Agility Ladder — Carioca
Lateral movement with crossover steps front/back for hip coordination and agility.
Agility Ladder — Carioca
The carioca (or karaoke) is a lateral movement drill with alternating crossover steps in front of and behind the body. This exercise develops hip mobility, upper-lower body dissociation, and footwork coordination in the frontal plane. It is fundamental in the athletic drill toolkit for every athlete.
Anatomy Targeted
The hip rotators (piriformis, obturators) enable leg crossovers. The obliques manage trunk rotation. The adductors and abductors control lateral movements. The quadriceps and hamstrings stabilize knees in crossed positions. The calves ensure rapid foot placements. The trunk must remain relatively fixed while legs cross, developing segmental dissociation.
Step-by-Step Execution
- Stand beside the ladder, sideways to the direction of travel.
- Move laterally crossing the rear foot in front of the lead foot into the first box.
- Place the lead foot in the next box.
- Cross the rear foot behind the lead foot.
- Alternate front/back crossovers through each box.
- Keep hips facing forward and arms active for balance.
Sets and Reps
4 passes per direction. Rest 30 seconds between passes. Alternate travel direction.
Safety Warnings
- Learn the movement without the ladder before incorporating it.
- Start slowly to avoid tripping on crossovers.
- Keep knees slightly bent to protect joints.
- Warm up hips with rotations before starting.
- Flat, non-slip surface mandatory.
- Contraindicated with knee pain during rotations.
Progressions
- Level 1: Free carioca (no ladder) at slow tempo.
- Level 2: Carioca in ladder, moderate tempo.
- Level 3: Fast carioca with high knee drive on crossover.
- Level 4: Ladder carioca followed by 10 m sprint on exit.
Target Audience
Athletes of all levels for warm-up. Essential for team sport players, tennis players, and martial arts practitioners. Excellent for hip mobility and injury prevention related to direction changes.