8 Best Volleyball Agility Drills with Ladders and Cones

Volleyball agility drills are a great way to enhance your overall performance on the court. They also improve your ability to move quickly and efficiently on the court, whether it’s in the form of lateral movements, explosive jumps, or sudden changes of direction. We will be covering some of the best volleyball agility drills that you can perform both with a ladder and with cones.

Each agility drills in volleyball has unique benefits and will help you become a more agile and well-rounded volleyball player. So, grab your volleyball shoes, and let’s get started!

Volleyball Agility Ladder Drills

Volleyball ladder agility drills are crucial for players who want to improve their game. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, agility training can improve agility and speed in athletes. This study showed that athletes who trained with agility exercises performed better on agility and speed tests than those who did not. Incorporating volleyball agility ladder drills into your training routine can improve your overall agility and speed on the court. You will need an agility ladder and enough space to lay it out flat to perform these volleyball agility drills.

Two-in-One Out Drill: 

One of the most effective volleyball ladder agility drills is the two-in-one out. This drill focuses on lateral movement and helps players to develop quick feet and change direction quickly. 

Here’s how to do it:

1. Stand facing the ladder with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Step your left foot into the first square of the ladder, then your right foot.
3. Step your left foot outside the ladder to the left, then step your right foot outside the ladder to the right.
4. Step your left foot back into the second square of the ladder, then your right foot.
5. Repeat this sequence, moving laterally through the ladder.
6. Remember to keep your movements quick and light on your feet. This drill can be done at different speeds and intensity levels. Start slow and build up as you become more comfortable with the movements.

Cross Over Step: 

The cross-over step is a great volleyball agility ladder drill that improves lateral movement and helps with the quick transition from one side of the court to the other.

Steps:

1. Begin by standing at one end of the agility ladder, facing it.
2. Step into the first square with your left foot, crossing over your right foot.
3. Step your right foot out of the ladder to the right of the first square.
4. Step your left foot into the second square.
5. Step your right foot into the third square, crossing over your left foot.
6. Step your left foot out of the ladder to the left of the third square.
7. Continue this pattern, moving laterally down the ladder, crossing over each foot, and stepping out of the ladder on the opposite side.

Single Leg Hops:

This drill focuses on lateral movement and is designed to help players develop quickness and agility while moving side-to-side. It is an excellent volleyball agility ladder drill that improves balance, coordination, and explosiveness.  

Steps:

1. Begin by standing on one foot behind the first cone.
2. Hop forward over the cone onto the same foot and land on the other side.
3. Immediately hop back over the cone onto the same foot and land on the starting side.
4. Repeat the same pattern with the other foot, using the same cone.
5. Increase the speed of the hops, hopping back and forth between the cones on each foot.

High Knees to Sprint: 

This drill is excellent for improving overall speed and agility.

Steps:

1. Begin by standing behind the first cone.
2. Run in place, bringing your knees up high to your chest.
3. Sprint to the second cone as fast as you can.
4. Turn around and sprint back to the starting cone.
5. Repeat the pattern, running between the cones and running in place between sprints.

Volleyball Agility Drills With Cones

Volleyball agility drills with cones are designed to improve a player’s quickness, lateral movement, and overall footwork. These drills require players to move in various directions while maintaining control and balance. Cone drills also improve reaction time, acceleration, and deceleration. 

Here are some of the best volleyball agility drills with cones that you can incorporate into your training:

Cone Hop with Backpedal: 

This drill involves hopping over cones in a straight line and backpedaling to the starting position. The cones are spaced a few feet apart, and players must keep their feet together as they jump over each cone. It improves lower body strength and explosiveness. 

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Set up cones in a straight line, about 2-3 feet apart.
2. Stand facing the first cone with your feet together.
3. Jump over the first cone, then immediately jump over the second cone.
4. After jumping over the second cone, backpedal to the starting position.
5. Repeat the drill, jumping over all the cones in a straight line and backpedaling to the starting position.

