Footwork is well known to be one of the most important aspects of all combat sports, including Muay Thai. However, there is little focus on how to increase the physical attributes associated with footwork. Today, we are pleased to share a guide on seven agility ladder drills to improve your Muay Thai footwork.

1) Ali Shuffle

Named after the legendary Muhammad Ali, the Ali shuffle involves rapidly changing stances while moving laterally. This drill trains your ability to throw kicks full speed, while driving and maintaining balance, making it a powerful tool to add to your regimen.

To do the Ali Shuffle, start at one end of the agility ladder in your fighting stance. Your lead foot will be in one of the ladder segments, while your rear foot will be outside of the ladder. You then switch stances while moving to either your left or right. The lead foot of your new stance will land in the square next to the one you started in. Use your arms like a sprinter and pump them forward and backward to aid in your movement and balance. Be sure to land in an appropriate fighting stance, regardless of orthodox or southpaw!

2) Ninety Degree Hip Rotations

Ninety-degree hip rotations help you develop the footwork speed and coordination required to throw roundhouse kicks while moving forward and backward, one of the most essential skills in Muay Thai.

We will be explaining a version of the drill that trains the rear leg roundhouse kick, one of the staple techniques of any Nak Muay.

Start with your feet side by side. Your left foot will be in the ladder square at one end, while your right foot is outside of the ladder. Contrary to the previous drill, you should be looking down the path of the ladder.

Rotate on the ball of your left foot and move your right foot into the square in front of your left foot. You should be in the same position as when you started, but facing to the left instead of forward.

You then replace your right foot with your left foot, with your right foot going back to the outside of the ladder. When done correctly, you should be in the same position and facing the same direction as you started, just one square forward on the agility ladder.

3) Single-Leg Hop

Single-leg exercises are important to fix imbalances with either side. Single-leg exercises are also especially important to Muay Thai as kicking requires you to balance on one leg.

This single-leg hop drill helps acclimate your body to the rigor of continuous kicking while balancing on your lead leg.

Start by balancing on your left leg. You should be outside of the ladder facing forward, with the ladder square to your left.

Hop to your left into the square, while staying solely on the ball of your left foot. You then hop forward and diagonally to your right, ending in the same spot you started, just one square forward. Repeat this drill down the ladder and on your right foot.

4) Step Jab

For this drill, you will be practicing a step jab, while moving laterally left or right along the ladder. If you are an orthodox fighter, start on the right end of the ladder. Get in a fighting stance – your left foot will be just outside of the first ladder square.

Step into the ladder square while throwing a jab, then return to your stance. Your foot should now be where it started, outside the ladder square.

When throwing the next step jab, step into the next ladder square down the line, making sure your rear leg follows. You will end up in your stance, just one square down from where you started. Repeat this down the ladder and back in the other direction to increase your jab proficiency.

5) Step-In Kick Or Knee

This drill is almost identical to the previous one. After you step inside the square with your lead leg, you will then throw a kick or knee with your rear leg. Be sure to return to your stance, with your lead foot outside of the square afterwards.

As you progress with this drill, move side to side along the ladder. This will take the effectiveness of this drill up a notch, as these movements better mimic actual combat.

6) Hopping Kicks

This drill teaches you how to check a kick, and then explode into one of your own! Like the previous two drills, you start from your fighting stance, with your lead foot outside of the ladder square.

Raise your rear leg to check your opponent’s kick. Then you do a skipping step; your rear foot will hit the ground first, allowing you to do a small skip step with your lead foot. Your lead foot should land inside of the ladder square, heel turned inwards at least ninety degrees.

Throw your rear roundhouse kick at leg or body level as you skip your lead foot into the ladder. You can either retract your leg after the kick or spin through, whichever feels more natural.

7) Consecutive Single-Leg Hops

With reference to the same video as above at 2:47 seconds, this drill is commonly seen in traditional martial arts such as Karate or Taekwondo; it will also increase the control and fluidity of your kicks in Muay Thai!

This drill has you hopping on one foot, down the entire length of the ladder, square by square. As you hop to the next square, you will throw a snapping kick, keeping your lead leg lifted and chambered for the entirety of the drill.

You can vary the type of kicks you throw – front kicks, round kicks, hook kicks, and sidekicks all work from this stance. When done correctly, this drill trains your strength, and endurance,  and works the lower half of your posterior chain. Be sure to repeat the drill on your other side to gain the maximum benefit!

Conclusion

We hope these agility ladder drills help you improve your Muay Thai footwork! Let us know which drills are your favorites and happy training!

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