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The Agility Training Institute Presents….

The Certifi ed Speed and Agility Trainer’s Manual

Richard Lansky, CSCS, ACSM HFIUSA Weightlifting Certifi ed U.S. International Coach

Director of Athletic Development Optimum Performance Training, Inc.

and

Andrew Neitlich, MBADirector of the Agility Training Institute

Copyright ATN Associates LLC and The Agility Training Institute. All rights reserved.

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Table of Contents

About Richard Lansky .......................................................................5

Requirements for Certifi cation ...........................................................8

Introduction: Speed Kills .................................................................10

Equipment ........................................................................................20

Safety ...............................................................................................23

Forms ...............................................................................................26

Assessment .......................................................................................34

Movement Prep and Dynamic Warm Ups .......................................46

Developing Linear Speed .................................................................58

Plyometric Drills ..............................................................................68

Lateral Speed and Agility .................................................................74

Multi-directional Agility Drills ........................................................82

Reaction (Chaos) Drills ....................................................................88

Program Design ...............................................................................90

Case Study 1: Tennis Player .............................................................95

Case Study 2: High School Football Running Back ......................101

Case Study 3: High School Baseball Player ..................................107

Camp Programs ..............................................................................109

Motivational Strategies ..................................................................117

Marketing Your Practice ................................................................118

Bibliography ..................................................................................128

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About Richard Lansky

As President and Director of Optimum Performance Training, Inc. at the O.P.T.I. Sports & Fitness Clinic, Rich is the driving force behind the company and its success over the past two decades.

A Syracuse University graduate, he has workedin the sports performance and strength and

conditioning fi elds for 20 years. He is an NSCA Certifi ed Strength and Conditioning Specialist as well as an ACSM Certifi ed Health/Fitness Instructor

He is heavily involved in the Olympic Sport of Weightlifting, serving at both the state and national level. He holds the offi ce of the President of the Florida Local Weightlifting Committee as well as serving onthe Board of Directors for USA Weightlifting. Rich also serves asthe Board Liaison and Coordinator for the USA Weightlifting Coaching Committee. In addition, he coordinates and teaches the Club Coach, Sports Performance Coach and Senior Coach Educational Clinics throughout the Southeast USA.

Rich is certifi ed as a U.S. International Coach by USA Weightlifting and has served as Assistant Coach for the Men’s Jr. World Team in 2003 and 2004, and as Assistant Coach for the Women’s Jr. World Team in 2004. He was the Assistant Coach for the 2002 Men’s Team at the Pan American Championships in Venezuela. In 2004, he was the head coach for the National Squad that competed at the Mermet Cup (USA vs. Australia) in Melbourne, Australia. In 2007, he served as the head women’s coach for Team USA at the World University Cup in Peru.

Rich also served as Team Leader for the Jr. Pan American and 16 and Under International Teams in Puerto Rico in 2003 and 2005.He is also a USAW National Referee.

As a personal coach, he directs the training of over 50 athletes ona daily basis, both at the OPTI Sports and Fitness Clinic and atthe Team Florida Gulfcoast Weightlifting Training Hall. He has

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personally coached four national champions, four American Open Champions, two National Collegiate Champions, two National School Age Champions, three Junior Olympic Champions, and one Pan American Champion. One of his athletes has set multiple Jr. American Records and two more have established CollegiateAmerican Records. Five of his athletes have earned spots on either the USOTC Resident Squad or USOETC resident squad.

Internationally, he has personally helped develop and coachhis athletes as they represented the USA at the Junior Worlds,NACACI Championships, the Pan American Championships, theJr. Pan American Championships, the School age Pan AmericanChampionships, the World University Games, the Mermet Cup, the Criollo Cup, the Mexican Olympic Festival, the Pan American Games, and the Senior Worlds. His coaching travels have taken him to Bulgaria, Belarus, Quatar, Peru, Venezuela, Canada, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico, and Australia.

As the head coach and executive director of operations for the former national powerhouse club, Team Florida weightlifting, his squads have won team titles at the Nationals, the National Juniors, National 23 and Under Championships, National School ageChampionships and the American Open.

He has recently re-organized and started the Team Florida Gulfcoast Weightlifting Club, a not for profi t sports and lifestyle education club dedicated to using the drug-free Olympic sport of Weightlifting, as a vehicle to improve the physical, social and psychologicalwell-being of Florida’s Gulfcoast area youth and young adults.

In addition to coaching weightlifting, he has worked with hundreds of high school and collegiate athletes to become more explosive, stronger and faster for the sports of football, baseball, soccer, track and fi eld, tennis, wrestling, volleyball, rowing/crew, sailing, and equestrian. He served as a strength and conditioning coach for Booker High School Football, Weightlifting and Wrestling in the early 90s, as a conditioning coach for Venice High School Wrestling in the mid 90s, and as a Speed Coach for Cardinal Mooney High

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School Soccer, Celsius Tennis Academy and Bradenton Christian Football during the past few years.

At the elite level, he works with professional football, baseball,tennis and soccer athletes during their off seasons. His NFL Combine and Pro Day Preparation programs are considered to be state of the art in terms of enhancing participants’ abilities to produce explosive force, power and speed while preparing them for the specifi c drills and tests that they will experience at their pro day, senior bowl, and combine. Over the past few years, his athletes have experienced average increases of 4-6” in the vertical jump, and 12” in the long jump; they have also dropped anywhere from 2/10 to 4/10 of a second off of the pro agility, three cone, and forty-yard sprint tests. (www.sportsperformance.com)

In addition to his hands-on work with athletes, Rich spends a great deal of time as an educator to those in the weightlifting, strength and conditioning and personal training fi elds. He has been called upon to present at the 1997, 1998 and 2000 NSCA National Conference. In addition he has lectured and taught at the NSCA State Clinic Level, the American Fitness Professionals Association, and the School Boards of various counties in the state of Florida. Rich has taughtcertifi cation courses for Florida Special Olympics Power lifting,the American College of Sports Medicine and USA Weightlifting. He has been published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Training and Conditioning, Purepower Magazine, USA Weightlifting, American Fitness Quarterly, City Tempo, and Medi-Scene.Together with Sharol Cripe, RD and D.R. McLaughlin, he authored the Fitness Expert Activity and Nutrition Guides. He has also hosted a “conditioning tip of the week” on local television and radio. In 1997, Rich was awarded Coach of the Year honors by both Sarasota County Special Olympics and Florida Special Olympics. In 1998, he was awarded the Good Heart award for community service in Sarasota, Florida.

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Requirements for Certifi cation

To receive your certifi cation you must:

1. Read all materials in this manual and study the video clips.

2. Be paid in full with your program.

3. Complete a test to assess your knowledge and understanding of the material.

4. Complete and maintain a current CPR certifi cation.

5. Agree once again to the terms and conditions you agreed to when you signed up for the program. Specifi cally you, your clients, your attorneys, and your insurance companies agree to the following:

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FITNESS TRAINING, INCLUDING SPEED AND AGILITY TRAINING, HAVE INHERENT PHYSICAL RISKS, INCLUDINGINJURY AND HEALTH RISKS, AND EVEN RISK OF DEATH. YOU AGREE THAT RICH LANSKY, ANDREW NEITLICH, THE AGILITY TRAININGINSTITUTE, ATN ASSOCIATES LLC, OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE TRAINING, INC.(OPTI) AND ITS AFFILIATES AND ASSIGNEES, ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INJURY, HARM, OR DAMAGE, INLCUDING ALL RISK CONNECTED HEREWITH, WHETHER FORESEEN OR UNFORESEEN, THAT YOU, OR YOUR CLIENTS, INCUR USING OR ATTEMPTING TO USE THIS PROGRAM. YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THE PREVIOUSLY NAMED INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES FOR ANY INJURIES, HARM, OR DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT. THIS INCLUDES ANY CLAIM BY YOU, OR YOUR FAMILY ESTATE, HEIRS OR ASSIGNS, ARISING OUT OF YOUR ENROLLMENTAND PARTICIPATION IN THIS COURSE. YOU FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGETHAT YOU ARE IN GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND HAVECONSULTED A PHYSICIAN PRIOR TO STARTING THIS OR ANY OTHEREXERCISE OR FITNESS TRAINING PROGRAM, AND – IF YOU ARE A TRAINER OR COACH WHO TRAINS CLIENTS -- HAVE CONFIRMED THAT YOUR CLIENTS HAVE DONE THE SAME. THIS PARAGRAPH APPLIES TO ALL PROGRAMS OFFERED BY ATN ASSOCIATES LLC AND THE AGILITY TRAINING INSTITUTE AS WELL AS ANY PROGRAM DEVELOPED BYRICHARD LANSKY, OR OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE TRAINING.

YOU ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE “CERTIFIED SPEED AND AGILITY TRAINER” PROGRAMS ARE BASIC CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS PROVIDINGBASIC EDUCATION AND INFORMATION. PERSONAL TRAINING ANDFITNESS TRAINING ARE PROFESSIONS THAT REQUIRE ONGOINGEDUCATION AND IMPROVEMENT. CERTIFICATION THROUGH ATI

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INDICATES AT MOST THAT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE MATERIALS IN OUR PROGRAMS, BUT NOT THE PROVEN ABILITY TO TEACH CLIENTS SAFELY OR EFFECTIVELY. FURTHER TRAINING MAY BE REQUIRED FOR YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS AND BE ABLE TO TEACH CLIENTS SAFELY, EFFECTIVELY, AND/OR WITHOUT INJURY. THIS PROGRAM MAKES NO CLAIMS ABOUT YOUR OWN OR YOUR CLIENTS’ SAFETY, NOR DOES IT ASSUME ANY LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR WHAT OCCURS UNDER YOUR DIRECT OR INDIRECT SUPERVISION OF CLIENTS.

IN ADDITION, OUR CERTIFICATION PROGRAM AND SPORTS TRAINING PROGRAM IS IN NO WAY INTENDED TO QUALIFY YOU FOR LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR ANY KIND OF FITNESS PROGRAM. IF YOU HAVEPURCHASED OR PURCHASE LIABILITY INSURANCE AT ANY TIME BEFORE OR AFTER YOUR MEMBERSHIP, YOU EXPLICITLY AGREE THAT THEPREVIOUSLY NAMED INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITITES HAVE MADE NOREPRESENTATIONS ABOUT YOUR ABILITY TO OFFER FITNESS PROGRAMS OR SPEED AND AGILITY PROGRAMS SAFELY OR WITHOUT INJURY, AND THAT WE ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR YOUR USE OF THE MATERIALS IN THIS PROGRAM.

ATI ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMENDS THAT BEFORE YOU BEGIN TRAININGCLIENTS WITH THE METHODS AND TECHNIQUES DEPICTED IN THIS MANUAL AND VIDEO THAT YOU SPEND TIME WORKING AS ANAPPRENTICE OR ASSISTANT TO A QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCEDCERTIFIED STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SPECIALIST WHO ALSOHOLDS USA TRACK AND FIELD CERTIFICATION.

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Introduction: Speed Kills

We’ve all heard the adage that “speed kills.” Speed can be the differencein wins and losses. It can be the difference in making or missing a point. It can be the difference in avoiding an injury, or even insurviving a life threatening situation.

In sports that involve sudden changes in direction and reaction to ever changing stimuli – what I call “chaos sports” – you never know what is coming. These sports include tennis, soccer, baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, and any other sport requiring rapid reaction to unpredictable stimuli – including emergency situations in real life. These sports require what are called “open skills.” You must reactin the quickest time possible in any number of ways. A variety ofresponses may be required. For instance, if you are returning a serve in tennis, you might have to move left or right, forward or back, react to a fl at ball or spin, and react to different speeds. Speed, reaction time and agility can make a signifi cant difference in your performance in open skill sports.

In contrast, “closed skill” sports are activities like a 100 meter dash that have identical rules and characteristics every time that they are performed. Closed skills are rehearsed skills with an expected response to a cue. The distance is identical every time and everyone tries to achieve the end goal the same way every time (e.g. run as quickly as possible from point A to point B). In closed skill dominated sports, speed also makes a signifi cant difference, especially with tasks requiring the athlete to accelerate quickly and effi ciently.

Speed is a learnable motor skill that can be improved with proper practice and effi cient technique. There are three things about speed that you should know:

1. Speed is a basic biomotor skill.2. Speed is highly trainable.3. Speed is highly improvable.

Everyone can get faster. Can everyone make the Olympics? No.

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Can everyone take a second or two off their 40-yard time? No. But with proper training, just about everyone can improve their 40 yard time. For instance, we recently worked with an athlete getting ready for the NFL combine who cut his recorded 40-yard dash time from 4.5 seconds to 4.39 seconds over the span of a season. This kind of improvement makes the difference between barely making the NFL draft to being a high-probability pick who earns hundreds ofthousands of dollars.

Similarly, everyone can become more agile. To borrow a defi nition from respected sports performance coach Robb Rogers, agility isthe ability to perform various foot movement rhythms whilesimultaneously demonstrating balance and body awareness.

There are a few factors that determine how much of an improvement an athlete can make in his speed and agility. First, the younger the chronological age of the athlete, the more improvements he or she can make. The younger person hopefully hasn’t developed improper or ineffi cient motor patterns yet. Also, a number of Eastern European sports scientists have identifi ed specifi c ages when male and female youngsters have an optimal “window” to develop speed and other motor skills. According to the article “Sensitive Periods in Physical Development” by Loki et al., these windows include:

- Static strength. Ages 13-16 for boys, and 11-13 for girls.- Leg power. Ages 13-17 for boys and 10-12 for girls.- Arm power. Ages 13-17 for boys and 10-13 for girls.- Running speed. Ages 12-17 for boys and 10-13 for girls.

A second factor that infl uences athletic development is training age. The training age can be thought of as the length of time that anathlete has been training properly in the development of physical skills and basic biomotor quality enhancement. This training age also determines how much improvement an athlete can make in his speed and agility. A 12-year old with no prior formal speed training has a great deal of room for improving his speed. His training age may be low, but his chronological age is at an optimum level for speed development. Training age also infl uences the number and

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complexity of the types of exercises and drills that can be performed.

A third and related factor that infl uences an athlete’s ability to improve his speed is his level of profi ciency and his training and competition history. The higher the level of the athlete, the lower the degree of potential improvement. This is due to the law of diminishingreturns. Nevertheless, even a small change in the speed of the high level athlete can be extremely valuable. If you think that the time difference between a fi rst place medal and third place medal in the Olympic 100 meter sprint is often measured in hundredths of seconds, it is easy to see that even small improvements could be the difference between gold and bronze.

Most of you will fi nd a receptive audience for speed and agilitytraining in youth and children. These individuals have a young chronological age, typically have a young training age, and are not yet high-level athletes. Therefore, you can help them make excellentgains in speed and make a huge difference in the lives of your clients.

Speed and agility are also infl uenced by other physical qualities:

- strength;- power;- fl exibility;- mobility;- coordination; and- reaction time.

For this reason, your Speed and Agility Certifi cation program will include an assessment of many of these factors before you work with any client. By identifying weaknesses or potential muscle imbalances,tightness and restriction, or even a lack of structural strength, the speed and agility coach can target his training program to improve these qualities and thus prepare the athlete for potential improvement. We have seen athletes improve their 10 yard dash times and thus their 40 yard times simply by increasing their base strength andstability levels. For instance, if you help an athlete develop the ability to put more force into the ground via enhanced strength and

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power in the triple joint extension action of hip, knee and ankle, you will potentially help him or her to run faster. Add to this an improved structural base level of core abdominal, low back and glute stability and you will have a more explosive, faster athlete, assuming that his or her running mechanics are sound.

This training program will require you to have a good understanding of different terms related to speed and agility training. Your manual will cover these terms as you go, and the following glossary is a good place for you to begin thinking about everything that goes into a proper speed and agility program:

Absolute speed (a.k.a. top speed and max speed). The highest speed at which an athlete is capable (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Acceleration. The ability to overcome inertia and move in a particular direction adding momentum with each successive step (Source: Robb Rogers);the rate of change of velocity that allows the athlete to reach maximum velocity in the minimum amount of time. It involves how quickly you can get to top speed (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Agility. The ability to demonstrate a variety of foot movement rhythms and skills while demonstrating balance and body control; may or may not involve movement in a particular direction (Source: Robb Rogers).

