Paying for speed and agility?

The first thing that I would like to say is that I am not in total in agreement with the title of this blog. Speed and agility are necessary components of fitness in sports that requires power and explosion. What I am also saying is that

speed and agility have to be carefully programmed in a strength and conditioning regimen,

after an athlete has been screened by a trained fitness professional who has a keen eye for movement deficiencies. Otherwise, a speed and agility program will set an athlete up for severe injuries.

Why Paying for Speed and Agility is a Waste of Money

Address the issues.

Dysfunction hides in speed! Poor foot mechanics, along with a weak core and hips, plus a kyphotic posture will lead to terrible outcomes if these issues aren’t addressed. We see this in a lot of people in our society. We live in flexion! Too much sitting, and not enough extension in our daily routines.

In my experience of training marathon runners, my team and I capture a video of the runner running on a treadmill. Then, we will watch the video in slow motion to see how the running mechanics are performing at a normal pace. To the surprise of many of our clients, they finally get to see what is contributing to their aches and pains.

The body will compensate wherever it is needed to perform the current and necessary activity.

For example, the video will show how the runner is unable to maintain hip stability and every time their right foot strikes the ground, their right hip will drop and their right knee will slightly turn inward. Due to this compensation, our client has come to our facility to solve their knee pain after training for their upcoming marathon. Our assessment will clearly expose these compensations.

If you can’t do it slow, then you can’t do it fast!

Why Paying for Speed and Agility is a Waste of Money

It’s not only marathoners.

I was using a marathon runner as an example. Now, imagine an athlete that is involved in a sport that requires change of direction, such as basketball, football, soccer, etc. The chances of injury are greater and much more severe. That is why

addressing strength training before speed and agility is the proper protocol.

If an athlete can’t perform a fundamental back squat, then they should not be asked to perform a box jump or a broad jump. Doing so will lead to devastating injuries because the athlete doesn’t have the strength to produce the power that it requires to perform the activity.

Once again, I am not against training speed and agility! I believe that it is a great advantage once an athlete has earned that level of training. In our society, we would never attempt to teach multiplication and division before addition and subtraction. Well, the same philosophy applies to the strength and conditioning. Movement quality and strength training comes before speed and agility, especially in sports that requires change of direction.

My advice?

Those of you who want to get faster and quicker in your sport, find a fitness professional who understands biomechanics. Hire them and get an assessment/evaluation. Follow their program and be patient for the results.

Otherwise, save some money for physical therapy!

 

About the Author:Jason D. Adams is the owner and founder of Driven Performance. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, with a bachelor’s degree in health education: Exercise and Fitness. He is certified by the American Council of Exercise in personal training and the National Academy of Sports Medicine specializing in corrective exercise. Jason began his career training in the typical big box gyms, but soon realized that the atmosphere of these facilities did not lend to the type of training that he wanted to provide for people.

Jason D. Adams is the owner and founder of Driven Performance. He is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, with a bachelor’s degree in health education: Exercise and Fitness. He is certified by the American Council of Exercise in personal training and the National Academy of Sports Medicine specializing in corrective exercise. Jason began his career training in the typical big box gyms, but soon realized that the atmosphere of these facilities did not lend to the type of training that he wanted to provide for people.

By helping rehab clients and athletes reach their goals, Jason gained a reputation of being an elite personal trainer. He is very detail oriented and enjoys helping people see their untapped potential by doing what they love, free of worry and injuries. Jason excels in teaching proper and safe movements that will lead to improved stability, coordination and strength in youth and adult athletes who are looking to improve their fitness and athletic performance abilities.