Ladder Slalom Jump
Quick Information
Category
Agility & Footwork
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Agility Ladder
Primary muscle group
Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Tibialis Anterior
Secondary muscle groups
Quadriceps, Hip Flexors, Gluteals
Movement pattern
Lateral Jump Pattern
Training goal
Plyometrics
Sport
Football, Soccer, Basketball, Boxing, Tennis, General Athletic Development
Overview
Purpose. Train diagonal jumping and landing control, which is the mechanical basis of lateral cutting.
How it fits the system. A frontal-plane plyometric pattern in the Agility & Footwork section. Related work in the library: Ladder Hopscotch and Lateral Bound.
Primary muscles
Gastrocnemius, Soleus, Tibialis Anterior
Secondary muscles
Quadriceps, Hip Flexors, Gluteals
Movement pattern
Lateral Jump Pattern
Equipment
Agility Ladder
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to Perform
- Stand at the side of the first square with both feet together.
- Jump diagonally forward to land inside the next square on the opposite side.
- Continue zig-zagging along the ladder with both feet landing together.
- Keep the shoulders square to the front throughout.
Coaching Cues
- “Land with the knee over the middle of the foot.”
- “Push off diagonally, not vertically.”
- “Shoulders stay pointing forward.”
Common Mistakes
- Letting the knees fall inwards on landing, which is the mechanism to avoid in cutting.
- Rotating the trunk to face each landing.
Progressions & Regressions
Progressions
Increase tempo, then single-leg, then add a resisted band.
Regressions
Step the pattern rather than jumping it.
When to Use It
When to use
Warm-ups, foot-speed and coordination blocks, and low-load days between heavy sessions.
When not to use
Acute lower-limb injury, or when the pattern cannot be completed without stumbling.
Programming
4–6 passes per pattern, 2–4 patterns per session, full recovery between passes.
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