6 week SAQ program

1. Run at 60% speed to half field
2. Backwards run with large steps half field.
3. Run at 60% speed to half field
4. Backward skip/shuffle (40 yards)
5. Casual (low intensity) skip to half field.
6. Low intensity shuffle half field. Change direction the athlete is facing every four steps.

1. Lunges; done with a twist or a reach
2. High Knee Hugs
3. Figure 4 Hugs
4. Drinking Bird
5. Walking Quad Stretch
6. Over Unders (3-5 times each direction)
7. Standing T-Spine Rotation (5 rotations each side)
8. Penguin Walk (about 10 yards forward and 10 yards backward)

All exercises should be done for about 15 yards unless otherwise noted. Allow some rest between exercises so that you can move at high intensity with quick, light feet. The purpose here is NOT to elevate your heart rate, but to prepare your nervous system to recruit the maximum number of fast twitch muscle fibers as quickly as possible.

1. Cycle kicks
2. Lateral high knee skip
3. Backwards run
4. Lateral skips
5. Falling Leaf
6. Leprechaun Skips

Video demo

• feet should be relatively close together
• hip and knee angle are about 20 degrees
• glutes of forward leg should feel loaded up and ready to fire when beginning the fall portion of the exercise

Video demo

• Repeatedly leap off the same leg as high and as far as possible
• Use your arms for momentum
• 30 yards each leg

Video demo

• center of mass should be between your feet
• you can use a cone or line to provide some visual feedback about your ability to stay in the same location but try to avoid looking too much at your feet

Video demo

• center of mass stays approximately over the cone
• inside foot touches the ground very lightly, mostly for balance
• aim for speed, rhythm, and control

Video demo

• about three seconds of light fast feet, then explode out and accelerate for 5 steps
• attempt to get up to full speed in five steps

Video demo

• Hips up. Feet should be closer to hands than you might think.
• Lean over the hand on the ground.  You should feel that you are close to falling over.
• You should feel some tension in the hamstrings like you are a spring ready to bounce.
• Accelerate as explosively as possible out of the starting position.

Video demo (slow) Video demo (full speed)

• Works on quick feet, lateral motion, and change of direction.
• Center of mass should remain at about the same height as the feet move underneath

Practice the movement slowly to understand the footwork pattern before working on speed.

• aim for both speed and accuracy of foot placement
• center of mass should deviate equally to each side of the line
• keep your head up, not looking at your feet

Video demo

• first five yards hips are NOT fully committed. hips are diagonal to the line of the cones
• coming out of the turn, the outside foot crosses over, pointing the hips parallel to the line of the cone (aka hips face the direction you want to move and are fully committed)

Video demo

• the purpose of this drill is to get full extension of ankles, knees, and hips
• propel yourself explosively upward and a little bit forward

Video demo

• Reach up with the arm opposite the leg pushing off the ground for maximum reach height (lay-up style)

Video demo (slow) Video demo (full speed)

• Works on quick feet, hip action, and change of direction.
• Center of mass should remain at about the same height as the feet move underneath

Practice the movement slowly to understand the footwork pattern before working on speed.

• aim for both speed and accuracy of foot placement
• center of mass should remain on the line created by the cones
• keep your head up, not looking at your feet

Video demo

• You should be using the jab step or waltz step in each turn. practice both!

Video demo

This is the standard workout you'll be using for the duration of the program.

Before your first linear workout (the 80/20 workout) you need to find your starting point. The starting number of reps will be dependent on your current fitness level. The 80/20 workout consists of running at 80% sprint speed for 20 seconds and walking for 40 seconds.  The goal of your first workout will be to experiment with pacing and choose a starting point for your workouts.  The running pace should feel like a fast run more than a sprint. You should be at a speed at which you’re landing a bit forward of the midfoot.  It should feel like a pleasant speed, not a forced speed. Try to maintain this speed for every repetition.  When it starts feeling like you are struggling to maintain good form or that you are not able to complete a repetition at the same pace, then stop.  This will be your test number and you will start your workouts at this number minus 2 repetitions. You will be starting at a number of repetitions lower than what you can do to ensure complete recovery between workouts.

Read the pdf to see how many reps you should do throughout the whole program, whenever it says "test," you are using the initial test number.

Video demo

See pdf for reps and work:rest intervals

Video demo

Can be done as 160 shuttles instead if you're using an ultimate field for your workouts. Attempt to change direction with right and left handed turns an equal number of times.

Video demo

Set up 2 rows of cones about 5-7 yards apart. In each row, three cones are placed about 8 yards apart. The two rows are off set by 4 yards to create a zig-zag pattern.