This article will examine what part strength plays in your speed and agility training program. Let’s define some terms.

• Absolute strength – is the maximum power you are capable of generating, your one rep maximum is your absolute strength
• Starting Strength – a function of how many muscle fibers you can instantaneously contract

Think of it like this, if you snatch a heavy dumbbell off the ground you will strain your back. But if you were to pick it up slowly this would not occur. Starting strength (in this example), simply measures the

maximum weight you are capable of snatching off the ground without injury.

• Relative strength – your strength per pound of body weight
• Reactive Strength or Plyometric Strength – measures your ability to absorb and utilize force when switching from an eccentric contraction to a concentric contraction.

What is the relevance of these terms of your speed and agility training?
The higher your absolute strength, the higher your starting strength. The higher your starting strength, the faster your
acceleration, the faster your acceleration, the greater your explosiveness or your ability to reach your top speed faster. Ask yourself, “Is my speed and agility training improving my absolute strength for those muscles that matter in my sport of choice?”

A good question to ask is whether your speed and agility training improves your relative strength. Remember that when training for speed and agility your relative strength is more important that your absolute strength.

Note: you shouldn’t worry too much about bulking up because a 10% increase in LEAN body mass translates into a 30% increase in strength.

Relative strength is

important because the higher your relative strength, the more power you can produce. This benefits you in two ways:

• your nervous system is better conditioned (this will also cross over into your agility)
• it is easier for you to move your body (this is because you have a lower proportion of body mass to strength due to the 1:3 ratio); this crosses over and develops both speed and agility.

Lastly, we come to reactive strength. This sort of strength plays a critical role in agility, it enables you to quickly change direction and dazzle your opponent with surprising moves. It also enables you to jump higher when running (but not so much from a standstill position). It also plays a role in running speed but there are better ways to train for it if running speed is what you are after.

What’s the take away home from this article? In order to properly train for speed and agility you must incorporate strength training workouts in your routine. You must also customize it for the athletic endeavor of choice. There are no shortcuts but there are efficient ways of reaching your goals (whatever they may be).

If this has confused you a bit you should do one thing: Keep on reading till it makes sense.

Here’s a food for though question for you? Why do sprinters (50, 100 meter dash,

basketball players, quarterbacks etc) have ripped abs without specifically

training for them?

TIP: To help you answer this question, keep in mind that starting strength is different for different muscles groups. Starting strength in different muscle groups can be specifically trained for. Understanding which muscles play a part in the movements most critical to your athletic endeavor of choice enables you to focus on them and generate quick and efficient results.

PS: Check out the culmination of this article and learn the 1 legged squat here:  Speed and Agility Training – The 1 Legged Squat

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Superstars Are Not Born – They Are Created

Michael Jordan did it.  Jerry Rice took a news crew to film him while he did it.  David Beckham champions it at his David Beckham Academies.  What do they all have in common?  Aside from being world-class athletes, these modern “gods” include speed and agility training as an integral part of their successes.  While all were born with athletic talent, they know that speed exercises and agility drills give them the edge on their competitors, and they are right.  Michael Jordan felt being at peak shape helped his basketball skills, “I just feel that physically I’ve got to be in the best shape possible to be able to do my job.”  Both experts and the athletes themselves agree that the adoption and practice of speed and agility training extended the careers for Jerry Rice and Michael Jordan.

This explains the transformation in popular thinking.  The old adage was that you were either born with natural talent or you were lacking.   If you did not possess natural talent then you were relegated to the stands,   now we know better.  In fact there is a well known Speed and Agility Revolution happening.  The extra time spent on speed and agility training, is that which separates starters from bench warmers, scholarship athletes from walk-ons, playing tennis with the boss at the club or strumming your fingers back at your desk.

Speed and Agility Defined

So what exactly is speed and agility? Speed is the ability to cover distance rapidly. Nearly every game requires fast movements of either the arms or legs.  Leg speed is tremendously important in sports such as football, soccer, basketball and baseball.  Speed exercises and agility training can improve leg speed in sports.

Agility training focuses on rapid change of direction and footwork while maintaining control and balance.  Agility includes a combination of speed, balance, power and co-ordination.  Agility is necessary for almost any sport as it increases a player’s reaction time to changes on the court or field.

Getting Real

The next time you are watching Kobe Bryant’s incredible agility, strength, and stamina on the court, know that it is not simply some miraculous, God-given ability.  Kobe works relentlessly hard, year-round, on strength training workouts, agility training and speed exercises.  He is considered to be one of the hardest working and physically fit players in the NBA and he has the trophies and championship rings to back it up!

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