Intro to Speed, Agility, and Quickness

I know, I know, I know; it has been months since my last posting. Well quality takes time.

The following is the introduction to Speed, Agility and Quickness (SAQ). This is geared toward martial arts, but the principles can be applied to any activity. Included with the intro are the references for all of the sections and an example of how the exercises can be incorporated into a training program (the exercises will also appear at the end of each corresponding posting). There are only a few exercises listed as this is to just give an example of how SAQ can be enhanced. Use your imagination and follow the reasoning behind each exercise.

It has long been known that SAQ are necessary for elite athletics. Sporting activities require fast, coordinated movements of the limbs and/or the entire body (Brown & Ferrigno 2005). By taking advantage of the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) of muscles (facilitates recruitment of motor units by storing energy during the eccentric phase of an exercise and utilizing it during the concentric phase), SAQ training enhances athletics as well as everyday activity (Vissing, Brink, Lonbro, Sorenson, Overgaard, Danborg, Moternsen, Elstrom et al., 2008; Brown & Ferrigno, 2005). For improvement in a specific movement, Rhea (nd) states that the specifics of the activity need to be closely mimicked, therefore the chosen exercises need to recruit the same muscles, resemble the movement patterns, and use the same velocity as the activity being improved (McBride, Triplett-McBride, Davie & Newton, 2002). Adding appropriate SAQ exercises that mimic specific areas that are in need of improvement into a traditional training program will increase maximal force during high speed movements, increase muscular power in all three planes of motion, as well as increase proprioception and reaction time (Brown & Ferrigno, 2005).

Example Program:

The program outlined below is designed to improve balance, reactive movements, and explosive power for a novice martial athlete. As the subject becomes more adept at the exercise volume and intensity need to be increased. To improve the subject’s endurance, running stadium stairs and jumping rope can be completed for 20-40 minutes or an interval program can be established.

Split Squat – jump lunge:

· Incorporate into lower body strength training program

· 3 sets of 10-20

· Will help with

o Reactive movements

o Keep subject on toes rather than staying flat footed

o Additional incorporated movements will improve dynamic balance

o Increase stride length and power

Stadium Stairs

· Incorporate into conditioning warm up drills

· 5 sets of intervals

· Start with 8-10 seconds fast with 30 second rest

· Will help with

o Increase starting power

o Increase stride rate (down) and stride length (up)

Run through hurdles

· Incorporate into conditioning warm up drills

· 5 sets

· Will help with

o Increase lower body ambidexterity and stride frequency

Jump rope

· Incorporate into conditioning warm up drills

· 3-5 minutes

· Start with 20 seconds fast with one minute of moderate pace

· Will help with

o Timing

o Coordination

o Dynamic balance

o Power

Hop and stick

· Incorporate into warm up drills prior to martial arts training

· 20 hops

· Will help with

o Dynamic balance

Roll or tumble

· Incorporate into martial arts warm up drills

· 20 tumbles

· Will help with

o Total body agility

o Proprioception

o Reaction to push or fall

Directional mirror drill

· Incorporate into martial arts warm up or use as a training drill during class

· 3-5 minutes for warm up (rest every 30 seconds for one minute)

· 15-20 minutes as class drill (rest every few minutes as participants need)

· Will help with

o Reactive movements

o Faster thought processing and anticipatory time

Medicine ball wall toss

· Incorporate into strength training program

· 3 sets of 10-15 tosses

· Will help with

o Total body power

o Punching speed and power

o Reaction time

Plyometric push up

· Incorporate into strength training program

· 2-3 sets of 10

· Will help with

o Upper body strength

o Explosive power

o Quickness of upper body movements

References

Baechle, T. & Earle, R. (2008) Essentials of strength training and conditioning. (pp. 252,)Champaign, IL. Human Kinetics

Brown, L., & Ferrigno, V. (2005) Training for speed, agility, and quickness. (pp. 1-2, 35-36, 53, 63, 72-75, 121-124,134, 139, 143, 156, 157, 167) Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

Clark M, & Russell A. (2007) Optimum performance training for the performance enhancement specialist. Calabasas, CA: National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Cruse, T. (nd) Jeet Kune Do + Filthy MMA = Paul Vanuk's effective street fighting in 15 minutes. Retrieved from www.blackbeltmag.com/jeet-kune-do-filthy-mma-paul-vanuk-effective-street-fighting-15-minutes/archives/983

Faigenbaum, A. & Mediate, P. (2006) Effects of medicine ball training on fitness performance of high school physical education students. The Physical Educator Fall 2006, 160-167

Foran, B. (2001) Sports conditioning: Modern training for ultimate athletic performance. (p. 8) Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics

Gadeken, S. (1999) Off-season strength, power, and plyometric training for Kansas State volleyball. National Strength & Conditioning Association 21(5), 49–55

Jonhagen, S., Halverson, K., & Benoit, D. (2009) Muscle activation and length changes during two lunge exercises: Implications for rehabilitation. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports19, 561–568

Salonikidis, K. & Zaferidis, A. (2008) The effects of plyometric, tennis drills, and combined training on reaction, lateral and linear speed, power, and strength in novice tennis players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 22(1), 182–191

Little, J. & Lee-Caldwell, L. (2000) Striking thoughts; Bruce Lee’s wisdom for daily living. (p. 11) Boston: Tuttle

McBride, J., Triplett-McBride, T., Davie, A. & Newton, R. (2002) The effect of heavy-vs. light load jump squats on the development of strength, power, and speed. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 16(1), 75–82

Mori, S., Ohtani, Y. & Imanaka, O. (2002) Reaction times and anticipatory skills of karate athletes. Human Movement Science 21(2), 213-230

Paradisis G. & Cooke, C. (2006) The effects of sprint running training in sloping surfaces. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 20(4), 767–777

Rhea, M. (nd) Transfer of training to sport performance. Retrieved from www.academics.ashs.atsu.edu/hmvideos/rhea/HM503/transfer.wmv

Sorensen, H., Zacho, M., Simonsen, E., Dyhre-Poulson, P. & Klausen, K. (1996) Dynamics of a martial arts front kick. Journal of Sports Sciences 14, 483-495

Terry, C. (2006) The martial arts. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 17, 645–676

Tom, T. (2005). The straight lead, the core of Bruce Lee’s Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do. (pp. 25-33) Boston: Tuttle Publishing.

Vissing, K., Brink, M., Lonbro, S., Sorenson, H., Overgaard, K., Danborg, K., Mortensen, J., Elstrom, O., Rosenhj, N., Ringaard, S., Andersen, J. & Aagaard, P. (2008) Muscle adaptations to plyometrics vs. resistance training in untrained young men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 22(6), 1799–1810

Vossen, J., Kramer, J., Burke, D. & Vossen, D. (2000) Comparison of dynamic push up traning and plyometric push up training on upper body power and strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 14(3), 248–253

Vunak, P. (2001) Anatomy of a street fight. (pp. 23-24) Burbank, CA. Unique Publications.

Winkler, M. (2007) Ropesport; the ultimate jump rope workout. (pp. 13, 152). Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons Inc.

Yaggie, J. & Campbell, B. (2006) Effects of balance training on selected skills. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 20(2), 422-428