Amortization. The amount of time that it takes a muscle to switch from an eccentric or yielding (see deceleration) contraction to a concentric (shortening)contraction. The quicker the amortization phase, the greater the potential amount of elastic/reactive strength/power in the form of stored kinetic energy that can be realized (see plyometrics).

Backside mechanics. Actions taking place behind the body’s center of mass, i.e., pushing/ hip extension, essential during the acceleration phase.

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Base of support. A balanced position that allows ease of movement in any direction. A wider base of support is necessary to ensure stability and a narrower base of support is necessary to ensure proper positioning with multi-directional movement (Gambetta/Winckler).

Center of gravity/Center of mass. A specifi c point at which, for many purposes, the system’s mass behaves as if it were concentrated.

Central Nervous System (CNS). The part of the nervous system that comprises the brain and thespinal cord (Webster’s). Speed is primarily a neural quality thatinvolves the CNS in terms of recruitment of motor units as wellas the rate and coding of neural impulses from the brain to themuscular system.

Change of direction. The ability to change direction of the body’s center of gravity as quickly as possible with control (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Concentric contractions.The shortening of muscles under tension. In terms of speed and agility training, concentric contractions often involve a production of force or propelling of an object or of the body’s weight (See eccentriccontractions).

Contact time. The amount of time that the athlete’s foot is on the ground/track.In world class sprinting, this is from.08 to.10 second per foot contact (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Coordination. The ability to move parts of the body in a harmonious fashionwith precision and accuracy in pursuit of a specifi c objective(Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

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Deceleration. The act of slowing down. The ability to slow down under control is critical for success in sport (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Drive phase. The early part of acceleration includes several strides(usually 2 to 8 steps) from the start (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).See also transition phase.

Eccentric contractions. The lengthening of muscles under tension. In terms of speeddevelopment, eccentric or yielding contractions can be thought of as ‘loading’ or force absorption/reduction (see concentric contractions).

Flight time. The phases of the stride cycle when the body is in the air. In world class sprint performance, the athlete is in the air longer than on the ground. Ranges from.120 to.140 seconds (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Flexibility (and suppleness). Term used to compare the relative range of motion of all joints of an individual with a standard. Note that suppleness is the ability to achieve a full range of movements – to turn, stretch, twist and bend – without any stiffness, aching or suffering a spine or joint injury.

Force. Force = Mass X Acceleration.

Force application (production). The ability to produce and deliver force.

Force reduction (absorption). The ability to absorb or minimize force application. It is linkedto structural strength and eccentric strength levels, as well as todeceleration.

Frontside mechanics. Actions taking place in front of the body’s center of mass.

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Ground reaction force. The amount of force that the athlete can impart to the surfaceand get back in the form of horizontal and vertical velocity(Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Impulse. The amount of force that the athlete can put into the ground inthe least amount of time (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Inertia. The resistance to change in motion. The law of inertia states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion and an object at rest tends to stay at rest. (Source: Gambetta/Winkler). Overcoming inertia is the goal of starting or beginning movement.

Intensity. The quality of work performed. Intensity can be expressed as apercent of the total weight lifted or maximum speed attained.

Mechanical loading. Stresses to the musculoskeletal system as opposed to the neural system.

Locomotor Skills. Skills that move the body from one place to another. Includes walk, run, leap, hop, and jump (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Mobility. The ability to create a variety of foot movements and rhythms while accelerating in a particular direction(s) with balance and body control (Source: Robb Rogers). The range of motion in muscles and joints (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Newton’s three laws. 1: (Law of Inertia) states that an object at rest tends to stay at rest and that an object in uniform motion tends to stay in uniform motion unless acted upon by a net external force. 2: Force = Mass x Acceleration.3: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

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Overspeed/assisted speed. Running at an increased linear speed, often with the aid of an external stimulus such as a downward sloping hill or a towing rope attached to another athlete or moving object (Source: Essentials of Strength and Conditioning).

Plyometric. Plyometrics refers to work on the series elastic component of muscle, the stretch-refl ex quality that provides explosive movements.Plyometric drills are designed to reduce the amortization phase, the time to go from yielding, lengthening eccentric contractions to explosive, concentric contractions. In other words, if your clients get better at loading their muscles quickly, they can produce more force. Plyometric skills are trainable.

Power. The most force that can be produced in the least amount of time. Force = Mass X Acceleration. Power = (Mass X Acceleration) /Time, or Speed X Strength, or (Work X Distance)/ Time.

Proprioception. Specialized sensory units located in muscles, joints, and tendons monitoring the length and tension of the musculotendonous complex (Source: Essentials of Strength and Conditioning).

Reaction. Response to a primary stimulus (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Reactive strength/elasticity. Dependent on the stretch shortening cycle of muscular construction (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Recovery phase. The support foot leaves the ground and recovers as the opposite leg prepares for support (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Resisted speed. The ability to exert maximal force and move at a high speed against an external load (Source: Essentials of Strength and Conditioning).

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Speed. The ability to move the body or parts of the body through therequired range of motion in the least amount of time or to solvespecifi c movement tasks in the shortest amount of time (Source:Gambetta/Winckler). Also equals stride length x stride frequency.

Speed endurance. The ability to maintain speed in a climate of fatigue(Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Strength. The ability to apply force, regardless of the amount of time it takes to develop and deliver the force (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Stride frequency. The number of strides (steps) taken in a given amount of time (Source: Essentials of Strength and Conditioning).

Stride length. The distance covered in one stride while running(Source: Essentials of Strength and Conditioning).

Transition phase. The part of acceleration that occurs when the athlete comes out of drive phase and is working towards achieving a taller posture in preparation for maximum speed (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Velocity. Velocity is defi ned as the rate of change of position. Horizontalvelocity is the velocity of the center of mass in a horizontal direction. Vertical velocity is the velocity of the center of mass in a vertical direction (an essential component to achieving and maintaining maximum speed running) (Source: Gambetta/Winckler).

Volume. The amount of work performed, in contrast to intensity(the quality of work performed).

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Work capacity. The ability to tolerate specifi c amounts of work in a specifi ed period of time.

Now that you know the key terms that we will be covering, and have had a brief overview of speed and agility, let’s get into the meat of your program.

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Equipment

In this section, I want to give you an overview of basic equipment that you must have, and other equipment that is nice to have.The good news is that you don’t need a lot of money to get started.Then, as you grow your speed and agility training program, youcan continue to invest in all sorts of fancy equipment, includinglaser speed measuring devices.

Device Must Have/ Nice to Have (M/N)

Cost Notes

Stopwatch M $12 - $50 Get a digital stopwatch capable ofmeasuring 1/100 seconds. Ideally, get a watch with memory to store 100 scores.

Laser Timing System

N $1,000 If you offer a speed and agility camp, people will line up for you if you offer laser times.

Cones: Saucer

M 40 for $20 These are the fl at cones. You need atleast 6.

Cones: Utility

M $1 - $6 each These are the triangular cones you see on the street. Get 6 total of the 1’ tall cones. You can also purchase these in6” and 3” sizes.

Hurdles: Mini-Hurdles

M $9 each Get 6 of these 6” mini-hurdles.

Hurdles: Medium Hurdles

N $13 each Get 6 of these 12” medium hurdles.

Hurdles: Track Hurdles

N $95 each These are full size hurdles, adjustable from 2’ to 3.5’. You should get 2.

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Device Must Have/ Nice to Have (M/N)

Cost Notes

Box of Chalk

M $12 per box Gymnast chalk lets you mark distance lines off on a fi eld without using spray paint or damaging the fi eld.

Measuring Tape

M $15 Get at least a 40 yard tape (120’).

Rope M $8 You will need a 20’ length of rope for line drills and towing drills.

Speed Ladder

M $40 for 6’;$80 for 12’

I recommend getting two (2) 6’ ladders, so you can use them separately or place them together for foot drills.

Ankle Resistors

M $10 These are cuffs connected to a bungee cord. They are essential for teaching proper stance and alignment, and are excellent in resistance drills.

Medicine Balls

M/N $15-$25 for 1Kg; add $5 - $7 for each additional Kg

Have at least a 1 Kg and 2 Kg medicine ball for youth and middle schoolers.3kg is good for adults and 6 kg is good for professionals. Balls should be rubber and bounceable for wall and ground drills.

Bungee Cords

N $15 - $25 Ideally, you should have a thin, medium and thick bungee cord, each 6’ in length. You will also need 2 harness belts at$20 each.

Sled and Harnessor Belt

N $80 - $150 Sleds are fun to work with. You can put weights on a sled and have people tow or push them. Make sure your sled comes with a handle in front for pushing. Sled Dawg is known for having excellent sleds.

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Device Must Have/ Nice to Have (M/N)

Cost Notes

Heart Rate Monitor

N $65 -$320 Can be done manually, too.

Blood Pressure Cuff

N $30 It is important to track blood pressure.

First Aid Kit

M $50 Must have and keep up to date!

Auto-matic External Defi bril-lator (AED)

N $1,000 If you don’t have one, be absolutely sure you know how to administer CPR and have an emergency checklist in place to get to the nearest fi re stationor hospital.

Whistle M $2 Save your voice with a good whistle.

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Safety

Safety is a crucial component of your program. In addition tostructuring workouts to avoid injury, you also need to incorporate safety into your program as follows:

1. Never work with a client until a client has completed and you have reviewed the pre-screening forms that follow this section: a. Medical history and questionnaire. b. Medication questionnaire. c. MD clearance for specifi c issues (e.g. asthmatics, people who have seizures, people who have had surgery or an injury in the past year, people with controlled metabolic diseases like diabetes, people who have heart conditions, people with knee or other joint pain, and elderly clients). d. Liability waiver. e. Parent permission slip for minors.

2. Complete a base fi tness test that includes: a. Heart rate (should be within AHA recommendations). b. Blood pressure (should be within AHA recommendations). c. Musculoskeletal screening. d. Movement analysis.

3. On fi eld fi rst aid kit. The Red Cross offers a fi rst aid kit online, as do many other websites. A fairly comprehensive fi rst aid kit will include: EPI-PEN in case of serious reaction to a bee sting or similar trauma; Antihistamine Pills- For the treatment of minor allergies, bug bites, etc.; BAND AIDS in a variety of sizes- Used to treat cuts, scrapes, and minor punctures in the skin; ACE Bandage- Handy to have for minor joint sprains; Gauze Pads; Roll of Gauze; Adhesive Gauze Tape- Gauze and adhesive tape are necessary for treating deeper skins wounds; Butterfl y Closures- Used to close deep cuts in the skin; Small Pair of Scissors; Pair of Tweezers- Effective for removing splinters, slivers, etc.; Antiseptic Ointment such as NEO-SPORIN; Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers such as TYLENOL, MOTRIN, or Aspirin; Rubbing Alcohol- Used for alleviating bruises and sterilization; Burn Ointment- To relieve pain and hasten the

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healing process; Sterile Cotton Balls- Used for cleaning wounds and applying treatments; Disposable Latex Gloves; Hydrogen Peroxide, Disinfectant, Mouth Wash, etc.; Instant-activating Cold Packs- Great for reducing swelling and fever; PEPTO BISMOL- A timeless remedy for nausea, bloating, diarrhea, and other digestive tract disorders; Calamine Lotion- Used for minor skin rashes; Sewing Needle-Used to remove splinters, slivers, etc.; Small Flashlight- Handy for checking ears, nose, throats, and for administering fi rst aid in dimly lit places; Eye Wash Solution- Used for removing foreign objects or chemicals; Complete List of Emergency Telephone Numbers- This list will include the names and phone numbers of your healthcare professionals, the regional poison control center, and the like;First Aid Manual; Small Plastic Bags for disposal of materials.

4. Cell phone to call for emergencies.

5. Written emergency action plan that includes emergency phone numbers, the nearest fi re station (fi re stations have paramedics and generally are more abundant than hospitals; it is a shame to rush someone to a hospital who needs CPR and pass a fi re station); reminder of how to perform CPR; and reminder of how to help a choking victim.

6. Maintain all equipment, especially the fi rst aid kit and bungee cord.

7. Check the fi eld conditions. If the fi eld has many divots or the grass is wet or slippery, fi nd another surface or change your workout.

8. Never do plyometric exercises on a hard or gymnasium fl oor.

9. In cold weather and in smog conditions, stay in and work technique. Cold and smog are hard on the lungs. In cold conditions, the outside ground becomes harder (or slippery) and more prone to cause injury.

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Once a workout begins, there are two rules to incorporate in every workout:

1. Err on the side of conservatism. Believe your client if he says he is tired. This is not a training program based on being macho. It is not about one more rep.

2. Always do a proper warm-up and cool down, as prescribed in this manual.

3. Follow proper work and rest recovery guidelines, as prescribed in this manual. For instance, speed requires high intensity drills. It is a good idea to rest as much as 5 to 8 minutes between 40 yard dashes when you are working to build speed. That’s because speed training is different than speed endurance training. Speed training is a motor skill and a Central Nervous System (CNS) skill that improves best when your client is rested and ready to go. Do not slog out a workout! Your client won’t mind paying you for lots of downtime if you speed up his time. But you will mind paying for an ambulance if you don’t provide enough rest and recovery – and you will mind paying the price of your reputation if your training injures clients.

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Forms

Please be sure to check with your attorney to make sure that these forms comply with the laws in your state. The Agility Training Insti-tute is not liable for any injuries that happen to you or your clients, or for the applicability of the following forms.

CLIENT INTAKE FORM

This questionnaire will help us to begin your fi tness assessment pro-cess. Please answer each of these questions as accurately as you can. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask. Your responses will be treated in a confi dential manner.

Today’s Date:_________________

Your Name:_____________________________________________

ID:__________________________

Sex: Male Female (Circle one)

Date of Birth:__________________

Address:________________________________________________

Town/City: _______ ______________________________________ County:_______________________ Postcode: ______________

Phone:___________________________________

In case of Emergency, contact:

Phone:_______________________

Doctor:_______________________________________

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Phone:________________________ Parent’s Name and Contact Information for Clients Under 18:

Phone:________________________

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MEDICAL QUESTIONAIRRE

Please answer every question as accurately as possible so that a correct assessment of your current and past medical history can be made. Please ask if you have any questions. Your responses will be treated in a confi dential manner.

Today’s Date: / / Your Name:_____________________

Age: ___________

Weight: __________

____ Do you have any personal history of heart disease?

____ Any personal history of metabolic disease (thyroid, renal, liver)?

____ Have you had diabetes for less than 15 years?

____ Have you had diabetes for 15 years or more?

____ Have you been diagnosed as obese or more than 10% above your recommended weight?

____ Have you experienced pain or discomfort in your chest for any reason?

____ Any unaccustomed shortness of breath (perhaps during light exercise)?

____ Have you had any problems with dizziness or fainting?

____ Do you have diffi culty breathing while standing or sudden breathing problems at night?

____ Do you suffer from ankle edema (swelling of the ankles)?

____ Have you experienced a rapid throbbing or fl uttering of the heart?

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____ Have you experienced severe pain in leg muscles during walking?

____ Do you have a known heart murmur?

____ Do you have any family history of cardiac or pulmonary disease prior to age 55?

____ Have you been assessed as hypertensive (high blood pressure)?

____ Has your serum cholesterol been measured at greater than 6.2 mmol/L?

____ Are you a cigarette smoker?

____ Have you had any surgery in the past year? If so, please describe.

____ Do you have any pain or injuries in your ankles, knees, hips, elbows, neck, shoulders, or other joints?

____ Do you have any pain or injuries in your ankles, knees, hips, elbows, neck, shoulders, or other joints?

____ Do you have any other medical conditions we should know about or that might be relevant to a fi tness program in speed, agility, endurance, and strength?

I affi rm that the information above is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

Signed:________________________________________________

Date:

Parent Signature if Client is Under 18:________________________

Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire.

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ASSESSMENT WAIVER

Assessment Objectives. The fi tness and health assessment youare about to experience will give you a reasonable measure ofyour current fi tness level, and will include the following(CHECK where appropriate):

Aerobic Capacity Body Composition Lung Function Flexibility Muscular Strength Muscular Endurance

Procedures. Each test will be explained to you by our staff and we will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. You can and should stop a test at any point if you feel uncomfortable or unwell.

