What are the most effective lacrosse drills for high school and college players. How can these drills improve stick skills, passing accuracy, and overall performance. Which drills are best suited for limited practice spaces.
Advanced Partner Pass: Enhancing Arm Strength and Stick Control
The Advanced Partner Pass drill is an excellent way to improve arm and wrist strength while honing crucial stick skills. This drill is particularly beneficial for players looking to enhance their range of motion and speed with the stick.
How to Perform the Advanced Partner Pass Drill
- Find a partner and stand facing each other.
- Partner 1 passes to Partner 2 with their right hand on top.
- Partner 2 releases their top hand (right) and brings the stick back to the ground using only their left hand.
- Partner 2 then brings the stick back up to passing position and returns the ball to Partner 1.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
- Switch hands and repeat the process with the left hand on top.
To maximize the benefits of this drill, coaches should encourage players to “play big” by exaggerating their stick movement when bringing it back to the ground. Additionally, emphasize speed and fluidity in the movements to simulate game-like situations.
Windsor Drill: Mastering Cutting and Quick Release Passes
The Windsor Drill is a dynamic exercise that focuses on improving stick skills, cutting ability, acceleration, and quick release passes. This drill is particularly effective for developing players’ ability to make split-second decisions and execute precise passes while in motion.
Steps to Execute the Windsor Drill
- Form groups of three players and line up single file on the end line.
- The second person in line starts with the ball.
- The first person cuts out 10-15 yards, then pivots and turns back.
- As the first person cuts back, the second person immediately passes the ball.
- The first person then passes to the third person while the second person begins their cut.
- Repeat the drill using non-dominant hands and off-side techniques.
The key to success in the Windsor Drill lies in its fast-paced nature. Coaches should emphasize the importance of quick ball release as soon as the cutter turns, minimizing any waiting time for the pass. This drill helps players develop a keen sense of timing and improves their ability to read and react to teammates’ movements.
Quick Stick Drill: Perfecting Fast Release and Communication
The Quick Stick Drill is designed to enhance players’ fast release skills and promote effective on-field communication. This drill is particularly useful for developing players’ ability to think and act quickly under pressure.
Quick Stick Drill Setup and Execution
- Form a group of four players with three on the end line and one about 3 yards away facing the others.
- Two players on the end line each start with one ball.
- One player on the end line passes to the player at the point.
- Without cradling, the point player immediately passes to the player on the end line without a ball.
- The point player then receives the ball from the other player on the line and, again without cradling, passes back to the player on the end line who is now without a ball.
- Repeat these steps rapidly, incorporating non-dominant hand and off-side catches for added challenge.
The primary objective of this drill is speed and anticipation. Players should focus on having a plan for where the ball is going before they even receive it. To make the drill more engaging and competitive, coaches should encourage players to communicate effectively, calling out to indicate who is open and ready for the pass.
Three Person Box Drill: Improving Footwork and Passing Accuracy
The Three Person Box Drill is an excellent exercise for enhancing footwork, passing accuracy, and hand-eye coordination. This versatile drill can be easily adapted to challenge players of varying skill levels.
How to Set Up and Run the Three Person Box Drill
- Set up four cones in a box formation, with each cone about 5 yards apart from the others.
- Position three players at three of the cones, leaving one cone open.
- Player 1 starts with the ball.
- Player 2 shuffles to the open cone with their outside hand up to receive the ball from Player 1.
- Player 3 then shuffles to the newly open cone with their outside hand up to receive the ball from Player 2.
- Player 1 shuffles to the open cone with their outside hand up to receive the ball from Player 3.
- Repeat this cycle, incorporating non-dominant hand use and reversing the shuffle direction.
To maximize the benefits of this drill, coaches should encourage players to experiment with creative stickwork. Incorporating behind-the-back passes, flip passes, and other advanced techniques can help players become more fluid and confident in their stick handling abilities.
Box and One Drill: Developing Endurance and Multi-Directional Passing
The Box and One Drill is a comprehensive exercise that targets endurance, multi-directional passing, and quick decision-making. This drill is particularly effective for midfielders and attackers who need to maintain composure and accuracy while under physical stress.
Box and One Drill Instructions
- Form groups of five players and set up four cones 10 yards apart in a box formation.
- Position one player at each cone and one in the middle of the box.
- Two players on the outside each start with one ball.
- An outside player passes to the middle player, who then passes to one of the players on the outside without a ball.
- The middle player then receives a ball from the second outside player with a ball and passes to the remaining player without a ball.
- Players should aim for maximum speed, with the middle player limiting cradling.
- Rotate positions every minute to ensure all players experience the middle role.
To increase the difficulty and benefits of this drill, coaches can incorporate non-dominant hand passing, off-side techniques, ground balls, bounce passes, and behind-the-back passes. The primary goal is to challenge the middle player, improving their ability to handle pressure and make quick, accurate passes from various angles.
Incorporating Swax Lax Training Balls for Enhanced Practice
When implementing these drills, consider using Swax Lax training balls to maximize practice efficiency and player confidence. These softer balls don’t bounce or roll excessively, allowing for quicker transitions between drills and repetitions. This characteristic is particularly beneficial when practicing in confined spaces such as gymnasiums or small fields.
Benefits of Using Swax Lax Balls in Lacrosse Drills
- Reduced bounce and roll for faster drill transitions
- Increased player confidence when attempting new techniques
- Minimized risk of injury during high-intensity drills
- Improved focus on form and technique rather than ball control
- Enhanced ability to practice in limited spaces
By incorporating these specialized training balls, coaches can create a more controlled and efficient practice environment, allowing players to focus on skill development rather than chasing errant balls.
Adapting Drills for Different Skill Levels and Positions
While these drills are designed for high school and college-level players, they can be easily modified to accommodate different skill levels and positions within a team. Coaches should consider tailoring the drills to address specific player needs and team strategies.
Strategies for Drill Adaptation
- Adjust the distance between players or cones to increase or decrease difficulty
- Introduce time constraints to simulate game-like pressure
- Incorporate position-specific movements or techniques into each drill
- Use visual or auditory cues to improve players’ reaction times
- Combine multiple drills to create more complex, game-like scenarios
By adapting these drills, coaches can ensure that all players are appropriately challenged and continue to develop their skills throughout the season. This approach also helps maintain player engagement and prevents practice sessions from becoming monotonous.
Measuring Progress and Setting Goals with Lacrosse Drills
To maximize the effectiveness of these drills, it’s crucial to establish a system for measuring progress and setting achievable goals. This approach not only motivates players but also provides coaches with valuable insights into individual and team development.
Techniques for Tracking Improvement
- Conduct regular timed trials of each drill to track speed improvements
- Use video analysis to assess form and technique progression
- Implement a point system for accuracy in passing and catching drills
- Create drill-specific challenges or competitions within the team
- Maintain individual player logs to track personal bests and areas for improvement
By incorporating these measurement techniques, coaches can provide players with tangible evidence of their progress, helping to boost confidence and maintain motivation throughout the season. Additionally, this data can be used to tailor training plans and identify areas that may require additional focus.
Integrating Mental Preparation into Lacrosse Drills
While physical skills are crucial in lacrosse, mental preparation plays an equally important role in player performance. Incorporating mental training elements into these drills can help players develop focus, resilience, and decision-making skills under pressure.
Strategies for Enhancing Mental Toughness
- Introduce unexpected elements or distractions during drills to improve focus
- Implement visualization techniques before and during practice sessions
- Encourage positive self-talk and goal-setting for each drill
- Practice mindfulness and breathing exercises between drill repetitions
- Simulate high-pressure game situations within drill contexts
By integrating these mental preparation strategies into regular drill practice, coaches can help players develop a more holistic approach to their lacrosse skills. This mental resilience can prove invaluable during high-stakes games and tournaments, giving players the confidence to perform at their best when it matters most.
Utilizing Technology to Enhance Lacrosse Drill Effectiveness
In today’s digital age, leveraging technology can significantly enhance the effectiveness of lacrosse drills and overall player development. From smartphone apps to advanced tracking systems, there are numerous tools available to coaches and players alike.
Technological Tools for Lacrosse Training
- Smartphone apps for drill timing and performance tracking
- Wearable sensors to measure player movement and exertion
- Video analysis software for detailed technique breakdown
- Virtual reality simulations for decision-making practice
- Online platforms for sharing and accessing new drill variations
By incorporating these technological tools into their training regimen, coaches can provide players with more precise feedback and personalized development plans. This data-driven approach can lead to more efficient practices and faster skill improvement across the team.
