Question For Coach Voight

One of the best ways to improve foot quickness is to incorporate Quick Foot Ladder drills to your warm-up routine before you go into the weight room at least 3 times per week. Any other wave drills or bag drills will also help a lot.

I would like to hear about some specific programs to increase speed and quickness in our football players. We do work with basic running mechanics along the same lines as the track coaches because so many kids just have terrible form. We also do a lot of quick footwork drills over bags, through ladders and around dot patterns but there is no comprehensive plan to tie it all together. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

The best program I have ever seen regarding the development of overall team speed is called the Controlled Run Program. I learned this in the Texas High Schools and have incorporated this program into the off-season programs at every school I have been at since - high school and collegiate levels. Consistency with performing this program (2-3 times per week) will greatly improve overall team speed, quickness, and flexibility like no other program I have witnessed. The Controlled Run Program consists of varoius drills the require the athletes to move across the field in various positions and at different angles - full speed. Forward running, backward running, running crossover style, shuffling, etc. are all incorporated into the various drills with specific directions, which forces the players to think as they go - another beneficial characteristic of the Controlled Run Program. Complete details about this program and several other unique programs (Mat Program, which teaches body control and body quickness; Movement Program (2 point and 4 point agilities; etc.) are in my book, Total Football Conditioning, which is available on jcfb.com.