Athletic Performance Toolbox

Agility Training with Rings

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This article was provided Training-Conditioning

By Jay Dawes

Jay Dawes, PhD, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, FNSCA, is an Assistant Professor of Strength and Conditioning and the head strength coach for women’s soccer at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. Jay has worked as a strength/performance coach, educator and post-rehabilitation specialist for over 15 years, and continues to act as a performance consultant for a wide-variety athletes, law enforcement officers and those in physically demanding occupations. Jay was recognized as a Fellow of the NSCA (FNSCA) in 2009.

 

In Part One of this article, the use of Agility Rings to perform low level plyometric drills was discussed. In Part Two, we will focus on the use of Agility Rings as part of a sport/activity specific dynamic warm-up.

The sport/activity specific warm-up should be an integral part of any training session. It allows the client to progressively and systematically increase core temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, blood pressure and several other key physiological functions prior to more strenuous activity. When used appropriately this portion of the workout can also be used to develop fundamental movement skills and abilities, body awareness, agility, balance and coordination.

The following are just a few examples of agility drills that can be performed using the Agility Rings.

  1. Forward Ring Run: Stand facing the rings. Run down the rows of rings placing one foot in each ring. Refer to figure 1 for set-up.
  1. Lateral Ring Run: Stand sideways with the left foot closest to the first ring. Without crossing the feet run laterally down the row of rings placing the left foot into the first ring of the ladder. Simultaneously place the right foot into the first ring and the left foot into the second ring. Repeat this movement down the row of rings. Once this has been accomplished immediately repeat this movement leading with the right foot and move in the opposite direction. Refer to figure 1 for set-up.
  1. Cha-Cha – Start by standing sideways with the left foot immediately beside the first ring. Step laterally into the first ring with the left foot, then shift the right foot into the first ring. Step out of the first ring; take three quick “chop” steps, then step forward diagonally onto the second ring with the right foot.  Repeat this pattern all the way down the row of rings. Refer to figure 1 for set-up.
  1. Icky Shuffle – Start by standing with the left foot immediately to the side of the first agility ring. Step laterally into the first ring with the left foot, then shift the right foot into the first ring. Step out with the left foot, and shift the right foot forward into the second ring.  Bring the left foot into the second ring and repeat this movement pattern and repeat this pattern all the way down the row of rings. Refer to figure 1 for set-up.
  1. Chops: Facing two rows of agility rings, run forward down the rows placing the left foot in the first ring on left side of the rows and the right foot in the first ring on the right side of the rows. Repeat this movement pattern all the way down the row of rings. Refer to figure 2 for set-up.
  1. Subtraction/Addition Lateral Ring Run: This drill performed in the same manner as the Lateral Ring Run, however the athlete/client will continue running laterally back and forth down the row of rings. Periodically during the drill the coach/trainer will reach down subtract a ring on either end of the original four rings by taking it away from the configuration. This forcing the athlete/ client to change directions more rapidly. Rings may also be added back to the original configuration to decrease the emphasis on change of direction speed and increase the metabolic demand of this activity. This drill should not be performed for more than 8-10 seconds if being performed at full speed or to maximize agility performance. Refer to figure 1 for set-up.
  1. Reactive Lateral Ring Run: This drill performed in the same manner as the Lateral Ring Run, however the athlete/client will continue running laterally back and forth down the row of rings. At any time during this drill if the coach/trainer gives the “switch” command the athlete/client should immediately stop where they are and move in the opposite direction. Refer to figure 1 for set-up.

These drills work very well as part of a sport-specific dynamic warm-up, or can be used as stations in a circuit between priority exercises like the squat, bench, press or row. Below is a sample dynamic warm-up routine for beginners, intermediate and advanced clients. The number of sets and the amount of time performing these drills may need to be modified based on the athlete’s current levels of skills, strength and abilities.

Example of a Three Day Agility Ring Training Program:

Program 1: Beginner Program 2: Intermediate Program 3: Advanced
General warm-up: walk, jog, calisthenics, etc. 5 minutes General warm-up: walk, jog, calisthenics, etc. 5 minutes General warm-up: walk, jog, calisthenics, etc. 5 minutes
Sport-Specific Warm-up:5-10 minutes

-Perform for a total of 6 repetitions each.

