The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week, we highlight the Three-Cone Crossover Drill, which increases speed and agility.

Who’s Doing It

• Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals QB

Muscular Benefits

• Increases acceleration, deceleration and change of direction

Sports Performance Benefits

The Three-Cone Crossover is a great drill, not only for football players, but also for athletes in most other sports. It specifically develops the muscles you need to start, stop and change direction quickly. It also improves balance and stability during lateral movements, which will make you faster and more efficient when changing direction.
Adding a resistance band increases the challenge by forcing you to fight against resistance and maintain control of your body while being pulled in the opposite direction.

Three-Cone Crossover Drill How To

• Set up three hurdles two feet apart
• Assume athletic stance over first hurdle and hold med ball in front
• Step over center hurdle with outside leg
• Step over third hurdle with opposite leg to assume starting position on opposite end of hurdles
• Perform in opposite direction; repeat for specified reps
• Attach resistance band to waist and repeat drill

Sets/Reps: 2×5 each direction + 2×5 each direction with resistance/assistance

Coaching Points

• Hold med ball close to chest
• Stay low and explode from hips
• Increase speed throughout drill
• Perform two sets without resistance followed by two sets with resistance

Do you have an exercise that you want to see featured as an Exercise of the Week? Leave a comment below.