Creating a Comprehensive Lacrosse Drill Routine
To maximize the benefits of these drills, it’s essential to create a well-rounded routine that addresses all aspects of lacrosse play. A comprehensive drill routine should balance stick skills, conditioning, tactical awareness, and team coordination.
Components of an Effective Drill Routine
- Warm-up exercises focusing on mobility and activation
- Stick skill drills for individual technique improvement
- Partner and small group drills for passing and communication
- Full-team drills to practice game strategies and formations
- Conditioning exercises integrated with lacrosse-specific movements
- Cool-down routines including stretching and recovery techniques
By structuring practice sessions to include a mix of these components, coaches can ensure that players are developing a well-rounded skill set. This approach not only improves individual performance but also enhances team cohesion and tactical understanding.
As players progress through high school and college-level lacrosse, the importance of structured, efficient practice routines becomes increasingly evident. By implementing these 11 essential drills and incorporating the strategies discussed for adaptation, measurement, mental preparation, and technological integration, coaches can create a dynamic and effective training environment. This comprehensive approach to lacrosse training will not only improve individual skills but also foster team cohesion and tactical awareness, ultimately leading to success on the field.
11 Lax Drills High School College Level Lacrosse Players
These lacrosse drills are just right for high school and college-level players. They work perfectly in any available space, even if confined to the close quarters of a gymnasium or on a small field. We recommend using Swax Lax training balls to make practice time most productive, as the balls are softer and don’t bounce or roll, so players can quickly move from drill to drill or rep to rep with confidence.
Advanced Partner Pass
This drill highlights:
- Arm and wrist strength
- Stick skills
Directions:
- Grab a partner
- Partner 1 passes to Partner 2 with right hand up
- Partner 2 releases top hand (right) and brings back stick to the ground with left hand
- Partner 2 brings stick back up to passing position and passes to Partner 1
- Repeat for number of desired reps
- Partner 1 Passes to Partner 2 with left hand up
- Partner 2 releases top hand (left) and brings back stick to the ground with right hand
- Partner 2 brings stick back up to passing position and passes to Partner 1
- Repeat for number of desired reps
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to build the player’s range of motion with their stick. Encourage players to “play big” as they swing their stick back to the ground and encourage them to go as fast as possible.
Windsor Drill
This drill highlights:
- Stick skills
- Cutting
- Acceleration
- Quick release
Directions:
- Get in a group of three and line up single file on end line
- Second person in line starts with the ball
- First person cuts out 10-15 yards, pivots and turns
- As first person cuts back second person immediately passes
- First person passes to third person while second person then begins to cut
- Repeat using non-dominant hand and off-side using left and right hands
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to have a fast paced drill that sharpens players stick skills. Coaches should emphasize that the player passing the ball should immediately release the ball when the cutter turns, so that the cutter spends no time waiting for the pass.
Quick Stick Drill
This drill highlights:
- Fast release
- Communication
Directions:
- Get in a group of four players with three people on end line and one person about 3 yards away facing the three other players
- Two players on the end line each start with one ball
- One player on the end line passes to player at the point
- Without cradling, player at the point passes to the other player who did not start with a ball
- Point player then receives the ball from the other player on the line and without cradling, passes ball back to player on the end line without a ball
- Repeat these steps quickly without cradling using non-dominant hand and/or off-side catch.
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to be quick and to have a plan of where the ball is going before the point player even has possession. This drill becomes fun and competitive when all players are going as fast as possible. To help with this, coaches should emphasize communication from all players because this will make it easier to know who is open.
Three Person Box Drill
This drill highlights:
Directions:
- Get in a group of three people and set up cones in a box about 5 yards away from each other
- Each player stands at a cone so that there is one open cone
- Player 1 starts with the ball
- Player 2 shuffles to open cone with outside hand up to receive the ball from Player 1
- Player 3 then shuffles to open cone with outside hand up to receive the ball from Player 2
- Player 1 then shuffles to open cone with outside hand up to receive the ball from Player 3
- Repeat this cycle using non-dominant hand (shuffle the opposite way)
- Repeat this using off-side hand as well as freestyle (behind the back, flip passes, twizzlers)
Key Coaching Points
The best part about this drill is being creative with it. Encourage players to try fancy stickwork like behind the backs so that they will become more fluid with their stickwork.
Box and One Drill
This drill highlights:
Directions:
- Get into groups of five and set up four cones 10 yards apart from each other in a box formation
- Place one person at each cone and one person in the middle
- Two players on the outside each start with one ball
- One player on the outside passes to the player in the middle, player in middle passes to one of the players on the outside that did not start with a ball
- Middle player then receives ball from second outside player that started with a ball and passes to a player on the outside who does not have a ball
- Players should go as fast as possible and middle player should limit cradles
- Every player should go in the middle for about 1 minute
- Switch it up using non-dominant hand, off-side hand, ground balls, bounce passes and behind the back passes
Key Coaching Points
This drill is designed to make the middle person work hard. Make sure players are going as hard as possible for that one minute and make sure they limit their cradles. In addition, make sure all players are talking, calling out who is open, and helping out the middle player.
2 Person Protection Drill
This drill highlights:
Directions:
- Grab a partner and a ball
- Player 1 starts with ball
- Player 1 uses one foot as pivot foot while trying to protect ball from Player 2
- Player 2 moves about trying to get checks off of on Player 1
- Player 1 and 2 switch roles
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to work on both stick protection and getting the good check off. Coaches should encourage players on offense to be “big” with their stick by bringing it across their body to a low cradle or up to a high cradle.
4 vs 3 Keep Away
This drill highlights:
- Ball movement
- Defensive stick and body positioning
- Reading the offense and anticipating turnover opportunities
Directions:
- Grab a group of seven people and set up a box with four people on each outside cone (offense) and three people in the middle (defense)
- Four people on the outside work ball around the perimeter of the box
- Three people in the middle try to intercept passes and mark up on outside bodies
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is for the offensive players to whip the ball around the perimeter. Coaches should emphasize the importance of using your outside hand. Coaches should also point out that in some circumstances, it may be easier to throw in a behind the back pass or an off stick-side pass.
Maryland Drill
This drill highlights:
Directions:
- Set up a box near the goal (or if inside, a mini goal/trash can/ball bucket will do) with two players up top and two players by the crease
- Set up three defenders
- Whip ball around the perimeter until a player is open, then attempt a shot
- No player is allowed to move from their designated spot or dodge to goal
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to move the ball very fast along the perimeter until the defense cannot keep up. Coaches should emphasize patience on offense and waiting for the best possible shot. Since players cannot dodge, coaches should emphasize the importance of ball movement.
Sniper Cut Drill
This drill highlights:
- Learning offensive sets/plays even when a goal is not available
Directions:
- Set up four lines in what looks like a trapezoid form — two low and two up top. Top lines should be at an angle from lower lines, not directly across.
- Balls should start at one of the two lower lines
- Player in lower line should mimic a drive to goal, and player at the top line adjacent to her should do a sniper cut
- After catching the sniper cut pass, that player should pass to the other player behind the goal
- The player who just received the ball should then mimic a drive to goal while the player at the top line adjacent to them should do a sniper cut
Keep this pattern going for desired number of reps
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to mimic a game-like situation. Coaches should make sure the player driving to goal is really “selling” her drive. Coaches should also make sure that the girl running the sniper cut times her cut to coincide with the drive of the low player, so that he/she is not waiting in what would be the 8 meter for a feed.
3 vs 2 Ground Ball Drill
This drill highlights:
- Staying low on ground balls
- Stick protection
- Quick reactions
Directions:
- Coaches should divide players into two even teams
- Set up a small sized box (cones about 5–7 yards apart) with players on Team 1 filling in lines behind the two cones diagonally from each other, and players on Team 2 filling in lines behind the remaining two cones diagonally from each other
- One player from each team (2 players in total) will be start directly in the middle of the box
- Designate each team to either follow the commands of the first number called or the second number called. For this purpose, Team 1 will be the first number called and Team 2 will be the second number called.
- If the coach calls out, “32”, then one player from BOTH of Team 1’s lines will enter into the middle, while only one player from ONE of Team 2’s lines will enter (if only one player enters, the line that ALWAYS sends a player in is predetermined).
