How to Make Dots for Dot Drills

An explosive first step is crucial to success in several sports, whether you're executing a pick and roll in basketball or an out and up route in football. A drill that you can use to improve your foot speed is the dot drill. This staple of basketball and football practices is simple in design but provides the foundation for several agility exercises.

Choose an indoor or outdoor location for your dot drills. Either location is acceptable, but inside a gymnasium is ideal because the floor is flat and level. If you choose to set up the drill outdoors, look for a grassy area that is as flat as possible.

Measure a box that is roughly 6 square feet in size. The box should be 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Upon measuring each side of the box, cut a piece of string to the appropriate length and place it next to the tape measure before moving to the next side. Upon measuring each side, you'll have four pieces of string lying on the ground.

Mark a dot in each corner of the box and a fifth dot in the center of the box to create five dots in the shape of an X. If marking the dots indoors, use masking tape; if outdoors, use spray paint. The dots should be roughly 4 inches in diameter, although having them slightly larger or smaller won't impact the efficacy of this exercise. Discard the string once you've marked the dots.

Tips

An alternative to making your own dots for the dot drill is to buy a dot drill mat, which has the dots already laid out on it. Dot drill mats are available online and in stores that sell coaching equipment.

Warnings

Because performing dot drills requires athletes to use a variety of explosive movements, proper stretching before the exercise is important to reduce the chance of an injury.