Potential Risks. The nature of the assessment requires a level of exertion. This exertion will cause temporary changes which will increase the heart rate and raise the blood pressure, and you may experience some stiffness in the muscles in the next few days.

Potential Benefi ts. Your assessment results will help to determine your present level of fi tness, and highlight any areas of specifi c need. This will be particularly useful when designing an exercise program for your situation and goals.

Consent. I have read the information on this page and I understand it. I have asked any questions concerning the information and procedures and am satisfi ed with the answers given. I also understand that I am free to stop the assessment at any time and seek professional medical advice or opinion.

Any information derived from the assessment is confi dential and will not be disclosed to anyone other than my Doctor or person responsible for this assessment, without my permission. However, I agree that information from the assessment not attributable to me may be used for research purposes, and stored on an electronic database.

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Participant’s Signature:____________________________________

Signature of Witness:_____________________________________

Signature of parent if client is under 18 years of age:

Date:_______________

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MEDICAL PERMISSION (FOR PARTICIPANTS WITH ANY MEDICAL HISTORY INDICATING NEED FOR MEDICAL CLEARANCE)

Dear Dr. ______________________________

_________________ is interested in taking part in a fi tness assessment and fi tness program that we currently offer. The program involvesaerobic and cardio exercises, speed and agility training involvingrunning and cuts in multiple directions, jumping, strength andendurance conditioning, and various fl exibility training.

The participant has completed a readiness questionnaire which has highlighted the need for medical clearance. By completing this form, you are not assuming any responsibility for our program. If, however, you know of any reason why the participant should not undertake this fi tness program, we would be most grateful if you could indicate the reason below.

Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.

Name of patient:

__________ I know of no reason why the applicant may not participate.

__________ I believe the applicant can participate, but I urge caution because:

__________ The applicant should not engage in the following activities:

__________ I recommend that the applicant NOT participate.

Signature: Address: ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________Telephone: _____________________________

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PROGRAM WAIVER: Check with your attorney to improve the language to apply to your state laws and situation!

BY SIGNING BELOW YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT FITNESS TRAINING, INCLUDING SPEED AND AGILITY TRAINING, HAVE INHERENT PHYSICAL RISKS, INCLUDING INJURY AND HEALTH RISKS, AND EVEN RISK OF DEATH. YOU AGREE THAT [YOUR NAME AND COMPANY NAME], AND ITS AFFILIATES AND ASSIGNEES, ARE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY INJURY, HARM, OR DAMAGE, INCLUDING ALL RISKCONNECTED HEREWITH, WHETHER FORESEEN ORUNFORESEEN, THAT YOU, OR YOUR CLIENTS, INCURUSING OR ATTEMPTING TO USE THIS PROGRAM. YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS THEPREVIOUSLY NAMED INDIVIDUALS AND ENTITIES FOR ANY INJURIES, HARM, OR DAMAGE THAT MAY RESULT. THIS INCLUDES ANY CLAIM BY YOU, OR YOUR FAMILY ESTATE, HEIRS OR ASSIGNS, ARISING OUT OF YOURENROLLMENT AND PARTICIPATION IN THIS COURSE. YOU FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE IN GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND HAVE CONSULTED A PHYSICIAN PRIOR TO STARTING THIS OR ANY OTHER EXERCISE OR FITNESS TRAINING PROGRAM.

Signed:

Signed by Parent if Client is Under 18 Years Old:

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Assessment

Always start a client with a thorough assessment. That way, you have a baseline that tracks improvement. Assessment baselines can also be a god way to ascertain whether or not your athletes are ready for a high intensity, CNS active sprint or power development session.

Also, set up a recording form for each of these assessments and all of the coaching that you do with the client. That way, you can constantly measure and track progress. A good way to encourage and motivate your athletes is to demonstrate consistent progress.

After a fi rst, thorough assessment, you only have to assess a couple of exercises each time, depending on the client’s goals. For instance, the long jump and vertical jump are common assessments to see if the client is ready for high intensity speed training, or if they should concentrate on slower, mechanical-based strength or fi tness-oriented training.

See your video for examples of how to do a thorough assessment.

1. Medical Based Evaluation.

a. Height.

b. Weight. Use weight as a baseline to see if the client is gaining weight, losing weight too quickly (e.g., more than 1 to 2 pounds per week), or going below suggested weight for his or her height and body type.

c. Blood Pressure. Less than 120/80 mmHG is considered healthy. Blood pressure that stays between 120–139/80–89 is considered pre-hypertension and above this level (140/90 mm Hg or higher) is considered high hypertension. Get a physician’s release for any blood pressure in the high pre-hypertension and hypertension range.

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d. Heart rate. 60 to 80 beats per minute is normal. Athletes typically have lower resting heart rates. Check the American Heart Association website for healthy ranges at rest and target heart rates during exercise for different ages. Go to http://www.americanheart.org.

e. Body fat composition. Use body fat as a baseline. The American Dietetic Association recommends that men have 15-18% body fat and women have 20-25% body fat. Healthy male athletes might be as low as 5-12% body fat, and healthy female athletes could be as low as 10-20%.

i. Case study: If a 6’2” client starts out at 180 lbs and then drops to 175lbs, and then to 170 lbs in a couple of weeks, he is probably overtraining or not eating enough. Track changes in the above metrics and watch for rapid or unhealthy trends.

2. Balance and symmetry. You want to look for muscle imbalances in the body. If the left and right side are not balanced, one side of the body works harder and gets overloaded. This situation can lead to an injury. Compensation mechanics that develop can trigger an ongoing loop of biomechanical dysfunction and injury. Also, this assessment shows you areas of tightness related to fl exibility and specifi c ranges of motion. It can also reveal issues with the hips, knees, ankles, shoulder joints and other extremities. For example, compensations and repetitive stress situations might result in the feet, such as fl at feet, over-pronation, and/or supination, which would mandate a visit to a podiatrist or osteopathic physician.

3. Overhead squat. This is a frontal and sagittal plane activity to test the range of motion, restrictions, and/or compensations in the shoulders, hips, knees, or ankles. The client holds a bar or stick overhead, in line with the shoulder, hip, and ankle. The athlete should initiate the squat at the hips, shifting the hips back and descending to a position whereby the top of the hip is lower than the top of the knee cap. The athlete should exhibit an upright trunk and not lean forward. In addition, the athlete should not exhibit

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an inward buckling of the knees and/or feet. The feet should remain fl at on the ground throughout the entire range of motion of the movement. If the heels should rise off the ground as the athlete descends this could indicate tight Achilles and/or gastrocnemious. In addition extreme forward trunk fl exion could indicate weak core muscles and/or excessively tight hip fl exors. An inability to keep the stick overhead inline with the body center of gravity could indicate restricted range of motion of the shoulder joints or scapulothoracic instability. This exercise can also alert the coach as to whether the athlete tends to be a hip dominant, knee dominant, or ankle dominant squatter.

Overhead squat:

4. Lunge series. Now the sagittal plane is emphasized. Can the client maintain balance while in a dynamic environment? If the client collapses or the knee touches the ground, this could indicate a lack of neuromuscular control and/or eccentric strength as well as proprioceptive limitations. Such limitations will negatively affect running form and technique. Forward trunk fl exion during the deceleration phase of this test would mandate more attention to core strength development and stability.

Lunge series:

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a. Single leg squat. Compare a squat on the left leg to a squat on the right leg to see if the client has equal leg strength and balance. Also check the knee, hip, and ankle alignment (or lack). If the two legs are not equal, the client will have false mechanics when he or she runs, will be ineffi cient, and will not achieve his or her speed potential. In addition, asymmetrical strength and or range of motion levels between the two legs can lead to RSI (repetitive stress injury) and other faulty movement compensation.

5. Core stability (bracing or pillar strength). Here, you test the ability to maintain a rigid, stable trunk both at rest and during dynamic movement.

a. Plank Hold. This exercise tests core stability, bracing, or pedestal strength. The client holds a prone position, raised up on the elbows and toes with his lower extremities and trunk kept in a straight line for as long as possible. This assesses his static core stability, which is important when starting sprint training.

b. Static extension off a table or bench. The client performs an extension off a table or bench at the hip, holding the body in a fully extended position. This exercise tests static endurance of the core muscles of the abdominals, erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and upper hamstring musculature. We, at OPTI, fi nd that most novice athletes fatigue around 30 seconds. We do not let an athlete start sprinting until they are able to

Single leg squat:

Plank hold:

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perform this test for a minimum of 30 seconds, with a optimum hold time of 2 minutes.

6. Flexibility and mobility. Flexibility tests the range of motion in specifi c joints.

a. Sit and reach test (for hip and lower back mobility). Put down a tape measure or yardstick. The client sits with the foot at the 15” mark and reaches forward with the legs locked. If the client cannot reach forward to the 15” mark and touch his or her toes, he or she may need some fl exibility training before beginning sprint training.

b. Upper body prone extension (for lumbar and thoracic spinal fl exibility).The client lies face down on the ground, hands on the gluteus maximus. He raises his upper body up, keeping the pelvis on the fl oor. The range of motion (ROM) exhibited

during this upper body extensionshould be compared to the sit and reach results. If there is a signifi cant difference in therelationship, ROM and fl exibility work should be done to bring the scores closer in line with each other. Anatomicalconfi gurations and musclearchitecture will alsoinfl uence these scores.

Static extension:

Upper body prone extension:

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c. V-Sit Flexibility and ROM (for lower back, hip, and inner thigh). The client sits on the ground, spreads his legs wide and leans forward with the arms straight. He should be able to reach the line of the toes. A tape measure can be used to gain an accurate reading. Restrictions in ROM will be evidenced by the bending of the knees, tightness in the hamstrings, and/or adductor muscles.

d. Supine hip fl exion. This test screens for tight hip fl exors which is a major limiting factor in sprinters because they need to be able to drive the knees up and then back down via hip extension. Tight psoas muscles will restrict the full fl exion and extension movements that are so important to proper sprinting mechanics. The test is performed as follows: The client lies on his back and hugs one knee to the chest. If the other leg comes up while performing this test, it will indicate tight hip fl exors. Perform with both legs.

7. Lower body power. Power is defi ned as Strength X Speed or Force X Velocity. Thus the body’s ability to produce force at a high rate of force development (RFD) is key to successful sprinting and acceleration. The following tests will assess lower body power.

V-Sit:

Supine hip fl exion:

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a. Vertical jump. There are 2 types of testing for this assessment. We test the static squat jump and the countermovement jump. i. Squat Jump. The client should squat down to the position where the thighs are parallel to the fl oor, pause for one count, and jump up as high as possible, reaching with one or both hands for the highest marker he or she can touch. Record two trials to the nearest.5 inch. This is a test of base strength. This score is computed by taking the standing reach and subtracting it from the highest marker that was attained. A Vertec will allow you to conduct multiple tests on multiple athletes quickly and effi ciently. ii. Countermovement Jump. The client will begin by raising up onto his toes and swinging his arms up overhead. He or she will then immediately drive the arms down as he or she squats down to the proper position and immediately explodes up into a maximal effort vertical jump reaching up with one or both hands to attain the highest mark possible. This score is computed by taking the standing reach and subtracting it from the highest marker that was attained. A Vertec will allow you to conduct multiple tests on multiple athletes quickly and effi ciently. This test assesses explosive power and the ability to quickly switch from eccentric yielding actions to concentric explosive actions. A more explosive athlete will demonstrate a signifi cant difference between the static movement jump and the counter movement jump.

b. Long jump. The client begins by rising up onto his toes and swinging his arms up overhead, drives the arms down as he or she squats down to the proper position and immediately explodes forward into a maximal effort long jump. Mark the distance by the back of the shoe. Record three trials to the nearest .5 inch. Disqualify any jump in which the athlete falls forward, backward, or sideways without control, or the

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athlete begins in advance of the start line. This is a counter movement test of reactive power.

8. Upper body power.

a. Medicine ball blob throw. The client will begin the exercise by bringing the medicine ball down, in between the legs, dropping the hips while keeping the chest upright, and then immediately exploding up, passing through triple extension of the ankles, knees, and hip, throwing the ball back for maximal distance. Measure the distance the ball travels. This test gives a good baseline for total body power.

9. Speed/acceleration. These drills test the ATP/PC (ATP/ Phosphocreatine) system, which is important in the fi rst 1 to 10 seconds of a sprint. Start in a 3 point stance and record three trials to the nearest.1 second.

a. 10 yard sprint. This test assesses acceleration, starting strength, and quick bursts. Check that the client has a 30-45 degree body angle and an emphasis on backside mechanics. If the client comes up too high then the body mechanics are favoring the front. The action you want to see on this and all of these assessments is “push, push, and drive” with complete hip extension. You also want to see coordinated arm-leg action, so that they left arm is up when the right leg is back (cross patterns).

Medicine ball blob throw:

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b. 40 yard sprint. The 40 yard sprint is a mark used in many sports to test acceleration and movement to top speed.

c. 60 yard sprint (especially for baseball players). Less than 7 seconds is good.

8. Agility. The fi rst three agility drills are currently used in the NFL combine and at NFL Pro Days.

a. Short shuttle/pro agility (5-10-5). This tests the client’s ability to accelerate, decelerate, and change direction.

i. Measure out 10 yards. Divide that distance in half by marking 5 yards. Place a cone at 0 yards, 5 yards, and 10 yards (see diagram that follows).

ii. The client starts at the 5 yard mark and sprints to the right 5 yards, touching the 10 yard line with the right hand. The client then changes directions as quick as possible and sprints to 0 yard mark 10 yards away, touching the line with his or her left hand. The client then changes direction again, sprinting 5 yards through the original starting line.

iii. Record 2 time trials to the nearest .1 second. Repeat, this time starting out by moving to the left side fi rst. Record 2 time trials to the nearest .1 second.

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b. Nebraska 3 cone drill or L drill. This test assesses acceleration and the ability to change of direction. Sprint up 5 yards, touch the ground or cone with the right hand, and sprint back 5 yards, touching the ground with the right hand again. Accelerate up to the second cone, cut towards the third cone and go around the inside of the third cone. Then return to the second cone and cut back to the original starting point (see diagram that follows). This drill covers 30 yards and 4 directional changes. Record 3 time trials to the nearest.1 second.

c. Long shuttle (60 yards). The client sprints up 5 yards, back 5 yards, up 10 yards, back 10 yards, up 15 yards, and back 15 yards. The right hand touches a cone or sidelines at each turning point.

d. Box drill. Place cones 5 yards apart in formation of a square (or box). The client will start at cone 1 moving in a counter clock-wise fashion, beginning with a shuffl e. The client then sprints forward as soon as he or she shuffl es past cone 2, immediately changing directions to a shuffl e at cone 3 (the client will face the same direction as he or she faced during the previous shuffl e). At cone 4 the client will quickly spin and sprint back to cone 1, to complete the box drill. Alternative modes of movement may be performed, such as the back pedal, crossover, or carioca instead of the sprint or shuffl e (See diagram of Box Drill Alternative that follows).

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e. T test (great for the tennis player). This test assesses the ability to change direction. All cones will be spaced 5 yards apart (see diagram). The client will start by sprinting straight ahead, quickly change direction by shuffl ing to the left once reaching the second cone. The client will touch the cone to the left with the left hand, turn and sprint through the center cone to the far cone, touching the cone with the right hand, immediately shuffl ing back to the center cone, and fi nishing by back pedaling to the start cone.

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9. Speed endurance. These drills test the alactate energy system. In contrast to the ATP/PC system, the alactate system is important from 15 seconds to 2 minutes of activity.

a. Lateral crossover drill (60 seconds). You need a step for this drill. The client steps off the step sideways to one side, steps back on (in sideways motion), and pushes off to the next side. Repeat for 60 seconds. Record the athlete’s heart rate at the end of the drill.

b. 300 yard shuttle. The client runs 25 yards up and back six times, rests one minute, and does it again. Check the difference between the two times. This assessment tests the ability of the client to maintain good quality of work on a repeated basis, which is crucial in sports like soccer, basketball, and wrestling.

c. 60 second squat drill. Assess how many squat reps the client can do in 60 seconds. A typical time should be one rep per second. Record the athlete’s heart rate at the end of drill.

