In the world of sports performance, the connection between physical performance and cognitive ability has become a key focus for athletes. One effective method of enhancing this connection is by integrating visual stimuli into reactive agility training. For coaches who prioritize agility, reaction speed, and cognitive sharpness, incorporating visual stimuli can elevate your training programs to the next level.
In this blog, we’ll explore 17 reactive agility drills with reaction lights to show how to seamlessly add visual stimuli to your cognitive training exercises and provide practical examples you can implement today. All the examples are performed with the Sportreact Reactive Agility System. Let's dive in!
1. Follow the arrows, after triggering laser beam,
and change direction accordingly
Exercise by: Nikola Marojevic
In this drill, the athlete performs a split-step movement and passes through the timing gate, triggering the reaction pod in front. The pod displays either a right or left arrow, directing the athlete to move to the corresponding side to deactivate the side pod.
This drill is ideal for agility in tennis but can be applied to any sport where this specific movement combined with decision-making is important.
2. Follow the arrows, after triggering laser beam, and perform a different action based on each signal
Exercise by: Nikola Marojevic
In this drill, the athlete triggers the directional pod just like in the previous one. However, the decision-making process is more complex, as the athlete doesn’t just have to change direction to the right or left.
If there is a diagonal arrow, the athlete needs to touch the corresponding cone on the floor, then swiftly change direction and deactivate the reaction pod in the center. If there is a down arrow, the athlete needs to run back through the gate and deactivate the back pod.
3. Follow the arrows or their opposite direction
(based on the color).
Exercise by: Dawid Dzikiewicz
In this drill, the athlete changes direction based on the arrows and colors. If the arrow is green, the athlete needs to change direction according to the arrow.
However, if the arrow is red, the athlete must change direction opposite to the arrow. This drill is ideal for introducing more challenging cognitive exercises to your athletes.
4. Compete with another player using dedicated colors
Exercise by: Nikola Marojevic
In this drill, two athletes compete to catch more signals. Each athlete has two dedicated colors, while the central pod changes color during the exercise. Athletes need to recognize their color and quickly change direction to deactivate the corresponding pod on the floor.
You can make this drill even more challenging by setting the four pods on the floor to change color after each signal. This will require athletes to scan a larger area and move sideways, forward, backward, and diagonally, depending on the color they need to react to.
5. Change direction based on the initials of your name.
Exercise by: Dario Novak
In this drill, the athlete stands in front of the triggering light. Once triggered, she needs to jump and rotate, scanning all three pods in front to find the correct letter. Then, she moves to the corresponding side, deactivates the side pod, and returns to the start.
In this instance, the athlete is following her name initials on the front three pods:
If the letter 'G' is displayed on one of the pods, the athlete runs to the left side where the letter 'G' is positioned.
If the letter 'F' is displayed on one of the pods, the athlete runs to the right side where the letter 'F' is positioned.
6. Catch a sign in a different color than the others.
Exercise by: Luka Zagar
In this drill, the athlete needs to deactivate a heart emoji in a different color from the others. If all the pods are showing blue hearts, the athlete must look for the one that isn't blue, such as a red heart.
To make it more engaging, set up 12 pods in a circular formation, requiring the athlete to use their peripheral vision to the fullest. Additionally, have the athlete run with a ball (depending on the sport) to make the drill more sport-specific.
7. Catch the specific letter from the alphabet.
Exercise by: Darelle Noel
In this drill, the athlete needs to find and deactivate only the red letter 'X,' while other pods display different characters. If two 'X's appear at the same time, the athlete must search for the red one.
To make the drill more sport-specific, have the athlete dribble a ball. To add a cognitive challenge, instruct the athlete to shout the name of a fruit with each signal deactivation, without repeating any fruit names. Track the athlete's time and compare it with peers to introduce an extra level of competitiveness.
8. Catch the colored pod based on the central pod color (while the pods change colors).
Exercise by: West Coast Soccer Club
In this drill, the athlete always looks straight ahead, waiting for the pod to display a color. Depending on the color, the athlete needs to change direction to the corresponding pod on the floor and deactivate the signal.
This keeps the athlete's eyes locked in a forward position, rather than looking at the floor, which better translates to a game scenario. To increase difficulty, have the floor pods change color after each deactivation.
9. Dedicate each action to a specific sign or color.
Exercise by: Hall of Winners
In this drill, the coach gives the athlete a clear action for each possible sign on the pods. Add several signs and create instructions. For example, if a red color appears, touch the red cone. If a yellow poker sign appears, move right and perform a lateral jump over the rope. If a blue arrow appears, touch the blue cone. If a blue rectangle appears, go and deactivate the pod.
You can add as many tasks and signals as you like, depending on the complexity you want to introduce. This will challenge your athlete to memorize sequences while working on movement and plyometrics.
10. Trigger deactivation with a laser beam and run back to the home base.
Exercise by: Nikola Marojevic
In this drill, the athlete runs through the timing gate, triggers one of the four pods, runs to deactivate it, and returns to the base.
