Youth Footwork and Agility

Mobilisation (5 minutes)

Active and fast. Do not let juniors stand still.

• Jog on the spot: 30 seconds
• High knees: 30 seconds
• Heel flicks: 30 seconds
• Star jumps: 30 seconds
• Lateral shuffles (gym width): 30 seconds
• Squat to stand: 10 reps
• Ankle circles: 10 each foot (quick)

Warm-Up Drills (8 minutes)

Tag footwork game (4 mins)

Everyone in boxing stance. The game is tag, but you can only move using step-and-slide. No running. No crossing feet. If you are tagged, 5 squat jumps before you rejoin. If the coach catches anyone running instead of using step-and-slide, they are automatically "it."

This game teaches boxing footwork as the default movement pattern. Juniors will push the limits of how fast they can step-and-slide.

Reaction ball drill (4 mins)

Coach throws tennis balls to individual juniors from 3 metres away. They must catch the ball in guard position (gloves on, catch with the lead hand). Increase the speed. Then throw two balls in quick succession.

"Quick hands start with quick feet. If your feet are flat, your hands are slow."

Main Session (38 minutes)

Block 1: Cone Agility Circuit - Timed (10 mins)

Set up 3 courses before the session:

Course 1: Straight line speed
6 cones in a line, 1 metre apart. Step-and-slide through them as fast as possible, changing direction at each cone. Touch each cone with the lead glove. Time with a stopwatch.

Course 2: T-drill
4 cones in a T-shape (one at the base, three across the top). Start at the base. Step-and-slide forward to the centre cone. Lateral slide to the left cone. Lateral slide all the way to the right cone. Lateral slide back to the centre. Step-and-slide backward to the start.

Course 3: Box drill
4 cones in a 2-metre square. Step-and-slide around the box in stance. Clockwise, then anti-clockwise.

Each junior runs all 3 courses. Record their times. Run it twice. Compare their times. "Did you get faster on the second run? That is improvement."

The competitive element drives effort. Read out the top 3 times for each course.

Block 2: Partner Mirror Footwork (8 mins)

Pairs. Face each other in stance, 1.5 metres apart. Partner A moves. Partner B copies. If A goes forward, B goes backward (maintaining distance). If A slides left, B slides right.

2-minute rounds, swap who leads. Run 4 rounds.

Progression by round:
- Round 1-2: footwork only. Mirror the movement.
- Round 3-4: add a jab every 3 steps. Mirror the footwork and match the jab timing.

"In boxing, you need to move with your opponent. If they go left, you go left. If they come forward, you manage the distance. This drill teaches your feet to read someone else's movement."

Coaching cue: "Do not watch their feet. Watch their chest. The chest moves before the feet."

Block 3: Footwork Relay Race (8 mins)

Split into 2-3 teams. Set cones 10 metres apart.

Relay 1: Step-and-slide relay (3 mins)
Step-and-slide from cone A to cone B. At cone B, throw a 1-2-3. Step-and-slide back to the start. Tag the next person.

First team to finish wins. Run twice.

Relay 2: Zigzag relay (3 mins)
Set zigzag cones between A and B. Navigate the zigzag in boxing stance, then throw 5 punches on the bag at the far end, and sprint back.

Relay 3: Backwards relay (2 mins)
Step-and-slide backwards from A to B. At B, pivot, throw a 1-2, step-and-slide backwards to A. This is hard and funny. Juniors will laugh. That is fine.

Block 4: Footwork to Position Drill (7 mins)

Pairs. Partner A stands still. Partner B must use footwork to get to a specific position relative to A. Coach calls the position:

• "Get to their left side!" - B must step-and-slide around A until they are on A's left.
• "Get behind them!" - B circles to A's back using footwork.
• "Stay at jabbing range!" - B must maintain distance as A walks forward.

3-minute rounds, swap. Run twice.

"In sparring, position wins fights. The fighter who can get to the right angle before punching lands cleaner shots. This drill teaches you to move with purpose, not just move."

Block 5: Bag Work with Footwork Focus (5 mins)

2 x 2-minute rounds on the heavy bag. The instruction: move between every combination. Throw a 1-2, step left. Throw a 1-2-3, step back. Throw a 1-2, pivot right.

"If your feet stop, the drill stops. Move between every combination."

Conditioning Finish (7 minutes)

Footwork conditioning race:

All juniors start on one side of the gym. Coach calls a movement. Everyone crosses the gym using only that movement:
- "Step-and-slide forward!" - cross the gym
- "Step-and-slide backward!" - cross back
- "Lateral slide left!" - cross the gym sideways
- "Pivot!" - pivot at every step across the gym

Last person across does 5 burpees. Run 6 crossings.

Then: 20 squat jumps and a 30-second plank to finish.

Cool Down and Reflection (3 minutes)

• Calf stretch: 10 seconds each
• Quad stretch: 10 seconds each
• Touch toes: 10 seconds
• Shake it all out: 10 seconds

"Your feet are the most important thing in boxing. Your punches only work if your feet put you in the right position. Today was all about your feet. Practise the step-and-slide everywhere. Walking to school. Walking to the shops. Make it automatic."

Coaching Notes

• This session is extremely popular with juniors because it feels like a PE lesson. The competitive elements (timed circuits, relays, races) keep energy high.
• Set up all cone courses before the session starts. Losing 5 minutes to cone setup kills the momentum.
• The mirror footwork drill is the highest-skill element. Juniors who struggle with coordination may find it frustrating. Pair them with patient partners and simplify: just match forward and backward movement initially.
• Tennis ball reaction drills are great filler between station rotations. Keep some in your pocket and throw one to a junior who is standing idle.
• For the youngest juniors (10-11), reduce the complexity of the cone courses. Simple forward-and-back is enough. The T-drill may be too complex for the youngest participants.
• For the oldest juniors (15-16) who find the relays too easy, add a boxing element to every stage: throw a combination at every cone, not just at the end.
• This session has low injury risk because there is no contact and the drills are movement-based. It is a good option for weeks when numbers are high and contact sessions are not appropriate.