Lateral crossover drill:

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Movement Prep and Dynamic Warm Ups

- All training sessions should begin with a proper dynamic warm up. The objectives of the warm up include the following:

- Raise the core temperature.

- Increase the heart rate and respiration.

- Prepare the CNS. Speed is a neural quality, involving high levels of coordination and excitation. The central nervous system must be ‘awakened’ in a progressive, effective fashion for effective speed & agility training to place.

- A properly designed dynamic warm-up will lead to increased alertness and arousal levels.

- Prepare the body for the type of work to be done in the session.

At OPTI we utilize a multiphase approach to warming up our athletes. I strongly suggest that you utilize these phases in one fashion or another before training your athletes and clients, too. The different phases can be combined in a number of different ways depending on the needs of and profi ciency level of your clients/athletes, as well asthe character or type of training session you have planned for the day.

1. Phase I: Slow dynamic mobility movement.

2. Phase II: Form running and more intensive movement.

3. Phase III: CNS “wake up” involving more high percentage movements requiring optimal recruitment of the CNS and the stretch shortening cycle that is so important to plyometric activity.

4. Phase IV: Muscle activation/core and intervention recruitment patterns.

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The dynamic warm up should attempt to:

1. Progress from general to specifi c movements. In the phases above, the fi rst phase is general while the latter phases are more specifi c to the activities involved in sprinting and jumping.

2. Progress from slower to faster movements.

3. Progress from smaller to larger range of motion movements.

4. Progress from bilateral movements to unilateral movements.

5. Progress from inside out as you warm up during each phase. As an example in phase 4, we start with the core (e.g. hip fl exion, hip extension) and move to the extremities (e.g. arm, leg).

The warm up can be used as a monitoring tool to see if your client is ready to train at the level you have planned for the day. For instance, if you fi nd that the client’s legs appear “slow and dead,” it would not be wise to try and perform an “all-out” sprinting and jumping session. You could do more damage than good in this case.

As the client warms up, look at the following attributes:

- energy level;

- mobility and tightness (because fl exibility and range of motion can change on a day to day basis);

- soreness and stiffness (e.g. from the previous workout or other activity that the client may have performed in the past few days, remember – stress is cumulative);

- elasticity/reactivity (e.g. “dead legs”) or slower movements vs. explosive, quick movement patterns; and

- alertness level.

Put another way, is your client “jazzed up” and ready to go? If so, great. If not, change the workout to avoid injury.

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The warm up should be tailored to:

- The chronological and training age of the client. For a young athlete who is not in great shape, don’t go past phases one and/or two. For a newer athlete who is an aspiring professional, you can do all four phases.

- The skill level of the client.

- The type of training you intend to do during that session.

- The time of day (e.g. most athletes will need a longer warm up early in the morning).

- The environment (e.g. grass vs. a gym fl oor).

Here are the details about the exercises in each phase. See the training video for demonstrations. You must ALWAYS have your clients dosome combination of these warm ups, and especially Phase I. For instance, if you are working on sprints, start with Phases I and II. If you are doing plyometrics, start with Phases I and III. If you are working on strength, start with Phases I and IV. On a recovery day, you can work through all four phases as a method to enhance blood fl ow and promote recovery from stiffness and soreness in the athlete.

Phase I: Slow Dynamic. Each exercise can be done two times X 10 yards each. See the video for demonstrations.

1. Toe Up Marches.

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2. Ankle Cock Knee Hugs.

3. High Knee Hug to Lunge.4. Elbow to Instep Lunge.

5. Backwards Monster Walk.6. Forward Monster Walk.7. Flashy Speed Lunge.8. Walking Side Shuffl e.9. Cross Over To Open Up.10. Side Gliding Lunge.11. Invisible Hurdle Step Over to Squat.

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12. Backward Reach Walk.

Phase II: Form Running. Each exercise can be done two times X 10 yards each.

1. A-Series – March, Skip, Run.2. B-Series – March, Skip, Run.3. Tall Drum Major.4. Watusi – Side Touch.

5. Watusi – Back Touch.6. Fast Feet (or High Knee) Burn Outs.7. Frankenstein High Kicks.

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8. Deons.9. Quick Side Shuffl e.10. Lateral A-Skip.11. Not the Carioca Side Run.12. Backward A-Skip.13. Backpedal to Stride Forward with Reaction Cues.14. Backward Run and Stride Forward with Reaction Cues.

Phase III: CNS Wake Up – Do 5-10 reps each, depending on the skill level of the athlete.

1. Speed Squat (1 rep per second). 2. Flashy Lunge – In Place – alternating. 3. Lateral Lunge Push Off – alternating. 4. Twisting Back Lunge – alternating. 5. Leg Swings Side to Side.6. Leg Swings Front to Back.

7. Jumping Jacks.8. Open Up Jumping Jacks.9. Reach Up Jumping Jacks.10. Crossover Jumping Jacks.11. In Place Jump – Small To Big (a.k.a. Pogo Jumps).12. Gate Swing Open Ups.13. Foot Fire Wideouts.14. Foot Fire – Front To Back.

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15. Mountain Climbers (1-2, 1-2-3, 1-2-3-4-5, up to 1-2-3-4-5-6-7).

16. Mountain Climber Hip Outs.

17. Wall Drill – 1-2.

18. Wall Drill – 1-2-3.19. Wall Drill – 1-2-3-4-5.20. Wall Drill – 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 and/or time intervals.

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21. Rope (or Line) Drills – Side to Side, Backwards Side to Side, Front to Back, Ali Shuffl e, Forward Crossover, Backwards Crossover.

Phase IV: Muscle activation/core. Do 10-20 each.

1. Supine Single Leg Raise (perform one side fi rst, then the other).

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2. Supine Alternate Hand to Toe Touch (perform one side fi rst, then the other).

3. Bridge – Glute Firing.4. Single Glute Firing (Single Leg Bridge).

5. Quadruped Straight Leg Hip Extension.

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6. Quadruped Bird Dog.

7. Quadruped Lateral Abduction.8. Quadruped Hip Flex-Extension (a.k.a. donkey kicks).9. Quadruped Hip Rotation (5 in, 5 out).10. Side Lying Hip Abduction.

11. Side Lying Hip Adduction.

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12. Superhero (a.k.a. Skydiver).

13. Swimmer.

14. Prone Knee to Elbow.15. Prone Scorpions.

16. Reverse Scorpions (“Bizarro”).

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17. Jacknife.

18. Bear Crawl Forward.

19. Bear Crawl Backward.20. Sideways Bear Crawl.21. Inchworm/Caterpillar.

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Developing Linear Speed

Linear speed can be thought of as straight-ahead speed. The objectiveof this section is to help your clients achieve top speed in the optimal position for their sport in the quickest time possible. In other words, the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. You want your client to go from point A to point B in a straight line as quickly as possible.

The biggest improvements in linear speed can come in the fi rst 10 to 20 yards or during the acceleration phase. It takes 60 meters or yards for most people to hit their top speed. Unless you are training track athletes or training people for testing on a track, you rarely have clients who have to or who can hit their top speed.

Because of this fact, I think that you should spend 60-70% of your time training for acceleration.

Acceleration begins with the start. When your clients are standing still, they must overcome inertia in order to get ready and start to accelerate.

The optimal body position to overcome inertia is 70 degrees. There are some reports that an elite sprinter can begin in a position sometimes as low as 45 degrees.

The emphasis on a strong start is on backside mechanics – all of the actions that take place behind the center of mass. Most crucial is the hip extension or triple joint extension of the hip, knee, and ankle.

As the client works on the start, you want to focus him or her on pushinginto the ground, which will help him/her drive forward. Pushing into the ground optimizes ground reaction forces. The more force a person puts into the ground, the more the ground responds by pushing back and propelling him or her. No athlete has ever pushed so hard into the ground that the ground has given out (at least not on normal surfaces), and so the ground’s potential to push back and propel an athlete forward is key to harnessing this ground reaction force.

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During the start, the hip, knee, and ankle make a coordinated, explosive action called triple joint extension. Jumping, running, and hopping all require triple joint extension of the muscles surrounding the hip, knee, and ankle. Leg extensions on machines won’t make you faster, because they don’t focus on the simultaneous explosion of the hip, knee, and ankle.

As the acceleration phase continues:

1. The stride length goes from short to long.

2. Ground contact time goes from long to short. The foot starts out with a longer ground contact time, and thus has more opportunity to deliver a greater amount of force into the ground with each stride.

3. The angle of the shin starts small and gets longer, so that more force is on the back of the hip during acceleration.

4. Velocity, the rate of change in distance over a specifi ed time, goes from slow to fast.

5. Stride frequency goes from higher to lower while stride length increases during a sprint. During the fi rst 10 yards the runner might make six to eight strides, and that number decreases as the athlete begins to cover more ground. Over 20 yards, the runner might make 10 to 11 strides.

Posture is key during the start and during acceleration. I really like the PAL model popularized by Vern Gambetta, which focuses on Posture, Arms, and Leg action as follows:

- Posture means dynamic body alignment with triple extension.

- Arms refers to proper direction and amplitude of movement.

- Leg action means that the shin angle and center of gravity are correct in relation to ground contact.

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The fi rst drill to do with clients is to work on the set-up. One of the most basic set-ups is the sprinter’s start, which begins from a six point stance:

1. Start with hands on the starting line and knees and toes on the ground in a quadruped stance.

2. Put the drive foot in front of the knee of the other leg.

3. Raise up the hips and knees so that the toes and hands are still on the ground. Hips should be higher than the shoulders.

Put the hand of the arm that is the drive leg at the hip on the side of the body.

Stance

There are different stances that you can start your clients in as well:

- The two-point stance. This is the basic ready position in tennis, standing on the balls of two feet. This can be either a parallel or a staggered stance, with the opposite arm-leg set up for the beginning.

- The three-point stance. A three point stance is similar to the sprinter’s start, except that you assume the stance without fi rst using the six point set up.

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- The four-point stance. This stance is good for sumo wrestlers and offensive line football players who are on the front line.

Once your client has the stances down, you can focus on drills. In addition to drills that start in stances, you can also do a set-up start-ing supine (on the back), prone (on the stomach), and seated (refer to start portion of video).

Drills can be performed in the following sequence:

1. Stand up drills. a. Tall and fall. The client stands up on tip toes and starts to fall forward. The body should be leaning from the feet and ankles, not the waist. The coach should observe the body lean so that a straight line can be drawn from the head through the shoulders and the hips all the way down through the knee fi nishing at the ankle. Gravity will pull the athlete into the optimal incline position for the start. The client has to get the front leg foot to the ground in order to push himself forward. This drill gets the client in the right alignment for optimum starting strength and acceleration mechanics. If the athlete takes too big a step, the shin angle of the forward leg will be positive rather than negative and the athlete will wind up pushing himself backwards instead of forwards.

b. Knee hug and fall. The client stands tall and hugs his knee to his chest. He then begins to fall forward much in the same manner as the above drill. This drill really teaches the athlete to move his leg out at the proper time to set up

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a good and powerful fi rst step drive. First step mechanics must be sound and effi cient for the athlete to achieve optimum acceleration.

c. Hold and release. The trainer or coach supports the athlete at a 45 degree body lean. The support can be done from the front with the coach using his hands at the athlete’s chest/ shoulder area or from behind with the aid of a belt or strap around the waist. The coach will release the client by stepping out of the way, which will cause the client to fall forward. The client is now in a perfect posture for the acceleration “pushing” actions and needs to drive his lead leg out quickly for a big fi rst step to set up an optimal start. If the client doesn’t get a foot out quickly and effi ciently he will fall. As such, only perform this drill on grass or forgiving surfaces. Concrete would not be a good choice.

2. Standing Reactive. a. Jump and go. The client does one vertical jump, lands and drives forward into a strong start for 5 -10 yards. This drill is good for soccer players and basketball athletes who often have to jump up, land, and sprint forward or backwards.

b. Jump, jump, and go. The client will perform two consecutive in-place vertical jumps and then drives forward for a strong start.

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c. Squat, hold, jump, and go. This drill creates a contrast. The athlete will start by squatting in an athletic ready position with the thighs parallel to the ground and hips back slightly. He will pause for a 1 count, then explode straight up into a maximum effort vertical jump. Upon landing, he will sprint forward, concentrating on proper acceleration mechanics. This is an excellent drill for baseball catchers and combat sport athletes such as wrestlers and MMA fi ghters.

3. Prone starts (To teach reaction and the ability to “get up”). a. Six point start. The client gets in the six point stance, rises up into his three point start, and explodes out on cue from the coach.

b. Push up & go. The client lies on his stomach. On cue, he does a push up, brings his drive knee up under his chest and explodes out as quickly as possible

c. Mountain climber. Start in the four-point stance. On cue from the coach, the client will begin the mountain climber exercise (refer to warm-up Phase III). You can have him perform the mountain climber for anywhere between 2-10 leg switches before he/she drives out for 10-15 yards. Each time the client moves his legs, he is loading and unloading the muscles and tendons of the lower limbs, building up kinetic energy before the start.

4. Rollover start. The client starts on his back in a supine position, rolls over, does a quick push up, and drive out for 5-10 yards. The coach should have the athlete perform this drill to the right or left side.

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5. Resistance starts.- Resisted starting mechanics are a great way to overload the movement patterns associated with proper acceleration in much the same manner that muscles can be trained to produce force in a more effi cient manner via progressive overload principles. Caution must be used with any type of resisted activities as too great a resistance will cause compensatory adjustments to the proper movement patterns, which can result in negatively altered neural pathways and recruitment patterns.

a. Sled start. Start by pulling or towing a sled. (Please refer to the section in your video for proper set up and use of a sled as well as choosing the proper loading parameters).

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b. Manual resistance. The trainer holds the client from the front with his arms, or from behind with a belt /strap. The client should assume the proper posture for starting (45-70 degree of inclination). The trainer will resist the client for the fi rst 3 or 4 steps. After the required number of resisted steps, the coach should get out of the way or release the belt/towel. The coach should be in good physical condition since he/she will be required to perform at a competent physical activity level. This drill teaches the athlete to “PUSH PUSH PUSH” back into the ground to drive forward (backside mechanics).

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c. Incline run. If you have a hill nearby, you can use this as a form of resistance. The hill angle should be no more than 3-5 %. Too steep a hill can have negative effects on starting mechanics and could possibly result in injury.

d. Band Resisted Runs. Using a bungee or power band, the coach can resist the athlete for 5-10 yards to encourage a stronger starting action. The band can vary in thickness and tension to match the strength and power levels of the athlete.

6. Contrast drills. These drills go from resistance to release, and follow the same starting format as the resistance starts. However, once the resistance is released, the client will feel a sudden ‘burst’ as he continues his sprint for an additional 20 to 30 yards or meters. A ‘bullet belt’ is a great tool for this drill.

7. Assisted Speed drills. These drills focus on forcing the client to move faster than he or she normally does via a ‘towing or pulling’ action by an external force, such as a bungee cord or additional athlete. A downhill slope can also be used as long as the incline is not too steep. THIS IS AN ADAVANCED EXERCISE AND SHOULD NOT BE USED WITH BEGINNING ATHLETES OR YOUTH WITHOUT A PROPER TRAINING AND ADAPTATION BASE. My personal viewpoint is to NOT USE A SUPERSPEED TREADMILL. These treadmills can create different neuromuscular patterns, and possibly risk injury to an athlete’s body. This also may create a big liability for you. I suggest that the coach follow the 10% rule on these assisted speed drills: Never increase movement more than 10% over baseline (e.g. top speed, top resistance) since this could change the athlete’s mechanics and risk injury as well.

a. Two-person towing. The trainer pulls the athlete with a bungee cord or rope, ten yards or so ahead. Pull and run and the client catches up.

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b. Downhill running. Do not exceed a 3% - 4% incline or you invite a fall and also change the mechanics.

c. Wind at the back. In high winds, have the athlete run with the wind at his back.

While 80% of linear speed drills should focus on acceleration, 20% can focus on top speed. However, as noted earlier, it is hard to improve top speed, so use these drills sparingly. Top speed is more about stride frequency than anything else.

Top speed drills are basically running all out 40- and 60-yard runs.

