Speed and Power Session: Conditioning for Elite Women’s Lacrosse Players
Objective
Enhance overall athletic performance by developing speed, agility, and endurance specific to women’s lacrosse. Players will train to accelerate explosively, recover quickly, and sustain intensity while maintaining proper stick control and mechanics.
Duration: 90 Minutes
Level: Advanced
Theme: Conditioning & Speed
Equipment Needed:
20 lacrosse balls
10–12 cones
6 agility ladders or markers
2 goals
Stopwatch or whistle
Resistance bands or mini hurdles (optional)
Training Breakdown
00:00 – 00:10 | Dynamic Warm-Up: Mobility & Activation
Focus: Prepare muscles and joints for high-intensity movement.
Players perform:
20m jog, backpedal, side shuffle
High knees, butt kicks, A-skips
Walking lunges with torso twist
Short sprints (3 × 20m) at 60%, 70%, 90%
Coaching points:Maintain posture and form.
Engage the core early.
Focus on progressive acceleration.
00:10 – 00:25 | Arrow T Footwork Drill: Hip-Switch and Balance
Focus: Agility, reaction, and body control.
Set up cones in a T formation. Players shuffle laterally, backpedal, and explode forward on the coach’s command.
Coaching points:
Eyes up, stay balanced through hips.
Switch direction smoothly.
Push explosively off both legs.
👉 See drill: Arrow T Footwork Drill:
00:25 – 00:40 | 120s Sprint Conditioning Drill
Focus: Speed endurance and recovery control.
Players sprint 120 yards in under 20 seconds, jog back, and recover for 30 seconds. Repeat for 6–8 rounds.
Coaching points:
Sprint in game posture (stick up, eyes forward).
Breathe through recovery; manage fatigue.
Record times to track consistency.
👉 See drill: Conditioning Drill: The 120s Workout for Speed & Endurance
00:40 – 01:00 | 6-Person Cradling Relay
Focus: Stick control under fatigue.
Players form teams of six. Each runs through a cone course while cradling at full speed, passing the ball at each marker. Losing control adds one extra sprint.
Coaching points:
Maintain tight cradle at high speed.
Focus on smooth transitions and quick hands.
Communicate clearly on passes.
👉 See drill: 6 Person Cradling Relay
01:00 – 01:20 | Fast Break Scramble Drill
Focus: Game-speed conditioning with tactical application.
Players run 3v2 or 4v3 fast breaks full field, focusing on sprinting into space and transitioning quickly between attack and defense.
Coaching points:
Full-speed commitment in every run.
Quick recovery and reset on defense.
Prioritize sharp decisions under fatigue.
👉 See drill: Fast Break Scramble Drill
01:20 – 01:30 | Cool Down & Stretch
Focus: Recovery and flexibility.
2-minute light jog
Hamstring, quad, and calf stretches
Hip mobility and shoulder rolls
End with breathing work to lower heart rate and discuss how conditioning translates to real-game intensity.
Coach’s Insight
This 90-minute conditioning and speed practice pushes players to their physical and mental limits mirroring the intensity of real competition. Designed for advanced women’s lacrosse players, the plan links athletic performance with skill execution, ensuring fitness doesn’t compromise control or decision-making.
The Dynamic Warm-Up primes the body for explosive motion while reducing injury risk. The Arrow T Footwork Drill reinforces multi-directional agility, essential for both defenders and attackers. The 120s Sprint Drill builds anaerobic capacity and teaches athletes to perform during fatigue a key trait in late-game moments.
The 6-Person Cradling Relay integrates conditioning with stick work, promoting precision at high tempo. Finally, the Fast Break Scramble Drill converts conditioning into game-context movement, emphasizing full-field sprints, transitions, and recovery all while maintaining tactical awareness.
By combining speed, endurance, and lacrosse-specific coordination, this session develops complete athletes ready to dominate physically and mentally. Coaches can use it mid-season to elevate team performance or during preseason to establish a high-performance foundation.
