You are just minutes away from uncovering a Renowned Trainer’s Secret Methods and Tactics for increasing speed and improving agility – in any sport, at any level!
I am starting my third week of a new basketball season. It is paramoun
t that work on the offensive and defensive systems that must be mastered. I also understand how important it is for my athlete to move better so I must train speed and quickness each practice. As all coaches know, there isn’t a lot of time to do both system development and athletic development equally at the beginning of the season, but there is a way.
One of the most important athletic skills I need my girls’ basketball team to be able to perform is cutting or simply change of direction. If we can perform this skill well we can move well on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. So how do I use my practice breakdown to accomplish this? Combine them!When we are working on defensive slides during our shell defense, individual breakdown, or 5-on-5, I put a huge emphasis on body position and intensity of speed. I want them moving as quickly as possible, but maintaining great body control. On the offensive side of the ball any time we cut to the basket, change direction on the dribble, or fill an open spot I want the girls in a great stance and using proper acceleration and deceleration angles. Read the rest…
I am often asked about my techniques for teaching speed and agility. People want to know why and when I use them. The first thing I tell them is they just occur. The plyo step, the hip turn, the directional step, and all the other multidirectional speed techniques are natural movements for athletes. In other words; what I have done is studied how athletes naturally move through instinct and innateness, and I have created a model of how to move. Even though athletes naturally do something like reposition their feet to accelerate or decelerate quickly, they still may make mistakes with upper body control.
Speed and agility done right is about making sure we marry the natural movements athletes have with effective and efficient body control to maximize speed and quickness.
Still to this day, and I am sure for many years to come, coaches still want to argue with me about the repositioning Read the rest…
I know most of you have used the agility ladder, also known as the speed ladder, quick foot ladder, and so on. I have used it for many years and over the past three to four years have virtually minimized the number of exercises used by 90 percent. There are basically three exercises I now use when using the ladder as a teaching tool.
Imagine walking in the woods on a cool fall day. You are enjoying the clean air and the vibrant colors of the leaves. As you continue on your path you begin to hear rustling in the distance. You don’t think much of it, but your heart rate does jump up a beat or two. As you continue on your walk the rustling gets louder and closer. You stop! Your eyes scan the area in front of you as you notice the bushes begin to shake violently. All of a sudden a wild animal darts out of the bush and speeds toward you. Without a thought you veer off the path as your heart jumps into your throat, and you avoid what seemed to be a scared frightened animal. With no planning or technical cuing you performed the quickest cut of your life.
Cutting: the act of changing directions with or without predetermining the angle. Read the rest…
