Speed, Agility, and Quickness

Chapter 12
Speed, Agility, and Quickness

Purpose
• To provide the fitness professional with a
foundational overview of concepts and
application for speed, agility, and
quickness (SAQ) training.
Objectives
• After this presentation, the participant will
be able to:
– Describe SAQ training and its purpose.
– Discuss the importance of SAQ training.
– Design a SAQ training program for clients in
any level of training.
– Perform, describe, and instruct various SAQ
training exercises.
Concepts
• Often viewed as being beneficial only for the athlete.
• Can also be used with a typical health club member
to:
– Add intensity and complexity.
– Increase the cardiorespiratory demand.
– Provide a simple and exciting variety to a routine workout.
• Allows a client to enhance his or her ability to
accelerate, decelerate, and dynamically stabilize the
entire body during higher velocity exercises in multiple
planes.
Speed
• The ability to move the body in one
intended direction as fast as possible.
• The product of stride rate and stride
length.
– Stride rate
• The number of strides taken in a given amount of
time (or distance).
– Stride length
• The distance covered in one stride, during running.
Speed
• Proper Sprint Mechanics
– Allow the client to maximize forces generated
by muscles, so that maximum velocity can be
achieved in the shortest possible time.
– Frontside mechanics is the emphasis on triple
flexion of the front leg:
• Ankle dorsiflexion
• Knee flexion
• Hip flexion
• Neutral lumbar spine
Speed
• Proper Sprint Mechanics
– Backside mechanics is the emphasis on triple
extension of the back leg:
• Ankle plantarflexion
• Knee extension
• Hip extension
• Neutral lumbar spine
Agility
• The ability to start (accelerate), stop (decelerate
and stabilize), and change direction quickly, while
maintaining proper posture.
• Requires high levels of neuromuscular efficiency.
– Constantly regaining a center of gravity over a base of
support, while changing directions, at various speeds.
• Can also help to prevent injury.
– Enhances the body’s ability to effectively control
eccentric forces in all planes of motion.
– Improves the structural integrity of the connective tissue.
Quickness
• The ability to react and change body
position with maximum rate of force
production, in all planes of motion and
from all body positions, during functional
activities.
• The ability to react to visual, auditory, and
kinesthetic feedback during functional
activities with minimal hesitation.
Kinetic Chain Checkpoints
• Foot and Ankle Complex
– Pointing straight ahead.
– Dorsiflexed when it hits the ground.
– Excessive flattening or external rotation of the foot will
create abnormal stress throughout the rest of the kinetic
chain and decrease overall performance.
• Knee Complex
– Must remain straight ahead.
– Excessive adduction and internal rotation of the femur
during the stance phase decreases force production
and leads to overuse injuries.
Kinetic Chain Checkpoints
• Lumbo-Pelvic-Hip Complex
– The body should have a slight lean during acceleration.
– During maximum velocity, should be fairly neutral, without
excessive extension or flexion, unless to reach for an object.
• Head Position
– The head should remain in line with the lumbo-pelvic-hip
complex and legs.
– Should not compensate and move into extension, unless
necessary to track an object (such as a ball).
– Can affect the position of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex
(pelvo-occular reflex).
SAQ Training for Youth
– An effective way of providing a variety
of exposures to various physiologic,
neuromuscular, and biomechanical
demands, resulting in the further
development of physical ability.
– Have been found to decrease the
likelihood of athletic injury, increase the
likelihood of exercise participation later
in life, and improve physical fitness.
SAQ Training for Weight Loss
– High-intensity, short-duration programs have
been found to match or surpass results for
functional capacity, muscular power, fat and
weight loss, and other metabolic adaptations
when compared with moderate-intensity, long-
duration exercise protocols.
– The high-intensity, short bouts of SAQ drills
make them a valid choice for interval training
modalities with appropriate nonathletic
populations.
SAQ Training for Seniors
– A primary function of SAQ training for seniors
is to prevent age-related decreases in bone
density, coordinative ability, and muscular
power. This aids in the prevention of injury
and an increase in the quality of life.
– SAQ-based programs have been found to
increase coordinative ability and movement
confidence, eliciting a decreased likelihood of
falling or other movement-related injury.
SAQ Drills and Programming
Summary
• SAQ training can be used by athletic and
nonathletic populations and does not need
to be reserved for athletes.
• Precise technique and kinetic chain control
are required to minimize risk of injury.
• Programming guidelines must be gauged
on the total volume of training for all
components in a workout.

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Chapter 12

Speed, Agility, and Quickness

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