- If the coach calls out, “23”, then one player from ONE of Team 1’s lines will enter into the middle, while one player from BOTH of Team 2’s lines will enter.
- The coach releases the ball into the middle and both teams fight for possession.
- If the team with three players gains possession, they have to get three passes off inside the box before they get a point.
- If the team with two players gains possession, the player with the ball immediately runs out of the box to get a point.
- The first team to get to desired number of points wins.
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to work on competitive ground balls. Coaches should make sure that players are running through the balls. Also, coaches should emphasize that the players always have to be alert to quickly know whether they have to keep possession or run out of the box.
Box Lacrosse
This drill highlights:
Stick work in confined spaces
Two-man game
Transition offense and defense
1v1 offense and defense
Directions:
- Split group up into two teams, evenly distributing attackers, midfielders, and defenders
- Depending on space, set the field up to represent a smaller version of a lacrosse field-two goals directly across from each other at opposite ends and sidelines made of cones on either side
- Usually a 5v5 works best, but this can be adjusted based on the amount of space
- Substitutes on each team line up on the sideline and act as boundaries, helping keep the ball in play
- Begin drill with a 50/50 ball
- Players play out a 5v5 but can also utilize their teammates on the sideline to pass to if need be
- After a goal, save, or wide shot, the ball always returns to the goalie for a clear to the other team in order to maintain the pace of the drill
- Each shift of five players should play about 4 minutes before subbing
Key Coaching Points
The objective of this drill is to be in a game-like situation where everything is fast-paced. Encourage the players to use picks, screens, and deceptive stickwork in order to score goals. Emphasize the importance of getting open for your teammate by working together with other players.
Feel Free to Use These Drills
We’re a company of coaches so we know there are always new and different ways to teach the game. Please feel free to download these drills, print them out, and put them in your practice book. And, we’d love to hear your favorite drill(s)! Please share, email us.
Beginner Lacrosse Drills – Beginner Lacrosse
Lacrosse Drills for Beginners & Intermediate Players
Here are some of the basic lacrosse drills that coaches use with young lacrosse players. These beginner & intermediate lacrosse drills will help to improve their overall lacrosse skills.
Related Sections
Lacrosse Catching Drills
- Basic passing & catching with a stationary partner – practice right and left hand passes & catches.
- Two kids running down the field in parallel passing back and forth. Running & catching with your non-dominant hand can be tough for beginners.
- Practice catching goalie clears. Act as a goalie and your players will have to break out left or right from the goal and catch a ball on the run.
- Practice catching “misguided” passes (that are almost out of reach). Pass a ball that is almost too high or wide so the player must extend his stick (versus keeping his hand near the head of the stick). This will help him to intercept opponent passes or catch errant passes from your teammates. You can also make this into a wall ball drill.
- Bad pass drills. Kids often throw erratic passes in a lacrosse game so it is important for kids to practice on how to catch these passes. Have two kids face each other and make bad passes to each other (i.e. throw the pass low, throw the ball to the left side when the teammate has the stick on the right side, throw the ball high, etc. ).
- Cross handed catching drills. Have two kids face each other. They pass the ball righty but catch the ball on the left without changing their hands. They just move the stick across their face to catch. More advanced players should also practice this drill with their left hands.
- Wall ball & rebounder drills are the fastest way for beginners to get better at catching because they can get many more “touches” in a set period of time and they can practice at home by themselves (versus needing a partner or a team practice).
- Visit the Lacrosse Catching section for tips on how to catch, instructional videos, etc.
Lacrosse Cradling Drills
- Practice two hand cradling while running down the field. Switch from left to right side on each whistle blow from a parent/coach.
- A little more difficult – Practice one hand cradling while running down the field. Switch hands on each whistle blow from a parent/coach. Remember to teach the kids to lock their non-cradling arm in place to avoid any warding penalties.
- Light defensive pressure by one kid against someone who is practicing his cradling. Learn how to protect the stick with your body.
- Visit our main Lacrosse Cradling page for more cradling basics and tips.
Lacrosse Shooting Drills
- Have your players – Run, dodge (past a defender – real or imaginary) and shoot on the goal. They should practice righty and lefty shots. Basic shooting drills should include dodging & shooting from the top and the wings.
- Run, catch a pass (feed from parent/coach) and shoot. Do both sides – left and right.
- Run, scoop up ground ball and shoot.
- Run from around back of goal (from X) and shoot. Do both sides – left and right.
- Run, fake shot and shoot. Do both sides – left and right.
- Add targets (i.e. cones) in the net in order to practice shooting accuracy.
- Cutting Drills – Have your player “cut” across the face of the goal (left to right or right to left). He should start from 15-20 yards out, run diagonally across the face of the net and end up at goal line extended on the other side of goal. Coach (or another player) will stand near/behind goal line extended on the opposite side of net (versus where the player starts) and feed player as he cuts across goal. Player should catch and shoot on the run.
- Practice quick stick shots close to the goal.
- For more advanced players, you should run drills that practice shooting techniques such as Fakes, Behind the Back Shooting, Question Mark Shooting, etc.
- For more lacrosse shooting drills and tips, visit our main section on Lacrosse Shooting Techniques.
- US Lacrosse – Instructions for Shooting Drills
- Form Shooting Drill – Drill for shooting on the run.
- Hopkins Up & Over Shooting Drill
- Hopkins Over & Down Shooting Drill
- Six Line Shooting Drill
Lacrosse Defense Drills
- Practice various checks (i. e. poke checks, lift checks, slap checks, etc.) in order to dislodge the ball from your opponent.
- A player must practice moving his feet and screening an opponent off from the goal. Have an attackman try to blow past the defender in order to score and the defender must stop a clear shot just by moving his body.
- Work on clears. Often a defender will win a groundball or snag a pass near the goal. Players must practice getting rid of the ball quickly, especially to a middie in order to start a fast break.
- Starting around 5th/6th grade, defenders can use lacrosse defense long poles. One of the advantages of this long pole is snagging high passes by your opponents. The defender will gain the ball for team and infuriate the opposing coach!
- You can practice this takeaway skill with a simple “monkey in the middle” lacrosse drill. Just position the player with the d-pole in the middle and have two other players (on opposite sides) toss moderately high passes to one another. Have the defender try to snag these passes with his d-pole.
- Or try wall ball drills where the player must throw high passes against a wall. He should then try to snag the high rebounds with his d-pole fully extended.
- Practice checks as some checks are easier with a long defensive pole (i.e. wrap check).
- However, protecting the ball is harder as the long pole “sticks out” (i.e. above the player’s head). Therefore, you should run long pole cradling and “under pressure” drills (where attackmen ride the defensive players).
- Visit our main Lacrosse Defense page for more defense drills and instruction.
- US Lacrosse – Instructions for Defense Drills
- Defending Against Feeds to the Crease
Lacrosse Dodging Drills
- Station orange cones where the kids have to demonstrate a different dodge at each cone.
- Practice dodging past a defender with various dodges (i.e. split dodge, face dodge, roll dodge, etc. ). Start with no pressure from the defender and slowly increase to full pressure defense.
- Combine with shooting drills so players must dodge past a defender in order to shoot on the goal. Defender can either go all out or they can just give light poke checks in order for players to focus more on dodging “mechanics”.
- Visit our main Lacrosse Dodges page in order to learn tons of different dodges (i.e. Toe Drag).
Lacrosse Ground Balls Drills
- Roll ball out and two players charge out to “win” the ball. The winner should then try to shoot on a goal and the loser should defend against this shot. You can also make it harder with three players going after one ball.
- Practice scooping ground balls (without pressure) from a variety of angles. You can roll the balls quickly towards the players in the front as they run towards you. Next, you can have the players scoop the balls from the side as they run across the field laterally away from you.
- Drop a ball halfway between two players and let them battle for the ball.
- Make sure that you practice “box out” drills (where a player uses his hips, rear, etc. to push his opponent away from the ball).
- Also practice kicking the ball out of the scrum. Players can gain possession by kicking a contested ball away from the opponent in order to gain an easier pick-up.
- You can practice ground ball “reaction speed” by having the players facing away from you and then turning to scoop up the ground ball when you tell them to turn as you roll out the ball.
- Visit our Lacrosse Ground Balls page for more drills.
- US Lacrosse – Instructions for Ground Ball Drills
- 2 on 1 Ground Ball Drill
- Ground Ball Box Out Drill
- Ground Ball Drill with a Chaser
Lacrosse Passing Drills
- Basic passing & catching with a stationary partner – practice right and left hand passes & catches. This is one of the first beginner lacrosse drills that kids should practice. The partner can be another kid or a parent.
