The Quick on Speed and Agility Training

In today’s world speed is the bottom line in just about everything we do. So it is no surprise that in fitness too, speed is a very popular objective for many to aspire to and to hold. Now more often than not, at least in the world of fitness, we associate speed with athletes. Maybe so, but who among us couldn’t do with a bit more speed? Or better still, increased agility along with that speed?

Speed is defined as a high velocity of movement. In fitness terms, we are talking running, cycling, swimming, skating and even circuit training in certain weight lifting programs. Agility is the ability to make a seamless change in the midst of that speedy movement - quickly stop, change a direction and then accelerate again. Making an athlete agile and fast requires training, mainly in the area of endurance. And by athlete, we are talking about the Olympic contender right on down to the suburban parent just looking to challenge him or herself or perhaps just better keep up with their too fast, super energetic children. In a fitness program just as in any form of education, practice does indeed make perfect or at the very least - a whole lot better.

For starters, one needs to increase power. And you guessed it, strength training increases one’s power. Strength is what undeniably leads to increased levels of speed and power and endurance and overall performance. But just for an example of how practicing strength exercises can lead to overall improvement in speed, take the vertical jump in track and field competitions. A recently published report on the internet suggests that the muscles involved in this particular action (calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes) could each be trained separately in various strength training exercises , thereby increasing power, followed, ultimately, by speed. Everyday exercises familiar to even the most novice of fitness enthusiasts include leg extensions and curls, kickbacks, barbell squats and toe raises. Even better for this purpose are jump squats, since they are more related to this form of jumping.

So if you have ever wondered how one actually develops into a “fast” athlete, fitness experts and personal trainers tell us that it is a well designed combination of three key elements: speed, agility and speed endurance. How to achieve this perfect triangle? Well, its that power thing again. Strength training or more to the point - power training - is where it must begin. Power training enables an athlete to apply the greatest amount of their maximal strength in the shortest period of time. High weight, low repetitions is of course one popular method. But do not discount the results than can also be achieved through circuit training or the low weight, high repetition formula. Much of this would depend on the individual athlete - be he or she a long distance runner or sprinter, swimmer, jumper, power lifter, weekend wrestler or a would be karate kid. Power training leads an athlete (or ok, any willing gym rat) to apply their strength rapidly, there by leading to explosive power. Since power is ultimately related to force and time - increasing power increases distance which increases speed.

For those seeking an old fashioned training exercises designed to increase speed and agility that can be easily practiced at home, consider the “training ladder”. One simply walks/steps in the spaces between each rung from one end of the ladder to the other as fast as possible with great form. The idea is to increase one’s speed with each attempt and in the long run, improve leg strength and flexibility.

Sound fun? BodyBlast Fitness Studios offer excellent Speed and Agility programs for athletes and weekend worriers. BodyBlast personal trainers implement goal specific programs that get you in your sports peak condition. To learn more- check out www.bodyblast.com/peak-performance/