-Forward run

-Lateral run

-Cha-Cha

 Sport-Specific Warm-up:5-10 minutes

Perform for a total of 4 repetitions each.

-Forward run

-Lateral run

-Cha-Cha

-Icky Shuffle

-Chops

 Sport-Specific Warm-up:5-10 minutes

Perform for a total of 3 repetitions each.

-Forward run

-Lateral run

-Cha-Cha

-Icky Shuffle

-Chops

Subtraction/Addition Lateral ring Run- Perform 2 sets for 10- 15 sec.

Reactive lateral ring run-

-Perform 2 sets of 10-15 sec.

In conclusion, Agility Rings are a great tool to use during this portion of the workout. Since many of the agility and foot speed drills performed with this toll are relatively low level they are a great option when getting prepared to perform  more intense agility training  in an athlete’s training session, or as a fun change of pace for the general fitness clients routine.

Figure 1: Agility Ring Set-up for drills #1-4,6

Figure 2: Agility Ring Set-up for drill #5

Explosive Strength

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By Chris Beardsley

Chris Beardsley  graduated from Durham University with a Masters Degree in 2001. He since contributed to the fields of sports science and sports medicine by working alongside researchers from Team GB boxing, the School of Sport and Recreation at Auckland University of Technology, the Faculty of Sport at the University of Ljubljana, the Department of Sport at Staffordshire University, and the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. He is also a Director at Strength and Conditioning Research Limited 

For more great information regarding strength and conditioning follow Chris on Twitter and Instagram

Since strength training was first studied as a method for preparing strength and power athletes for competition, it has been recognized that peak force takes some time to reach.

And yet some athletic movements are completed in just 100 – 150ms.

Therefore, the rate at which force is developed is likely at least as important for athletes as maximum strength. The rate at which force is developed can most easily be expressed as force produced at certain time points (50ms, 100ms, etc.) after the onset of a contraction.

Training with maximal force isometric contractions is quite effective at increasing maximum strength, but it does not increase force by much in these early time windows. Maximal force isometric training is similar to conventional, heavy strength training, as both involve sustained contractions of 3 seconds or more.

Training with explosive isometric contractions is far more effective at increasing force in these early time windows. Explosive isometric contractions involve sudden, rapid force production followed immediately by relaxation. They are very similar to ballistic strength training.

Why do these different adaptations happen?

Neural adaptations after explosive isometric strength training are likely responsible for increasing force production in the early phase of the contraction. We can see this because:

1️⃣ The ratio of voluntary-to-involuntary force at the first time point (50ms) increases substantially after explosive isometric training; and

2️⃣ Muscle activation (as measured by EMG) also increases over the first time window (0 – 50ms) after explosive isometric training.

Importantly for strength coaches working with athletes, the ability to produce isometric force in the early time windows is related to sprinting ability.

Sprinting is an athletic movement that is well-known to involve very short ground contact times of just 100 – 150ms.

It is therefore not surprising that the ability to produce force more quickly during the first half of these ground contact phases is a key determinant of sprinting ability, even over quite short distances.

On the other hand, vertical jumping ability is more closely related to force in the later phases of a contraction. Again, this makes sense, as countermovement jumps typically take 500ms for the eccentric phase and 300ms for the concentric phase.

Although these studies all involve isometric contractions, the wider literature (particularly in relation to the adaptations produced in rate coding by ballistic training) makes it clear that the findings can be extrapolated to dynamic training.

Conventional heavy strength training (even when pushing the bar “with maximal intent”) will likely not improve explosive force production in the early phases of a contraction. Ballistic strength training (e.g. jump squats) is likely essential for achieving increases in force production during the early phases that transfers most effectively to athletic performance.

Five Essential Exercises for All Athletes

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This article was provided by Coaches Network

No matter what sport you coach, you are responsible for develop an offseason and in-season strength and conditioning for your team athletes. An article on the Ohio University Online Master of Coaching Education website lists five exercises that are essential for every coach’s strength and conditioning program regardless of the sport they coach.