- Two kids running down the field in parallel passing back and forth.
- Passing under pressure. One kid lightly pressuring a passer who must get off a clean pass to the parent/coach.
- Triangle drill. Three kids in a triangle passing around the triangle – start with 10 righty passes & catches and then 10 lefty. You can make it harder by making the kids run in a circle while passing & catching.
- Bad pass drills. Kids often throw erratic passes in a lacrosse game so it is important for kids to practice on how to catch these passes. Have two kids face each other and make bad passes to each other (i.e. throw the pass low, throw the ball to the left side when the teammate has the stick on the right side, throw the ball high, etc.).
- Visit our main Lacrosse Passing page for more passing instruction and ideas.
Lacrosse Clearing Drills
- A basic clearing drill involves having defenders & middies standing in a line near the goalie. They will take turns running towards the midfield line. The first player will run to the right side and the goalie will pass him the ball. The second player in line will run towards the middle of the field and the goalie will pass the ball. The third player runs left & goalie passes ball… and so on. This clearing drill teaches young players how to catch clears on the run.
- To make this drill more realistic, once players can catch clears well, add a player (i.e. attackman) to ride clearing player after they have caught the ball.
- After receiving a clear, players should also practice cross field passes (done while stationary and on the run) because they may have to clear the ball by passing to an open teammate on the far side of the field.
- For information on clears, please visit the main section on Lacrosse Clears.
- US Lacrosse – Clearing Drills
- Scoop & Clear Drill
- Clears After The Shot
Lacrosse Riding Drills
- Lacrosse rides are a critical skill for a team to learn. Offensive players need to learn how to ride “legally” so they are not called for slashing penalties, etc. Moreover, defenders need to practice against rides in order to develop a greater chance of successful clears.
- Rides can get the ball back for your team (i.e. when an opposing goalie trying to initiate a clear) or stop/slow a potential fast break against your team.
- US Lacrosse – Riding Drills
- Riding After A Shot On Goal
- Riding After A Sideline Dead Ball
Lacrosse Wall Ball Drills
- Beginners should practice tons & tons of wall ball because it is probably the most effective way to improve beginner stick skills.
- Get your son to practice passing & catching with his non-dominant hand. He will be loved by coaches if he can use both hands effectively (i.e. shooting and catching equally well with his left or right hand).
- If your son is very young, you can try using a tennis ball for the wall ball drills. Young kids are sometimes fearful of the heavy “regulation” lacrosse ball because it can hurt if/when they get struck by a missed rebound. A light weight tennis ball is roughly the same size and causes less pain if it hits.
- Have more advanced players practice using the wall to pass with their right hand and catch with their left (and vice versa), catch cross handed, one handed catching, throw behind the back passes & shots, simulate fakes, etc.
- Visit our main Wall Ball Drills section for many wall ball ideas (i.e. running & passing down the wall). These drills will quickly improve your son’s lacrosse skills.
Lacrosse Speed & Agility Drills
- Lacrosse players not only need great stick skills but they also need to be great athletes. Here are a variety of beginner drills that will work on a lacrosse player’s speed, agility & conditioning.
- Timed 40 yard dashes – For extra “fun”, you should have the kids run in full gear while cradling a ball. They automatically lose the race if they drop the ball!
- Suicide drills – Sprint to the 10 yard line & touch the line, sprint back to the zero yard line & touch the line, sprint to the 20 yard line & touch the line, sprint to the zero yard line & touch the line… and so on. Helps with speed and the ability to quickly change direction.
- Sideways shuffle drills – Set out two cones and have kids shuffle sideways without crossing their feet between the two cones. Helps with lateral movement (i.e. improves a defenseman’s ability to move and screen off an opponent from the goal).
- Backward drills – Make them run backwards to the 20 yard line, touch the line and then sprint “forward” back to the zero yard line. This will work on their ability to move backwards at speed and without falling down. This is especially useful for defensemen and middies who need to stay in front of an attacking opponent.
- Zigzag drills – Place 6-8 cones in a staggered zigzag pattern down the field. Have each player sprint to the first cone, cut left to the second cone, cut right to the third cone and so on. This drill will work on improving your son’s ability to make quick changes of direction when running at speed. Useful for all offensive players, especially middies.
- Agility ladder drills – Some people swear by this training tool. Others feel that it is useless. Try it and see if it improves your son’s speed, footwork and quickness.
- Visit our Lacrosse Agility Training page for videos & additional drills that will improve your son’s lateral movement and speed.
Fun Lacrosse Drills
- As a reward for a good hard practice, you should consider throwing in a couple of “fun” drills (i.e. Lacrosse Sharks & Minnows). Young players really enjoy these drills.
- Visit our Fun Lacrosse Drills page for a wide variety of additional “fun” lacrosse drill ideas.
Beginner Lacrosse Drills
8 Drills for Your Next Youth Lacrosse Tryout
After weeks of sitting at home in quarantine due to the COVID-19 outbreak, your organization and your players are likely excited to get back to some normalcy and conduct tryouts for your youth lacrosse club. While this year’s evaluations might look a bit different — depending on if you’re holding in-person tryouts with social-distancing and other safety measures put in place, or if you’re having players tryout through video submissions – it’s important to test athletes’ skills to ensure you are putting the right players on your roster.
Take a look at drills you might want to run during your youth lacrosse club tryouts.
Warm-Up Drills
Whether you’re holding tryouts in-person or via video, it’s important to have all players warm up before going through skill evaluations. Have players run laps around the field – or their yard if they’re trying out via video – and then do basic stretching. This warm-up will help the players prepare mentally and physically for the upcoming drills, and it lets the evaluators look at each athlete’s conditioning and flexibility.
Passing Drills
Passing is a fundamental part of lacrosse, so players should perform a variety of drills to showcase their skills. Clubs should test athletes on their abilities to pass and catch both right and left-handed, and also make over-the-shoulder passes and catches.
Passing Triangle
This drill requires three lines of players at three different pylons or markers. The athlete in position A passes to the player in position B. The athlete in position B meets the pass halfway, then moves to the outside of the triangle, around the pylon, and passes to the charging athlete in position C. The player at pylon C peels to the outside and around the cone and passes to the athlete at pylon A. The drill is repeated until all players have performed the exercise at the three different markers.
If a player is completing this drill via video, he or she should try to get family members to participate in the other two positions. Evaluators should focus on the athlete’s skills and movements and not the accuracy of his or her family members.
Pass, Catch and Shoot
This drill combines passing and shooting to test players’ accuracy and technique. For this exercise, you need one passing line and one line that will catch the pass and shoot it. To conduct this drill, the shooting player starts jogging towards the net. The passing player makes a pass to the shooter. That player then needs to catch the pass, and once he or she gains control of it, he or she will shoot the ball on the net. You can use a goalie to try to prevent the shooter from scoring to also test the goalie’s skills.
If players are performing this drill at home over video, a parent or sibling can participate and pass to the player when he or she is the shooter. A family member can then run towards the net (or area in their yard designated as the net) and have the athlete pass to them to showcase the player’s passing abilities.
Ball Control Drills (Scooping and Catching)
To successfully move the ball around the field, it’s important for athletes to demonstrate ball control skills. You can test athletes’ scooping and catching abilities in the following drills.
Scooping Course
For this drill, set up four or five pylons or cones in a zig-zag pattern, spaced about five yards apart. Have a coach or volunteer at each station. The first player moves to the outside of the marker and scoops the ball from the ground while he or she is running. The athlete will then pass it back to the coach at that cone. The player then moves on to the next station, where the coach or person at the second cone will throw the ball towards them to scoop and pass. They proceed throughout the course.
For individual video tryouts, players can set up cones or markers in their yard and have a parent throw them a ball to scoop and pass at each station.
Keep Away
Divide players into equally matched pairs. Have one player carry the ball while the other one tries to get it from him or her. They should switch after the defender takes the ball away or after a certain amount of time. This will test a player’s ability to handle and protect the ball. It will also test the other player’s defensive skills.
If players are conducting this drill at home over video, they should partner with a parent or sibling.
Shooting Drills
To identify your club’s best offensive weapons, it’s important to run shooting drills to test athletes’ accuracy. In addition to the drills listed below, you should also run exercises with players going one-on-one against a goalie and small scrimmages to see how accurate players are in game situations.
