Does anyone have any methods of increasing agility?

[tye111]

hi, i've read through some of the stuff in this section of the forum and was wondering if any of u guys know how to increase agility as i'm training for the rugby season, also when i go running some times when i've finished i feel really sick, is this just because i'm not eating the right stuff or does it happen to every one?
thanks alot
paul

[Golden Arms]

Bagua Walk: Seriously, do it for 20min or so every day, and you wont believe the difference it makes. Find someone to teach you how to do it right.

[Ford Prefect]

You can't go wrong with cone drills and ladder drills. You can make home made ones of each very easily. I'm not sure where you can find them online and they are hard to explain in just writing.

[Mortal1]

Start training a wushu style kungfu. It increased my overall athleticism and agility ten fold. I am better at handball, snowboarding, basketball. I was even able to juggle easily. Something I never did in my life.

[_William_]

Search google for the "dot drill".

Do lots and lots of running drills.

Carioca running is good for lateral footwork, which is important. Also plain vanilla sideways running.

You especially need to be able to change direction quickly. This is very very important. Work on this.

Shuttle runs are good for this purpose too, and make up other drills to improve how fast you can change direction while running. Play playground tag with a young sibling, cousin, etc. It will be very difficult to catch them and you will have fun and improve your agility/footwork too.

As for feeling sick after runs, its hard to tell whats going on there until you tell us more. Are you eating too soon before your runs? Are you getting enough fluids, electrolytes, potassium, etc. in your diet? What do you eat in the course of a day?In what way do you feel sick? Of course, you may want to see a doctor about this.

[AndrewS]

Check out the Parisi speed school DVDs, available through elite fitness systems. I've been impressed by the one I picked up. Incidentally, a point continually made on said DVD is that higher relative strength is a prerequiste for agility, something I've definitely come across in my own practice. Hence, some squats may well be in order for you.

As to feeling sick post run- could be anything from normal fatigue induced nausea (aka a 'puker')- likely- to impending myocardial infarction- less likely. If you're a 55 year old male diabetic smoker whose dad and brother died suddenly at 40 and 35, and you're having tingling down your arms with that nausea, you might want to see an MD. If you're 20 with a clean bill of health, prehydrate, look at your regimen, and man up.

Andrew

[tye111]

thanks alot for the help.
well i'm only 16 years old if that helps with me feeling sick after running, and i'm guessing it's probably that i don't eat the right stuff because at the moment i'm on my summer holiday so don't end up waking up till about 11ish so don't eat breakfast, then i don't usually eat until about 3-4ish which is usually only some pasta. then i have another meal at about 10 or so. i go running at 3 most of the time.
paul

[TonyM.]

If your sick after running your probably dehydrated. The best way to hydrate is with water. Anything else has to be digested. Start hydrating a day before.

[hazhardy]

paulo, it's definately to do with what your eating. if you run in the morning it might help,,1 hour before or after food,,increase your flexibility and do ''free'running'' type-running should hook you up. also i would aggree that strength will help too.
drinking jus half a glass of water before you walm up to run should help..
take it easy man,, should see you friday, if not at the BBQ on monday,,
hza

[ElPietro]

Power lifting and Olympic lifting will serve you best. They will give you strength and explosiveness which are two main components of agility. Unless your definition is different than mine.

If you want to be able to change directions in a hurry, you need to have very strong legs, and if you need to get up to full speed in a hurry after that change in directions, they need to be explosively strong.

Squats, deadlifts, powercleans, hangcleans, all of these are your friend. I don't think anything else will help your rugby game more than this, other than actually practicing/playing rugby.

[Chief Fox]

A lot of people have already mentioned doing agility drills with cones, ladders and the dot drill. In addition to those I would get a wobble board. There are tons of exercises you can do on it but I really like one leg squats on a wobble board. It really strengthens your ankles along with the rest of you leg of course.

Another thing I like is trail running. Trails have all kinds of rocks, roots and ups and downs on them. Running on and avoiding these things is great agility training.

[ElPietro]

Agility is sport specific, so all this really isn't all that applicable. If you want to get better at a sport practice the ****ed sport. That's it.

I suggested power and oly lifts, because these things will give your body/joints/connective tissue the strength, and your muscles the explosiveness to maximize the response your CNS adapts to performing that specific sport.

If your sport is wobbling on a board, then I highly recommend wobble boards.

There is a reason NFL Running backs, or Olympic sprinters are massively strong in their power and oly lifts. They do them.

[Chief Fox]

Agility is sport specific, so all this really isn't all that applicable. If you want to get better at a sport practice the ****ed sport. That's it.

I suggested power and oly lifts, because these things will give your body/joints/connective tissue the strength, and your muscles the explosiveness to maximize the response your CNS adapts to performing that specific sport.

If your sport is wobbling on a board, then I highly recommend wobble boards.

