How do I Choose the Best Agility Hurdles?

Agility hurdles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes to accommodate a variety of drills and exercises, so before choosing the best agility hurdles, you must first decide what kind of agility drills you will be doing. Jumping drills will probably require agility hurdles that are height adjustable, while sprinting drills and lateral movement drills may require something slightly less complicated. Ladder exercises will require a ladder hurdle. While the variety of agility hurdles is nice, it also means there are countless choices for different exercises. Decide what your agility training plan is, and then decide what hurdles will work best for you.

If safety is a concern, you may want to consider foam or collapsible agility hurdles. These types of hurdles collapse if struck, or in the case of foam hurdles, compress when pressure is placed on them. Agility training can be an intense activity, and accidents may happen. If you are working with anyone who may become injured by getting tangled in a metal or other solid object hurdle, consider collapsible hurdles or foam hurdles.

For most purposes, simple aluminum, plastic, or PVC agility hurdles work well. Aluminum hurdles are less likely to get damaged after prolonged use, but they will be slightly more expensive. Many agility hurdles come in kits that include several hurdles of the same height. These are convenient because they are stored more easily when not in use, and they are generally lightweight and easy to transport. If transport is a priority over durability, choose plastic or PVC hurdles because they are even more lightweight than the more durable aluminum varieties.

If you plan on varying your agility workout, adjustable height hurdles may be in order. Such hurdles often feature two independent posts with notches or holes that can hold a cross piece at different heights. Some versions of the adjustable hurdle can even be used in conjunction with plastic cones; the hurdle is simply an L-shaped bar that is placed in the top opening of the cone. The height of the bar determines the height of the hurdle. Adjustable hurdles are particularly helpful when dealing with people recovering from injury. As the injury heals, mobility can be increased by adjusting the height of the hurdle.

Much agility training focuses on ladder drills, in which you will move across a ladder laid on the ground. While a regular ladder may do the trick, a specially designed training ladder is a better choice for safety and ease of use. Plastic and aluminum versions are available, and the aluminum versions are a good choice for durability.