Colour Call Reaction Sprints
Players stand in front of three coloured cones and sprint to the colour the coach calls. A short reaction-speed block for the warm-up.
- Age
- U7–U14
- Players
- 4–20
- Duration
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Intensity
- High
- Area
- 15 × 15 m
- Type
- Physical
- Approach
- Analytical
- Format
- Circuit
- Objectives
- Physical: Speed, Agility
- Concepts worked on
Training diagram
Legend
- Attacker
- Run without ball
- Cone
Reaction speed is trained by making players respond to a signal they cannot predict. The coach calls a colour, shows a bib or points, and the player sprints 5–6 m to that cone and back. Work is short (under 5 seconds) with full recovery so every sprint is at top speed.
Objective
Improve reaction to a visual or verbal signal and acceleration over the first metres.
Organisation
- Each group of three players has a start cone and three coloured cones 5–6 m away: one ahead, one left, one right.
- Several stations side by side for a full squad.
How it works
- Players start in a ready position, facing forward, on the balls of the feet.
- The coach calls a colour; the player sprints to touch that cone and returns to the start.
- 6 sprints per player, 20–30 seconds rest between each.
- Change start positions: sitting, lying face down, back to the cones.
Coaching points
- First step quick and short; push the ground away.
- Lean forward in the first metres, arms driving.
- Decelerate in small steps before touching the cone.
Progressions
- Call two colours in sequence.
- Use opposite calls: 'red' means go to the cone opposite red.
Regressions
- Use only two cones.
Variations
- Finish each sprint by receiving a pass and passing back to the coach.
Key principles
- Short, maximal, full recovery.
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