Purpose:

To prepare the body for more intensive exercise while  improving coordination, conditioning and flexibility.

Setup:

Setup 6 hurdles one after another.
Have your athletes line up beside the first hurdle standing perpendicular.

Lateral Step Over Drill: Athlete skipping sideways using a straight leg to step over the hurdles.

Instructions: 

  1. On the coach’s command, the athletes will begin a sideways skipping motion, bringing their leg straight out and over the hurdle.
  2. They will then bring that leg down, continuing to skip sideways, bringing their other leg up and over the next hurdle.
  3. The athlete will repeat like this down the whole line of hurdles.
  4. After completing one set, the athlete will return to their starting position and perform another set.
  5. Next, they will return to the start for another set, but this time they will bend their leg at the knee so that the sole of their foot is parallel to the ground as they step over the hurdle.
  6. The athlete will repeat, alternating legs as they step over each hurdle, skipping laterally. 
  7. The athlete will complete one more set, then return to the starting position again.
  8. For the last set, instead of starting beside the hurdle and extending the leg over it, they will begin right in the middle of the hurdle and perform the same bent knee technique from the previous set as they skip sideways over each hurdle.

Coaching Tips: 

  • For advanced athletes, we can also combine this drill with the over, over back drill. The athlete will do the lateral step over 2 hurdles before stepping back over 1 hurdle, making their way down the line of hurdles this way.
  • Again emphasize the importance of staying light up on the balls of your feet, pumping the arms to maintain balance, and standing tall as they skip sideways.