Balance, Agility, Coordination, and Cardio with no equipment!
The Dot Drill is a modified hop scotch drill, and is something I used to do in High School while training for sports. It is a simple drill which can be done with no equipment, and very little space. Simple, but not easy!
Step 1- Make Your Dot Drill Grid
Ok, if you started by watching the video, let’s slow it down a little bit before you get started. First, you need to make your self a grid. Items/space you need:
- Measuring Device
- Paint or Marker
- Indoor or Outdoor Flat Surface
Steps to make your Dot Drill Grid:
- Measure a 2×3 foot vertical rectangle, making dots at each corner
- Make a check mark at 18 inches going up the 3 foot side of your rectangle
- Make a dot in the center, 18 inches up, 12 inches in
- When you finish, your grid should look like #5 on a dice
The instructional video is a quick breakdown of the steps of the dot drill, and the whole drill which is 6 reps of each drill, all in a row. Do not, I repeat do not, try to learn and perform the whole drill as fast as you can on day one!
If you are new to jumping, agility training, balance training, try learning the first drill, and the fourth drill in the sequence first. And by learning, I mean break down into steps with a pause like I do in the video:
- Starting position, one foot on each dot at the bottom of the grip
- Two feet hop to the center dot, pause
- Hop to the top, one foot on each dot, pause
- Collect yourself, hop backwards to the center dot, pause
- Collect yourself, hop backwards, one foot on each dot
Track your progress, note which parts of the movement are most challenging for you. When you start to be able to shorten your pauses and do several repetitions in a row without losing your balance, you may be ready for single leg progressions.
The Importance of Pliability
Believe it or not, the Dot Drill is a very ballistic (fast, explosive) exercise, and has the potential to cause some muscular strains or overuse injuries if not approached properly. One way to set yourself up for success is to make sure you have a solid myofascial release (foam roller) and stretching routine.
Anyone who has chronically short, and tight muscles and decides to overload them with jumps and ballistic activities is asking for trouble, do not be that person!
Helpful Video to Accompany
This Video is a basic instruction to foam rolling and myofascial release, a very helpful topic if you are thinking about incorporating any jumps or ballistics to your social distancing routine: