Cold-Weather Speed Development

Written By R3

When winter sets in, training outdoors becomes less appealing and often impractical. For youth athletes aiming to maintain or increase their speed, especially acceleration and change of direction, indoor training is the key to staying sharp. In this article, we’ll explore how to use drills and exercises—such as wall drills, falling starts, stairs, boxes, and indoor facilities like basketball courts and bleachers—to keep young athletes quick and agile, even in the coldest months.


Why Focus on Acceleration and Change of Direction?

Acceleration and change of direction (COD) are the most critical components of speed for youth athletes in sports like basketball, soccer, and football. While top-end speed is essential, most game situations require athletes to accelerate quickly or make sharp, reactive movements. Developing these skills in cold weather requires creativity and access to indoor resources.


Cold-Weather Speed Development: FOUR Key Strategies

1. Wall Drills for Acceleration Mechanics

Wall drills are excellent for reinforcing proper sprint mechanics and can be done in small indoor spaces. These drills focus on posture, force application, and hip mobility, all essential for explosive starts.

Example Drill: Wall Marches

  • Setup: Stand at a 45-degree angle to a wall, with hands placed shoulder-width apart on the wall for support.

  • Execution: Drive one knee up to a 90-degree angle while keeping the opposite leg extended. Alternate legs in a controlled march.

  • Coaching Points: Emphasize keeping the hips tall, maintaining dorsiflexion (toes up), and driving the knees powerfully. Progress to faster exchanges to mimic sprinting.

Here are some great progression technique videos that were built by a company Higher Tactics collaborates with for speed development:

Posture - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKRbpBSec1M&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=2

Reach & Drive - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpskM7SupeQ&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=4

Singles - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As-dNlyWBRQ&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=3

Triples - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cng7-2USYKE&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=1

2. Positional Starts to Build Explosive Acceleration

Varying up your acceleration phase starts teaches athletes to generate force and transition into sprints effectively. They are simple, space-efficient, and simulate game-like acceleration demands.

Example Drill: Falling Sprint Starts

  • Setup: Stand tall, arms at your sides, and balance on the balls of your feet.

  • Execution: Lean forward until your body feels like it’s about to fall. Then, push hard off the ground with your lead leg and sprint forward for 5-10 yards.

  • Coaching Points: Focus on explosive first steps, keeping your torso forward and driving with your arms.

Here are some great progression technique videos that were built by a company Higher Tactics collaborates with for speed development:

Tall and Fall - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVPptD2mKzk&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=7

Prone Starts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ3oQ8oFCiQ&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=11

Kneeling Starts - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KXN8fMoahI&list=PLKSCprFYJcL4tDd6Ag2GjLvTkdZJvQe1x&index=12


3. Box Drills for Explosiveness and Agility

Box drills help improve vertical and horizontal force production, essential for explosive acceleration and sharp COD.

Example Drill: Box Agility Drills

  • Setup: Get a box that’s 12-18 inches in height

  • Execution: Use quick feet and build off of the mechanics used in the wall drills to continue to be quick and powerful

  • Coaching Points: Focus on quick ground contact and powerful acceleration. Vary directions to simulate game scenarios.

Step On/Off - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZVRPjajhUk

Scissor Run - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG2HUcKtYTI

Ski Hop - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YczofzlbkE

4. Maximizing Indoor Spaces: Basketball Courts and BLEACHERS

Indoor courts and bleachers offer plenty of room for multi-directional speed and agility work. These spaces allow athletes to replicate game movements while staying warm.

Example Drill: Incline Bleacher Sprints

  • Setup: Find bleachers in your local school

  • Execution: Sprint as fast as you can with varied step distances

  • Coaching Points: Don’t make this a conditioning drill! Walk down the steps, rest 1 minute, and go again!

This a great video showing all the variations you can use on bleachers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSFmRAD7vCs



Conclusion

Winter weather doesn’t have to slow down your speed development. By using creative, indoor-friendly strategies like wall drills, falling starts, stairs, boxes, and basketball courts, youth athletes can continue to sharpen their acceleration and change of direction skills. These drills not only help maintain physical performance but also build mental toughness, setting athletes up for success when spring arrives.

If you’re interested, Higher Tactics offers lateral and linear speed programs that will incorporate all of these into elite speed development. Click here to access our free 14 day Speed & Strength Program


Hoping you stay warm and fast this winter,


Coach Ross


R3 https://www.highertactics.com
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