Squats

Squats are a critical lower-body strength training experience because they focus on improving the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes, as well as the core/trunk. The article provides the following tips to ensure that your athletes squat properly:

• Stand straight with feet hip width apart and a neutral spine

• Keep your core tight and engaged throughout the movement

• Lower down as though you’re sitting into a chair

• Make sure your knees stay in line with your feet; they should never go in front of your toes

• Focus on lowering until your thighs are parallel to the ground

• Once you reach the bottom of your squat, drive your body back upwards in a fluid motion until you reach the neutral standing position again

Planks

This is tremendous exercise to strengthen your abdominal muscles. Follow these steps to perform the perfect plank:

• Start in either straight arm plank position or the forearm plank position. For the straight arm position, your hands should be in line with your shoulders; For the forearm position, you will be on your forearms with your elbows in line with your shoulders and forearms out in front

• Keep your spine straight and neutral, so that your body forms a perfect line from head to toe

• Make sure your neck is also neutral and that you’re looking straight down, not up or side to side

• Keep your core tight and engaged, pulling your ab muscles back towards your spine instead of letting them push out and toward the ground

You can start by doing 30 second planks and then gradually increase the amount of time you hold the position. Once you’re comfortable with the standard plank, try adding in different variations, such as side planks to target your obliques or alternating from being on your hands to your forearms throughout the duration of your hold.

Burpees

This is an explosive full-body exercise.  Here are the instructions for proper execution:

• Start in a standing position with feet hip width apart, spine neutral and your arms at your sides

• Crouch down with your hands touching the ground, then jump back into a plank position

• Once in plank, perform a full push-up with your chest touching the ground, then immediately push back up into plank

• Jump your feet back up to your hands so you’re back in the crouching position

• Explode upward into a straight body jump

The burpee does a lot for the body—It targets both your upper and lower body while keeping the core fully engaged, and gets your heart rate up through its powerful explosiveness. It’s cardio and strength all rolled into one tight movement. Try adding in three sets of 15 to your next workout.

Thrusters

The major benefit of this exercise is that it teaches your muscle fibers to fire from start to finish, and your working both your upper and lower body.  You can perform Thrusters with a barbell or two dumbbells.  Here are the steps to follow:

• Begin by standing straight and tall with a neutral spine

• Keep the barbell or dumbbells at shoulder height, as though you were going to perform a shoulder press

• Drop into a squat, then immediately stand back up

• As soon as you’re back in standing position, take the barbell or dumbbells into a shoulder press

• Bring the barbell or dumbbells back down to starting position to complete the exercise

This is a great move for anyone wanting maximum results in minimal time.

Sprints

The article says that a recent study found that people who do sprints were able to burn fat for two hours longer after exercise completion than those who didn’t. Think that running isn’t for you? Don’t worry. The article suggests that athletes jump on the treadmill at the end of their workout and tack on an extra 10 minutes of sprinting, alternating 30 seconds of all out sprinting with 30 seconds of rest.

 

Common Weight Training Mistakes

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This article was provided by Coaches Network

Strength training is one of the best ways for athletes to improve their performance, but simply lifting weights won’t cut it. To help your athletes get the most out of their time spent in the weightroom, it’s important to develop a well-rounded approach focused towards their sport. There are a number of weight-training mistakes that high school teams commonly make. Here is a list of what they are and how to avoid them as explained by Jace Derwin, CSCS, RSCC, in a blog at Volt Athletics.

1. Random Training

Doing random exercises with an arbitrary number of reps is not going to help athletes improve in their specific sport. Even further, allowing them to guess their way through a workout could be potentially dangerous, as they will most likely be using incorrect form. Establish clearly defined goals and structure time in the weightroom so that it is focused on sport-specific movements. Developing a training plan will help your athletes make gains safely and efficiently.

2. Bench Press and Biceps

Too much focus on training the biceps is especially a problem among male athletes. While the bench press and bicep curls are definitely important for building upper-body strength, these exercises alone will do little to improve athletic performance. What’s more important is a well-rounded program with a variety of different exercises.