There is a reason NFL Running backs, or Olympic sprinters are massively strong in their power and oly lifts. They do them.

Dude, I didn't recommend a wobble board as a primary exercise for agility. I recommended it as a supplement becuase other people, including yourself, had already given solid advice.

As far as agility being sport specific, you couldn't be more WRONG. For example, sports like football, soccer, Lacross, tenis and basketball, among many others, all use simular lateral movements. So the previously mentioned agility drills will be helpfull for all of them.

Agility requires: Speed, power, balance and quick reflexes. Power lifting will give you great explosive power but will do NOTHING for lateral movements, quick reflexes and balance in terms of agility.

[ElPietro]

Ah well you validated my point then without knowing it.

I said it's sport specific, and you mentioned several sports with the same specificity.

My wobble board comment was made because it will not translate into being better at a sport, but it will help strengthen ankles, which can facilitate being better at a sport, or in the least be used as preventative measures for injuries.

This is EXACTLY why I suggested power and oly lifting. Nothing will punish your body more. Nothing will give you greater strength or explosiveness. And nothing outside of the sport, or sport specific activities will prepare you better to improve in that sport.

What exactly is lateral movements? The ability to shift weight, sorta stop/start etc. That motion is very hard on knees, hip flexors, groins, and guess how you can best strengthen and protect those areas?

[_William_]

In my opinion:
Olympic lifting = develop maximum strength, rfd, strengthen connective tissues
Agility drills = helps develop the _skill_ of agility

So why not do both? I'm pretty gung-ho about lifting, but IMO agility drills have their place too.

[Spark]

Start training a wushu style kungfu. It increased my overall athleticism and agility ten fold. I am better at handball, snowboarding, basketball. I was even able to juggle easily. Something I never did in my life.

After I trained in Wushu I was able to play the violin! Something I never did in my life!

Thanks Wushu!!

[AndrewS]

Lateral movement- while the big lifts build a great base, lateral movement is gonna use the stabilizers in a different manner, and most of your sport is going to be done in a staggered, not parallel stance. As such some unilateral leg work (lunges, bulgarian squats, step ups) is probably a good thing to build into your program as it is more sport specific, helps with injury prevention by developing the stabilizers used in lateral movement, and will bring up your big lifts as a bonus.

All that being said- there are definitely a set of teachable skills involved in being able to move for a field sport (ones which are somewhat different from moving in a ring or cage).

Er, aren't we all basically saying the same thing here?

1). Work drills for skill work
2). Do the big lifts for a strength and speed base
3). Do something for prehab, 'cos the best way to treat an injury is not to get it.

Is there anything that doesn't fall under those headings?

Andrew

[tye111]

thanks alot for ur help, i'll start doing some of the excercises now, but for the olympic weight lifting or the weight lifting in general i don't have the weights at the moment, but i read in a book that just doing squat jumps increases bursts of engery in the same way, is this right?

[Chief Fox]

Ah well you validated my point then without knowing it.
Actually no.


I said it's sport specific, and you mentioned several sports with the same specificity.

Sport specific means a movement that is unique to a specific sport, like throwing a baseball. I mentioned lateral movement. Something that is common to many sports.


My wobble board comment was made because it will not translate into being better at a sport, but it will help strengthen ankles, which can facilitate being better at a sport, or in the least be used as preventative measures for injuries.

I mentioned a wobble board because this type of device will strengthen your ankles and give you better balance, two things that are needed for increased agility.


This is EXACTLY why I suggested power and oly lifting. Nothing will punish your body more. Nothing will give you greater strength or explosiveness. And nothing outside of the sport, or sport specific activities will prepare you better to improve in that sport.

It sounds like you're saying that all you have to do is OLY lifts and play your desired sport. That would be great if this thread was about getting better at a "specific sport" but this thread is about increasing agility. Nothing will increase your agility better than agility drills. Who's more agile, the power lifter or the person who practices agility drills?


What exactly is lateral movements? The ability to shift weight, sorta stop/start etc. That motion is very hard on knees, hip flexors, groins, and guess how you can best strengthen and protect those areas?
Lateral movements are side to side movements. Olympic style lifts use an up and down plane. They never move from side to side. Agility or being agile is the abilty to move quickly in all directions.

[_William_]

thanks alot for ur help, i'll start doing some of the excercises now, but for the olympic weight lifting or the weight lifting in general i don't have the weights at the moment, but i read in a book that just doing squat jumps increases bursts of engery in the same way, is this right?

Olympic weightlifting is the best option, but if that is not available for you then squat jumps are definitely better than doing nothing. Remember to land softly when landing. You might want to slap a point on the wall with every repetition to make sure you are hitting the right height every time.