Figure 8 Backpedal with Sprint: 

It involves backpedaling in a figure-eight pattern around two cones and then sprinting forward. This drill helps improve agility, balance, and change of direction. 

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

1. Set up two cones about 10-15 feet apart from each other.
2. Stand facing one of the cones and backpedal around it in a figure-eight pattern.
3. Once you have completed the figure-eight pattern, sprint toward the other cone.
4. When you reach the other cone, turn around and backpedal around it in a figure-eight pattern.
5. Sprint back towards the starting cone and continue the drill by repeating the figure-eight pattern and sprinting in the opposite direction.

T Drill: 

This drill is named after its T shape, created by placing cones in the shape of a T on the ground. The T Drill is designed to improve your ability to change directions quickly and is great for building explosive power in your legs.

Here’s how to perform the T Drill:

1. Start at the bottom of the T, facing forward.
2. Sprint forward to the top of the T, and touch the cone with your hand.
3. Shuffle to the left cone, and touch it with your hand.
4. Shuffle to the right cone, and touch it with your hand.
5. Shuffle back to the bottom of the T, and touch the cone with your hand.
6. Backpedal to the starting position.

Y Drill: 

The Y Drill is named after its Y shape, created by placing cones in the shape of a Y on the ground. This drill is excellent for improving your ability to change directions quickly. It is designed to help you build agility and coordination.

Here’s how to perform the Y Drill:

1. Start at the bottom of the Y, facing forward.
2. Sprint forward to the top of the Y and touch the cone with your hand.
3. Shuffle to the left cone, and touch it with your hand.
4. Shuffle to the right cone, and touch it with your hand.
5. Shuffle back to the bottom of the Y, and touch the cone with your hand.
6. Shuffle to the left cone, and touch it with your hand.
7. Shuffle to the right cone, and touch it with your hand.
8. Backpedal to the starting position.

4 Square: 

The 4 Square drill is a great way to improve your agility and footwork and is designed to help you build quickness and explosiveness on the court.

Here’s how to perform the 4 Square volleyball agility drills:

1. Place four cones in a square formation.
2. Start at one of the cones and sprint to the cone on your left.
3. Shuffle to the cone on your right.
4. Backpedal to the cone behind you.
5. Shuffle to the cone in front of you.
6. Repeat, starting at a different cone each time.

Let me remind you of the significance of agility drills in volleyball. Agility is a crucial element in volleyball as it can enhance your performance on the court. By improving your agility, you can move quicker and more efficiently on the court, which can help you reach the ball and make better plays.

Incorporating volleyball agility drills into your training routine can help you achieve this goal. Don’t forget to add agility training to your volleyball practice. It may be the missing piece that can take your game to the next level. Best of luck on the court!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why is agility important in volleyball?

Agility is essential in volleyball because it allows players to make quick and precise movements on the court. It enables players to react quickly to incoming balls, change direction, and jump higher to block or spike the ball. Good agility also helps prevent injuries by allowing players to move in a controlled and safe manner. Overall, agility is a critical component for success in volleyball.

How is agility used in volleyball?

Agility is used in several ways in volleyball. For example, players need to move quickly and accurately to get into position to pass the ball when receiving a serve. When playing defense, players must be agile enough to move laterally and change direction quickly to get under the ball for a dig. In offense, players need to be agile enough to approach the net, jump high, and hit the ball with accuracy and power. With agility, players can perform these movements and be disadvantaged on the court.

How to improve agility in volleyball?

To improve agility in volleyball, players can perform a variety of volleyball agility drills that focus on quick movements and changes in direction. Agility drills with ladder, cone drills, and figure 8 backpedals with sprints are just a few examples of agility drills in volleyball that can help improve agility. Incorporating strength and conditioning exercises into your training routine is essential to improve overall fitness and agility. Players can enhance their agility and become more successful on the court by practicing agility drills regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.