3. Training Till You Puke

While developing mental toughness is a major part of strength training, be careful not to go overboard. It’s important for athletes to give maximum effort and show a strong work ethic, but it’s also essential that they are able to fully recover before the next practice or game. Try to find a balance with the intensity of your weightroom training.

“Having the passion and fortitude to give something your all is an important part of being an athlete, but when it comes to preparing for your game, you have to be careful that you don’t train SO hard that you limit what you can do tomorrow,” writes Derwin. “There will be moments in a planned training schedule when it’s appropriate and necessary to give it your all—but those should be properly spaced within a training program so their effect on performance is maximized and your ability to compete is improved.”

4. Training Everything but Athleticism

Also known as “Iron Addiction,” this a common mistake made by high school athletes. Strength alone should not be the end goal. The focus should be on a variety of movements that directly relate to the demands of the sport. As athletes increase their reps and weight in these movements (lifts, med ball throws, plyometric drills, cardio work, etc.), they will be more prepared to execute these motions during competition. Identify the physical demands of your sport and design a strength-training program that meets them.

5. Training Only Athleticism

On the flip side, it’s also important for high school athletes to understand why they are in the weight room in the first place. Simply practicing their sport over and over again will not give them the same power, speed, and explosiveness as weight training. Make sure they know that the best way to prepare for their sport, outside of playing it, is to train on a properly designed strength and conditioning program.

“A good strength training program exposes the body to progressively higher workloads, increasing the functional capacity of the body to work more efficiently with less risk of injury,” Derwin writes. “In other words, strength training will help make your movements safer and more efficient, allowing you to work harder with less effort. This is much harder to accomplish if athletes are functionally weak from lack of weight room preparation.”

Hamstring Injuries

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By Chris Beardsley

Chris Beardsley  graduated from Durham University with a Masters Degree in 2001. He since contributed to the fields of sports science and sports medicine by working alongside researchers from Team GB boxing, the School of Sport and Recreation at Auckland University of Technology, the Faculty of Sport at the University of Ljubljana, the Department of Sport at Staffordshire University, and the College of Health Solutions at Arizona State University. He is also a Director at Strength and Conditioning Research Limited 

For more great information regarding strength and conditioning follow Chris on Twitter and Instagram

Hamstring strains are one of the most common injuries in team sports, and they lead to substantial amounts of lost playing and training time. They are also very prone to recurrence. Once an athlete has suffered one hamstring strain, they are much more likely to be injured again.

Consequently, strength coaches are often tasked with reducing the number of hamstring strains that their athletes incur.

The Nordic curl is a commonly-used exercise for preventing hamstring strains, and recent analysis suggests that it is very effective.

However, it is not clear exactly how the Nordic curl produces its beneficial effects.

As an eccentric exercise, it increases fascicle lengths, and short biceps femoris fascicles are a risk factor for hamstring strains. Changes in fascicle length could therefore be a key mechanism.

However, some conventional (eccentric-concentric) exercises can cause similar (or perhaps slightly smaller) increases in fascicle length. Yet, to date, these exercises have not been identified as having injury-prevention potential.

So why do some conventional (eccentric-concentric) exercises produce similar (or perhaps slightly smaller) changes in fascicle length to the eccentric-only Nordic hamstring curl?

It is often assumed that only eccentric-only training can increase fascicle length.

In reality, both eccentric loading and training at long muscle lengths can independently increase fascicle length.

Indeed, eccentric-only training at long muscle lengths produces even greater increases in fascicle length than eccentric-only training at a moderate muscle length. So eccentric-only loading and training at long muscle lengths are additive.

This dual mechanism for improving fascicle length probably explains why the (eccentric-only) Nordic curl, which produces a peak contraction at a moderate muscle length, produces similar changes in muscle fascicle length to the conventional (eccentric-concentric) 45-degree back extension, which produces a peak contraction at long muscle lengths.

However, things are perhaps not entirely this simple, as the 45-degree back extension is a hip extension exercise, while the Nordic curl is a knee flexion exercise.

So the 45-degree back extension probably also produces smaller mechanical loading on the hamstrings, because it shares some of the work of hip extension between the hamstrings and the other hip extensors, including the adductor magnus and the gluteus maximus.