You can also start a client sprinting for 10 yards and then commence the 40- or 60-yard sprint.

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Plyometric Drills

Before moving into a discussion on agility training, it is important to introduce plyometric drills. Plyometrics refers to work on the series elastic component of muscle, the stretch-refl ex quality that contributes to explosive movements. Plyometric drills are designed to reduce the amortization phase, the time it takes to move from yielding, eccentriclengthening contractions to explosive, concentric contractions.In other words, if your clients get better at loading and unloading their muscles quickly, they can produce more force in a given movement or series of movements. Plyometric skills are trainable.

Sprinting is a plyometric activity. The athlete’s foot makes contact with the ground with an eccentric, yielding action that absorbs theimpact forces. The musculoskeletal complex (muscles, tendons, and ligaments) quickly switches from the yielding, deceleration action over to an explosive, concentric action that utilizes the energy of the muscles involved in the triple extension action of the hips, knees and ankles. This quick action of switching from deceleration to concentricforce production makes use of a greater amount of stored kinetic energy than a slower, less reactive movement. The move from the eccentric force reduction/ absorption to subsequent concentric force production/ projection serves to qualify these movements as plyometric in nature. In fact, elite sprinters might only touch the ground for 1/100 of a second or less when they are moving at high speeds.

Before doing any plyometric drills it is important to ensure that your client has enough base strength to handle the intensity of the drill. Intensity refers to the amount and the quality of effort required inthe drill.

At OPTI, we will usually perform a limited volume of lower intensity drills with our younger athletes and clients who have a low trainingage. The training age refers to the amount of years he or she hasparticipated in an organized, scientifi cally-based strength, speedand conditioning program.

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Lower intensity plyometric level drills are generally linear in nature and involve simpler jumping, hopping and sprinting skills. Mediumto medium-high intensity drills include speed and multi-directional drills, with a higher proportion of single leg jumps and hops. The multi-directional drills also have a considerable amount of cuttingand change of direction movements.

Higher intensity level drills often involve multiple response jumpsand hops that can cover variable distances or time durations. They have higher amplitudes of motion and often involve considerablelevels of force reduction/force production combinations. These are more open-skill type of drills that involve reaction and response toa variety of stimuli and cues from the coach.

In the exercises that follow, body weight and gravity provide the load. The training stimulus is the speed of movement and reaction time to that movement.

You will quantify the load based on foot contacts. In other words, foot contacts are the same as repetitions when you are lifting weights. A short-response drill has 10 or fewer foot contacts (e.g. skipping for 10 yards). A longer response drill has a greater number of foot contacts.

Plyometric drills can take place in a number of different movement categories, including in place, lateral, linear, and transverse (rotational phases of movement).

In Phase plyometric activities include:

1. Squat jumps. Squat and jump, repeat.

2. Ankle hops. Jump in place off the balls of the feet, keeping a stiff leg. Jumping rope is an ankle hop type of plyometric exercise.

3. Split jumps. Do scissor jumps moving the feet forward and back. As you propel yourself upward, switch feet in mid air, concentrating on landing in a good solid position before jumping back up.

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4. Ice skater. Lateral bounding back and forth from right to left and then back.

Ice skater:

The above drills can be done with two legs fi rst and then, as your client develops strength, with one leg. WARNING: Single leg hops and jumps involve higher intensity drills, demanding greater strength and stability in the athlete.

Distance or linear plyometric drills include:

1. Bounding. An exaggerated triple joint extension that emphasizes hip extension of the plant leg, while driving the opposite leg up towards the chest. The athlete holds this position for a split second during this ‘fl oat’ phase before switching legs on the landing phase. A horizontal projection of the body is emphasized. The athlete almost looks like a ‘gazelle’ or ‘deer’ while in this fl oat phase

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before retuning to the ground. Bounding is a highly demanding activity which requires adequate core strength and powerful glute, hamstring, and hip fl exor activity. At OPTI, we tend to start our athletes with 10 yard distances and progress to 20 -25 yards as they advance in technique, muscular power and endurance.

2. Repeated long jumps. The client does a continuous series of long jumps. Upon landing, the athlete should try to explode back up into his next jump, endeavoring to spend as little time as possible on the ground.

3. Single leg long jumps to double leg landing. The athlete will perform a long jump off one foot, but land on two feet in an athletic posture, absorbing the force through the core and the muscles surrounding the hips, knees and ankles. Upon landing, the athlete will immediately perform the jump again in the same fashion for the required number of repetitions.

4. Lateral jumping. Jump to the side off both feet, landing in a solid athletic posture before immediately repeating the lateral jump. The jumps can be performed for a desired number of reps or for a specifi ed distance. Make sure to perform an equal volume of reps and sets for both lateral jumps to the right and lateral jumps to the left.

Combination multi-planar plyometric drills include:

1. Vertical jump to a long jump. Perform a vertical jump. Immediately upon landing, explode out into a long jump, making sure to land in a solid, athletic position. As the athlete progresses in terms of training history and physical conditioning levels, he or she can begin performing multiple reps for a specifi ed number of reps or a specifi ed distance.

2. Long jump to a vertical jump. This is similar to the above drill, except that the athlete starts with the long jump and then moves into the vertical jump.

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3. Shift from a lateral hop to a vertical jump. This combination of jumps involves force production/reduction in the frontal plane as well as a limited sagittal plane of motion. The athlete performs a lateral jump and then immediately explodes up into a vertical jump. The coach should be sure to have the athlete or client perform an equal number of reps to both the right and left side.

4. Shift from a lateral hop to a long jump. This combination of jumps involves force production/reduction in both a frontal (lateral) plane as well as a sagittal plane of motion. The athlete performs a lateral jump and then immediately explodes out into a long jump. The movement pattern almost mimics a right angle if viewed from above. The coach should be sure to have the athlete or client perform an equal number of reps to both the right and left side.

5. Forward – Backward – Forward Jump. The athlete does a short hop forward, then a quick hop backwards before reversing his or her center of gravity and leaping forward as far as possible. The athlete should land in a good solid base and then repeat the sequence. This is a very challenging activity and can be performed for a specifi ed number of reps or a pre-determined distance.

6. Lateral Jump to Long Jump to Vertical Jump. This is an advanced multiple-plane, multiple response jumping series that requires the athlete to express force, absorb force and then express force again in a different direction as quickly as possible. The athlete performs a two-footed lateral jump; upon landing he or she then leaps out into a long jump only to land and jump straight up into a vertical jump. This drill should only be performed for a limited number of reps before allowing the athlete to rest, due to the high intensity and multiple contacts involved in each rep.

NOTE: The training surface for these drills should be grass, sprint-turf, or another type of forgiving surface. I suggest that you do not perform these drills on a hardwood fl oor or on asphalt or concrete. In addition, sand would not be suitable for beginner athletes, due to the highproprioceptive demands of the surface.

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Advanced trainees will eventually work towards the goal of performing these drills on a surface that matches the ones that they compete on in order to meet the principle of specifi city. The coach will have to be very careful about the actual number of reps and contacts performed on basketball and volleyball courts, due to the greater ground impact forces in relation to the ‘reactivity’ of the surface.

A harder surface will mandate that you use fewer total reps or contacts. The coach should also make in-season adjustments to the volume of plyometric drills performed, due to the fact that a large amount of run-ning, jumping and cutting takes place in actual sport practice ona daily basis.

All stress is cumulative, and this must be taken into consideration when designing plyometric and speed training programs for anin-season athlete. Working in a ‘vacuum” and not taking other physical and mental stress factors into consideration is a sure recipe for failureand potential injury to your athlete. A certifi ed speed and agility coach/trainer should never be guilty of such an act.

As you can see, you can use your imagination to come up with anunlimited number of drills, and to incorporate sport-specifi c movementsto match the needs of your client’s play. For instance, for basketball players you can work on multi-planar drills related to tip drills. For tennis, you can construct drills based on shuffl ing back and forth across the base line and then sprinting up to the net and back.

WARNING: Depth jumping, also known as SHOCK jumping, where an athlete jumps off a box, lands on the ground and then immediately jumps back up with a vertical jump, is commonly discussed in many advanced training programs for Olympic and professional caliberathletes. However, in my opinion, these types of jumps are NOTsuitable for less advanced athletes and can even be out of the range of safe performance for some collegiate athletes. As such, they are out of the scope of this program. I would only perform this type of jump with a very advanced, professional athlete with a great strength and stability base as well as an extensive training history and a clearinjury profi le. These exercises can result in serious injury wheninappropriately applied.

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Lateral Speed and Agility

Plyometric drills can help prepare the athlete for more formalagility training, to which we now turn. Again, per noted strength andconditioning coach Robb Rogers’ defi nition, “agility is the ability toperform various movements and skills at various foot movement rhythms while simultaneously demonstrating balance and bodyawareness.”

Agility drills can be of either an open or closed skill character. They can also be of a combination type, where open and closed skill demands are both called for during the execution of the drill. I also like toincorporate a ‘chaos’ or ‘real-life demand’ fl avor into agility training.

Agility is not just about moving forward in a straight line, but includes the entire 360 degrees of multi-planar movement. I like to use the term“athletic box,’ which was described to me by my friend, Arizona-based Sports performance coach Joe Micela. He uses the term athletic box to describe how quickly and effi ciently an athlete can move in 10 yards in any direction. This movement can be in response to a pre-determined cue or a stimulus given by the coach or trainer.

As such, the ability of an athlete to decelerate is very important to correctly performing agility training. Deceleration can be thought of as the ability to shift form a high rate of movement or momentum to a slower rate of movement, or even a ‘dead stop.’

Deceleration is highly dependent on eccentric levels of strength (e.g. breaking and yielding). Eccentric strength can be enhanced via plyometric and stabilization training as well as specialized forms of strength and power training. Without adequate levels of eccentric muscle strength, an athlete will not be able to hold proper posture and positions during dynamic movements. Not being able to maintain the proper postural set up during sprinting, cutting, jumping and landing activities could result in joint or body segment collapse or ‘breakdown,’ which then leads to injury.

The ability to decelerate also depends on the athlete’s ability to control his center of gravity, and his ability to get his hips and feet under him as he slows down to stop or change direction.

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Two excellent deceleration drills include:

1. Sprint to Stop. a. Variation 1: The client sprints 10 yards and comes to a dead stop. As he stops he opens his stance into the basic athletic posture so that both feet are under him, hip width apart.

b. Variation 2: The client sprints 10 yards and then comes to a dead stop, except that this time he fi nishes in a split or staggered stance, with one leg and foot in front of the other as if he were lunging forward.

Another powerful and effective drill to enhance an athlete’s ability to decelerate has to do with dynamic stabilization training. Dynamic stabilization training is an excellent method of preparation for notonly agility training, but plyometric training as well.

A great drill to enhance dynamic stability would be to have an athlete step of off a 6 inch step and then land in an athletic posture, bending at the hips, knees and ankles to absorb the ground impact forces. The athlete should not allow his trunk to fl ex forward as he lands. There should be an invisible line from the top of his head, through the torso, hips, knees and ankles.

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As the athlete progresses, the height of the step can be raised. Remember we are not depth jumping, we are practicing ‘depth’ landings in acontrolled and progressive manner.

Another way to train for dynamic stability involves hopping off one two feet, but landing on one foot. You can hop to the side, the front, and even to the rear. You should try and ‘stick’ the landing like agymnast during this drill. It has a different objective than a plyometric hop or jump.

You can increase the demands of the drill by hopping higher each time, which increases the ground reaction forces that must be absorbedduring the stabilization landing.

You can also progress your advanced athletes by moving them from bilateral to unilateral support as well as increasing the speed and am-plitude of each hop and/or jump. A highly demanding and advanced version of this drill would be a single leg lateral hop over a 6 inch cone to a stabilization single leg landing.

After you have mastered the above deceleration drills, you can move the client to lateral transition movements. Some of these activities have already been shown in the video portion of our dynamic warm up.

At OPTI, we often start our lateral transition training with a varietyof starts. A few of our most effective ones are described below:

The shuffl e start. Shuffl e as quickly as possible to the left or right, before breaking forward or back. This is a base ‘in-motion’ start.

The crossover start. Start in a straddle stance with your weight on the balls of your feet and your hips and knees fl exed. Your trunk should be slightly forward with one hand down on the ground and the other fl exed to 90 degrees and fi xed at your hip. On cue, push off the inside edge of one foot and the outside edge of the other foot to propel yourself in the desired direction, The leg that you used to push off the inside of the foot will fi re across the body, crossing over the other. At this point, you can open up into a sprint or continue a moderate run.

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Drop Step. This is a step that Jimmy Radcliffe demonstrates in his book, Functional Training for Athletes of All Levels. He describes the movement like this: “The athlete starts with his back to the destination. His feet should be slightly narrower than his hip width, with his knees and toes aligned straight across from each other as if to jump... the athlete then sets his hips keeping… knees balanced over … insteps and...back arched.” He then pushes “off with both feet initially then drops the foot closest to the side of the turn backwards and drives it to the desired destination. The leg farthest from the side of the turn is pivoted and pushes the hop to a complete extension. It is important to keep the hops down until the drop is completed (p.155).”

We have started to use this drop step in the training of our athletes at OPTI with great results, and I would recommend that you not only do so but go ahead and purchase Coach Radcliffe’s book. It is an excellent resource for any speed and agility coach or trainer.

After mastering these drills, we move toward more dynamictransitional activities:

Shuffl ing over a predetermined course or line marking, and then having the athlete reverse direction and shuffl e back the opposite way. He or she can do this at a predetermined point (closed skill) or as a reaction to a coaching cue, such as a whistle or verbal command (an open skill). During the side shuffl e, the athlete’s feet should never touch and the he should maintain a solid, athletic posture with his hips, knees and ankles aligned in the same planes of movement at all times. The hips, knees and ankle should all be slightly bent as he moves side to side.

Cross-Over Side Run. This is our base side run, which involves runninglaterally with the lead leg always crossing in front of the rear leg.The movement involves a foot landing of the inside edge, and a push off action off the outside edge of the power foot. The athlete’s trunkremains square in the frontal plane with a slight bend at the hips to keep the center of gravity aligned properly.

This drill may seem strange to the athlete at fi rst, but will pay huge dividends on the court or fi eld once it has been mastered.

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Like the shuffl e drill, the athlete will react to a cue or reverse direction at a predetermined point in the drill.

Carioca Variations. At OPTI we do not spend a great deal of timeon the carioca versions, unless there is a need to work on them fora testing situation or a weakness that may need to be addressed.However, you may fi nd a purpose for them and they can be used much like the side run and shuffl e drills to train lateral transition movement skills.

The next aspect of speed and agility training that you can work on withyour athletes involve cutting drills including the following variations:

Speed Cuts involve a sharp turn on the inside of the foot. Expert strength and conditioning Coach Jimmy Radcliffe of the University of Oregon has stated that these cuts provide an athlete with “the ability to break without deceleration or slowing down.” (p.21, James Radcliffe, Functional Training for Athletes of All Levels, Ulysses Press, 2007). He further explains that Speed Cuts involve “direction changes of less angles planting off the inside or direction side of the foot (p.21).”

Jab cut, a.k.a. plyo cut or Power Cut. Radcliffe explains that Power Cuts involve “major deceleration and then re-acceleration, planting off the outside of the foot and breaking into greater angle directions (p.21, Radcliffe).” He also explains that power cuts require “high levels of dynamic strength, posture and stability” so that the athlete is “able to plant and cut without false stepping anywhere but under the hip (p.21).” An example occurs when the client comes in, jabs, and pushes forward. This drill is often used in for special teams in football to practice shaking a defender or blocker. Please refer to the videofor an example of the power or jab cut.

Once you have introduced the lateral and cutting angle drills and trained your athletes to perform these movements safely andeffectively, you can begin to apply series of drills that combinethese various elements.

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Examples include :

- Back peddle and then on a cue from the trainer, decelerate and reverse direction into a forward sprint.

- Shuffl e to the right or left, and then on the trainer’s cue, either backpedal or sprint forward or a combination of both in succession.

- Carioca to the right or left, and then on cue from the trainer or coach, decelerate and change direction onto a forward sprint or simply decelerate and change direction into a sprint along the same lateral line on which you just ran.

