Speed and Agility Training for Lacrosse Players

Why Lacrosse Fitness Isn't Just Running

Ask any coach in the South West — from a newly formed club in Somerset to a long-established side in Bristol — and they will tell you the same thing. Lacrosse is not a marathon. It is a series of explosive efforts stitched together with short recovery: a two-yard burst to beat your marker, a hard cut to lose them again, a scramble for a ground ball, then forty seconds of jogging and shouting while the play resets. A typical possession asks for three to eight high-intensity efforts of between five and forty metres.

That means long, steady runs around the park will only get you so far. To play well on a heavy February pitch in Devon or a firm April surface in Dorset, you need acceleration, deceleration, change of direction and the ability to repeat all three when you are tired. Here is how to build it.

Warm Up Like You Mean It

Every speed session and every match should begin with ten to twelve minutes of dynamic movement. Static stretching before sprinting does very little; moving through range does a great deal.

• Leg swings front-to-back and side-to-side, 10 each leg
• Walking lunges with a twist, 10 metres
• Inchworms, 6 reps
• A-skips and high knees, 2 x 15 metres
• Lateral shuffles, 2 x 10 metres in each direction
• Three progressive sprints at 60, 80 and 95 per cent of full pace

Carry a stick through the last few drills and cradle as you move — you may as well rehearse the real thing.

Acceleration: Winning the First Three Steps

Most goals at grassroots level come from someone finding half a yard in the first two strides. Acceleration is a skill, and it responds quickly to short, sharp practice.

• Wall drives: lean into a wall or fence and drive one knee up and down for 2 x 6 reps each leg, keeping the ankle, hip and shoulder in line.
• Short hill sprints: 8–10 reps of 10–15 metres on a gentle slope. Walk back down for recovery. Bath, Plymouth and the Mendips all provide excellent hills free of charge.
• Resisted starts: a partner holds a towel or band around your waist while you drive out for 6–8 metres. 4 reps.
• Ten-yard dashes with a stick: 6 reps, cradling every stride, starting from a variety of positions — standing, side-on, and face down on the turf.

Coaching cues: lean from the ankles rather than the waist, punch the ground back behind you, keep the first step low and short, and drive the arms hard.

Change of Direction: Cutting Without Slipping

Deceleration wins matches. If you cannot stop, you cannot cut, and on a wet pitch you will end up on your back. Practise braking as deliberately as you practise sprinting.

• 5-10-5 shuttle: 3 sets with two minutes' rest between them.
• L-drill: place three cones in an L shape and move forwards, laterally, then backwards through it. 4 reps each side.
• Lateral bounds with a stuck landing: 3 x 5 each side, holding the landing for two seconds.
• Deceleration runs: sprint ten metres, then come to a complete, controlled stop within two or three steps. 6 reps.

Keep your hips low, chest over your toes and feet wide on the plant. Turn your head and shoulders first and let your hips follow — that is how a dodge actually works.

Lacrosse-Specific Agility: Add the Stick

Once the raw movement is tidy, pair it with the ball. This is where your training starts to look like the game.

• Gate dodges: set six gates across twenty metres and perform a roll dodge or face dodge at each one. 4 reps with 60 seconds' rest.
• Mirror drill: face a partner and copy their movements for 30–45 seconds without crossing your feet. 3 rounds.
• Ground ball sprints: a coach rolls a ball out and you sprint eight to twelve metres, scoop it and accelerate away. 8 reps.
• Small-sided games: 3v3 in a 20 x 20 metre box with a 30-second shot clock forces constant cutting, checking and re-accelerating.

Repeatability, Recovery and Staying on the Pitch

Endurance for lacrosse is really repeat-sprint ability. Try 6–10 sprints of 30 metres at 90 per cent with 20–30 seconds of recovery, or four blocks of four minutes of small-sided play with two minutes' rest. Twice a week alongside your club sessions is plenty.

Strength protects everything you have just built. Two short sessions a week of single-leg work, calf raises, Nordic hamstring curls and Copenhagen planks will do more for your injury record than any fancy gadget.

Finally, respect recovery. Sleep well, eat properly, and do not stack hard speed work the day before a match. If you train twice a week with your club, one dedicated speed session plus one conditioning block is the sweet spot for grassroots players. Keep it short, keep it sharp, and watch your first three steps get quicker.