Multi-Directional Speed Development

UKSCA 2009

There are Not Best Practices, but Best Principles

Training Integrity
Training Principles
Education
Solid Foundation
Periodization
Individualization
Progressive Overload
Specialization
Training Economy
Variety
Recovery
Nutrition

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The GameSpeed Paradox

What did these athletes have in common?

Improve your stopping ability

ability and improve your game speed

What is Game Speed?

Combination of technical (sport specific skills) and physical

characteristics (Strength, Speed, Flexibility, Endurance) that
lead to optimal game performance

Agility/Deceleration ability is a critical motor skill to

demonstrate game speed and prevent injury

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 What does Agility Training mean to you?

Change of Direction

Whole Body Movements

Coordination

Rapid Combination of
Movements

Ability to Move Well

My Conclusions About Agility Training

1. Important Athletic Ability

2. Involves Movement in All Directions
3. Relies on a Number of Biomotor characteristics
4. The Ability Can be Improved with Proper Training
5. There is a BEST Way to Teach Agility
6. Quality Over Quantity
7. Training is Muscularly and Neurally Fatiguing
8. Logical Progression to Training

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The Parisi Formula for Agility

A D S R = C I

Acceleration
Deceleration
Stopping
Re-Acceleration
Conditioning
Injury Prevention

Parisi Rules for Agility Training

Rule 1: Base of support is critical for balance,

stability and proper change of
direction. Coaches must assess base
of support during technical work

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Parisi Rules for Agility Training

Rule 2: Keep the center of gravity closer to

base of support to increase stability
and opportunity to change direction.
Coaches must assess the relationship
of COG and BOS during technical
work.

Parisi Rules for Agility Training

Rule 3: The direction of the muscle force

vectors will influence the direction
and quality of change of direction
movements. Coaches must assess
the relationship between COG, BOS,
and the muscle force vectors during
technical work. (COG Management)

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A = Acceleration

Increase of Speed in Any Direction

Involves More of the Concentric Contraction
COG Must Move Away from the BOS in the Direction of
Movement
Rule 4: Relative body strength and
WEAK Spot #1 = Feet technique are critical for
acceleration ability.
Coaches must assess
relative body strength
before technical work.

D = Deceleration

Decrease in Speed in Any Direction

Movement Involves More of the Eccentric Contraction
COG Must Move Closer to and Behind the BOS in the
Direction of Movement
WEAK Spot #2 = Neck
WEAK Spot #3 = Upper Back

Rule 5: Before an athlete is taught to

move faster or jump higher,
he or she must first learn to
stop and land. Deceleration
and landing ability is critical
to agility training.

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S = Stopping

Brief Absence of Movement

in Any Direction
Involves More an Isometric
Contraction
COG is Stopped in a Position
Over the BOS that Sets-up
Reacceleration

R = Re-
Re-Acceleration

WEAK Spot #4 = Hip

Abductor
Increase of Speed in Any
Direction
Involves More of the
Concentric Contraction WEAK Spot #5 = Hip
Adductor
COG Must Move Away
from the BOS in the
Direction of Movement

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C = Conditioning

Agility Training is an Excellent Anaerobic Conditioning Tool

Coaches Must Control Quality and Proper Rest Periods
Develops the Heart, Lungs, and Cardiovascular System
(energy system specific) as Much as Nervous System

Rule 6: Agility training is an excellent

anaerobic conditioning tool,
prepares the connective tissue
of the body for specific
demands of sport and
reinforces proper technique.
Coaches must control quality
and proper rest periods during
training.

I = Injury Prevention

Coaches Can Not Progress Levels of Training That Their

Athletes are not Prepared For
Proper Technique is Critical for Injury Performance
Landing and Deceleration Mechanics Must be Mastered
Before Advancing Drills

Rule 7: Athletes must develop adequate biomotor

requirements and technical motor patterns for agility
training. Coaches can not progress to levels of
training that their athletes are not prepared for.

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The Parisi Agility Method Progression

Stationary Exercises
Agility Training Progression

Broad Jump, Side Jump, Vertical Jump

Movement Exercises
Side Run, Side Shuffle, 5-10-5, W Drill

Obstacle Exercises
Cone Drills, Ladder Drills, Bag Drills (Planned then Reactive)

Conditioning Exercises
20 Yard Shuttle, 60 Yard Shuttle, 300 Yard Shuttle

Rule 8: Agility training follows a proper protocol.

Following this training progression is
essential for maximal results.

