Speed, Agility, Quickness : ( SAQ )

Basic Concepts

• Need to bridge gap b/t resistance training & sport specific activities
• Requires solid foundations of basic strength training - progression basic resistance training à power lifts, plyometrics, and SAQ
• Again appropriate warm is essential –        consisting of minimum 10-15 min of aerobic activity (cycle, jogging), followed by stretching (dynamic, static, light ballistic)
• Plyometric warm up exercise are appropriate

SAQ Guidelines

• Simple to complex movements
• Low to high intensity
• Emphasize technique & form!!!
• Be fully recovered from previous workout –  avoid hard back to back workouts
• Frequency of 1-2 training sessions per week, depending on stage of training

Speed Training

• Speed is CRITICAL to high performance sports –  divided into 3 components
• start speed, acceleration, & maintenance (evaluate each component in athlete)
• full speed reached » 40 yards – Essential to determine distance athlete will sprint
• basketball vs football; tennis vs soccer;
• 40 yrd dash vs, 200

General Recommendation for Improving 3 Components

• Start Speed:(i) Powerful hip & knee extensors and plantar flexo (ii) Reaction time

• Acceleration:(i) Powerful hip & knee extensors, plantar flexors, but also hip flexors (ii) Fast turnover of the ATP/PC system

• Maintenance (i) Muscle endurance (ii) Develop “glycolytic” system (ii) Ability to tolerate lactic acid

• Speed Training (Stride Length)

• Speed is a factor of stride length & frequency - stride length MAY be improved if corrected early

• Stride length ­’s by ­’ing force against ground, this moves center of gravity forward (i) when foot makes ground contact should be directly under body’s center of gravity (ii) exercises that ­ hip & knee extension & plantar flexion, ­ force against ground (iii) exercises which ­ flexibility of hip flexors & extensors allow for easier ­ in stride length

• Over-striding creates a braking effect and so ¯ speed
• Stride Frequency
• Stride frequency is time to complete a stride]
• Stride frequency CAN be improved by: (i)  Neuromuscular system (ii) Shortening levers (ie – heel to butt) (iii) fast training trains the nervous system to cycle leg faster
• Forcing greater stride frequency will cause a shortened stride length-  therefore don’t force frequency or length (let them come naturally)
• Arm mechanics are essential

DRIL for SPEED:

(a) Speed Drills

• Stationary Arm Swing Drill: (i) improve running mechanics & speed (ii) Arm swing is essential to running speed
• legs can only move as fast as arms
• many times arms fatigue with > distance (400 m)

(b) Ankling Drills - 
(i) Increase foot speed by minimizing contact with ground 
(ii) Strengthening Achilles tendon & gastsrocnemius

(c) High Knees (“A” Skip) 
(i) Minimize ground contact resulting in increasing stride length (essential to speed) (ii) Strengthen hip flexors

(d) Chute Training

• Trains Rectus Femoris due to hip flexion & knee extension motions

(e) Partner Resisted Run 
(i) Improve acceleration by training with resistance 
(ii) Start speed

(f) Skipping for Height and Skipping for Distance

• Strengthens hip flexors
• Stretches hip flexors
• Strengthens hip and knee extensors
• May help with stride length

DRILLS for AGILITY:

(a) T Cone Drill

• Excellent for tennis
• Change of direction
• Keeping low center of gravity

(b) Icky Shuffle

• Standing on left side of ladder, move right foot into first square followed by left, right foot moves outside of square, then left into next square, right into square, left foot outside square; continue up ladder ladder.
• Both feet go into each square, only outside foot goes outside square
• Foot speed
• Ankle stability

(c) Zigzag Drill

• Foot speed & coordination
• Hip adductors
• Ankle/knee stability

(d) Cross Over Shuffle

• Starting on one side of ladder side step across, outside leg moves outside ladder, inside leg stays in square (move back and forth)
• Change of direction
• Explosive hip ab/adduction movements
• Ankle/knee stability

(e) Slalom Ski Jump Drill

• Hopping back and forth across ladder with both feet, as in skiing slaloms
• Great for change of direction
• Explosion of all hip muscles
• Knee/ankle stability

(f) Side to Side Skier Drill

• Change of direction
• Excellent drill to train all hip muscles
• Knee/ankle stability

(g) Slide Board

• Hip ab/aductors & gluteals
• Knee stability