Football · Fitness & agility

Repeated sprint shuttles

Sets of short, all-out shuttle sprints with short timed rests that build the ability to sprint again and again late in a game.

P1P2P3P4C
Start / 4
Time
16 min
Players
2–20
Age
U16+
Area
25 × 30 m
Equipment
10 cones1 stopwatch

Setup

  1. A start line and a turn line 15 m apart; one 3 m lane per player.
  2. For U16s and adults only, and only after a full warm-up.
  3. C has a stopwatch and a whistle.

How it runs

  1. On the whistle, sprint 15 m, plant and turn on the line, and sprint back through the start (about 6 s).
  2. Walk back and rest 24 s. That is one rep: about 1:4 work to rest.
  3. 6 reps a set, 2–3 sets, with 4 min of easy walking between sets.
  4. Stop a player's set if their times drop off sharply or their form breaks down.

Coaching points

  • Every rep is all-out. If it isn't, the rest is too short.
  • Lower the hips into the turn and plant the outside foot.
  • Drive the arms and stay tall after the first few steps.

Common mistakes

  • Jogging the turns to save energy.
  • Cutting the rest short, or standing bent over instead of walking.
  • Running it the day after a match.

Say it: “All-out every rep. Walk the rest.”

Make it harder

  • Add a third set, or cut the rest to 20 s.
  • Turn twice (3 × 15 m) for reps of about 9 s, with 30 s rest.

Make it easier

  • Four reps a set with 30 s rest.
  • Turn at 10 m instead of 15 m.

Pairs well with

Reviewed by the Sportdify coaching team.