Swap in this 90-second boxing drill for your next warmup

September 13, 2017 11:25 PM

You don’t have to be a professional boxer, or even an athlete, to benefit from incorporating agility ladder drills into your workout routine.

A powerful punch can knock down an opponent in a match, but do you know what actually might allow boxers to win a fight? Being quick on their feet.

Defensive footwork is just as important as offensive jabs in boxing—maybe even more so as it helps you avoid incoming punches while landing clean ones.

By using an agility ladder, boxers can improve not just their speed but also their coordination and balance.

Check out the one boxing-inspired move you can do straight from home in the video above to boost your speed for any sport, as demonstrated by two-time Golden Gloves winning professional boxer and Everybody Fights instructor Dennys Lozada.

The Nike trainer’s agility ladder drill requires you to synchronize both your hands and feet for the ultimate conditioning that will test your agility.

You’ll only need an agility ladder for this exercise. If you don’t have one though, Lozada says you can just place tape down on the floor about six to 12 inches apart.

To prepare yourself, get into a boxer stance with your left hand and left foot forward. Then practice punching and stepping into and out of the ladder at the same time. It’s important to make sure your arm and leg are in coordination all the way through.

Once you get to the end of the ladder, return going in the opposite direction with the same arm and leg.

“If you really wanna get spicy with it, you turn southpaw,” Lozada says. Give both sides of your body a challenge and make sure to switch to work your right arm and leg.

Repeat the move for 20 seconds and take a break for 10, trying to move as quickly as possible for three rounds in total.

For an added bonus, you can take turns with a training partner. In no time, you’ll see a noticeable difference that will give you an advantage over your competitors.