BRUCE BOLT's goal is to make the players wearing our gear BE BETTER on and off the field. Developing quick feet, acceleration and change of direction are essential skills for every position.
So in an effort to show BRUCE BOLT players how they can work on their "quick feet" we reached out to CJ Wellington, MS, Head Coach at Tactic Performance based in Los Angeles, CA to see how he trains his high school, college and pro players to improve their foot speed.
Watch the video below to see how CJ trains his high school, collegiate and pro players:Low Box Plyos - Quick Feet Drills
This drill is great for developing stiffness and power through the foot, ankle, and lower leg. It also helps reinforce proper acceleration and deceleration angles.
- Progress from 1 to 3 blocks: 2-4 sets x 8-12 reps
- Cues: Stay low, punch the ground, maintain a braced core
Drop Step - Acceleration (ball hit in front)
The plyo or drop step is used to quickly get into the proper acceleration angle to sprint forward straight or diagonally.
This is not a "false step" or wasted movement because this athlete should be dropping forward into the direction of movement (center of mass moving toward the target). This is something that naturally happens in sports and can be enhanced with proper training.
- Progress from 2-4 reps each foot leading off and sprint out 5-10 yards.
Hip Turn - Reposition / Change direction (ball hit overhead)
The hip turn is also the proper way to quickly reposition the body to accelerate in any direction behind the athlete. An example would be if a ball is hit over the outfielder's head, a quick hip turn to sprint and track the ball to make the catch would typically be what is naturally happening.
- Progress from 2-4 reps each side and sprint out 5-10 yards.
- Cues: Turn hips and explode out. For baseball I’d recommend keeping eyes back to mimic tracking a baseball.
Also Read:
BE BETTER (Video): 7 Arm Care Recovery Exercises for Every Player
