Chapter 12- Speed, Agility And Quickness Training

Question 1

Speed

Answer 1

The ability to move the body on one intended direction as fast as possible. It is the product of stride rate and stride length.

Question 2

Stride rate

Answer 2

The number of stride taken in a given amount of time or distance.

Question 3

Stride length

Answer 3

The distance covered with each stride, during running.

Question 4

Proper spiny mechanics

Answer 4

Allows the client to maximize force generation through biomechanical efficiency, allowing maximal movement velocity to be achieved in the shortest time possible. Two important aspects are:

• frontside mechanics
• backside mechanics

Question 5

Frontside mechanics

Answer 5

Proper alignment of the lead

leg and pelvis during sprinting, which includes ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion, hip flexion, and neutral pelvis.

Question 6

Backside mechanics

Answer 6

Proper alignment of the rear

leg and pelvis during sprinting, which includes ankle plantarflexion, knee extension, hip extension, and neutral pelvis.

Question 7

Agility

Answer 7

The ability to accelerate, decelerate, stabilize, and change direction quickly while maintaining proper posture.

Proper agility training can also help prevent injury by enhancing the body’s ability to effectively control eccen- tric forces in all planes of motion as well as by improving the structural integrity of the connective tissue.

Question 8

Foot/ankle complex

Answer 8

The foot and ankle should be pointing straight ahead in a dorsiflexed position when it hits the ground.

Excessive flattening or external rotation
of the foot will create abnormal stress throughout the rest of the kinetic chain and decrease overall performance

Question 9

Knee complex

Answer 9

The knees must remain straight ahead.
If the athlete demonstrates excessive adduction and internal rotation of the femur during the stance phase, it decreases force production and leads to overuse injuries.
Lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (LPHC)

Question 10

Limbo-pelvic hip complex

Answer 10

The body should have a slight lean during acceleration.
During maximal velocity, the LPHC should be fairly neutral, without excessive extension or flexion, unless to reach for an object.

Question 11

Head

Answer 11

The head should remain in line with the LPHC, and the LPHC should be in line with the legs.
The head and neck should not compensate and move into extension, unless necessary to track an object (such as a ball), as this can affect the position of the LPHC (pelvo-ocular reflex).

Question 12

Quickness

Answer 12

The ability to react and change body position with maximal rate of force production, in all planes of motion and from all body positions, during functional activities.

Question 13

SAQ circuits for weight loss populations

Answer 13

Circuit 1
A. Jump Rope: 30 seconds (using various foot patterns)
B. Rest 20 seconds
C. Cone Shuffles: 30 seconds
a. Place 8 cones in a line about 30 inches apart.
b. Participant lines up facing the line of cones.
c. The participant lowers his or her center of gravity and side-shuffles in and out
of the cones without hitting them.
d. Participant first performs this facing forward and then facing backward,
e. This is repeated for the duration of the station.
f. Other foot patterns such as forward, backward, and stepping over the cones
can be used as well.
D. Rest 20 seconds
E. Any 3 Ladder Drills: 30 seconds (see Agility Ladder Drills)
Circuit 2
A. 5-10-5 Drill: 30 seconds (see 5-10-5 Drill)
B. Rest 20 seconds
C. Modified Box Drill: 30 seconds (see Modified Box Drill)
D. Rest 20 seconds
E. Partner Mirror Drill: 30 seconds
a. Place two cones 10 yards apart.
b. Two participants stand in between the cones facing one another.
c. One partner is designated the “leader,” the other is designated the “mirror.”
d. Staying in between the cones, the leader moves in a variety of patterns,
shuffling, jumping, dropping to the ground, turning around, etc.
e. The mirror is to mimic the motion of the leader without falling behind.
f. The leader and the mirror switch each time the drill is done

Question 14

SAQ drills for seniors

Answer 14

Varied Size Cone/Hurdle Step-Overs
1. In a line 10–15 yards long, place various size cones, hurdles, and other objects about 24 inches apart.
2. Participants line up facing sideways to the line of objects and step over each, moving down the line and then back to the start.
3. Participants can be timed.
Stand-Up to Figure 8
1. The participant begins seated in a chair.
2. Two cones are placed directly in front of the chair, the first 10–15 feet away; the
second is 20–25 feet away, directly behind it.
3. On the instructor’s command, the participant stands up from the chair as quickly
as possible.
4. Then, as quickly as possible, he or she moves to the left of the first cone, then to
the right of the second cone while turning around to come back to the chair to
complete a “figure 8” around the cones.
5. Participant then repeats the figure 8 in the opposite direction and finishes by
sitting in the chair.
6. Participant is timed.