Box Drill
Agility & Change of Direction
Legend
- player
- cones
- movement path
How it works
Move through all four corners of a square using sprint, shuffle, backpedal, and carioca in sequence to train full multidirectional movement.
What you need
- cones
Your focus
Most agility drills only train 1-2 movement patterns. The box drill chains four together , forcing athletes to shift motor programs at each corner. This trains the brain to switch movement modes rapidly, which is exactly what happens when a defender rotates, a tennis player recovers to center, or a wrestler scrambles from position.
Set up 4 cones in a 5-yard square.
Start at the bottom-left cone.
Sprint forward to the top-left cone.
Shuffle right (facing forward) to the top-right cone.
Backpedal to the bottom-right cone.
Carioca left back to the start cone.
That's one rep. Complete the pattern in the opposite direction for the second rep.
Do 4 total reps (2 each direction). Rest 60 seconds between reps.
Goal
You've got it when all four movement transitions are smooth, no pausing, no standing up between modes.
Helpful cues
- No false steps, your first move should always be toward the next cone
- During the carioca, rotate hips fully, cross in front and behind
- Sprint and backpedal corners should feel like gear shifts, not slowdowns
- Keep your weight on the balls of your feet throughout
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Eliminate the carioca, replace with a shuffle back.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Coach calls direction changes at random, athlete must adapt mid-pattern.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.