SAQ Training - Speed, Agility and Quickness - How to improve your Agility

-

SAQ method of training aims to improve your multi-directional movement by reprogramming their neuromuscular system.  This bog focuses on agility.​

 

Agility - The ability to quickly change body position or direction of the body. 

Agility is influenced by body balance, coordination, the position of the centre of gravity, as well as running speed and skill​.

 

But why is it important?

·        Change of direction during a match or game you may need to change direction quickly to chase down an attacker.​

·       Loosing an opponent if you want to make a break with the ball a quick change of direction will hopefully give you chance to break away.​

  • Creating space during a corner or a free quick you can use agility to get into space.​

 

Need to improve your agility?

Your coach will spend lots of time improving your cardiovascular and strength along with your technical and tactical ability.  So it’s may be up to you to improve your agility to help you be a better footballer.

 

Here are some activities to help you improve your agility before and during the season.

Football Agility Workout Plan (make sure you warm up before any of these activities). Start slow to embed the patterns into your brain and body movements, then you can become quicker at them.

Footwork & Cone Drills

·       Agility Ladder:

·         - 1-foot in each square x 3 sets                            Lateral quick steps x 3 sets

·         - shuffle two feet in each square x 3 sets

 

If you don’t have ladders, try these cone drills:

·         - T-Drill with ball x 3                          - Zig-Zag dribble through cones x 4

·         - Box drill with ball (dribble and turn at each cone) x 4

·         - Sprint-stop-turn-repeat (simulate pressing) x 3 sets of 5 reps

·         - 5-10-5 shuttle with ball x 3 sets

·       Finisher: 3 x 20m sprints with quick stops

 

Don’t underestimate the improvements these activities will have on your agility to help you be a better footballer.  Follow me on Instagram beabetterfootballer247 for more tips.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

7 Fitness Tips for improve performance for football

-
                        Football is a demanding sport that requires a high level of fitness. M aintaining peak physical condition is crucial for success. In this blog, we will explore various fitness tips tailored to help you optimize your performance.     1. Build Endurance : Football matches can be intense and now last for longer than 90 minutes .  To ensure you can sustain your performance throughout the game, focus on building endurance .   I ncorporate cardiovascular exercises such as running, cycling, and swimming into your training routine. High-intensity interval training (HIIT), can help simulate the short bursts of energy required during matche s and also develop your recovery rates .  The fitter you are, the quicker you will recover from intense activity.     2. Enhance your strength and power: Football requires explosive movements, incorporate strength training exe...
Read more

How to reduce the risk of ACL injuries in football

-
Image
  Injuries in football are not uncommon , whether that is an overuse or a trauma injury .   But the number of injuries to high profile players in the Womens Super League and on the international field continue to make news headlines.       What is an ACL injury   According to Cootes (2023) no less than 25 top women’s players have torn their ACLs in the last 25 years. High profile players such as Beth Mead, Vivienne Meidema , Leah Williamson and Alexia Putellas , have all had knee injuries recently . But a s players, what can we do to limit the risk of getting this type of knee injury ?     Firstly, let’s look at what the injury is. ACL stands for Anterior Cruciate ligament but it’s not the only ligament in the knee .  You also have the posterior cruciate ligament and medial and lateral collateral ligament .   How can knee injuries occur   In womens football, 88% of injuries are non-contact and are associated with...
Read more

Training Tips for footballers during the winter months

-
Image
  S taying fit during the winter months can be challenging .  Even though the festive break from training and playing is often only two weeks , your body will decrease in the VO2 max ( which is the maximum amount your body can intake oxygen ) (Michigan State University). Finding time and motivation during this time period can be difficult , but by following these few steps you will continue to keep your fitness and wellbeing where they need to be.     1. Indoor workouts for footballers - You can engage in indoor exercises like bodyweight workouts, including High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions .  There are plenty of online resources and apps that provide guided workout routines you can do at home .   Vary the type you do a few times a week, so you get an all over body workout.   2. Equipment for football fitness - Consider investing in home fitness equipment like dumbbells, resistance bands, or a stationary bike. Having thes...
Read more