Zig-Zag Cut Drill
Quick Information
Category
Agility & Footwork
Difficulty
Intermediate
Equipment
Five to Seven Cones
Primary muscle group
Glutes, Quadriceps
Secondary muscle groups
Adductors, Hamstrings, Calves
Movement pattern
Repeated Angled Cuts
Training goal
Change-of-Direction Speed, Braking Strength
Sport
Soccer, Football, Rugby, Basketball, Hockey
Overview
Purpose. Groove repeatable cutting mechanics at angles you choose, with each plant loading the outside leg.
How it fits the system. An intermediate-level cutting course in the Agility & Footwork section, programmed to develop change-of-direction speed and braking strength. Related work in the library: 45-Degree Cut Drill and T-Drill.
Primary muscles
Glutes, Quadriceps
Secondary muscles
Adductors, Hamstrings, Calves
Movement pattern
Repeated Angled Cuts
Equipment
Five to Seven Cones
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to Perform
- Lay five to seven cones in a zig-zag, three to five metres apart at roughly 45 degrees.
- Sprint to the first cone, plant the outside foot and cut to the next.
- Stay low through every plant; accelerate hard out of each cut.
- Finish through the last cone at full speed, then walk back to recover.
Coaching Cues
- Plant wide, outside the body — the leg is a strut, not a spring under you.
- Shin of the plant leg angles into the new direction.
- Eyes up and shoulders level; no upper-body flailing.
Common Mistakes
- Rounding the cones instead of planting and cutting.
- Cutting off the inside leg.
- Spacing cones so tight the drill becomes a stumble.
Progressions & Regressions
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Progressions
Sharpen the angles toward 90 degrees, carry a ball, or have a partner call late direction changes.
Regressions
Widen the angles and jog the course until the plant mechanics are clean.
When to Use It
When to use
As the main agility drill of a speed session, fresh, one to two times weekly.
When not to use
On wet grass or dusty courts, or while ankle and knee sprains are still healing.
Programming
4 to 6 runs of a 20 to 30 metre course with full walk-back recovery.
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