Intermediate

Three-Cone Drill

This is the classic NFL-combine change-of-direction test, run around three cones set five yards apart in an L. It hammers the ability to accelerate, plant hard, and re-accelerate out of sharp turns, so it builds the exact deceleration and cutting strength field-sport athletes need. Use it as a skill-focused agility piece early in a session when you are fresh, not as gassed conditioning.

Equipment
Agility Gear
Body part
Glutes, Quads
Type
Cardio, Functional
Browse by movement
Gait Drill
Muscles worked
Target
Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Gluteus Maximus
Secondary
Gluteus Medius, Biceps Femoris, Gastrocnemius Lateral Head, Gastrocnemius Medial Head
Tertiary
Abdominal External Oblique, Soleus Gastrocnemius

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set three cones in an L shape, five yards between each cone.

  2. 2

    Start in a three-point stance at the first cone.

  3. 3

    Sprint to the middle cone, touch the ground, and sprint back to the start; touch again.

  4. 4

    Sprint back to the middle cone, then cut sharply around the far cone in a figure-eight loop.

  5. 5

    Weave back around the middle cone and sprint through the finish.

  6. 6

    Stay low through every plant, drive off the outside foot, and keep your eyes up.

Tips

  • Sink your hips and shorten your steps as you approach each cone so you can change direction without overrunning it.
  • Plant on the outside foot and push, do not reach and pull.
  • Keep the inside shoulder low and dip toward the cone to stay tight through the turns.
  • Run it in both directions to train left and right cutting equally.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The ground touches turn into a wave of the hand at hip height, which is a missed touch in any timed version and removes the deep sink the turn is there to train.
  • Around the far cone the arc swings out two or three feet, and every inch of that is distance the clock charges you for; dip the inside shoulder and run close enough to brush it.
  • A three-point stance with the weight parked back over the heels sends the first step upward instead of forward; load the down hand and the front foot so the first stride drives out.
  • The weave back past the middle cone gets rushed in a hurry to reach the finish, so the last change of direction, the one you are most tired for, never gets practiced.
  • Turf shoes on a dry field give the plant foot more grip than the knee wants at these angles, so early sessions belong on grass at three-quarter speed.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the three-cone drill should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Walk the L once and jog it twice before you time anything, because remembering the order of the touches is the hard part. Then run it four to six times, looping the far cone in the opposite direction each time, and stand still until your breathing settles between runs, usually about two minutes. If you are testing rather than training, take the best of three runs in each direction. Once a week on fresh legs is enough, and the session is over when a run comes out slower than your second one.
What can I use instead of cones for the three-cone drill, and how much space do I need?
Shoes, water bottles, folded towels or chalk crosses all mark the L well enough, and nothing heavy should be used since a foot can catch it. You need roughly eight yards square plus a few yards of run-off, which a park, a driveway or half a basketball court will give you. In a smaller space, shrink the sides to three yards and accept that it becomes a footwork drill rather than a speed test. On a polished indoor floor the plant foot will slide, so run it at half speed there or take it outside.
What is the three-cone drill for, and when is it a poor choice?
It is the most technical of the combine agility tests, rewarding deceleration, a tight hip turn and re-acceleration out of sharp angles, which is why football, soccer and basketball players use it to measure short-area agility. Rehearsal matters, so early improvements come mostly from learning the course. It is a poor choice as conditioning, because fatigue turns the corners upright and slow, and the 300-yard shuttle does that job better. Leave it out while an ankle, knee or groin is complaining.

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