- Side run/crossover and on the coach’s cue, decelerate and sprint in the desired direction.

The above drills can be applied to a great variety of sports, and are especially applicable to the movement skills and demands of foot-ball, basketball, soccer, fi eld hockey, team handball and lacrosse.

Another segment of drills are FOOT SPEED drills. At OPTI, we deal with fi ve basic types:

1. Speed ladder drills. These drills work on foot rhythms. These quick feet drills involve a variety of movement patterns, and incorporate forward, lateral and rear directional movement series. They can also involve crossover steps, jab steps and a variety of high knee drills. See the photos that follow and the video.

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2. Dot drills. These are also quick feet drills that have a high plyometric fl avor. They can be performed with a predetermined order of touch (a closed skill) or an ever changing order of touch as refl ected by the coach’s verbal cues or hand signals. They can work on a two foot hop or a one foot hop or even a combination of both. Hopscotch is an example of a dot drill. Refer to the video for some great examples. You can use tape for the dots or chalk on the grass or turf.

3. Jump rope. Jumping rope encourages the athletes to make use of their reactive strength and elasticity, which are key to proper plyometric and speed and agility training.. Jumping rope variations can help your clients train their bodies to apply force to the ground and get force out of the ground quickly. It is sad to say, but we often see a great number of youngsters who have trouble with the coordinative demands of jumping rope.

4. Rope drills. At OPTI we utilize four basic rope drills; we also utilize these drills moving both forward and backward:

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a. Forward over the rope and back over the rope. b. Side to side over the rope. c. The “Ali Shuffl e.” The client splits his feet and goes up and back scissoring the legs over the rope as they move down the line. d. Hopscotch. This is a more advanced drill. The client straddles the rope and crosses the feet in front of each other and then opens up so that his feet are straddled out on each side of the rope, before repeating the crossover steps as they move over up and down.

5. Stepover dummy or bag drills. Here you can use pylons or stepover football bags. The client makes lateral (sideways) hops over the object. You can set the bags up in a variety of formats, and have the athletes move over or around them in a predetermined sequence. Refer to the video and illustrations below for more examples.

You have probably guessed that there are almost unlimited variations you can do once you have these building blocks in place.

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Multi-directional Agility Drills

As the client builds his skills and improves his ability to accelerate, decelerate and change direction, he or she can be progressed to various types of multi-directional drills. These drills emphasize angle runs andcutting. You can do all sorts of variations with these drills for an entire drill or mixing different types of foot movements and rhythms into each drill: sprinting, backpedaling, shuffl ing, and carioca. Drills can be set up as predetermined patterns of movement, or they can be set up as “open drills” where the athlete reacts to verbal and/or visual cues.

1. W drill. Cut inside or outside the points of a W.

This pattern can also be reversed. Variations include incorporating forward sprinting, backpedaling, shuffl ing, side-running and different combinations of these different movement patterns.

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2. Star drill. Start in the center, go to a point of the star, return to center, and repeat.

Version A: Start at center, sprint to cone, turn and sprint back to center. Repeat for the entire star.

Version B: Start at center, backpedal to cone, sprint back to center. Repeat for the entire star.

Version C: Start at center, sprint to cone, backpedal to center and complete star.

Version D: Start at center, shuffl e to cone, shuffl e back to center and repeat until the star has been completed.

Version E: Start at center, shuffl e to cone, sprint back to center and continue until the star is completed.

Version F: Start at center, and react to cue (see Reaction or Chaos Drills Section) sprint to cone number that’s called, sprint back to center, sprint to next cone number called.

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3. Box drill. Create a box with each cone spaced 5 - 10 yards apart from each other. The client runs from cone to cone, in either a clockwise manner or counterclockwise manner. The client can perform a different variant movement pattern (see below) between each cone, The client can also either cut to the inside or the outside of the cones, depending on the nature of the drill. You saw an example of this drill in the assessment. Some of the movement patterns that can be performed are described here:

a. Shuffl e between the cones.

b. Side run, from cone to cone.

c. Sprint from cone 1 to cone 2, shuffl e from cone 2 to cone 3, sprint from cone 3 to cone 4, shuffl e from cone 4 back to cone 1.

d. In the same order as above, backpedal-shuffl e-sprint-shuffl e.

e. In the same order as above, backpedal, side run, sprint, side run.

f. Sprint the box pattern, making jab cuts around each cone versus an inside cut.

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4. Triangle drill. Build a triangle with the cones 5 yards apart from each other. More advanced athletes can use the cones spaced 10 yards apart.

a. Sprint from cone 1 to cone 2, from cone 2 to cone 3 and from cone 3 back to cone 1. This can be done with inside cuts or outside jab cuts.

b. Shuffl e around triangle pattern.

c. Side run around the triangle.

d. Sprint from cone 1 to 2, shuffl e from cone 2 to 3 and sprint back to cone 1.

e. Start at cone 1 – Sprint to cone 2, turn and sprint back to cone 1, sprint to cone 3, turn and sprint back to cone 1.

f. Start at cone 1, backpedal to cone 2, sprint back to cone 1, backpedal to cone 3, and sprint back to cone 1.

g. Start at cone 1, backpedal to cone 2, sprint to cone 3, and backpedal to cone 1.

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5. Circle drill. Arrange a rope in a large circle. The coach has the athlete or the client run around it, working on loading the edges of each foot. You can call commands to switch directions or foot movements. You can also play “race and chase” where participants try to catch the leader.

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6. Weave or Snake (a.k.a. slalom). The client does inside or outside cuts around cones that are arranged in a zig-zag pattern over a 10 yard distance. This is excellent for soccer, football, and other fi eld sports. Variations include:

a. Sprint from cone to cone, cutting around the outside of each cone.

b. Sprint from cone to cone, cutting to the inside of each cone.

c. Shuffl e from cone to cone, moving to the outside of each cone.

d. Shuffl e form cone to cone, cutting on the inside of each cone.

e. Side run from cone to cone, working to either: - Cut on the inside of each cone. - Move around the outside of each cone.

f. Sprint from the fi rst cone to the second cone, shuffl e from the second cone to the third cone and repeat this pattern throughout the slalom.

g. Perform a shuffl e-sprint variation of letter E.

h. Perform a side-run, sprint variation of letter E.

i. Perform a speed angle/cut run around the cones, as if doing a serpentine pattern.

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Reaction (Chaos) Drills

Reaction or chaos drills are drills based on real life activities and sport demands. Basically, you take multi-directional drills drawn from sport specifi c movements on the fi eld, and then add cues to them. Examples of cues include blowing a whistle to signal a change in movementcategory or foot rhythm, pointing in a direction for the athlete to move,or dropping a tennis ball for the athlete to reach as quickly as possible.

You can also set a goal and have the client determine how to respond. For instance, you might do a wheel drill where the client must decide how to touch each object in the drill so long as he touches each object in the shortest possible time. This requires that the athlete utilize some strategic or tactical sport thinking as to how best to accomplish the goals.

A list of the drills in the preceding section can all be adapted to meet the requirements of chaos, or open-skill reaction skill building.

You can also identify specifi c movements that are common in sports and incorporate them into these drills. Some examples include:

Soccer. Sprint 10 yards, come to a dead stop, turn, get a ball (which the trainer kicks), kick the ball back, and return.

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Baseball. Shuffl e back and forth, sprint to a ball, catch the ball, stop quickly, throw the ball, and continue to shuffl e for the next repetition.

Tennis. Run left to hit a forehand, turn and run right to hit a backhand, then run up to the net to hit a backhand to hit an overhead, run to get a ball that the trainer throws (or feed balls for each shot). Or, keep the feet running in place while the trainer throws balls left, right, and forward for the client to catch and return to run in place.

Volleyball. Do two squat jumps, jump up, and spike a ball (which the trainer passes).

Football. Kick slide, decelerate and then sprint to a ball (thrown by the trainer), go right, left, or at an angle.

Your imagination is key here, A thorough understanding of the sportin question and the energy and movement demands of the positions isessential if the trainer is to design drills and skill building activities that can help improve specifi c performance on the fi led or court.

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Program Design

Following are good guidelines for designing programs on a daily and weekly basis.

For ANY daily session follow this progression:

1. Always warm up.

a. Loosen up, starting with Phase I drills.

b. Build up and increase intensity slowly.

2. Always stress technique in everything you do from warm-up to the ‘meat’ of the session.

3. Speed and power drills should be performed early in the training session, after the dynamic warm up has been completed. Plyometrics and speed and agility work should be completed before the strength, fi tness and conditioning portions of the training session. This is important, since the central nervous system should be in a ‘fresh’ state (i.e., jazzed up and ready to go…not fatigued or tired). Likewise, heavy strength training and fi tness/conditioning will fatigue the musculo-skeletal system and it could render the associated muscles susceptible to injury if asked to perform quick, explosive actions that involve acceleration and deceleration.

4. Strength development work, including bodyweight circuits or resistance training, squats, step ups, push ups, and crunches.

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5. Fitness or conditioning to fi nish. This fi nal piece can include low intensity tempo runs, easy short runs, and other conditioning type drills that are not heavily dependent on the CNS.

On a weekly basis, ALWAYS do speed workouts early in the work week, followed by power. Speed and power always come fi rst.You could then put in a lower intensity recovery day or progressto strength and then fi tness/ conditioning.

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Two alternative patterns follow:

Day of Week Sequence One Sequence TwoMonday Speed (e.g. straight ahead

speed drills)Speed

Tuesday Power (e.g. medicine ball throws, plyometrics)

Power – Medicine ball throws, Olympic lifts,and plyos

Wednesday Fitness/Conditioning Recovery(see Sequence One Thursday)

Thursday Recovery Day (e.g. easy runs, warm ups, medicine balls, tempo runs, pool workouts, light scrimmages)

Strength

Friday Strength (e.g. upper body) Fitness/ConditioningSaturday Rest Rest

It is important to correctly quantify and control the volume andintensity of the workouts. The relationships among the different training components are very important in terms of both the athlete’s recovery from the training stimulus and also to the adaptability of the athlete to that stimulus in both short-term and long-term time periods. As such, performing heavy mechanical loading type strength work prior to speed development work will hamper both the potentialeffectiveness of the training as well as risk overtraining or even injury.

See the case study workouts at the end of your manual.

In terms of quantifying and monitoring volume and intensity of training, OPTI trainers use the following general guidelines:

1. For agility, a low number of reps is <100 in a week of total exercises (not any single exercise). A medium number is 100-250 reps per week. A high number of reps is 250–400 per week.

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2. For plyometric exercises, fewer than 10 repetitions is low intensity and volume. Anything more than 10 repetitions per exercise can be considered high intensity.

3. I would suggest that you rarely, if ever, do more than 500 total yards of high intensity drilling in any speed and acceleration workout. If you perform too large a volume of high intensity, high neural demand speed work you are fl irting with the law of diminishing returns. Too much work at too high an intensity will impede your athlete’s progress and might very well increase the chance of injury.

For instance, eight (8) 40 yard sprints in one training session, with proper work/relief ratio incorporation, could form the bulk of a high-quality speed development session. The rest of the session would consist of dynamic warm ups, lower intensity starts and mobility work.

Similarly, three to fi ve all out 100 yard runs would be plenty or work in one session, In addition, if you do not allow proper recovery between each high-intensity speed training session, you also risk overtraining/under recuperation. Overtraining may lead to a negative training outcome as well as potential injury. For instance, a session like the ones described here can take up to several days for an athlete to recover back to a state of homeostasis. As such, lower intensity and lower volume training of a different nature (i.e. fi tness-based work) should be planned to follow a higher intensity session.

4. It is a good idea to assess the state of readiness of your clients before beginning the next sprint to high neural demand session. At OPTI, we like to use the long jump and the vertical jump as easy to administer tools to determine whether an athlete has properly recovered from the previous training session or the cumulative effects of a series of sessions.

At OPTI, if one of our athletes demonstrates a decrease of 10-15% off their best recorded results in these tests, we tend to put that

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high intensity session off for a few days and instead focus on some technique work or fi tness/conditioning based training. A good example of this might be to hold off on running 5 max-effort, all-out 100 meter sprints and instead work on running form and technique, such as running 5 sets of 50 yard strides at 50% intensity.

5. Respect proper work to rest ratios. As we stated previously, high CNS/neural activities require an optimal amount of maximum recovery time. I like to give ATP/PC activities AT LEAST a ratio of 1:10 work to rest. For high demand, maximum effort speed and agility work, we often take even more time. It is imperative that the athlete must be FRESH and ready to perform each sprint or drill.

For instance, I like to have my athletes rest for 3-5 minutes between max effort 100 yard sprints. I like to make sure the heart rate is within 20 beats of their normal resting beat. A heart rate monitor can be very helpful in these situations. It is also important to remember that younger athletes and children often have different heart rate recovery levels than older athletes. As we said before, children are not simply miniature adults and should not be trained in the same manner that adults are trained. This applies to the work-relief ratios as well as the total volume and intensity parameters that you would use when coaching young athletes.

6. If you are doing conditioning work, try to adapt the program to the work to rest ratio profi le of the sport and /or position involved. Some general examples might be: a. Tennis: Follow every 5-10 seconds of work with 20-40 seconds rest. b. Soccer: Try to incorporate walk to sprint to walk type interval training based on the level of play. c. Boxing, Wrestling or MMA: 3 or 5 minutes of work with 1-2 minutes rest/recovery (just like rounds followed by rest).

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Case Study 1: Tennis Player, 25 years old,195 pounds, plays 2-3 times per week

(Background: This tennis player has no cardiovascular risk factors, is not currently on any medications, andhas no orthopedic or musculoskeletal limitations)

Here is a sample routine for a tennis player who works out once per week with a trainer and once per week on his own.

The workout can take place on a tennis court.

Start with all of the exercises in the Phase I Dynamic Warm Up. This should take about ten minutes. These slower, mobility oriented activities are a great way to start the warm up process.

Next, move to Phase III of the Dynamic Warm Up, and have the client do all of or a portion of the more dynamic drills and activities.

Once the client is warmed up, you can use a vertical jump or the long jump to assess his state of readiness. His performance on these tests compared to his all-time best can help you determine the main emphasis for the workout. Depending on the result of this on-site assessment, the coach or trainer may choose whether to do some multi-directional agility drills or more of a strength and conditioning workout.

If he meets or exceeds his baseline, do the tennis specifi c multi-directional drills that follow. If he doesn’t, work on his strength and conditioning and fi tness activities with tennis-specifi c exercises.

Variant One: Tennis specifi c multi-directional drills.

1. Side run drill. Using the side crossover run technique, move from one side of the court to another. Perform 4 repetitions moving side to side and touching the right side line with your right foot and the left side line with your left foot. Rest 10-15 seconds between each full repetition.

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a. Variation: Have the player start at the mid-point of the baseline, in ready position. Drop a ball or point to a side (e.g., his right side) to give a cue. The player side-runs to the right, touches the singles line, and returns to center. After 4 repetitions, take a break for a 10-15 second rest in between repetitions. If running form breaks down or if the player starts to exhibit any other outward signs of fatigue, extend the rest period. Rest for two minutes.

2. Devil’s Triangle. Do three repetitions in each direction, for six total repetitions. a. The player starts out in the center of the baseline, in ready position. b. Call “right” or “left.” c. The player runs diagonally to the side you call, touching the point where the service and single lines meet. Then he back peddles to the center point of the baseline. d. The player runs straight to the service line “T” and back peddles to the center point of the baseline. e. The player runs diagonally to the other side, touching the point where the service and single lines on that side meet. f. The player back peddles to the center of the baseline. g. Take 30-60 seconds of rest, depending on how well he recovers, and do the next repetition. h. Rest for two minutes or as needed to recover.

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3. Reaction and acceleration. 8-12 repetitions, resting every two to three repetitions for 15-20 seconds. a. The player stands on the center of the baseline, in ready position. b. He shuffl es back and forth along the baseline. c. The trainer drops a short ball as a cue. The player has to get it in fewer than two bounces, and return to the center of the baseline. d. After 8-12 repetitions, rest as needed to recover.

