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Also, ladder drills can be used as FUN
active rest to keep the heart rate at a designated level for
cardiovascular training or weight loss.
Agility ladder drills are not meant as an
"overload" tool - in other words, the drills are not meant to
leave the individual severely fatigued but are meant to challenge the
link between the brain and the body. Thus, agility drills are
appropriate for active rest. Remember: Stress quality, not quantity!
You should instruct your client to maintain the
following: - Elbows should be at 90 Degrees at all times. - Maintain a
loose upper body (hands, arms and shoulders) to conserve energy and
allow arms to swing. - Maintain a powerful "pumping" motion of
the arms. - Push off of the ball of the foot, not the toe or heel. -
Minimize ground contact time ("shoe squeaking" is a sign that
the contact time is too long.)
Wait to introduce more complicated drills until
your client has mastered easier drills with good movement quality. More
complicated drills are defined as those that require more steps, changes
of direction, or changes in speed.
When adding agility ladders to your programs, keep
in mind where you place them within the program and how quickly you
progress the drills. Since agility ladders challenge the nervous system,
use easier drills when your client is fatigued. Avoid using intense
agility drills after an intense workout. This is necessary for injury
prevention and to maintain quality of movement.
There are lots of different agility drills. I
usually divide them into "Steady" Drills, Elastic Drills and
Explosive Drills. Today we will learn about the "steady"
drills.
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