[FooFighter]

Try www.performbetter.com , there are specific equipments and videos series on Agility training by real professional coaches. I would recommend you start from there or go see a sport conditioning specialist or coach for more help. On the topic of powerlifting on agility. I do not agree that powerlifting is good for agility training. Just because you only have a hammer as your only tool, doesnt mean everything should be treated as a nail. From experience of going to many fitness and sport specific seminars/conventions and I have seen, heard, and learned from many leading coaches, from what I understand and I may be wrong is powerlifting does not develop "agility". Intuitively, when one thinks of powerlifting, one does not see nor imagines agility. Powerlifting is limited in one to two planes of motion whereas agility is not restricted and it is the dynamic ability of moving in and out in multi-direction and multi-planes of movements. For example, please examine the similarities or differences of the breathing, structure, and movement of someone who has great agility (break dancer) from a great powerlifter. I hope then you can see what I mean and understand that agility is NOT simply gross motor skills of "linearly" moving force or mass from point a to point c quickly, but agility is the skill of dynamically moving in and out of your work sophistication. Everything is subject to the laws of conditionings, the powerlifter's breathing habits, structural habits, and even motor skills do not carry over to "refine movements" of optimal performance. Therefore, this is why, in my opinion, poweflifting in itself is not a good way to develop agility.

Yours in Strength,
Bao

[ElPietro]

Actually no.

Sport specific means a movement that is unique to a specific sport, like throwing a baseball. I mentioned lateral movement. Something that is common to many sports.

Wow if you are going to argue foolish somantics then I'm not gonna waste my time. Sport specific can apply to many sports smart guy. Lateral cuts ARE specific to Rugby, ARE specific to Football, ARE specific to Tennis. If this concept is still too complicated for you let me know and I shall elaborate further. Unique doesn't equal specific. Might I suggest a purchase of a dictionary at amazon.com.




I mentioned a wobble board because this type of device will strengthen your ankles and give you better balance, two things that are needed for increased agility.

Balance is also very specific. You don't train on a wobble board to be a better tightrope walker. But if you wish to continue inventing things on your own that's fine. I prefer to know what I'm talking about.



It sounds like you're saying that all you have to do is OLY lifts and play your desired sport. That would be great if this thread was about getting better at a "specific sport" but this thread is about increasing agility. Nothing will increase your agility better than agility drills. Who's more agile, the power lifter or the person who practices agility drills?

Ok my friend, maybe english isn't your first, or second language, but it's time for some reading comprehension skills. Work on them, when you are done with that then learn something about physical training. Perhaps you didn't read that this thread is about him training for rugby. I'm not sure about you, but to me, Rugby is a pretty ****ed "specific sport." I could be wrong though.

If he is training for rugby, then he's already gonig to be be practicing rugby and doing the associated drills. As a supplement to this, YES oly and power lifting will be his best choice in added training. To answer your question, the guy who plays and practices his sport AND power/oly lifts. Go to any professional sports club and if you want to see how they train, you will see any runner that has to be solid on his feet and make cuts doing oly and power lifts.



Lateral movements are side to side movements. Olympic style lifts use an up and down plane. They never move from side to side. Agility or being agile is the abilty to move quickly in all directions.

Could you please tell me what my side to side stabilizers are? Feel free to invent muscles as you go along. If you think that oly and power lifts don't activate the hip abductor/adductors and all the connective tissue in between, or the groin, or glutes, then all is lost. Let me explain the concept one last time in as brief and simple terms as possible. Get your body good and strong, and prepared for the sport, while practicing the sport and it's specific movements. This combination will get you where you need to be better than anything else.

Last time I looked in a bloody NFL or Rugby locker room I sure as hell didn't see some skinny ass punks standing on wobble boards and practicing their windmill kicks. I think you've watched Shaolin Soccer one too many times.

Please let me know if I haven't made things clear and concise enough. I'm always willing to educate. :)

[FooFighter]

Wow if you are going to argue foolish somantics then I'm not gonna waste my time. Sport specific can apply to many sports smart guy. Lateral cuts ARE specific to Rugby, ARE specific to Football, ARE specific to Tennis. If this concept is still too complicated for you let me know and I shall elaborate further. Unique doesn't equal specific. Might I suggest a purchase of a dictionary at amazon.com.




Balance is also very specific. You don't train on a wobble board to be a better tightrope walker. But if you wish to continue inventing things on your own that's fine. I prefer to know what I'm talking about.



Ok my friend, maybe english isn't your first, or second language, but it's time for some reading comprehension skills. Work on them, when you are done with that then learn something about physical training. Perhaps you didn't read that this thread is about him training for rugby. I'm not sure about you, but to me, Rugby is a pretty ****ed "specific sport." I could be wrong though.

If he is training for rugby, then he's already gonig to be be practicing rugby and doing the associated drills. As a supplement to this, YES oly and power lifting will be his best choice in added training. To answer your question, the guy who plays and practices his sport AND power/oly lifts. Go to any professional sports club and if you want to see how they train, you will see any runner that has to be solid on his feet and make cuts doing oly and power lifts.



