Is there a surefire way of improving agility?

[Ted-P]

You are read all about improving strength, speed, vertical, power, and etc, but there is a rare mention of improving agility and yet it is probably the most important athletic component in wide range of sports.

 

[ripskater]

Yes

Do this

 

[Tosa]

A lot of agility training is going to be tied to the training and drills that are done for a specific sport. Whereas training things like strength, power or conditioning is typically done more separately. So you'll find more information on training strength, power, or conditioning as a general athletic quality, but tend to find information on training agility tied to reading about training/coaching for a specific sport.

Which makes sense, as "agility" involves specific movement skills, which will vary depending on the sport, and is incorporated well into sports specific skill work, unlike S&C work.

That said, there is some research supporting some kind of agility work for general health and wellbeing among older individuals, being useful in addressing things like osteoporosis and risk of falls.

 

[Ted-P]

Yes

Do this

I can't tell if you are being serious.

That name sounds very familiar. Isn't that the dude who drove his son crazy?

 

[ripskater]

I can't tell if you are being serious.

That name sounds very familiar. Isn't that the dude who drove his son crazy?

There were many issues. That's another thread, but he does some pretty good agility training. You don't even have to have hurdles. You can just lay down 9 dowel rods in the grass, put on your cleats, and go through the various agility drills. Or lay down some tape, or 9 pieces of string. Put them 3 feet apart.

forward, sideways, backwards, with different feet leading over each stick. And do all your jumps, forward, sideways, spinning jumps.

It's a great workout for agility. It can be your cardio also if you have a heart rate monitor.

jump over a line, forward and backwards,, then side to side for 14 reps each.

 

[JauntyAngle]

Power is a component of agility. In addition to balance, coordination etc you need power to stop suddenly, change directions suddenly etc. So in principle you train your strength, then do some additional work to develop power. Some of that can be exercises that are somewhat specific to your sport.

E.g. if you play a sport where you have to zig-zag when running. Presuming you are not a noob. Out of season, you do 8-10 weeks of regular strength training trying to build up your max. Shortly before the season starts, you reduce the intensity and volume, and add a few more things like lunges and split squats. Then you add things like bounding and agility drills with cones. In theory, the strength you have developed is "converted" to power in jumping off a single leg and changing directions. You should zig-zag better, and that should look like agility.

As Tosa says, lots of it is technique. And other biomotor qualities are involved . So it's not going to do all of the work.

 

[These Two Hands]

Radioactive spider bite

 

[KILL KILL]

I can't tell if you are being serious.

That name sounds very familiar. Isn't that the dude who drove his son crazy?

Football players have been using this for decades, but generally use tires or sections of nylon string. There's nothing fancy about it.

 

[DrBdan]

Lose weight. Nothing makes you slower and clumsier than hauling around an extra 10-20 lb of unneeded weight.

 

[Mischievousjoe]

I'l go a different route here- consider something like Yoga. It will increase your mobility, balance, and strength to move your body around in novel ways, i.e. agility.

 

[ripskater]

I'l go a different route here- consider something like Yoga. It will increase your mobility, balance, and strength to move your body around in novel ways, i.e. agility.

Good one! That can help. Especially if you are unlocking some deficient movement or gaining strength in some unworked muscles in a new way. And movement may become easier.

 

[Jack Handy jr]

the hard way would be to pick up Gymnastics as an adult which would be extremely hard to do. and easy and fun way is to play pick up basketball.