Conditioning Drills for Kids

Whether they run, swim, or participate in sports such as soccer, hockey, basketball, or all of the above, kids can benefit from conditioning drills. Working some of these conditioning drills for kids into their weekly sports practices can help them improve their speed, strength, reaction time, coordination, and confidence.

These exercises go beyond just physical development – they also help in building discipline, focus, and mental resilience, which are crucial traits for any aspiring athlete.

Before starting any of these workouts, kids should do some warm-up exercises such as walking lunges, jumping jacks, and butt kicks. A thorough warm-up will increase their heart rate and get their muscles warmed-up, so they’re ready to go.

Additionally, it’s important to ensure proper form and technique while performing the drills. Emphasize the importance of good posture, arm swing, and footwork to help kids develop efficient running mechanics.

Plyometrics

Plyometric exercises can help young athletes work on their explosive strength, agility, reaction time, and coordination at the same time.

Here are a few safe and effective plyometric exercises that kids can do. As they become more fit and proficient at the exercises, you can increase the number of reps.

Lateral Cone Jumps

How to do it: You’ll need a cone or other object that kids can jump over. Have them stand on the right side of the cone and, while keeping their feet together, they should quickly jump over to the other side of the cone. Once they land, they should immediately jump back to the other side.

How much to do: Have kids do two or three sets of 10 jumps.

Power Skipping

How to do it: Power skipping is just like regular skipping, but kids should jump and lift their knee as high as possible.

How much to do: Have kids power skip about 20 meters, then turn around and power skip back to the start.

Squat Jumps

How to do it: Start in a squatting position with the knees bent and then jump off the ground. Land in the squat position and pause for a moment, then jump again.

How much to do: Start kids off doing 8 to 10 squat jumps.

Pogo Hops

How to do it: To do pogo hops, kids should jump as high as they can with very minimal knee bend. They should be jumping mainly with ankles instead of hips and knees and bounce off the ground as quickly as possible on each jump. They should stay on the ball of your foot and keep their heel from touching the ground.

How much to do: Do two sets of 10 jumps, with 10-second rest in between.

Ladder Sprints

A classic conditioning workout, ladder sprints are effective for track and field athletes, as well as kids who play basketball, soccer, and other sports.

Set-up:

Ladder sprints can be done across on a soccer field, using the lines on the soccer field as marks for the intervals. Or, you can use five cones that are set up in a straight line, with 10 to 15 meters of space between each cone.

Workout instructions:

Start with sprinting from the first to the second cone, touch the cone, turn around, and sprint back to the starting cone.
Sprint to the third cone, touch the cone, turn around, and sprint back to the start.
Continue by sprinting to the fourth cone, touching the cone, and sprinting back to the starting cone.
Finish with a sprint to the fifth cone. Touch the cone and run back to the start.

Variations:

Sprint to each cone, then run backwards to the starting cone.
Sprint to each cone, then recover at an easy pace back to the starting cone.

Sprints and Strengthening

This drill combines running hard and strengthening exercises, keeping kids engaged as they work on improving strength and speed.

Set-up:

Place 6 cones in a rectangle, with about 10 to 15 meters in between each cone.

Workout instructions:

Start with 10 push-ups at the first cone, then sprint to the second cone.
At the second cone, kids should do a front plank for 30 seconds, then sprint to the third cone.
When they reach the third cone, have kids do 10 sit-ups, then sprint to the fourth cone.
At the fourth cone, have kids do 10 front lunges (5 on each side), then sprint to the fifth cone.
When they reach the fifth cone, have kids do 10 squats, then sprint to the sixth cone.
At the sixth cone, have kids do 10 push-ups, then sprint to back to the start.
Repeat the drill, basing the number of reps on the age and abilities of the athletes.

Agility Ladder Drills

Agility ladder drills can help young athletes improve their multidirectional speed, increase body awareness and coordination, strengthen muscles, and improve cardio.

For these drills, you’ll need an agility ladder, which are very inexpensive and can be found is available on Amazon or at sporting goods stores.

Here are a few agility ladder drills that are fun and effective for kids.

Lateral Shuffle Ladder Drill

How to Do It

Stand with feet a little wider than hip-width at the start of the agility ladder.
Stay on the balls of the feet and step sideways with the right foot into the first box. With a quick movement, immediately follow it with your left foot.
Next, step sideways with the right foot into the second box then immediately bring the left foot into that box.
Move through the entire ladder quickly, with both feet landing in each box. Be sure to keep the chest up, back straight, and eyes focused straight ahead.
Repeat the steps going in the other direction to complete one rep.

In and Out Ladder Drill

How to Do It

Begin with the feet hip-width apart at the start of the agility ladder.
Hop into the first box, landing with both feet in the center.
Next, hop forward to the second box, spreading the legs and landing with feet outside of the ladder.
Jump to the third box, bringing your feet back to the center position.
Continue down the entire length of the ladder. Return to the start of the ladder by hopping backwards and following the same pattern.

High Knees Ladder Drill

How to Do It

Run forward with high knees, lifting the knee to waist level, for the entire length of the ladder. Make sure one foot is landing in each box as you make your way down the ladder.
Keep the arms at a 90-degree angle and swing them back and forth to generate momentum.
When you reach the end, turn around and do high knees back to the starting point.

How to Get Kids Motivated to Do Conditioning Drills

To keep kids motivated, it’s essential to make the conditioning drills enjoyable and meaningful. Coaches can do this by regularly introducing new challenges or incorporating games into the training sessions. This not only adds an element of fun but also creates a sense of camaraderie. By making the experience enjoyable, kids are more likely to stay engaged and motivated to give their best effort.

You can also ask kids to choose or suggest their own conditioning drills. By giving them some autonomy in the process, they’ll feel more invested and motivated.