4. Conditioning shuttle. Do 1 repetition with 1 minute rest (depending on recovery time) in between. a. The player stands outside the doubles line, at the baseline. b. Run to the service line. c. Touch the service line. d. Run (or back peddle) back to the baseline. e. Run to the net. f. Run (or back peddle) back to the baseline. g. Run to the opposite side service line. h. Run (or back peddle) back to the original baseline. i. Run to the opposite side base line. j. Run back to the original baseline. k. Rest for 1 minute.

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5. Core work: Choose one or two exercises from the following group: a. Planks – to build pillar core strength through bracing activities (the player holds himself on his elbows in push up position; the head, shoulders, trunk, hips and legs are all perfectly aligned in a position that is parallel to the fl oor). Work towards a goal of performing 3 reps of 30 seconds duration. Rest 30-60 seconds between each rep. b. Bridge (the player lies on his back, raises the butt and upper legs via hip extension and glute fi ring, and holds for a 1 second count). Do 3 sets X 10 reps. Rest 30-45 seconds between sets. c. Russian twists with the medicine ball. Have the athlete sit on the ground, with his upper body inclined back at about 60 degrees in relation to his hips and legs. He should hold the medicine ball at chest level with his arms fully extended. Following the movement with his head, the client moves the ball from side to side via trunk rotation. Perform up to 3 sets X 8-10 reps. Start with a lighter medicine ball and progress in weight and size.

6. General fl exibility cool down. a. Hip fl ex stretches. b. Hamstring stretch. c. Shoulder stretch. d. Lower back stretch.

Variant Two:

In place of performing multi-directional drills, you might want to perform a strength and power training session with plyometric drills.

Plyometric drills (assuming that the athlete is in a good state of readiness and that his legs are fresh):

1. Long jumps. 5 repetitions (be careful with clay court surfaces due to the chance of slipping during performance of the jump). a. Start at the base line and try to get to the net with 3 long jumps. b. Walk back. c. Rest. d. Repeat fi ve times.

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2. Medicine ball ballistics. Use a 6 lb. ball (Note: use a 4 lb ball for a younger and/or a smaller athlete). a. Stand at the baseline holding the ball. b. Place the ball over the head and throw it forward with two hands, with a serving action. c. Try to hit the net. d. Do 2 sets X 5 repetitions, and rest while getting the ball in between reps. Rest 45-60 seconds between sets.

3. Squat to chest with medicine ball. a. Start standing with the ball at the chest. b. Squat down holding the ball, explode up and pass the ball forward. c. Repeat for 5 reps. d. Do 2 sets, with 45-60 seconds between sets.

4. Side right throw with medicine ball. a. Mimic the rotation of a stroke with the medicine ball. Hold the ball around waste level, rotate back, then rotate forward, and throw the ball with a follow through (must rotate off of the plant foot and toe in order to protect the knee and ankle while moving in the transverse plain). b. Do 2 sets X 5 on the right side. c. Do 2 sets X 5 on the left side.

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5. Tabata Slam. a. The player jumps up with the ball raised over his head with extended arms and forcefully fl exes at the trunk as he slams the ball as hard as he can on the ground. b. 2 sets X 5 repetitions.

6. Finish with strength exercises to encourage total body structural development, Examples could be: a. Phase III (Leg Series) of the Dynamic Warm Up, exercises 1-4. Hold the medicine ball during these exercises. 2 sets X 10 reps each with rest in between. b. Phase IV of the Dynamic Warm Up. Do the entire set of exercises to cool down and work on core stability.

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Case Study 2: High School Football Running Back(Assumes athlete has no orthopedic limitations, no

cardiopulmonary risks and does not take any medications)

The workout should take place on the fi eld.

1. Phase I, Dynamic Warm Up.

2. Phase II, Dynamic Warm Up.

3. Phase III, Dynamic Warm Up, the latter two thirds of the exercises shown in the video.

4. Assess with a long jump test. If the test is off by more than 10%, perform strength or fi tness based training. Otherwise, work on speed and agility.

Speed and Agility Variant:

1. Acceleration Starts. 3 reps X 10 yards each. Walk back and do the next rep. Rest 30-60 seconds between sets. a. Stand up starts: i. Tall and fall. ii. Partner hold and release. iii. Push, push, release. iv. Rest 2 minutes. b. Prone starts (30 between each set of 3): i. Push up and go. ii. Roll over right and go. iii. Roll over left and go. iv. Mountain climber 1, 2, 3 and go. v. Mountain climber 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and go. c. Three point starts. 5 X 50 yards. i. First rep: Go hard for 10 yards and ease up and stride 40 yards. ii. Rest 60- 90 sec. iii. Go hard 20, ease up and stride 30. iv. Rest 70- 100 sec v. Go hard 30, ease up and stride 20.

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vi. Rest 90-120 sec vii. Go hard 40, ease up and stride 10. viii. Rest 120-180sec. ix. Go hard 50 yards. x. Rest 3-4 minutes with water.

2. Position-specifi c drills/Pattern runs. Do all six drills and then rest 2 minutes. a. Out, crossover, slant.

b. Zig Zag Zig.

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c. Scramble and slant.

d. Out, crossover, out, slant in.

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e. Gift from God.

f. Obstacle Course.

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3. Medicine Ball throws for distance and height. Use a 10 pound ball. a. Blob Throw. 3 sets X 5 reps. Rest 90-120 sec between sets. b. Squat Throw for height. Hold the ball at the chest, squat, throw the ball as high as possible from the chest, get the ball on one bounce and do it again. 3 sets X 5. Rest 90-120 sec between sets.

4. Phase IV of the Dynamic Workout to fi nish.

Strength/Power Variant:

1. Acceleration Starts. 3 reps X 10 yards each. Walk back and do the next rep. Rest 90-120 sec between sets. a. Stand up starts: i. Tall and fall. ii. Partner hold and release. iii. Push, push, release. iv. Rest 2 minutes. b. Prone starts (90-120 sec between each set of 3): i. Push up and go. ii. Roll over right and go. iii. Roll over left and go. iv. Mountain climber 1, 2, 3 and go. v. Mountain climber 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and go.

2. Resisted Sled Work. 5 reps X 30 yards each to emphasize backside mechanics. a. Pull a sled that is loaded with about 10 % of the athlete’s body mass. Make sure the athlete maintains a body lean angle of 45 - 70 degree angle. The athlete should drive the knee high with a dorsi-fl exed foot and then place it down into the ground with a solid application force. You can shout: TOE UP, KNEE UP, GET IT UP AND PUT IT DOWN STRONG! b. Rest 120 – 180 sec between reps. c. Rest 5:00. d. Slow crossover push off drill. This will strengthen lateral movement. 5 reps.

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i. Go sideways with crossover for 15 yards. Push off the plant leg with maximum effort hip extension to propel the body laterally. ii. Turn around and go back 15 yards. iii. Rest 120 between reps. iv. Rest 5:00 min e. Back peddle push off. The athlete needs to go from toe to heel to terminal knee. Make sure he stays low and works the quads and hamstrings. The athlete keeps his hops back and his trunk fl exed slightly forward. Perform 2 sets of 10-20 yards resting 2:00 -3:00 between reps.

3. Leg circuit. a. Do Phase III of the Dynamic Warm Up, exercises 1 through 5. Use a medicine ball, held overhead, to encourage core stability. Go non-stop 10X each exercise. b. Rest 3:00 and repeat. c. Time this exercise each time to measure workout quality and intensity. The goal is that the athlete decreases the time to complete the circuit as he increases his fi tness level.

4. Finish off with the entire Phase IV of the Dynamic Warm Up to work core mobility.

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Case Study 3: High School Baseball PlayerWho Wants to Improve His 60-Yard Time

(Assumes a one year training history, no orthopediclimitations, no cardiopulmonary risks,

and athlete does not take any medications)

1. Start with Phase I, II, and III of the Dynamic Warm Up Series.

2. Crossover Stand Up Start. 3 reps X 10 yards each.

3. Do the crossover step start and side run for 10 yards. Perform 2 sets x 3 reps. Rest 30-60 seconds between each rep. a. Rest 2:00 between each set of 3 reps.

4. Resistance and Contrast Training. Hook up the athlete to a harness rope (NOTE: The trainer must be in good shape to perform this activity!). The Trainer runs behind the athlete, resisting the athlete’s forward progress for the fi rst ten yards from behind. The player maintains good posture and forward lean, while driving the knee up and the toes up with each step. After approximately 10 yards the coach releases the harness and the player sprints another 20 yards. a. Repeat 3 times and rest :120-180 seconds in between reps. b. Do a 4th and 5th rep with no resistance for contrast. The athlete runs the full 30 yards without resistance. c. Rest 3:00 to 4:00 between each rep.

5. Flying 60s to work on top speed. Set up an 80 yard course with cones at the 1 yard mark, 20 yard mark and 80 yard mark. The athlete jogs starts at the one yard mark and strides forward, building up speed the fi rst 20 yards. At the 20 yard point he should be transitioning to a higher rate of speed for the next 60 yards. At somewhere between 50-70 yards, most athletes will begin to approach maximum speed. a. Repeat 4 times with 4:00 – 5:00 minutes of rest between reps.

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6. Medicine ball work for hand and bat speed as total body rotational power. a. Side right and side left rotations off a wall. The athlete stands 5 feet from the wall. He fi res the ball against the wall, reacts, catches the ball, and fi res again to improve force production and reaction. This should help promote a quicker amortization phase so that the athlete goes from yielding to contracting quickly. These exercises will help develop power in the athlete’s legs and hips and teach him to effectively transfer force from the lower extremities through the core and release it through the upper extremities. This is very similar to the actions involved in swinging a bat. Have the athlete perform 20 reps X 2 sets each side, with 1:00- 2:00 minutes rest in between sets.

7. Finish with Phase IV Dynamic Warm Ups, entire list.

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Camp Programs: Two Day and Five Day

Camps are a great way to get your name out there and supplement your income. I would suggest that you work with no more than 10 participants per trainer or coach, with 6 participants per trainerbeing ideal.

Following are two different variations for speed and agility camps: two- and fi ve-day set ups.

Two Day Agenda

Day One

9 am – 10 am.

Introduction: Cover objectives, your expectations for the athletes, introduce yourself, put everyone at ease that you will be able to help them get faster and learn how to move more effi ciently. I wouldsuggest that you have each athlete introduce him or herself, his or her sport and what they are hoping to achieve as a result of their participation in this camp.

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Teach Phase I.

Water Break for 5:00.

Teach Phase II.

Water Break for 5:00.

10:00 am – 11:30 am:

Teach Proper Arm Mechanics.

Begin with 15 minutes of arm exchange drills. Participants switch the arms back and forth on cue from the coach. They perform the drill while seated, while kneeling, and fi nally when standing. Do 3 reps of 10-20 seconds per exercise, resting 45-60 seconds between reps. See video for demonstrations.

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Proceed to teach the group starts :

All starts can be for 10-15 yards in distance, with 60 seconds restbetween each rep and 1:00 to 2:00 minutes recovery between each set.

Standing Starts:

Tall and fall. 3 – 5 reps.

Knee hug and fall. 3 - 5 reps.

Partner hold and release. 3-5 reps.

Push, push, release (drive out 2-3 steps and release to run 15 yards). 3-5 reps.

Push, push, release and chase (after the partner lets go, he sprints and tries to catch the other person; run 15 yards). 3–5 reps.

4:00 minute rest.

Prone Starts:

Push up and go. 5 times.

Teach the three point stance. Practice 8-10 times, 15 yards each.Allow adequate time to coach proper set up and make any adjustments to technique that may be needed with each camper. This may take a while, but is well worth the time and effort to teach it correctly.

Break for lunch from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.

12:30 – 12:45 pm. Take questions and review the morning’s lessons.

12:45 – 1:30 pm. Repeat the Warm Up for the forthcoming agility work. Phase I and II Dynamic Warm Up again.

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1:30 – 2:15 pm.

20 yard short shuttle. Demonstrate the drill in its entirety, and then teach the specifi c steps and techniques that are involved with thedifferent parts of the drill. Have the athlete practice the drill two times each side. You may choose to assess the campers on the drill and give the best time a prize. This will also encourage each camper to try and better his time and performance the next time that they will perform the drill.

2:15 - 2:30 pm. Break.

2:30 - 3:30 pm.

Teach the slalom drill and have the athletes work on their different types of cuts and changes of direction as they perform the different drill variations. Do 3 reps of each variation of the 10 yard slalom, with each cone spaced 2-4 yards apart:

1. Sprint and cut inside.2. Sprint and cut outside.3. Sprint left, shuffl e right.4. Shuffl e left, sprint right.5. All shuffl e.6. All crossover.

REST 60-90 Seconds between each rep and two to three minutes between each variation.

3:30- 3:45 pm. Break.

3:45- 4:30 pm.

Teach Phase IV.Perform group fl exibility session.

Take any fi nal questions from the group of campers and make sure to remind everyone to eat breakfast before arriving for day two.

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Day Two

9:00 am – 10:00 am.

Check in and be sure everyone is okay.

Review questions.

Review the previous day.

Be sure everyone ate breakfast.

Warm Up with Phase I and II of the Dynamic Warm Up.

10 am – 11:30 am. Track Work.

Practice running form and technique on the track.You can use the ‘ladder sequence’ below as an example.

Rest 3:00 in between each of these:

1. Hard 10 yards, stride 70 yards. Instruct the campers that a stride can be thought of as running with good form at about 50-70% maximum intensity. 2. Hard 20, stride 60. 3. Hard 30, stride 50. 4. Hard 40, stride 40. 5. Hard 50, stride 30. 6. Hard 60, stride 20. 7. Hard 70, stride 10. 8. Hard 60, stride 20. 9. Hard 50, stride 30.10. Hard 40, stride 40.11. Hard 30, stride 50.12. Hard 20, stride 60.13. Hard 10, stride 70.

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If three minutes recovery between each ‘step’ of the ‘ladder’ is not allowing for the resumption of proper form and technique, do not be afraid to extend the rest time between the reps. Remember, we are trying to build technical profi ciency and not just see how hard they can work or how much work they can tolerate. This should never be the goal of an educated and professional speed and agility coach.

11:30 am – 12:30 pm. Lunch.

12:30 pm – 1:00 pm. Perform warm-up Phases I and III.

1:00-1:45 pm. Crazy Eight and Circle Drills.Start running one circle fi rst, left fi rst and then right.Rest 90 sec in between. In reality, the athletes will be waiting in line for their turn, while resting. It is a good idea to encourage the waiting campers to cheer for the other athletes while they are performingthe drill.

One fi gure eight (right and left).

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Rest 3 minutes.

Reaction drills with the Crazy Eights. Have one camper start, and the coach can provide a cue to “switch” and the athlete will decelerate, break down and turn to the other direction. Have each athlete perform the drill for 20-30 sec each.

Match Ups with the Crazy Eights. Have two athletes go at once, with one beginning 3 yards behind the other. The one in the rear tries to tag the leader. If he tags the leader, have them switch positions. If the leader isn’t touched he goes to the winner’s circle to take on another winner. Keep going until only one winner remains

1:45 – 2:00 pm. Break.

2:00 – 2:30 pm.

Have the athletes perform a drill with some chaos and reactionelements such as a game of tag or dodge ball or even a variationof duck-duck-grey goose.

2:30 - 3:15 pm. Teach basic medicine ball drills to enhance core strength and overall structural body strength and endurance.

3:15 - 3:30 pm. Break.

3:30 - 4:00 pm – Perform Phase IV.

4:00 - 5:00 pm. Perform fl exibility work and wrap up.

Take any fi nal questions and congratulate the athletes on a great camp. You may choose to give out t-shirts, water bottles and/orcertifi cates to the campers along with informational packetsconcerning your other speed and agility training services.

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Five Day Camp Variations

In a fi ve day camp, we tend to use the morning sessions of the camp to emphasize a particular area of speed and agility. Always have tests and impromptu contests to keep the campers motivated. The afternoon sessions can involve more ‘play-like’ activities, such as tag games and/or basketball, kickball, soccer, volleyball. You can also chooseto go to the pool, or go on a fi eld trip to a sporting event.

Of course, always start each day with a warm up and mobility session. Likewise, you should fi nish each session with a proper cool-downand fl exibility session. A sample layout of a fi ve day schedule could be something like the following:

Day Emphasis Test/Contest1 Straight speed. Time the 40s.

