands. 9. Leapfrog game with each player dribbling. During the jump, the player takes the ball in his hands. 10. Various types of running with simultaneous dribbling of two balls: with a high lifting of the hip, throwing straight legs forward, boarding on two legs and on one leg, etc. 11. Passing the ball in pairs with resistance. Players in a pair pass the ball to each other from the ground, the distance between them is 4-5 m. The defender tries to intercept the ball. The exercise is performed first in place, then in motion. 12. Same as ex. 11. Transfers follow at chest level. The goal of the defender is to dodge the ball. 13. Playing tag in pairs with both players dribbling. 14. Playing "fifteen" in programs. Two drivers pass the ball to each other and try to stain the rest of the players leading the balls by touching them with the ball without releasing it from their hands. The stained player joins the drivers. 15. A ball rolls along the ground at a constant speed. Players jump over a rolling ball on one or two legs. It is held as a competition: the winner is the one who makes the most jumps from the front to the center or opposite front line. 16. Jumping over barriers with catching and passing the ball. The player jumps over 10-12 barriers in a row. During each jump, he catches and gives the ball. 17. Jumping over gymnastic benches while dribbling. Jumps are performed on one or two legs, sideways or back. 18. The player makes a dash for 5-6 m while dribbling the ball, and then, bouncing from the jump bridge, standing under the ring, hammers the ball into the ring from above. 19. Same as ex. 18. Before throwing, the player performs a 90 or 130° turn in the air. 20. Jumping over the gymnastic bench with simultaneous passes to the wall. Performed with one or two balls. 21. Walking on the balance beam while juggling two balls. 22. Jumping rope with dribbling. Twisting the rope also lead the ball. 23. Jumping over a long rope in pairs with passing the ball. Players twisting the rope also pass to each other. 24. Rope jumping with ring throws. The jumping rope player is at a distance of 4-5 m from the ring. 2-3 players alternately serve him balls. Catching the pass and throwing the ring are performed in one jump. 25. Throws on the ring after a fast dribble with a 90 or 180° turn. 26. Throw over the ring from above after jumping from two feet from the distance as far as possible from the ring. 27. A player takes two steps after a quick dribble and makes two turns of the ball around the body. 28. Two players are on opposite free throw lines. On a signal from the coach, they perform a forward somersault and make a dash to the center of the field, where the ball lies. The player in possession of the ball attacks the ring indicated by the coach. 29. Team players are divided into two groups and stand on opposite free throw lines facing the backboard.
Don't guess about what to do! Follow a program that has exercises specifically designed to improve lateral agility such as The Cody Roberts Athletic Development Program. 
This is a progressive drill. As you get comfortable with the drill, challenge your body more and more with each rep that you complete.
Also working on turning the hips and maintaining control through the torso. Start slow with this exercise and gradually add speed.
Being low and wide is an uncomfortable position for most athletes. The positions that these drills put in you will make you feel uncomfortable... at first. The more you perform these exercises, the more comfortable you will get in these uncomfortable positions. 
It’s uncanny how often players fail to remember how the cones were originally numbered when they are fatigued.
Great for developing coordination, and therefore agility, walking on a balance beam, on a rail, a bench with the ball rotating around the body, with feints to the side, forward. 
Players jump over a rolling ball on one or two legs. It is held as a competition: the winner is the one who makes the most jumps from the front to the center or opposite front line. 
Players twisting the rope also pass to each other. 
Finishing the ball into the shield can only be performed in one jump. In the center of the field, players perform a forward somersault. 
At the beginning of the warm-up, a player sitting on the floor with his legs wide apart should be helped to reach his knees with his head, and the floor with his elbows. This assistance can be provided by coaches, a massage therapist, a team doctor or players if the exercises are performed in pairs. 
Falling back and getting up quickly. 
Players jump over a rolling ball on one or two legs. It is held as a competition: the winner is the one who makes the most jumps from the front to the center or opposite front line. 
Jumping over a long rope in pairs with passing the ball. Players twisting the rope also pass to each other. 
