Let’s start off with addressing speed.
In terms of speed the most elite athletes in the world are able to produce more force into the ground which propels them forward.
A “speed” ladder teaches people to have a high rate of turnover but does not address anything in terms of applying force into the ground.
The fastest people in the world have fewer ground contacts than their opponents.
So having a high rate of turnover will not translate to speed.
Now let’s talk about agility or the ability to decelerate then accelerate in a new direction that is different than their initial direction.
The most elite athletes are able to decelerate in the fewest amount of steps possible and apply maximum force into the ground and produce more force into that new direction.
In order to work on this we need your body to be outside of your vertical frame.
A ladder keeps you in the same vertical position the entire time.
In terms of quickness, the best athletes are able to accelerate faster than their opponents because they are able to apply more force into the ground during their first initial steps.
Again, this is something that is not addressed with a ladder.
Overall, the “speed” ladder/ “agility” ladder is not a tool that you are going to want to use to improve those skills.
However, I will use it as a way to warm up, a way to get beginner athletes more comfortable with moving, or even add a neurological component like a tennis ball to challenge the nervous system by using multiple systems of information.
A key note that I want to hit on is just because you see pros or celebrity trainers training a certain way doesn’t mean it’s something you need to be implementing.