“Lateral Quickness” sounds like a skill specifically for professional athletes. After all, most of us are trying to balance a healthy combination of work: aerobic exercise, strength training and mobility. Who is the time for professional training?
However, whether athletes or not, lateral speed is related to the ability to travel efficiently, and incorporating lateral speed exercises into your current routine is not so difficult or time consuming.
Plus, is it a bit fun to exercise like a pro?
What is lateral speed?
Lateral speed is the ability to move your body quickly from side to side. It’s less about acceleration in one direction, moving from left to right, allowing you to rapidly change direction while maintaining balance and control of your body.
Why is lateral speed important?
Improves sports performance
Depending on the sport, lateral speed means a difference in victory or loss.
“Many sports require athletes to quickly change directions left and right. This could be a short stop with a ground ball hit in the middle, avoiding linebackers trying to make tackles or moving to the opposite sideline to return a shot.”
This is a pattern of movement that is often identified
Beyond courtrooms and arenas, lateral speeds can also affect how they move in everyday life.
“You don’t have to play sports. You avoid someone on the sidewalk and navigate busy concourses at the airport. You need to be able to have the ability to step into the sides so you don’t get in the way.”
However, a typical fitness routine often does not have side-to-side movements. Common physical activities such as running, cycling, rowing, and even biceps all occur along the sagittal plane (moving the body with forward and backward movements). This training deficit can make us vulnerable, Duncan explains.
“We are often injured in areas where strength, coordination and mobility are lacking,” he says. “Many of us can walk and run pretty well, but we can struggle when moving left and right. Training in movement on the outer planes is beneficial for muscle and joint health, overall conditioning, even moving quickly.”
Five exercises to improve lateral speed
To improve lateral speed, you need to train with a left and right movement pattern. Both Duncan and McCall recommend a combination of speed drills and plyometric training.
“Doing this will strengthen Type II (fast) muscle fibers and increase the efficiency of the nervous system,” says Duncan. “This increases the speed and strength of muscle contraction in the lower limbs, and improves lateral speed.”
The advantage of doing these movements is not lateral speed. Incorporating speed drills into your routine is a great way to rock aerobic exercise, and exercises like skater jumps and band lateral walks strengthen the glute, hip and leg muscles.
1. Side shuffle
- Set up cones 5-10 yards apart. Alternatively, select a fixed marker, such as a utility pole or lamp post.
- Stand inside the left cone with your legs apart, bend your elbows, reach in front of your chest.
- Flat your back and wrap your abs, bend your knees, push your hips back, and lower your body by a quarter.
- Leave your chest lifted, quickly step on your right foot to the right, then press with your left foot, then return to your original stance (foot width apart). Repeat the movement and shuffle right until you reach the other cone.
- Immediately reverse the movement and shuffle it to the first cone.
2. Lateral Band Walk
- Loop a small resistance band around your foot just above your ankles and knees, standing with your feet almost shoulder-width apart, creating tension in the band.
- Flat your back and wrap your abs, bend your knees, push your hips back, lower your body a quarter, and shift your weight towards your heel.
- Step on your right foot and your left foot continues to maintain squats and tension in the band.
- Continue the side step to the right of the specified number of steps, reverse the movement and return to the starting position.
3. Jump the mini hurdle sideways
- With your feet together, stand next to a mini hurdle or similar sized object.
- Jump across the hurdle and then immediately return to the starting position.
- Keep going up and down the hurdles and spend as much time on the ground as possible.
4. Skater jump
- From your standing position, move your weight to your left leg, bend your left knee and lower your hips a few inches, while raising your right leg out of the ground.
- Push away with your left foot and tie it to the right.
- You will land gently on your right leg, your left leg crossing behind you, allowing your arms to sway across your body in the same direction.
- Pause and then repeat the movement. This time, you’ll be pushed out with your right leg and land on your left leg.
- Continue jumping back and forth.
5. Jump Rope, Skier Variations
- Bend your elbows, face your palms, and hold the rope with your wrists at waist level. The wrists should be a few inches away from the sides of the body.
- Start with the rope behind your heels and raise the rope and turn it over your head. (Once you accumulate momentum, you should be able to continue rotating the rope by minimizing movement of your elbows and shoulders.)
- Bend your knees slightly, stay above your toes and jump to the right, a few inches from the ground. On the next swing, jump to the left. Continue alternating sides with each jump.
