Why you need an agility ladder
For Soccer players, it is advantageous to be able to move your body. Soccer is a game that will have you using all of your muscles because you have to sprint, jump, tackle, jog, shoot, pass, etc. Being agile will lend itself to being able to move freely on the field without worry.
No matter how old you are, working on perfecting the craft of agility should be in the forefront. Since soccer is a game played with your feet, you have to work on your footwork at all times. Your footwork can be anything from how you position your feet when you shoot, how do you position your feet when you’re defending, how you prepare the first touch of the ball or how you take certain angles when you’re getting open for a pass. Whatever it may be agility is necessary for all of these scenarios.
The way in which you can work on your agility is by using an agility ladder. Agility ladders are one piece of equipment I highly recommend because of its benefits. The benefits of the ladder are all-encompassing for Soccer players. Because the ladder can help you with your footwork that can directly help with your trapping and passing the ball. The purpose of the agility ladder is to get you to the point where your feet become like arms. You’re able to use your feet with such grace that it becomes comfortable with and without the ball.
With all the great soccer players you see, balance is a quality they all have and is a skill that needs to be worked on. Balance improves over time with using something like an agility ladder because the mind-body connection is getting better. The mind-body connection is how the best players in the world make soccer look easy. They have adopted this skill that translates to every aspect of the game.
When you see Messi dribble by defenders effortlessly, it is because his mind and body are synchronized. He knows all the ways he can move on the field and because of this, he can excel. I’m sure throughout Messi’s soccer career; he has used agility ladders. Besides a ball, we see agility ladders implemented in soccer training because it helps with how you move on the field.
So get out there and work on getting your feet to be quick and fluid. When initially working with the agility ladder, take your time. It is all about repetitions and training your brain. Once you have started to improve, then increase the speed in which you do the drill. Make sure you don't sacrifice speed for form because we want to make sure you're doing things always with quality and not always quantity. You should use your agility ladder before and after every team practice, 10-15 minutes.
If you commit to doing this and commit to working on your game before and after practice, you will be happy with the results! Once you have freedom on the field, you will feel like a different player, and you will play with unwavering confidence because you're prepared for the game!
http://www.PerfectSoccerSkills.com/Quiz
