SAQ Drills III
Tony Reynolds, MS, CSCS, YCS Level II

Part III of the SAQ Drills article includes the remaining quickness components that I utilize during my workouts.  All component should not be utilized in the same workout, rather should be cycled into several different sessions.

The majority of these drills utilize no equipment.  This allows large groups of athletes to train with minimal out of pocket cost.

Line Drills   

All line drills should be performed utilizing an athletic stance.  Typically athletes have the tendency to narrow their stance, so pay attention to foot width.  Remember to keep your head up and your upper body loose. Staying relaxed will conserve energy and promote quickness.                                      

• Lateral Scissors- Face down a line with it splitting your stance.  Maintaining an athletic stance, quickly cross your legs so your feet switch sides of the line.  This should be a simultaneous movement. Your shoulders should not move during the cross. Quickly return to the starting position.  Cross again with the other foot in front.  Keep your posture and maintain a relaxed upper body.                                        

• Up Up Back Back- Start by facing the line.  Maintaining an athletic stance, step across the line with one foot immediately followed by the other.  Step back to the starting position with one foot immediately followed by the other.  Perform the entire set leading with the same foot.  Perform the next set leading with the other foot.  If a third set is to performed use the weak lead foot.  

• 1 Still- Face down a line with one foot on the line.  The foot on the line will only move up and down while the other foot simultaneously moves toward the line and back to its starting position.  Perform the next set with the other foot on the line.  If a third set is to performed use the weak lead foot. 

• 90˚ Turn/Return- Chop your feet quickly.  Upon command twist back 90 degrees and rapidly return to center and chop.  Alternate the direction you twist each time.

Dots 

Place five dots on the ground.  The first two should be side by side and approximately 18 inches apart.  The next dot should split the first two but should be 18 inches in front of them.  The final two dots should be side by side, 18 inches apart, and 18 inches in front and splitting the middle dot.  Number the dots starting with the first dot on the left as dot 1, the dot next to it as dot 2, the middle dot as dot 3, the far dot on the left as 4 and the far right as 5. 

The drills are labeled as followed:  If there are two numbers, the first number is the location of the left foot and the second the location of the right foot.  If there is a single number, both feet are located on that number.  A dash - indicates movement.  For instance, if the drill is 12-3, your left foot should start on the 1 dot and your right foot on the 2 dot.  Both feet should than move to the 3 dot (and than back to 1 and 2).

Stay relaxed during all drills.  Keep your head up and hands and arms in a defensive position.  Minimize ground contact time.  Do not allow the feet to squeak on the floor.                                

• 13-32                                                             

• 12-3                                       

• 45-3-12                                 

• 3-1-2-1-3                                           

Hand Speed and Reaction

Quickness means nothing without adequate reactionary skill.  Since most interaction which utilizes the hands involves reactionary timing, I try to combine the two skills during training.                                            

• Gun Slingers- Stand face to face with your partner.  You both need to assume an athletic stance but with your hands on your thighs about where gun holsters would be.  Your partner should rapidly lift a hand to about navel height with the palm down.  The hand should remain for a split second (very minimal time) before returning to the side.  React to your partner and try to tap the back of his/her hand with your finger tips.  Decide before hand whether you are going to mirror or reach across your body to tap the hand.   Have your partner randomly feed you sides. Training note: Stay relaxed and do not try to aggressively smack your partners hand.                      

• Slaps- Stand face to face with your partner.  You both need to assume an athletic stance but with your hands at navel height.  Your partner should start with his/her palms facing up.  Place your hands palms down about one inch above their hands.  The partner is the feeder during this drill.  The partner should try to quickly flip their hands and tap the back of your hands with their fingers.  Your goal is to remove your hands before they can accomplish their goal.  After several attempts switch roles.  Training note: Stay relaxed and do not try to aggressively smack your partners hand

• Z-Ball- A Z-Ball (sometimes called a reaction ball) is a strangely shaped ball with several protrusions coming out of it.  This ball is designed to bounce unpredictably when thrown, which makes it great for developing hand speed and reactionary timing.  To perform these drills, stand in an athletic stance about five feet away from a wall.  Shuffle side to side over a five to ten yard area.  Toss the ball under handed against the wall as you are shuffling.  Catch the ball with the same hand that you used to throw it.  Make sure you alternate hands throughout the drill.  Throwing the ball harder will make the drill more difficult.  If you miss the ball get to it as quickly as possible.  

X Drill

Find or create two lines that form an X.  Use this X for all these drills.  All X drills should be performed utilizing an athletic stance.  Remember to keep your head up and your upper body loose. Staying relaxed will conserve energy and promote quickness.

   Front to Back- Assume an athletic position centered of the center of the X.  Your feet should reside off the lines with the upper V of the X in front of you and the lower V of the X behind you.  Simultaneously move both feet forward across the top part of the X so both feet reside inside the upper V.  Return to the start position.  As with all of these drills, do not squeak your shoes on the floor.  Keep the floor contact short and aggressive. Do not allow your shoes to squeak on the floor (this means that you are increasing contact time and not efficiently applying force to the ground).

   Side to Side- Start in an athletic stance about 12-18 inches away from the center of the X while straddling one leg of the X.  Move both feet laterally simultaneously so you are straddling the other leg of the X. Return to the start position.

   Linear Scissors- Assume an athletic position centered of the center of the X.  Your feet should reside off the lines with the upper V of the X in front of you and the lower V of the X behind you.  Simultaneously move your feet so that one foot stops in the upper V and the other stops in the lower V.  Return to start position.  Now move your feet so the opposite foot moves forward and the other back.

   Lateral Scissors- Start with both feet inline with the center of the X but to the side.   Simultaneously move your feet so that one foot stops in the upper V and the other stops in the lower V.  Return to start position.  Now move your feet so the opposite foot moves forward and the other back.  Perform the drill starting on the opposite side of the X for the next set.  If there is a third set, perform it on the weaker or the two sides.

   S2S F2B- Start by straddling one leg of the X (face the center of the X).  Move up and across the intersecting line.  Than quickly move laterally so both feet reside beside the starting line.  Move back laterally so you are straddling the line again.  Finally move backward to the starting position and repeat the pattern.   Perform the drill starting on the opposite side of the X for the next set.  If there is a third set, perform it on the weaker or the two sides.

Copyright Progressive Sporting Systems Inc., 2004-2006

Progressive Sporting Systems Inc., 4610 South Lost Street, Terre Haute, IN 47802