Could you please tell me what my side to side stabilizers are? Feel free to invent muscles as you go along. If you think that oly and power lifts don't activate the hip abductor/adductors and all the connective tissue in between, or the groin, or glutes, then all is lost. Let me explain the concept one last time in as brief and simple terms as possible. Get your body good and strong, and prepared for the sport, while practicing the sport and it's specific movements. This combination will get you where you need to be better than anything else.

Last time I looked in a bloody NFL or Rugby locker room I sure as hell didn't see some skinny ass punks standing on wobble boards and practicing their windmill kicks. I think you've watched Shaolin Soccer one too many times.

Please let me know if I haven't made things clear and concise enough. I'm always willing to educate. :)


ElPietro,

It is clear you believe that powerlifting is the best medium for football and ruby players. I would not disagree with you with the fact that powerlifting methodology is indeed the present paradigm for these athletes. However, I would not say it is the best method. This would be too dogmatic or narrow minded in my book. I am sure there are plenty of means to reach the same aim. I have already explained why I believe powerlifting isn't good for agility in itself. FYI, please try dont be so rude and conscending. We all can learn from each other. ChiefFox made some valid points which I think you misunderstood.

Bao

[ElPietro]

I am generally a grumpy person in the morning, and his comments seemed to be so, and I reacted as such.

But I feel just for explosiveness, the oly lifts might be better than powerlifts, but they should both be used.

Ultimately, what is the thread starter trying to accomplish?

He wants to become a better rugby player.

To do that, as with any sport, you must play or practice the sport and it's specific (not unique) movements. In this do we agree?

If we agree on that, as the primary method of increasing sport specific skill, what would be next? To me it has to be resistance training, insofar as it is a sport that involves contact, and being strong on your feet is a major factor.

Also, being able to start your body and stop your body from a variety of directions. This requires a lot of strength and explosiveness.

For example, I tore my hamstring a few years ago doing stiff legged deadlifts. I rehabbed on my own, and got back to 100% strength, even further actually. But just playing some tackle football with some friends, I stood on the line, and the first time I came off that line I re-tore my hamstring. This is because when you move explosively, you are putting a whole lot more strain on the body than you typically train with a normal cadence in the gym. This is why explosive lifts help in that manner. They enable you to perform better, but also fortify your body against injury.

Besides that, there is no resistance training that could better serve the body to take a beating than a combination of those two methods, OTHER than the actual sport itself.

There is no mysticism behind all this. Sure we are always developing new ways to do things, but this is currently the best system I've read of, and is what trained athletes of today, that are responsible for their nations pride, or are being paid millions of dollars to perform are using, and there is a reason for it.

This of course is assuming a normal healthy individual, without some odd weakness or defect that is not common.

Just my thoughts anyway. Take it or leave it I'm just trying to address the original posters question on training for rugby. Agility is an abstract concept that is specific to the action in context.

[whitefox]

Plyometrics IMO would also be a good choice to add into your regime.

[ElPietro]

Plyometrics IMO would also be a good choice to add into your regime.

I agree, if he has the time for that as well. But cycle them in and out. Perhaps his team already does some? But good suggestion.

[whitefox]

I agree, if he has the time for that as well. But cycle them in and out. Perhaps his team already does some? But good suggestion.


Cycling them in is definitely a good suggestion. I would also add that one should do them 1 to 2 times a week if possible. Anymore and you risk injury IMO.

[Chief Fox]

ElPietro, thanks for edg-a-mu-cating me. :rolleyes:

Just so we're clear, you went on the attack after my first post, with this comment.

If your sport is wobbling on a board, then I highly recommend wobble boards.

Maybe we can agree on this. You can increase your agility through a balanced exercise program that includes but is not limited to:
1. Agility Drills (including a freakin' wobble board if you want)
2. Explosive strength training.
3. Participating in your desired sport.

peace

[ElPietro]

Sorry if you construed my wobble board comment as a personal attack. All I was doing was reinforcing my point of specificity of training.

We can make a case probably for countless training techniques, and all of them will work to some degree. Ultimately, even pro athletes are limited by time and recovery, so must be selective in what they do. For us regular mortals with careers, families or school still to go, it's even harder.

So sometimes you just got to go with what is efficient vs. absolutely optimal.

[tye111]

for the plyometrics i was looking at this website , http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/plymo.htm, and it said hoping was a low intensity form of plyometrics, could this be used in skipping? as this would also work cardio?

paul

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

tye 111

try an oldfashioned high intensity aerobics class. the foot work you're going to need plus most of the other stuff mentioned in the last two pages can be found there. :D

[johnyk]

I agility is the abulity to change direction and shift center of gravity very fast, than try plyometrics. You can find allot of stuff on line about it.