IOL Strength and Conditioning

At first glance, you may think agility training is not for you. That’s sure what I thought the first time I tried it; I’m no athlete and perhaps neither are you. Yet, agility training is hugely beneficial to the non-athlete because not only will the hips become stronger, the ankles will become both more mobile as well as more stable, and overall balance will increase.

After agility training, if you take a stumble over a curb, it’s extremely likely you’ll catch yourself with no more than a second’s hesitation. Without agility, that stumble may become a swollen ankle with a two-month recovery period, and we might even tack on a broken wrist to finish out the picture.

Earlier we learned how to make your own agility ladder. Now let’s figure out how to use it.

Lay out your ladder on a flat surface, outdoors, indoors… wherever you have a little space to move. You’ll be running or jumping through the ladder openings and to the outsides, so make sure you have side-to-side space in addition to ladder length.

You’re looking for light footsteps for quickness and balance, as opposed to an upright jogging style. Lifting your knees higher than normal jogging is going to work your hips in a way you probably haven’t done in awhile, and cutting back and forth between the sides of the ladder will work lateral movement, another lost ability for must of us. Take it easy at first, because you’ll probably be a hurtin’ puppy tomorrow.

Run through your movement prep or activity mobility warm-up before you get near this thing. Include in that some upright walking/running mobility such as toy soldiers, heel kickbacks, high knee runs and the like.

Use your arms – pump your hands and keep your elbows high with your shoulders and hands relaxed. Keep your torso controlled and your head steady.

Examples of basic agility drills

Agility drills can (and should) be done both forward and backward. Repeat the drills, making sure to alternate between the left and right as lead foot. Drills can also be done hopping with both feet held together.

• One ins – run forward, light and low to the ground, one step in each square.
• Two ins – same as above, but stepping twice in each square.
• Hop scotch – One foot in the first square, two feet in the second, and repeat, alternating sides on the single-foot squares.
• Out, Out/In, In - Left foot outside, right foot outside, left foot in square, right foot in square.
• Shuffle – Start at the left side, step into the first box with your right foot, then with the left. Shift your weight so you can stop out to the right side with your right foot, then step into the second square with your left foot and head back to the left. Think in-in-out, in-in-out and you’ll get it.
• Shuffle.Stick – This is done the same as the shuffle above, only you’ll “stick” in place on the outside step before shifting off in the opposite direction.
• Lateral feet – Step twice in the first square (left/right), then twice outside the first square toward the right (L/R). Step twice in the second square (L/R), then twice outside the second square toward the left of the ladder (L/R). Continue forward through the ladder, then repeat, changing the lead foot to right/left.
• Lateral Shuffles – Turn to the side and shuffle through the ladder to the right. Repeat the shuffle to the left.

What you’re working on with agility ladder training is control of your feet using your hip strength, as opposed to more leg and glute strength as seen in the momentum of forward full-stride running. At the same time we’ll be cutting from side to side, working the lateral hip muscles, as well as sticking in place to practice stability and deceleration with the landings.

Here’s a link to some quicktime movie clips of agility ladder drills from University of the Pacific.