This drill is based on the standardized Stop'n'Go test, and can be used to evaluate agility performance. Track the athlete's results over time and compare their progress to relevant sports, age, or position benchmarks.
This drill is one of the most comprehensive reactive agility tests available.
11. Add a reactive component to the 5-10-5 test.
Exercise by: Nikola Marojevic
In this drill, the athlete performs a standard 5-10-5 CoD test but with a reactive stimulus. While standing in the starting position, the athlete activates their peripheral vision by looking at the reactive pods on each side. Depending on which side's pod shows a color, the athlete begins the test in that direction.
This drill is known as the Reactive Line Test, used in NBA Combine testing. However, in this version, the reactive component is fully automated and measurable.
12. Pass the ball based on the arrow's direction.
Exercise by: Atlantic Ave. Passing Academy
In this drill, the athlete runs through the timing gate, triggering the reactive light ahead. Depending on the arrow, the athlete needs to pass the ball in the corresponding direction.
This drill can be used for shooting or passing in various sports, including football, soccer, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, or hockey.
If you are working with multiple athletes in a session, have them go one after another to save time and get more immediate results.
13. Track a 20-yard dash while changing direction based on colors.
Exercise by: West Coast Soccer Club
In this drill, the athlete runs a 20-yard/meter dash with the ball but must change direction based on the colors. If the red color appears, the athlete goes to the red cone; if the blue color appears, the athlete goes to the blue pod.
Since the reactive pod is triggered by a timing gate, and both starting and ending gates are used, this drill can be precisely measured. Use it to evaluate your athletes for sport-specific agility testing.
Try different variations, such as incorporating it into a 40-yard dash or a flying 10-yard sprint with a reactive component.
14. Put the colored balls on the corresponding colored gate, measured by a timing gate.
Exercise by: Dawid Dzikiewicz
In this drill, the athlete has 3 colored balls and four colored cones at their disposal. They start with their back turned to the balls (not knowing the order of the colors), turn around, and pass through the gate to start tracking time. The task is to place each colored ball at the corresponding colored cone, while holding only one ball at a time. After positioning all three balls, they need to run as fast as possible through the timing gate to finish the drill.
This drill is great for any competition-based workouts, as the exact time is measured, giving athletes an extra sense of their performance. You can also use reaction pods instead of cones and balls.
15. Change direction based on mathematical tasks.
Exercise by: Nikola Marojevic
In this drill, the athlete must deactivate the number displayed in red. Afterwards, a red math sign will appear, and the athlete needs to focus on it. Next, a second red number will pop up, and after deactivating it, the athlete must identify the correct response from all the red-colored numbers.
Use the same drill with a memory game variation, where the athlete scans all the pods, memorizes them, and then runs out to activate the pods in the correct numerical order.
16. First, deactivate the color of the sign in front, then the sign itself.
Exercise by: Dario Novak
In this drill, the athlete needs to scan the reactive light in front and then move to deactivate the corresponding pod on four sides. What’s the trick? Here, the athlete is not only reacting to a sign but also to the color of the sign. For example, when the athlete sees a red number 1, she runs and deactivates the red pod on the side, regardless of the sign on that pod. However, for the next signal, the athlete must deactivate that exact sign, regardless of its color.
Here, the athlete needs to memorize the order (it’s always color first, sign second) and then react accordingly.
17. Extra: First, deactivate the color of the sign in front, then the sign itself, while memorizing the sequence for each of the four colors.
Exercise by: Dario Novak
In this drill, the athlete does the same as in the previous one but in 'beast mode.' Now, the athlete doesn’t just have one color to memorize (first color, then sign); instead, they have four different colors to keep track of. For each color, the athlete needs to memorize the sequence. Keep in mind that the sequence can be broken. For example, the athlete might first follow the red color, then the green color, then the sign in red, then blue color, then the sign in green, then the red color again, and so on.
Throughout the entire length of the drill, the athlete needs to maintain a "table sheet" in their mind while simultaneously memorizing, moving, and reacting to the corresponding stimuli.
Want to see more? Explore the full set of reactive agility drills with reaction lights HERE!
Use Reaction Lights to Practice These 17 Reactive Agility Drills
Incorporating reactive agility drills with reaction lights into your training routine can elevate your athletes' performance by sharpening their decision-making skills and improving their reaction times. Whether you're aiming to boost speed, agility, or cognitive responsiveness, these 17 drills offer dynamic and challenging ways to enhance overall athletic ability. Start implementing them today with Sportreact and watch your athletes reach new levels of quickness and precision!
ANTO
SIRIC
Meet Anto: the CEO of Sportreact, a cutting-edge sports tech startup, and a dedicated WAKO kickboxing athlete. With a passion for exploring innovative sports performance training routines, Anto continuously seeks to push the boundaries of athletic development.
Anto is featured in numerous local and international business accolades, including the "30 Under 30 Award" for the most successful young Croatian entrepreneurs, as well as in the "TOP 25 Croatian Startups."
