Spring 2025
Footwork & agility training for the tactical athlete
In Afghanistan, many operations involved flying insertions followed by rucking into positions before engaging in small-unit, shoot-and-scoot tactics. In Iraq, many operations were drive-in/fast rope down, shoot-and-scoot, small-unit tactics operations. Each required fitness, but the type of fitness was different in terms of energy systems and work capacity.
In shoot-and-scoot operations involving small-unit tactics, the ability to have a smooth and level firing platform is the key to being accurate. A smooth and level platform is only achieved with good footwork, balance, and the ability to engage a target with the force needed to negate the target. Without balance, footwork, and fitness, the accuracy to be a good shooter is often negatively impacted.
The posture of an officer, agent, soldier, or operator in stack or when engaging in moving small unit tactics is very similar to any athletic posture. In walking, the stance is wider than a normal walking stance, the knees are bent, the core is braced, the breathing is smooth, and the focus is down range. The footwork is a heel-to-toe rolling stance movement to provide sight stability while the knees absorb the force of the steps. The hips drive the movement as in any good athletic movement pattern, while the upper body is engaged in supporting the weapon and keeping the sight and plates square to the threat.
Agility and running are important components for closing on a threat, getting to cover, and keeping a weapon and protective plates pointed toward a threat. The ability to disengage the hips from the shoulders and move to keep a weapon or protection square to a threat while moving quickly across a fatal funnel is important in staying in the fight. A handgun will present differently from a long gun when moving. A handgun is easier to present with the upper body able to almost rotate 150 degrees from above the hips. A long gun in a right-handed person can rotate to 90 degrees to the left but only about 45 degrees to the right without going to the non-dominant side of fire.
In agility, there is a first step, a get-away step, and acceleration. This movement is not for maximum acceleration speeds but for maximum efficiency while attempting to present a smaller target to the threat or in presenting a square target so the protective equipment is facing the threat. In any first step, the knee leads the movement while the hip powers the movement. Linearly, the center of mass drops, the knees flex, the back leg pushes off, and the first step is straight ahead. Laterally, with a lead step, the back-side knee will flex and shift inside with a bit of a hip shift in the direction of acceleration, so the load is on the inside edge of the back foot before the first step. On a crossover first step, a similar loading phase occurs, but both knees and hips will shift toward the first step direction while lowering the center as the back-side foot pushes off and crosses over the front-side foot for the first step. Hip mobility, which can be improved with single-leg training and hip mobility and stretching drills, will greatly assist in the ability to optimally impart force in the angles from the ranges of motion required to stay small and move quickly.
The first step can be in any of eight directions, and the first step is one of 14 possible steps.
The getaway step is just that, the first step of the sprint. It is powerfully quick and smooth, a push step to impart force and cover ground during the acceleration phase. The acceleration phase may be an all-out run or a rapid walk while engaging targets.
- General rules for agility can be broken into four levels of intensity. They are:
- Easy–linear movements with changing footwork examples
- Shuffle into a run
- Carioca into a run
- Back pedal into run
- Examples of changes of direction above a 90-degree angle
- Diamond Drills
- Circle Drills
- Square Drills
- Examples of changes of direction below a 90-degree angle
- W Drills
- Triangle Drills
- Z Drills
- Examples of changes of direction at a 180-degree angle
- 5-10-5 Shuttle
- 60-yard Shuttle
- 6 Cone Drills
Coaching each drill for balance, footwork, agility, and quickness is a part of any coach’s wheelhouse. Where the money is made is in cueing the transitions during direction changes and from one type of footwork to another.
For example, in the easy linear movement drills, the inability to shuffle into a position step with the front knee punch — toe up position to impart force in the first step and accelerate in the second or get away step is a common error when transitioning from shuffling into a sprint (as in stealing second). In the second phase of drills above 90 degrees, doing a square or U drill with a carioca, sprint, or backpedal requires quickness, balance, footwork, and smoothness to stay low, move well, and be smooth.
After a few sessions of drills, add body armor and/or rubber duckies to mimic how different it is when in kit. Balance points change, and the concept of site acquisition in targeting will drastically alter the speed of the drill.
» ALSO SEE: The role of functional movement testing in tactical professions
In most cases, law enforcement will be working in shorter areas, so 5-10 yard movements on the drills are adequate, with the drills covering a total of 15-40 total yards. Military athletes will either be in close-quarter battle or larger area small unit tactics, so the drills could be like law enforcement or maybe larger in terms of yardage, much like football vs. rugby agility drills. For larger drills, the yardage could be up to 60-100 yards with multiple changes of direction.
Finally, these drills are not for maximum quickness and/or speed so much as maximum smooth transitions, controlled quickness, and balance. A seasoned veteran operator, officer, agent, or soldier is generally not prepared to impart maximal forces into the ground in deceleration, change of direction torques, and acceleration mechanics. The risk of injury is real, and while competition is fun, rehab is not.
