Change of direction speed

Outline

● Newton's laws of motion with regard to agility● Why train agility?● What is agility- definitions and breaking it down● Technical demands of agility training● Rugby specific agility training● Loading and training parameters

Outline

● Session structure● Teaching guidelines● Cut/shuffle teaching progression● Crossover teaching progression● Agility in the training week (pre-season + in-season)

Newton's laws

1. A body remains at rest or continuing at a constant velocity in a straight line until a resultant force acts upon it.

2. The direction and rate of acceleration of a body is proportional to the magnitude and direction of forces acting upon it.

3. When a resultant force acts upon an object, an equal and opposite force is applied back.

Applied

1. A change of direction requires a resultant force2. How much force you create and the direction you

apply it determines where you go and how fast3. You have to apply force in the opposite direction that

you want to go

Why train agility?

• Injured players win no games• Non contact injuries are 100% preventable• COD is the biggest culprit of NCIs

• ACLs, hamstrings, calves, groin etc.• Injury prevention = performance• Performance = injury prevention

What went wrong?

What went wrong?• Too much force applied to structures of the knee• Who’s job is it to reduce force? Muscles• Muscles are the brakes and the gas• Brakes should be 10-25% stronger than the gas• What happened?

• Lack of eccentric strength?• Fatigue?• CNS patterning?• Movement skill? • NOT BAD LUCK

Injury prevention

You can’t do shit in a fast car with no brakes or a driver who has no clue how to handle it

Why train agility? #2

• You cannot wait for the game to come to you• Right place, right time• Increased agility optimises field positioning, evasive and tackling effectiveness, and time available for decision making

Agility defined

• Point A to point B• Involves an environmentally-informed decision• Involves a change of direction• Is performed in pursuit of a specific outcome e.g.

• Evade a tackler• Improve field position in support• Make a tackle• Chase and gather the ball

Young’s model

Agility biomechanics

1. Linear running2. Deceleration3. Amortisation4. Re-acceleration

COD: largely about control and production of lateral and rotational forces

Right place

• Point A to point B = FORCE• Motor potential + technical mastery• We have to maximise both

• Respect Newton’s laws:• Create a big resultant force• Apply it in the most efficient manner possible• Push in the opposite direction you want to go

Motor potential

• Essentially strength and power work• Develop max strength first, then build power on top• Evenly develop the force velocity curve• Work in all three planes of movement• Seek to control before creating force• Emphasise all 3 contraction types

Technical mastery• The skill of applying motor potential to:

• Maximise efficiency of force application (greater, faster displacement of the COM)

• Minimise energy leaks (⬇ energy cost and inappropriate loading of soft tissues)

Technical mastery

MP + TM = ⬆ Power = ⬆ Efficiency = ⬇ Movement time⬇ Movement time in attack = ⬆ chance of evasion +

defensive errors⬇ Movement time in defence = ⬆ chance of defensive

success + appropriate decision making

Right time: decision making

• Environmental stimuli inform decision making and are game specific

• Transfer from irrelevant stimuli to game specific situations are limited at best

• Drills can be developed by or with the sport coaches

• Roger Federer is agile but he can’t play rugby

• Put away the bouncy balls and ladders

Preferred approach

• Appropriate environmental cues- play and train rugby• Brakes before gas- base position + deceleration mechanics

• Add tools to the tool box- movement skills• Sharpen the tools- movement skill progressions• Use the tools in realistic situations- applied drills

Base position

• Everything can/does come from base• Base is optimal for: unpredictable/fast

movement & creating/absorbing force• Learn base before everything else:

• Hips inside knees

• Knees inside feet

• Weight over middle of feet

• Bum back

• Chest up

• Hands ready

Base position

• “Stop me pushing you over”• Deceleration is about dropping the

COM, sharpening the shin angle, pushing through the ball of the foot

• Progression:• Base

• Base to base

• Base to cut stop

• Cut to cut

Add tools to the tool box

• Two primary tools:• Shuffle/cut: “the fast change”• Crossover: “the transition”

• Lesser used/more natural patterns:• The drop step (combo pattern)• Getting up/down (no injury risk)• Linear deceleration (natural skill)

• The goal is movement literacy

Shuffle/cut

• Weight on inside of foot• Everything square• Quick CODs

Attacking uses: evasion, quick readjustmentsDefensive uses: tackling, defensive repositioning

Shuffle/cut in action

Shuffle/cut in action

• Weight on outside of foot• Turning + running (Abrupt

or gradual)• Slower CODs• Transition pattern

Attacking uses: higher speed evasion, less immediate CODsDefensive uses: kick chase, cover defence, tracking

Crossover

In action

In action

In action

Learning guidelines

Learn the skill: use skill progressions to learn and engrain efficient movement skills

Apply the skill: practice and hone movement skills in a closed and controllable environment

Utilise: implement and cement movement skills in a rugby-realistic environment

Loading parameters

• Do not train at max intensity:• Excessive joint stress + insufficient CNS stress• Maximal effort = sub optimal technique

• Build motor potential in the gym or linear speed• Agility is trained on low days:

• Technique, technique, technique• 1 pattern focus per day

Phase 1- skill learning and work capacity

• Extensive multidirectional warm ups• High technical and learning emphasis• Sub-maximal work with incomplete rest periods• Emphasise incomplete and closed skills

Phase 2- skill refinement

• Extensive multidirectional warm ups• Practice and refinement emphasis• High intensity work with longer rest periods• Emphasise complete and open/reactive skills

Phase 3- skill application

• Extensive multidirectional warm ups• Application and guided discovery emphasis• Highest intensity work with long rest periods• Emphasise specific and decision making skills

Phase 4- realisation of adaptation

• Incorporate multidirectional aspect into warm ups• Execution in game context and skill outcome emphasis• Work:rest dictated by sport practice• Incorporate technical re-freshers if needed

Agility training guidelines

• No progression without perfect prior technique• Programme before all other activities• Utilise every 48-72 hours on low days• Pre-season up to 2 sessions per week • In-season 1 session per week• Less is more- 2-3 perfect reps then move on• Equal emphasis on cut/shuffle + crossover

Agility training guidelines

• Shape the learning environment• Make it so they can’t do it wrong• Make it so they know when they did it right• Make it perfect then move on• If it looks bad, correct it or move back

• 2-3 sets (introduce, practice, perfect)• 1-2 sessions per week of 15-30 minutes

Crossover progression

• Posture: hold, load & smash• Resisted: slow march, single explosive• Unresisted: single explosive• Applied: base to crossover, shuffle to crossover,

COD to crossover, curves• Rugby specific: attacking swerve, kick chase

defence, cover defence, tracking defence

Shuffle/cut progression

• Wall drill progression: hold, load & smash• Resisted: single, double• Unresisted: single, double, continuous• Applied: closed & pre-programmed, open &

reactive- shuttle, 45 degree cut, double cut, defensive slalom

• Rugby specific: attacking & defensive 1v1, adjusting support lines, defensive repositioning

• Vibration, soft tissue, stretching (5-20 mins)• Mobility + heat (5-10 mins)• Activation + torso prep (5-10 mins)• Technical coaching + drills (15-20 mins)• Applied + rugby specific agility (15-20 mins)• Total time: 45-80 mins

Session structure

• Low CNS stress days• Pre-season: Monday & Wednesday/Friday• In-season: Monday

Agility training in the week

Questions?