Issues Facing Youth Athletes Today

Decreased focus on physical foundation / physical fitness

Sport drop-out rates are increasing
According to the CDC, Obesity rates are at all-time high
More kids are participating in organized sports, but yet kids are not
physically fit (Over compete and Under train)
The youth population today are leading sedentary lifestyles

As a result

As per the American Academy of Pediatrics, Injury rates

for youth athletes has increased
And higher level athletes never spent time developing
proper motor programs

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Understanding Injury Factors

By understanding the factors for injury we can identify athletes with a

pre-disposition for injury and decrease their susceptibility by
implementing the appropriate strategies (Mandelbaum et al.)
Anatomical This is what we CAN NOT change:
Wider pelvis
Larger Q angle
Femoral Notch width
Size of the ACL
Menstrual cycle
Neuromuscular This is what we CAN change:
Landing mechanics
Stopping mechanics
Joint stiffness
Electromechanical delay
Quadriceps dominance (recruitment patterns)
Leg dominance
Overall strength levels

Common Neuromuscular Imbalances

1. Ligament Dominance
a) Ground reaction forces are absorbed by the
ligaments instead of the muscles
b) Lack of muscular control leads to increased Knee
Valgus
c) Poor hip and thigh muscular activation leads to
Valgus position
d) During this type of deceleration knee ligament
injury can occur

(Andrews and Axe)

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 Common Neuromuscular Imbalances

a) Poor Deceleration Motor Programs

b) Athletes are not often taught proper deceleration mechanics
c) The poor positions that result lead to greater ground reaction force, increased
torque, and higher chance of injury

Strategy 1 Improve Landing Mechanics

Pretensing the musculature

Soft Feet
Shoulders over the knees
over the balls of feet
Shoulder blades retracted &
Externally rotated
Head Neutral
Abduction moment at hip

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Strategy 2 Improve Linear Deceleration Mechanics

Lower center of gravity to

base of support
Shorter, choppy strides
Soft feet
Shoulder blades retracted
& External Rotation at
shoulder

Strategy 3 Improve Lateral Deceleration Mechanics

Lower center of gravity to

wide base of support
Center of Gravity is over
the support leg
Less weight is on the plant
leg
Shoulder blades retracted
& External Rotation at
shoulder

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Sprinting: What We Can and Can
Cant Do

Nature vs. Nurture

Cant Change:
Fiber type
Height/ leg length
Mentality
Reaction Time

Can Change:
Relative Body Strength
Body Weight (nutrition)
Power
Flexibility
Coordination
Conditioning
Relaxation
Technique!!!!

How to Improve Individual Speed

1. Choose Parents Wisely

2. Increase Relative Body Strength

3. Specific Strength Work

4. Increase/Maintain Flexibility

5. Improve Technique

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How to Improve Overall Team Speed

1.Improve your recruiting!

2.Train technique with every practice

3.Get your heavier, slower twitch faster

4.Dont wear your fast twitch down

5.Improve overall team nutrition!

Strategy 1-
1- Strength Training for Speed

There is no substitute for strength, and no excuse

for the lack of it. Unknown

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 Strength Training Simple Tips For Speed

1. Athletes must start with bodyweight activities (and lose weight)

2. Athletes must focus on double and single leg exercises
3. Trainers must work in the frontal and transverse plane as well as
as sagittal
4. Trainers must address Time Under Tension / Tempo
(eccentrics/isometrics)

Strategy 2 Flexibility/Bodywork Training

1.Can be a
limiting factor in
speed
2.Numerous ways
to address
3.Know your
athletes

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Common Areas of Tightness

Hip Flexors (psoas)

Hip External Rotators
Pecs/Lats
Calves (soleus)

Strategy 3-
3- Technical Work

1.Speed is a Skill
2.Too many athletes have never been taught to run
3.You can only teach what you know (and can do)
4.Can be addressed during warmups and every
training session
5.Dont let your faster athletes get away with poor
technique (level of incompetence)

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Technique Begins with Assessment

Parisi Sprint Assessment

R
U
N

G
R
E
A
T

R Relaxation

Look at the face

Look at the hands

Look at body position

and stride length

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U- Unnecessary Movement or Asymmetry

Do a head to toe analysis of wasted

movement
Asymmetry can lead to compensation
and future injury

N- Neuromuscular Coordination

Do a gross inventory of the

technique of the athlete

Watch the athlete perform

warmup and see is this an
elastic/strong/slow twitch
athlete

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G Ground Contact

Is the athlete running

heel-toe?

Is the athlete
spending too much
time on the ground?

Where is the foot

hitting the ground in
relation to center of
gravity?

R- Recovery Mechanics

Frontside vs.
Backside
mechanics

Lateral whipping

Is it a strength,
flexibility, or
technical issue?

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E- Eccentric Control-
Control-Force Application

Is there absorption of force?

Are you spending time focusing on the

eccentric and isometric component in
training?

Where is the athlete breaking down?

A Arm Mechanics

What is happening at
the:

Shoulder

Elbow

Wrist

Hand

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T Torso and Head Position

Positions will dictate function

What is the torso and head angle

during both acceleration and top speed?

Optimal head position

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