Two Corner Rapid Fire
In this shooting drill, form two lines of players on each of the goal lines. Give Line A the ball and have them break upfield. The player with the ball should break a double team from Line B, roll out and pass to a player on Line B, who has mirrored the Line A player’s upfield motion but breaks to the ball when the player from Line A rolls. The player in Line B then shoots on the net. The sides rotate after each shot.
Three Zone Shooting
In this drill, clubs should set up three cones about 10 to 15 yards from the net. Place players at each cone and put a goalie in the net if you want to test goalie skills during this drill as well. At each marker, have players scoop up the ball and take a shot. The athlete should rotate to the next station after taking a shot.
If athletes are performing this drill at home, they should designate a net and place markers 10 to 15 yards away. They should take shots from each position.
Goalie Drills
One of the most important positions on your lacrosse club is the goalie. Because of this, it’s important to run drills aimed at testing these defensive players’ skills. In addition to the drill listed below, organizations can also test goalies’ game-time decisions through scrimmages.
Rapid Fire
In this drill, clubs should set up three stations about 10 to 15 yards in front of the net placed to the right, left and center. Put athletes at each marker and have them rotate taking shots on the net. This requires goalies to block quick shots coming from different angles.
Goalies who are performing the drill at home over video should have family members take shots on the net from the three different locations.
Scrimmage
For clubs who are able to hold in-person tryouts, evaluations should include scrimmages. These games allow clubs to get a better sense of how players perform in game-like scenarios. This can benefit players who don’t perform well at scripted drills but who excel in game situations.
Cool-Down Drills
After the drills are completed clubs should have players cool down with stretches. For in-person tryouts, this gives the coaches and director an opportunity to address the players to discuss what comes next, when rosters will be available, and other important information.
Passing is another critical skill to evaluate in players. Consider using this drill when testing athletes’ passing abilities.
About TeamGenius
TeamGenius is a lacrosse tryout player evaluation mobile app and website to streamline the entire tryout process. Our player evaluation software covers everything from player check-in to analyzing results and placing players on a team after tryouts.
Learn more about TeamGenius here >
Lacrosse Drills Your Kids Can Easliy Do From Home
Published
If you’re looking for a new way to get your kids off the couch to burn some calories, consider lacrosse. We’ve seen the pros move the ball from one end of the field to the other, seemingly like magic, but the aerobic benefits of this high-intensity game can be enjoyed by anyone. And it can be done safely at home.
Here are five lacrosse drills that kids can do at home. Many can be done with a parent or friend while some can be done solo. The best part is that kids don’t need huge spaces to practice these drills. They can be done in your backyard or at the local park. If your kids like lacrosse, you will want to invest in some equipment, such as the Lacrosse Rebounder. A lacrosse stick may be good to have, too.
Catch-and-throw drills
Catch-and-throw lacrosse drills can be done by a kid at home on her own or with a friend. If your child is on their own, they can just do this by throwing lacrosse balls against a wall and aiming to catch them as they bounce back.
Instruct your child to begin throwing with their strongest hand, and then progress to their weakest hand. They can also vary distances. Throwing and catching, whether against a wall or with a training partner, is great for improving skills and reflexes. Even the professionals still practice catch-and-throw drills.
Stickhandling drills
Young players can improve their stickhandling by practicing cradling the ball when they are running. They can do this one-handed, two-handed, and also by switching hands on the run.
For another stickhandling drill, you’ll need a whistle and will need to join in on the fun. Every time you blow the whistle, your kid has to swap the hand carrying the ball. You can have fun with pacing with this drill.
Ground ball drills
Scooping up balls is a vital skill, and one that kids should practice regularly. If doing it on their own, kids can perform the drill by running and scooping up a stationary ball. To make this drill more difficult, a young player could roll the ball out in front of themselves and scoop the ball up while it is moving.
If practicing the drill with a friend, young players can mimic game conditions by competing to scoop up a lacrosse ball.
Dodging drills
Young players should practice dodging drills, as they will face defenders during game conditions. Practicing these drills gives kids a competitive edge as these drills are often the ones that are ignored. You can practice dodging drills using objects in the natural environment, such as trees, or with cones or other people.
If using natural features or cones, run up to the first object and do a dodge, then run to the second object and practice a different dodging strategy.
Shooting drills
Shooting drills are usually a favorite with kids because everyone wants to be the star forward. Everyone wants to score goals.
They can start by practicing stationary shots, then progress to making shots while on the move. As kids get more experienced, they can add a dodge before taking a shot, which increases their reflexes and agility.
The main takeaway
Young players who want to be the best need to regularly repeat these lacrosse drills. Those who practice regularly will see a rapid improvement in their skills. Regular practice of drills will give kids an edge over their competitors. If they keep practicing, one day they may get to play in the NCAA or in one of the professional lacrosse leagues
Jason Kennedy is a freelance writer with Victorem Gear. He enjoys writing about training and staying up-to-date on the most innovative training regimes and exercises for his favorite sport, lacrosse. When he’s not writing about lacrosse, he’s in the gym training his players or on the field with his stick.
The Best Ground Ball Drills for Lacrosse Players – LaxWeekly
In lacrosse, ground balls are a fundamental skill that every great lacrosse player should master. You will hear lacrosse coaches say “ground balls win games” and it couldn’t be more true. If you can get the proper technique down for ground balls, you will be a much better lacrosse player.
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to actually practice ground balls, so today I have compiled my very favorite drills that I still use to this day when I coach. Let’s dive in!
Pick Up, Put Down Drill: This is a great drill to start off practice. Start by placing one lacrosse ball on the ground. Simply scoop it up off the ground and protect your stick. Then quickly place (slam) the ball down in the same spot and scoop again. Do this for 15 reps, 3 times. It should get you tired very quickly!
Back and Forth Drill: If you have access to a bag of lacrosse balls, this is a perfect drill for you. Place 10 lacrosse balls spaced 3 feet apart in a straight line. Then 20 feet parallel to this line, place another 10 lacrosse balls spaced 3 feet apart.
Now you should have two lines of lacrosse balls 20 feet apart from each other. Start at one end, scoop up the lacrosse ball, then drop it on the ground. Run 20 feet to the other side, scoop up the lacrosse ball, and then drop it. Keep doing this until you go through all 20 lacrosse balls.
Back to Back Drill: This is my personal favorite ground ball drill. It requires at least one partner. Start by having two players stand back to back. They should both get low and get in a wall sit position with their legs bent at a 90 degree angle. Now place a lacrosse ball underneath the two players in the exact middle where they’re standing. When you blow the whistle, the players will have to use strength and strategy in order to “win” the ground ball battle. This drill might get a little heated!
Toss and Go Drill: Once you get the technique and feel for ground balls down, it’s time to practice doing them on the run. Start with a lacrosse ball in one hand and your stick in the other. Now throw the lacrosse ball with medium power and chase after it! Go back to where you started and do another rep. This drill will certainly make you tired, but it’s one of the most effective drills for teaching you how to run through ground balls.
Ground Ball Wall Ball: Find a wall, preferably one with plenty of grass or surface around you. Instead of throwing overhand like you would in normal wallball, throw the ball underhand and let the ball roll on the ground. Scoop up the ball and throw it against the wall again. You can make it more challenging by throwing the ball with more power or bouncing it at weird angles so you have to adjust quickly. This is one of the easiest drills to do and you can incorporate it into your wallball routine.
Pile Up Drill: This is a fun lacrosse drill that youth players will certainly love. Make a big pile of lacrosse balls, preferably 20 or more. Don’t worry about spreading them out; this drill is actually more effective if they are stacked on top of each other.
Once your pile is made, it’s time to run through the pile and find a lacrosse ball to scoop up. Stand about 10-20 feet from the pile and go. This will simulate what it’s like in an actual lacrosse game when there’s several players fighting after one ground ball. After a few tries, the pile will probably break apart, but that makes it even more fun and crazy.
Kick Drill: If you didn’t know already, you can actually kick a lacrosse ball like a soccer ball. Kicking is most commonly used in ground ball situations where a player kicks the ball to clear it from his opponents. You can practice this too.
Start by placing 4-5 lacrosse balls on the ground. Kick one of them and go chase after the ball and scoop it up. Your goal should be to pick up the ball while it’s still rolling away from you.
