1. Chapter 12 Speed, Agility, and Quickness

2. Purpose
To provide the fitness professional with a foundational overview of concepts and application for speed, agility, and quickness training.

3. Objectives After this presentation, the participant will be able to:
Describe speed, agility, and quickness training and its purpose.
Discuss the importance of speed, agility, and quickness training.
Design a speed, agility, and quickness training program for clients in any level of training.
Perform, describe, and instruct various speed, agility, and quickness training exercises.

4. Concepts Often viewed as being beneficial only for the athlete.
Can also be used with a typical health club member to:
Add intensity and complexity
Increase the cardiorespiratory demand
Provide a simple and exciting variety to a routine workout
Allows a client to enhance his or her ability to accelerate, decelerate, and dynamically stabilize the entire body during higher velocity in multiple planes.

5. Speed
The ability to move the body in one intended direction as fast as possible
The product of stride rate and stride length
Stride Rate
The number of strides taken in a given amount of time (or distance).
Stride Length
The distance covered in one stride, during running.

6. Speed Proper Sprint Mechanics
Allow the client to maximize forces generated by muscles, so that maximum velocity can be achieved in the shortest possible time.
Frontside mechanics is the emphasis on triple flexion of the front leg:
Ankle dorsiflexion
Knee flexion
Hip flexion
Neutral lumbar spine

7. Speed Proper Sprint Mechanics
Backside mechanics is the emphasis on triple extension of the back leg:
Ankle plantarflexion
Knee extension
Hip extension
Neutral lumbar spine

8. Agility
The ability to start (or accelerate), stop (or decelerate and stabilize), and change direction quickly, while maintaining proper posture
Requires high levels of neuromuscular efficiency
Constantly regaining a center of gravity over a base of support, while changing directions, at various speeds
Can also help to prevent injury
Enhances the body’s ability to effectively control eccentric forces in all planes of motion
Improves the structural integrity of the connective tissue

9. Quickness
The ability to react and change body position with maximum rate of force production, in all planes of motion and from all body positions, during functional activities.
The ability to react to visual, auditory, and kinesthetic feedback during functional activities with minimal hesitation.

10. Kinetic Chain Checkpoints
Foot and Ankle Complex
Pointing straight ahead
Dorsiflexed 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
Knee Complex
Must remain straight ahead
Excessive adduction and internal rotation of the femur during the stance phase decreases force production and leads to overuse injuries

11. Kinetic Chain Checkpoints
Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex
The body should have a slight lean during acceleration.
During maximum velocity, should be fairly neutral, without excessive extension or flexion, unless to reach for an object.
Head Position
The head should remain in line with the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex and legs.
Should not compensate and move into extension, unless necessary to track an object (such as a ball).
Can affect the position of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex (pelvo-occular reflex).

12. SAQ Training for Youth
SAQ training for youth is an effective way of providing a variety of exposures to various physiologic, neuromuscular, and biomechanical demands, resulting in the further development of physical ability.
SAQ programs for youth have been found to decrease the likelihood of athletic injury, increase the likelihood of exercise participation later in life, and improve physical fitness.

13. SAQ Training for Weight Loss
High-intensity, short-duration programs have been found to match or surpass results for functional capacity, muscular power, fat and weight loss, and other metabolic adaptations when compared with moderate-intensity, long-duration exercise protocols.
The high-intensity, short bouts of SAQ drills make them a valid choice for interval training modalities with appropriate nonathletic populations.

14. SAQ Training for Seniors
A primary function of SAQ training in seniors is to prevent age-related decreases in bone density, coordinative ability, and muscular power. This aids in the prevention of injury and an increase in the quality of life.
SAQ-based programs have been found to increase coordinative ability and movement confidence, eliciting a decreased likelihood of falling or other movement-related injury.

15. SAQ Drills and Programming

16. Summary
SAQ training can be used by athletic and nonathletic populations and does not need to be reserved for athletes.
Precise technique and kinetic chain control are required to minimize risk of injury.
Programming guidelines must be gauged on the total volume of training for all components in a workout.