Chapter 8: Plyometrics, Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training Principles
Agility
Amanda Shelton
Agility
Agility takes speed to the next level. While speed only looks at the rate you can move in one direction from point A to point B, agility will include your ability to change directions. When it comes to agility, your speed will play a factor in your agility but there is much more involved in change directions.
The Components of Changing Directions
There are four main components in changing directions that are important to consider when it comes to training agility:
- The acceleration – the ability to start the movement and pick up speed.
- The deceleration – the ability to stop the movement and decrease speed.
- Stabilization – the ability to maintain balance and posture as the transition between acceleration and deceleration occurs.
- Changing direction – the ability to transition between acceleration, deceleration, stabilization, and back to acceleration in a different plane of motion while maintaining your center of gravity.
Agility development is comprised of several types of fitness training that we have already discussed throughout this textbook including: strength, speed, plyometrics/power, balance, and core training. Development through these types of training will help to support development of agility as well.