Rake Drill: Some coaches will tell you that you should never rake the lacrosse ball, or roll it backwards before scooping it forwards. I believe that this is true 80% of the time, but there are certain situations where raking the ball is a good idea.
For example, sometimes you will fight for a ground ball against several other opponents, and everyone is crowded around in a circle. The best way to get the ground ball would be to rake it and secure the ball quickly instead of try to kick it.
Practice raking the ball and securing it to your chest 10-20 times for some extra reps.
15 Lacrosse Drills To Do At Home – Sports Centaur
Often people are under the impression that Lacrosse is solely a team sport; therefore, you need a partner or two to even practice. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case. Even though lacrosse is played with multiple players as a team, it can be a solo practice.
If you do necessarily need a partner, your family and friends can become acting team members for you. As you commence your lacrosse career, the people who surround you are going to be imperative in your making or breaking. For the benefit of your development, seek help from mentors who are willing to work with you one-on-one.
In my time playing lacrosse, the best 15 lacrosse drills to do at home are:
- Warm-Up Shooting
- Running
- Wall Ball
- Box Jumps
- Eye Focus Drill
- Jump Rope
- Walk The Line
- Magic Square
- 40-Yard Dash
- Passing/Clearing Drill
- Shots With A Feeder
- Shots With A Rope
- Solo Face-Off Drills
- Nerf Ball Shots
- Backhand Pass
Most of these drills can be done alone, in your backyard, or someplace with free space.
The training you do on your own becomes your biggest asset in getting better.
Throughout the course of a lacrosse game, a player utilizes several different types of shots. With the help of our provided drills and your regular practice, you too can become an expert in all types!
1.
Warm-Up Shooting
Lacrosse shooting drills usually begin with a warm-up via shooting.
Line up your shoulders to the cage and scoop the ball and start shooting overhand.
Move to the opposite post and switch the stick to your weak hand and shoot some more.
This drill requires a net and some cones. If you don’t have those at hand, get creative! Grab anything large from home like soccer balls, Frisbees, or even sweatshirts. Anything big and bright enough to see on the ground will do.
About five yards away from the cage, stand in line with the left post and drop some balls on the ground in front of you.
A fence also acts as a great cage. You just need to tape off your shooting area and you’re ready to go.
2.
Running
Many lacrosse coaches suggest long-distance runs to begin your training. Start with these. Do time-focused long runs three to four times a week. (Source)
Run at a comfortable pace for about 15 minutes on the very first day of conditioning.
Add some time in the following three weeks to reach 30 minutes. You’ll notice you’ve begun to pick up the pace.
Your next step should be a switch from distance to interval runs. Run hard for 15 seconds for your first interval, and then jog for 45 seconds. Do this for 15 minutes.
In the second week, extend your time to 20-22 minutes. Up the interval to 30-second sprints with one-minute jogs to recover.
Then comes the time to gear up and take out your secret weapon: pattern training. Take 10 different patterns (routes you run in a lacrosse game) and run them at full speed. It mirrors the way you start and stop in Lacrosse games.
Creating a game-like scenario for your shots is the most important thing in this drill. Use your imagination to pretend those cones or the other items on the ground are defenders.
3.
Wall Ball
One of the initial things suggested regarding in-home Lacrosse training is the wall ball. All you need is a wall, a ball, powerful motivation, and a stick.
Everybody knows that you can hit a wall with a ball solo. Therefore, it makes sense to begin with the obviously easy one.
Vary it up between simulating long passes, ground balls, and attacking.
The average time this drill will take is a little over an hour. The time varies for each player, depending on the amount of rest you take in between shots and drills.
This is a hand-eye coordination drill with the added benefit of improving reaction time. Both elements are necessary for controlling rebounds, making saves, and dodging outside the crease.
Go back to the starting point and repeat. You can also perform this drill with your goalie stick or with a short stick for added difficulty; to take it to the next level.
4.
Box Jumps
Plyometric exercises can be extremely useful for athletes who need explosive strength in their sport. This is a fun, challenging, and effective way to build that explosiveness up.
Box jumps are simple and easy. They can be performed easily anywhere with a little bit of improvisation. Find a park bench or a low, sturdy table that can be jumped on. Twist the drill by experimenting with variations: box jump, depth box jump, and lateral box jump.
The box jump drills will improve your explosive strength to a great extent. They will help you reach your desired goals (Source).
5.
Eye Focus Drill
If you want to work on strengthening your concentration and focus, practice this drill and watch the ball closely all the way into the stick.
Position your head directly over your toes while looking down. The position of your feet does not matter that much.
With your top hand i.e. the dominant one, throw the ball very hard against the ground and then catch it with the same hand.
An alternative to this drill is to keep your eyes focused on the same spot (in between your feet) but bounce the ball outside of your feet, off to the side.
This alternative technique will aid in developing your peripheral vision. It is a fairly simple drill to enhance hand-eye coordination as it requires intense focus on the ball.
6.
Jump Rope
Jumping rope helps goalies shuffle around the crease with the greatest ease. When you watch pro goalies excel at their game, their quick-footed movements are due in part to hours upon hours of practice with a rope.
This practice helps you to work on your endurance, footwork, balance, and coordination.
7.
Walk the Line
You want this movement to be so ingrained in your mind that you react in a split second without thinking when a 90mph shot is coming your way. As you are well aware, perfecting the art of the save-moment is all about muscle memory.
In this drill, we’ll simply perform our basic save movement in a line for 10-15 yards.
With each save, you have to visualize a shot coming towards you and then visualize making the save to that particular area.
This helps in:
- Visualizing saves
- Stretching
- Focusing
- Executing proper form
- Building muscle memory
Using a weighted shaft for building up some endurance and strength in your arms is a form of variation of ‘walk the line’.
8.
Magic Square
To set up this drill, create 4 quadrants by placing your goalie stick perpendicular to a line on the field.
The exercises you can do in the magic square are:
- Two Feet Over and Back with 1 foot (left then right)
- Two Feet Quad 1 to Quad 2 to Quad 3 to Quad 4, back to Quad 1With 1 foot (left than right)
- Two Feet Side to Side with 1 foot
This jumping exercise is sure to get your heart pumping and work wonders on your quickness.
9.
40-Yard Dash
The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering 40 yards. Sprinting builds muscle and increases a goalie’s explosion to the ball. Ease into it – a 75%-85% intensity is enough to give you a full workout meanwhile allowing your nervous system and muscles to relax and recover. You don’t want to overdo it and then be worn out to perform any other drills. This technique is usually adopted by athletes to evaluate their speed and acceleration.
10.
Passing / Clearing Drill
This drill will work on an important part of your Lacrosse Goalie game i.e. outlet passes and clears.
There are two types of passes that you’ll need to master in order to perfect the clearing game: the lob pass and the bullet pass.
To practice the lob pass, set up a large garbage can about 20-25 feet away from you and practice lobbing the ball into the trash can. Keep on going until you become consistent in putting the ball into the can.
For practicing the bullet pass, all you have to do is to mark a spot on a wall with tape or chalk. Then standing about 20-25 feet away from wall practice, throw a bullet pass to that exact spot on the wall.
Begin at about 75% of your total stamina to focus on accuracy first and foremost. When you perfect the technique of hitting the spot on the wall, increase the bullet pass power until you reach the full of 100% effort.
Keep a backup stick at hand; make sure that you take some reps with that stick as well so you have a clear understanding of your stick’s throwing ability.
11.
Shots with a Feeder
This drill helps in moving quickly from one side of the goalie arc to another.
You’ll need two shooters to do this simple trick. Each shooter must be about 15 yards from the goal with one on the left side and the other on the right side.
The first shooter will pass the ball to the second one, who has to take a quick shot.
The goalie that is set up in his stance and on the arc for the shot will need to quickly move across his arc and quickly get into his ready stance in time to make the save for the shot.
12.
Shots with a Rope
This drill will help goalies understand the angle games involved with playing Lacrosse.
All you need is a long, thin rope. Tie each end of the rope onto either goalpost.
The shooter then steps into the loop formed by the rope. He then wraps it around his waist and backs away from the goal until the rope is taut.
This way, the rope will have formed a V between the goal and the shooter. The shooter will move around and take shots at the goalie.
This drill demonstrates where you should be set up on your arc and how far you need to step cut down the angle. The rope gives the goalie a visual idea of the angle that needs to be reduced by your lead step.