2 Lateral speed and agility. Short shuttle.

3 Strength and power. Medicine ball distance.Vertical and long jumps.

4 Review speed and work on resistance. Perform sport specifi c starts and skills.

Tag games, Shuttle contests, Water Polo, Med Ball Throws for Distance., etc.

5 Resisted Speed Work –i.e. sleds or bungee work.Sled marching. Teach Ba-sic Strength Exercises.

Team circuits, relay races, etc..

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Motivational Strategies

The following strategies will keep your clients and students motivated:

1. Take baselines and use tests to track progress so you can show improvement. Keep testing to fi nd positive results, and then highlight improvement.

2. Find something the client or kid does to improve. If their speed is slow that day, note how well they do jumping jacks. Maybe they get their knees up high, look stronger, or are showing a positive attitude. There is always something someone does well. Always be positive in your coaching approach, especially when dealing with youth. Correct technique and then acknowledge the things that they are doing well in the drill.

3. Give prizes for good performance and good attitudes. I like to give out t-shirts, water bottles, or other prizes whenever a kid achieves some sort of milestone. For instance, I worked with an overweight youth who came in unable to hold a squat. Five sessions later when he did 10 squats, we celebrated and I gave him a t-shirt. By the end of a camp, everyone should have a prize…do not forget anyone, as this can be traumatic, especially for youngsters.

4. Create motivational clubs. For instance, create a club for middle school kids who can do a 5.0 second 40. Create a 4.7 club for high school kids, or a 4.5 club for collegians.

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Marketing Your Practice

There is one fact about marketing fi tness services that is not pleasant or fair, but is true: The most qualifi ed fi tness professional is not always the most successful. Instead, the better marketer often gets more clients, even if he or she isn’t the best.

The lesson for you is simple: Make marketing your number one priority.You need to constantly be visible in your community until you are known as THE go-to speed and agility coach. This means speaking, writing, giving free demos, showing up at health fairs, volunteering for local sports teams, building relationships with the media, and askingclients for referrals. If you are not busy training clients, you should be marketing your practice.

The starting point for marketing your practice is with a compelling benefi t-driven marketing message. The main marketing message you will use as a Speed and Agility Coach is to emphasize the primary benefi t of getting faster:

“In sports, speed is the one thing that can help improve your chances of success, and speed is trainable. Speed gets you to the ball quicker, helps you make the tackle quicker, helps you swim faster, helps you react faster, and increases your power and force when needed. I have the tools and expertise to help you get quicker in your sport.”

When people ask you what you do, you can say you are a speed and agility coach, but it is more provocative and compelling to say, “I help athletes get faster.” That will get people’s attention and have them ask more about how you can help them be faster.

Of course, you will want to adjust the above language to fi t the specifi c audience you are targeting (e.g., in football, focus on getting by the tackler faster, making the tackler faster, recovering fumbles better, covering the receiver more effectively, etc.).

At the same time, you can build your marketing message into articles, speeches, and seminars. For instance, start by describing a problem

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athletes face (e.g., how to get faster at 40 years old). Then provide a solution to the problem, the benefi ts of the solution (e.g., how great it will feel to get the ball on the fi rst bounce when your opponent can’t), and proof that your solution works. Then give people anoffer to contact you for more information and in-depth training.

Once you are clear on the benefi ts you offer and your marketing message, use the following approach to market your practice:

1. Find a niche. Successful coaches set themselves apart as experts in a specifi c niche market. You might set yourself apart as the speed and agility coach for a particular sport, like tennis or football. You could focus on a specifi c age group, such as youth, mid-life league players, or fantasy baseball camp participants. When you have a niche, you can learn as much as you can about your target market, present yourself as an expert, and become the go-to professional in your marketplace. Focusing on a niche is smart because it becomes easier to reach people; people with similar interests tend to read the same things, congregate in the same places, and talk to one another about resources. A niche strategy is a lot easier than a shotgun approach, which wastes money and time and doesn’t set you apart as a specialist. It is more effective and less expensive to focus. Plus, once you fi nd success in one niche, you can move on to others.

2. Tell everyone about what you do and ask for referrals. We all know at least 200 people, and each of these people know 200 people. Even if you list 25 people you know, you can set a goal that each of them introduces you to 2 more people. Then you will have 50 new people in your network and you can go from there. Meet with people often and ask them who they know who might refer training clients your way. In exchange, come prepared to offer them referrals to people in your network. The best way to get a referral is to give one! And don’t keep score; you never know when a good deed you do will come back around to you.

3. Ask current clients for referrals. Don’t just sit back and wait for word of mouth to get you more business. Be proactive. People are

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too busy to remember you when they are talking to someone who could hire you. Instead, sit down with clients after a great workout and ask them who else they know who might have an interest in getting faster. Ask them how you should follow up, including whether they will call on your behalf or whether you should make the fi rst call. Then let your client know how things went, and thank them either way. Over time, your best source of business will be from current and past clients, so work hard at delivering great results and asking for referrals!

4. Team up with other niche fi tness professionals. For instance, do a joint seminar with a strength coach and a tennis coach at a tennis club. Do a free demo during 10 minutes of a colleague’s class, and let him do the same at one of your classes. Lots of fi tness pros in your area are hungry for business and will be delighted to work with you.

5. Use the media to your advantage. Get to know your local newscasters and providers and develop a relationship with them. Send them tips on speed and agility. Also, work to promote newsworthy things that you do. For instance, always give scholarships out to kids in the community, and publicize your efforts; leave a few openings in each and every program you do, and contact schools to let them know you have free spots for at-risk kids. Partner with the Special Olympics, Boys + Girls Clubs, or Police Athletic League and do a free seminar or give a percentage of proceeds from a camp to them. Invite professional athletes in your area to make a special appearance at your camp.

6. Find a local sports hero to help you out or endorse you. This will create instant credibility. I have some former kids who are now playing in the pros, and started out as scholarship students with me. Now they are happy to endorse me and show up at my camps. Or, get a local coach to show up and pay him to help out.

7. Have a professional website with a newsletter. A good web-site looks clean and elegant, and offers lots of information, articles, videos, testimonials, and case studies to establish your credibility.

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Plus it allows you to collect contact information in exchange for free tips about speed and agility, so that you can create an e-newsletter.Send out your email newsletters to all coaches and Boys + Girls clubs in your target market.

8. Post signs by the side of the road. You can get 100 1’ X 2’ signs with a few simple words advertising your program, and post them around town. Copy: Speed and Agility Camp. Get faster NOW! Call [PHONE].

9. Do one free clinic every year limited to the fi rst 25 kids who sign up. Have the local YMCA or Boys + Girls Club host the event.

10. Drive to coaches and talk to them about what you do. Note: If you are just starting out, wait a while until you have the confi dence and credibility to do this. You might start out as a volunteer strength and conditioning coach at a local high school. When I fi rst started out, I had plenty of free time and trained athletes at a local high school pro bono. This gave me automatic access to some serious athletes, some of whom went on to Division I schools, Arena Football, and the NFL. You don’t want to devalue your services, but volunteering off the bat will get you instant credibility if you know your stuff.

11. Go to tennis academies, soccer clubs, girls’ softball leagues, and other places where athletes go to improve performance. Track clubs won’t want help, but most other teams do. You can do a free demonstration for the club, and take it from there.

12. Post articles on the Internet. There are thousands of free article posting sites which will give you links back to your website and credibility. For instance, for a nominal investment you can buy ArticleSubmitterPro software which helps you register for hundreds of article posting sites, and then get your articles published online. Within a few months you can establish yourself as an expert in speed and agility! Article ideas:

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a. Five myths about getting faster. b. Three agility drills for tennis players to get faster on the court. c. What every high school football player needs to know about speed and agility. d. Ten dynamic warm ups to help you perform better in your sport. e. Five drills to do during the summer to be ready for football training in the fall. f. The secrets to getting faster at forty years old.

13. Go to health fairs at schools. Set up a long jump test, vertical jump test, medicine ball test, and other tests as space permits.

14. Track the progress of your students over time. Many of your past clients will have success that will help to raise your stature and credibility as a coach. In my case, former clients who are now in the NFL are a fantastic base of testimonials for me. Similarly, former students of mine are now bringing their kids to me, which doesn’t make me feel any younger but does indicate that I’ve built up a loyal base that lasts even over generations!

15. Develop and market informational products. Create DVDs, booklets of drills, and guidebooks for specifi c sports that you sell and market. This will generate revenue for you and also further establish your credibility as a leading expert.

16. Set goals for your fi tness practice and keep marketing until you achieve those goals. You should know how much you want to earn every year, and how many clients you need to earn that amount of money. Then work backwards to design programs and a marketing plan to allow you to achieve your goal. Track how many leads you generate, how many leads become clients (your conversion rate), how much your average client spends over time, and how many referrals you get per client. Then work to increase each of these numbers. If you don’t measure it, you can’t get better at it!

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Following are some sample marketing materials to help you get visible in your market.

Sample Flyer for Camp: High School Athletes

High School Students:

Improve Your Speed and Agility in Your Sport…

Announcing:Two-Day Speed and Agility Camp

[Date]:[Location]:

Limited to 25 students. Five scholarships available!!!!!

Special Guest: [LOCAL SPORTS HERO]

You will learn:- Dynamic warm ups used by professional athletes to prepare the body for top performance.- Proper running form for max acceleration and speed.- Dozens of drills to increase starting speed and acceleration.- Secrets to improve your multi-directional speed and agility.- Sports-specifi c drills customized to YOUR sport.- GET A LEG UP ON YOUR COMPETITION WITH THIS INTENSIVE, FUN CAMP!

PLUS: Get timed and tested in dozens of trials used by NFL, NBA, and MLB scouts in their camps and combines! Win prizes for your best time.

Your trainer:[YOUR NAME] is a Certifi ed Speed and Agility Trainerwith the Agility Training Institute. [REST OF BIO]

Sign up today while space is still available!

Call [PHONE] and Visit [WEBSITE] for more information.

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Sample Promotional Brochure: Tennis

Tennis Players:

Get Faster on the Court…See Instant Improvement in Your Game!

Announcing:Speed and Agility Training for Tennis Players

In today’s power game, speed and agility make the difference between the A and B club player. I can help you get faster, more agile, and ready to react to any shot that your opponent hits.

Custom training programs with teach you:

- Dynamic warm ups used by professional tennis players to prepare the body for top performance.- Dozens of drills to increase your speed on the court.- Secrets to improve your multi-directional speed and agility.- Tennis-specifi c drills to improve your court coverage, ability to respond to offensive lobs, and reaction time to get more drop and angle shots on the fi rst bounce.- GET A LEG UP ON YOUR COMPETITORS – AND AMAZE THEM WITH YOUR IMPROVEMENT IN FITNESS AND SPEED!

PLUS: All programs customized to your level of fi tness and goals.GROUP AND INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS AVAILABLE. BRING

YOUR DOUBLES PARTNER OR USTA LEAGUE TEAM.

Your trainer:[YOUR NAME] is a Certifi ed Speed and Agility Trainerwith the Agility Training Institute. [REST OF BIO]

CALL TODAY FOR A FREE DEMONSTRATION CLASS!

Call [PHONE] and Visit [WEBSITE] for more information.

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Sample Press Release: Business Launch

For Immediate Release

Joe Trainer, Receives National Certifi cation with The Agility Training Institute and Launches Speed and Agility Training Program

Orange, CA – (DATE) -Joe Trainer, Fitness Professional and owner of the XYZ Speed and Agility Center, has been nationally Certifi ed with The Agility Training Institute. This certifi cation demonstrates that he understands and can help youth and adult athletes get faster and more agile in their sport, with an emphasis on fun and varied workouts.

Mr. Trainer said, “I am delighted to have received this Certifi cation. Speed and agility make the difference between winning and losing in just about every sport. There are no programs like this in thecommunity, and I am especially looking forward to helping local high school athletes turn their performance up a notch.”

Mr. Trainer has been involved in fi tness since the 1980s, when he served in the U.S. Army Special Services. He is a member of theNational Council for Certifi ed Personal Trainers, an ABC TrainerFit Pro, and a member of the National Academy of SportsMedicine Foundation.

He runs his own speed and agility training studio, located at123 Main Street in Orange.

Speed and agility training are becoming increasingly popular as people of all ages realize that they can get faster, and that speed can help them improve performance on the court or fi eld. In addition,the broadcasting of the NFL combines has increased demand for speed training in a variety of sports.

For more information, contact Joe Trainer at 555-1234 orjoe.trainer1234@yahoo.com. For more information about Speedand Agility Certifi cation, visit www.agilitytraininginstitute.com

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Sample Press Release or Tips Article

For Immediate Release

Joe Trainer Releases Three Tips for Athletes Who Want to Increase Their Speed and Agility

Orange, CA – (DATE) -Joe Trainer, owner of XYZ Speed and AgilityTraining Center, has released three tips for athletes who want to increase their speed and agility.

Mr. Trainer said, “During the summer months, athletes can practice a variety of drills to get faster in preparation for fall sports. But it is important that they stay safe and understand the principles of speed. These three tips will help athletes plan their workouts for maximum effectiveness.”

The three tips are:

First, 80% of improvements in speed come from the improving reaction time, start time, and acceleration out of the gate. It is hard to increase top speed after acceleration, but athletes can make excellent gains in how quickly they react, start, and accelerate. Therefore, it makes sense to practice drills that start in a ready position, react toa cue, and explode into motion.

Second, athletes need to follow the right progression when workingon speed and agility, or they risk injury. A proper progression follows this pattern: First, always warm up. Second, build up and increase intensity slowly. Always stress technique, especially form running and starts. Move next to speed and power drills, including in order: plyometrics, jumps, and then agility. Then do strength drills including leg circuits, lunge circuits, squats, step ups, medicine ball throws, push ups, and crunches. Finish with fi tness or conditioning. This fi nal piece includes low intensity tempo runs, easy short runs, and (for basketball players) slow “suicide” drills.

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Third, too much speed training is a bad thing. Athletes should be sure to follow proper work to rest ratios and give plenty of time torecovery. Similarly, never do more than 500 total yards of highintensity drilling in any speed and acceleration workout. If you do, you reach the law of diminishing returns and also increase the chances of injury. For instance, eight (8) 40 yard sprints are suffi cient, withthe rest being warm ups and starts. Similarly, three to fi ve all out 100yard runs is plenty, and will require one week of rest to recover.Speed training is not about being macho; it is about a properlyorchestrated workout for maximum results.

Trainer adds, “I suggest that athletes get a trainer who understands how to construct a proper speed and agility workout. That way, the athlete can get maximum benefi t while reducing the risk of injury or diminishing returns.”

Mr. Trainer is a Certifi ed Speed and Agility Trainer. He has been involved in fi tness since the 1980s, when he served in the U.S.Army Special Services. He is a member of the National Council forCertifi ed Personal Trainers, an ABC Trainer Fit Pro, and a member of the National Academy of Sports Medicine Foundation. Currently he owns the XYZ Speed and Agility Center, on 123 Main Street.

For more information, contact Joe Trainer at 555-1234 orjoe.trainer1234@yahoo.com.

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Bibliography

We would like to offer special thanks to the authors and experts listed below who provided us with their insights via personalcommunications.

Carr, Gerry. Fundamentals of Track and Field, 2nd Edition.Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL. 1999

Andrews, Robert. Personal Communications.

Baechle, Thomas. Essentials Of Strength and Conditioning.

Gambetta, Vern & Gary Winkler. Sport Specifi c Speed:The 3S System. Gambetta Sports Training Systems, Sarasota, FL. 2001

Gambetta, Vernon. Personal Communications.

MacDonald, James. Personal Communications.

Micela, Joe. Personal Communications.

Palmieri, Jerry. Personal Communications.

Radcliffe, James C. Functional Training for Athletes at All Levels: Workouts for Agility, Speed and Power. Ulyssess Press, Berkeley, CA. 2007

Rogers, Robb. SB Coaches College Presentations.

Sassone, Jeff and Pucek, Scott, Personal Communications.

Suslov, F. About the Sensitive Age Periods in the Development of Physical Capacities. slightly abbreviated translation of Naunchy Atletichesky Vestnik, Russia, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2000.

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