Lacrosse Agility Training – Drills
These lacrosse agility training drills help players to improve:
- Balance and conditioning
- Escape a defenseman
- Develop a great split dodge
- The ability to change direction rapidly
- Reaction speed
- Staying with a dodging opponent
- Overall quickness
- Reaction speed etc.
A nice warm-up is necessary before diving into these drills. Here are a variety of examples of agility drills that players use:
Agility Ladder drills – Agility ladder drills work on quick agility and footwork. These get your heart pumping. It is a perfect drill to mimic the save moment a goalie makes.
T-Test agility Drill – this involves running forward 10 yards to a cone, shuffling left laterally 5 yards to a cone, shuffling right laterally 5 yards, and finally running backward 10 yards to the starting point.
Lateral movement drill – place two cones apart on the field. In one drill, you need to shuffle laterally as quickly as possible, touching one cone and shuffle laterally back to touch the starting cone. You have to touch each cone 3-5 times.
Mirror drills – mirror drills are used where the players feel it necessary to quickly mimic the movements of a partner i.e. shuffling laterally, moving backward, etc. these drills help agility and reaction time and speed.
Shuffle drills – Create a square with a cone at each corner. Sprint forward to one cone, shuffle laterally to the next cone, run back to the next cone, and then shuffle laterally to the last cone in the square. You can create variations of this drill by adding diagonal movements within this square.
Agility drills help with most of Lacrosse’s techniques. Therefore, this type of training should be a crucial part of a lacrosse athlete’s workout regime.
13.
Solo Face-off Drills
Practice these solo face-off drills to master the technique:
Clamps – practice tapping the ball with a clamp in sets. Hold for a few seconds and try to really secure the ball.
Fast Hands – set the ball up a few inches from your hand as you would in a lacrosse faceoff. Go down with no-stick and have an alarm set for every 6 seconds. When the alarm sounds, grab the ball with your hand as fast as you can. Put the ball back and wait for the alarm to sound again.
Ghost face-offs, practice as you would a normal face-off at full speed. Use an alarm system for this as well, and go off as fast as possible. What you want is to cover your entire arsenal of moves a few times each to recover the ball.
14.
Nerf Ball Shots
Perfect for training your body to attack a shot, this drill uses nerf balls because of their floating and move-in-odd-directions nature.
The idea behind this drill is to wait as long as you can and then react to the nerf ball with a perfect save movement.
This drill slows down everything. During Lacrosse, your brain is in a fight or flight response. As soon as you see a shot, you are prone to acting without actually seeing it.
The movement of a shooter’s stick causes you to flinch. Lacrosse players are at their best when they are completely still prior to the shot and then use the minimum amount of necessary movement, after having fully understood the shot.
15.
Backhand Pass
Incorporate some time during your practice of passing with a friend or while practicing the wall ball routine to work on the ability to pass the ball backhand with both hands.
Every defenseman in Lacrosse should know how to throw a backhand. The key here is to let your core and your torso get to work. Make sure you shorten up your arm movement as compared to a normal pass.
Improve Your Game
Lacrosse requires dedication just like every other sport. Before beginning the training, always set goals and try to stick to them. Start simple and then accelerate towards complexity.
You are your biggest competitor but as you get better, assigning things like making varsity or playing at a collegiate level will become much clearer and will seem easier.
If you don’t have a companion to work with, you still have several options to improve. Whether it is through agility, save technique, conditioning, or stick work – all of these elements of Lacrosse can be enhanced with a solo workout session.
Solo practice is ideal. With no one watching you, accountability is in your hands. You must think of superstar athletes as born naturals, but the truth is: hard work is always a winner.
Huddle up!
Lacrosse is perhaps one of the most exciting and fun games you can master. The bonds you form during these games might even last a lifetime.
Just like everything else in life, the most practical takeaway would be: work on yourself, by yourself, for yourself! When you delve into these drills, try to surpass your previous best time.
Putting your tears, sweat, and blood into a sport is something that requires a certain amount of emotional investment.
“The principle is competing against yourself. It’s about self-improvement, about being better than you were the day before.” –Steve Young (Hall of Fame, NFL Quarterback)
References
Taylor and Francis Online. Quantitative Analysis of the Kinematics of the Overhead Lacrosse Shot in Youth. International Biomechanics, Volume 2, 2015 – Issue 1.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23335432.2015.1017608
Solo Drills for When You’re Alone
If you’re in the off season or just want to get in some extra practice, there are a number of helpful drills that you can perform on your own. It’s always more fun to practice with a partner, but if you find yourself going solo, the following will help build eye-hand coordination, strength, and agility.
Wall Ball
This is the most obvious and self-explanatory. It involves bouncing the ball off a wall and catching the rebound. It’s equally beneficial for players of all ages and will assist in developing greater accuracy at any skill level.
Shooting
When working to hone shooting skills, it’s important to approach each shot as you would if you were actually playing and doing so at full speed. It helps to focus on trying to hit one specific spot from multiple angles. Be sure to bring plenty of balls for the drill so you don’t waste valuable practice time setting up a new ball each time.
Seated Shooting
Sit on the ground, face the goal, and shoot for all you’re worth. You’re building upper body strength with this drill. You can also practice shooting while being on your knees.
Cross-Handed Catching
You can do this while practicing Wall Ball, but instead of catching with the dominant hand/arm, pass the stick across your face to the other side to catch. If you’ve been playing awhile and have some experience, try the same drill using your non-dominant hand/arm and cross over to your dominant side.
Cradling
You can practice one-handed or two-handed cradling anytime and anywhere. Practice at a walk and full-out run while switching from the right to left side.
Defense Drills
Throw high balls during Wall Ball practice and try catching them with your arm and pole fully extended.
Scooping
Practice scooping balls off the ground from multiple angles.
Practice Makes Perfect
While it is more fun to practice with an opponent, it’s not absolutely necessary and you don’t need a lot of expensive equipment to get in some beneficial training. Always be sure to wear the gloves and other equipment you’d use for regular game play.
Due to the popularity of lacrosse, the need for high-quality equipment is absolutely necessary for practice and gameplay.
We want YOU to have the best product at the best price. We want the game of Lacrosse to be promoted anywhere and everywhere around the globe and hope to be part of its growth.
Every ball we sell is officially approved and meets all the NOCSAE standards. We believe in offering top quality products and unparalleled customer service, therefore, we offer a money-back guarantee for every single ball sold.
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Product Description
A simple and effective massage for pain relief and relaxation can be done with a double lacrosse ball KSONE
Find relief from stiff and painful muscles using the KSONE double lacrosse ball . Constructed with durable natural rubber, the dense lacrosse balls are ideal for an effective, concentrated massage.Useful for trigger point therapy, myofascial release, correction therapy and deep tissue massage, with double lacrosse massage balls, promote healing by increasing blood circulation and flexibility in targeted areas.
Product Features:
1. Self-massage , provides effective pain relief and reduces inflammation, stiffness and muscle soreness
2. Durable construction, dense natural rubber double lacrosse balls will not crack or crack and does not leave marks
3 …The portability, nylon gear bag makes commuting to the gym or office convenient and easy
4. Improved mobility, increases flexibility and increases range of motion, ideal for pre or post workout
5. Reusable, ideal for myofascial release, acupuncture therapy , deep tissue massage and correction therapy
6.Included with your purchase:
KSONE double lacrosse massage balls
Nylon travel bag
Training insert
Product part
8
Our company
Fayyou Sports Co.Ltd., Zhuhai Kesai Branch Co., Ltd. founded in 1997, specializes in the production and marketing of sports products including lacrosse, ice hockey, crossfit and massage products.
Kesai has professional experience in manufacturing, marketing and delivery, providing various services. Fayyou Sport was established in 2015 due to the increase in the volume of the sports business.
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Muscle for Lacrosse 2021
Lacrosse is an intense and physical game that requires speed, agility, hand-eye coordination and superior competitive instinct.Playing at a high level requires strong running legs, powerful shooting arms, and upper body strength to help you hold your position and check the opposing team.
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Hamsters, ATVs, calf muscles
Legs are vital to your lacrosse success. You need to develop your running speed, your explosiveness and your ability to gain a foothold in a position without pushing away from it. Develop your speed by doing interval sprints, drag parachute and bouncing jump.Build strength in your legs by doing the leg, elbows, and ankles. These exercises will increase your speed and strength and help you become a more successful lacrosse player.
Chest and weapon
Lacrosse players must have the strength and agility to catch a lacrosse ball, throw it and clear shots from the opposing goalkeeper. The ovens, biceps, and triceps are vital in all of these areas. Pulling training exercises like bench press and arm curls will help you develop the strength to shoot heavy shots online.Push-ups will also help you develop upper body strength to withstand physical play and maintain your position without losing possession of the lacrosse ball.
Nuclear muscles
Since this demanding sport requires so much running, you must reduce weight and develop your core muscles. Trying to play lacrosse when you are carrying an extra 20 pounds. around your mussel is silly. In addition to eating healthy and sensible, you must develop your abs, thighs, and other heart muscles with crunches, bends, medical training, and kettlebell lifting if you want to play lacrosse effectively.
Muscles with the back of the head and neck
Holding a lacrosse stick while running at full speed will put pressure on your back and neck due to the position your hands will be in when you play in motion. However, if you need to twist to make a catch or reach forward to pick up a loose ball, it’s easy to stretch the muscles in your back or neck if you’re not physically prepared. Medical exercises such as pivoting and throwing can help prepare your back and neck muscles for play.
90,000 Starrett Kelly. Adhered to a chair, stand up. Modern Encyclopedia of Back and Joint Exercises 2018
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6 Section
Recommendations for mobility
To maximize the effect and safety of your exercise, here are some general guidelines for doing mobility exercises, of which there are fourteen recipes in Section 7. Read and think about all of these guidelines before you start exercising.
If it seems to you that something is wrong, it means that something is wrong
How do I know if the fabric is in good condition? It’s simple: no soft tissue in your body (such as your quads) should hurt when pressed or squeezed. In other words, by placing your whole body weight on the ball or massage cylinder, you should not feel pain. Pain is a sign that your tissues are stiff, clogged, pinched, or restricted. Simply put, if it hurts when mobilizing, then your tissues are out of order.The tension you create around the ball or massage cylinder will exacerbate the existing clamps. Normal tissues should tolerate local stress calmly.
This is a great way to determine which areas of your body need attention. If, for example, you are pressing down on the quads with a massage cylinder, you will most likely have pain only in certain areas. It is these areas that are numb, clogged, or otherwise differ from normal. When you touch problem areas, it hurts, but as soon as you stop touching them, the pain goes away.This is because elastic (normal) tissue does not react to touch with pain.
But you also need to be able to distinguish between pain or discomfort caused by touching clogged or stiff muscles from pain caused by injury. It may seem to you that the line here is rather thin, but it is not. This is where the rule applies: “If it seems to you that something is wrong, then something is wrong.” If you feel like you are injuring yourself or are only exacerbating the pain in the problem area, you probably are.As we wrote in the book Becoming a Supple Leopard, if it seems to you that something is torn, then something is really torn. If you feel a burning pain, your body tells you that something bad is happening. If you think your thigh is badly pinched, guess what’s going on? Your thigh is badly pinched. In such cases, the mobilization does not need to continue, because you will only make it worse.
7 Section
We program ourselves for mobility
Recipes for all areas of the body
Recipes
mobility
When it comes to dealing with pain or injury to joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones or nerves and improving range of motion, there is no single universal technique.Improving your ability to move safely and efficiently requires a systematic approach. We’ve given you an overview of our mobility system, now it’s time to combine these techniques in simple sequences. We call them “recipes”.
In this section, we describe 13 mobility recipes for all areas of the body, as well as a universal daily recipe specially designed for our readers who are attached to their chairs. Each recipe contains three to four mobilization exercises that take 8 to 18 minutes to complete.Think of these 14 recipes as a tutorial on daily body maintenance.
As you read the recipes, you might be asking, “When is the best time to do these exercises?” The general answer goes like this: anytime you have pains, clogs or numbness, or just when you are not busy with anything else. But there are also some nuances – depending on what you want to achieve. Here are some tips for organizing your mobility work and getting the most out of it:
At the beginning of the day.This is a good time to get the body to move in its full range of motion (see Basic Mobility Lines,
pp. 224-228), so give priority to mobilizing muscle dynamics. If you wake up with muscle soreness, a little light pressure won’t hurt.
Throughout the day. Exercising mobility throughout the day is one of the best ways to prevent problems. It is not even necessary to complete the entire recipe: at least one technique at a time is enough.You can work on both muscle dynamics and sliding surfaces – both are useful.
Warm up before physical activity. The main goal is to warm up the muscles. Prepare your body for your sport or gym activity with dynamic movements. If, for example, you are about to squat with a barbell, do light squat movements. Avoid heavy pressure and extreme stretching before training: you can ruin your mechanics and increase your risk of injury.
Cool down after physical exertion.This is the best time to work on improving your range of motion. You are warmed up, your joints, muscles and tissues are ready for good and high-quality mobilization at the limit of the range. It is best to give priority to mobilizing muscle dynamics.
Relaxation before bed. Mobilizing sliding surfaces helps you relax and calm down. Any pressure exercises can be helpful for relaxation.
90,000 ? Lacrosse Ball Massage: How to Perform
With the rise of workout training programs, lacrosse balls have emerged as an essential tool in any gym.But they are most likely not being used as intended. Unlike tennis balls, lacrosse balls are tough and dense and will not soften under pressure. Lacrosse balls can be used as a powerful massage device that can help relieve pain and improve function in sores.
Lacrosse ball massage is a form of self-myofascial release. The fascia, the thin layer of connective tissue that covers all muscles and organs in the body, is responsible for connecting muscle groups.If destroyed, it can cause pain and poor movement. >
A dense fascia can unbalance the body and increase pressure on muscles and joints, causing pain.The goal of myofascial therapy is to stretch and loosen the fascia so that underlying tissue can move freely.
What are the benefits of lacrosse massage?
A review published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy showed that self-myofascial release can:
increase total range of motion
- Help Muscle Efficiency
- Reduce fatigue after training
- reduce soreness after training
Self-myofascial release is best after a workout, but you can also do it every time you remember during the day.It only takes a few minutes. Just like stretching, the best results are seen after consistent practice.
Try these five self-massage techniques to soothe sore muscles after your next big workout.
Glitches
Heavy or irritated muscles of foot and mouth disease can cause pain and discomfort in the lower back and hip. Relaxing the tension in the buttocks will not only feel good, but also provide more flexibility in the hips and back.
Stand with your back against a wall with a lacrosse ball between the wall and the fleshy area of your buttocks.
- Move up and down and side by side until you find a tender spot.
- Relax your weight in the wall, letting the ball apply pressure to this area.
- Hold this for 30 seconds or until you feel the pain has subsided.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Hamsters
Many adults suffer from stiff hamstrings due to the increased amount of time spent sitting.It can contribute to pain in the hip, knee, or back, and it can also impair movement.
Sit on a hard chair or table that is high enough off the ground for your legs to hang. Place a ball of lacrosse under your thigh, moving it until you find a tender spot.
- Place forward and place your arm and body weight on your thigh.
- Slowly expand and bend your knee for 30 seconds.
- Move the ball as needed and repeat.
- Upper back and shoulders
The trapezius muscle is a large muscle that connects the upper back, neck and shoulders and can often become tense and painful with excessive use or stress. This can contribute to neck and shoulder pain.
Stand with your back to the wall with a lacrosse ball between the wall and your upper back. Place the ball on one side of the spine.
- Move in all directions until you find a tender spot.
- Relax your weight against the wall and cross your arms over your chest.
- Continue slowly moving up and down, massaging any nodes or areas of shadow you may encounter.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Chest and shoulders
Tight pectoral muscles can contribute to poor posture and neck and back pain. Use a lacrosse ball to loosen tight chest muscles. This improves posture and mobility.
Walk up to face the edge of a wall or doorway.
- Place the lacrosse ball on the pectoralis muscle near the armpit.
- Lay forward along the edge of the wall and slowly roll the ball over the chest and shoulder area.
- Once you find a tender spot, relax in this position. You can lift your hand up and down the wall for added benefit. Continue moving slowly in small circles to gently massage the area.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Legs (plantar fascia)
Plantar fasciitis causes pain in the lower part of the foot. It is caused by an inflamed or irritated plantar fascia, a thick strip of tissue running along the sole of your foot. Myofascial release can help break down adhesions and reduce pain.
Sit comfortably with your feet on the floor.
- Place a ball of lacrosse under the arch of your leg.
- Lean forward with your weight on your side. Slowly roll the ball back and forth along the arch of your leg.
- Continue for 30-60 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side as necessary.
- Next Steps