AGILITY RUN TRAINING
As with the vertical jump, improving performance on the agility run requires both skill
and technique. First, here are a few thoughts about technique.
Through the years we have identified three areas officers can practice to cut seconds
off their times. First, some officers take three or more seconds just to get off the ground!
That makes it very difficult to complete the rest of the run in the allotted time. Starting in
the prone position, practice pulling one knee up under the chest while cocking the toes on
that foot. That puts you in a position to drive off into a sprint.
Secondly, practice making the 180 turn at the far end of the course. Some officers run
past the far line, adding time to their scores. Others make a wide turn. Practice planting
one foot on the line, and immediately start running back to the start line.
Thirdly, practice running through the cones in as straight of a line as possible. Many
officers make wide, looping turns around the cone, obviously adding seconds to their times.
Remember the old adage, ''The shortest distance between two points is a straight line."
The training principles for the development of agility are similar to the principles of
training for anaerobic sprinting. Ideally, you would perform a specific agility routine at
least one day each week. However, with limited time available for performing all the other
exercise routines (strength, cardiovascular, anaerobic sprinting, stretching) it may make
more sense, from a time management perspective, to incorporate the agility training with the
other programs. There are five different training strategies that can be applied..
1. Practicing the components of agility run test. Use the Agility Training form.
Step 1: Time yourself for an all out effort with 4 obstacles (chairs, traffic cones, or
anything to serpentine around) in a line 10 feet apart for a total of 30 feet.
• Sprint 30 feet
• Turn and serpentine around obstacles for 30 feet
• Turn and serpentine back through obstacles
• Turn and sprint back to starting line
• This is called initial time or IT.
Step 2: Multiply the IT by 1.25 to get a training time. Then follow the schedule:
The total training distance is 120 feet (four 30 foot sprints/serpentines).
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AGILITY TRAINING
Week
Training
Distance
1,2
120 feet
4
1.25 of IT
1min.
1/week
3,4
120 feet
5
1.25 of IT
minus 1-2 sec.
1 min.
1/week
5,6
120 feet
6
1.25 of IT
minus 4-5 sec.
1 min.
1/week
7,8
120 feet
4
1.25 of IT
minus 5-6 sec.
1 min.
1/week
9,10
120 feet
4
1.25 of IT
minus 6-7 sec
1 min.
2/week
Successive
weeks
120 feet
1.25 of IT
minus 7-8 sec.
1 min.
2/week
IT= ____
IT multiplied by 1.25 = _
Repetitions
4
Training
Time
Rest Time
Freguency
2. Adding an agility component to your cardiovascular routine. With this approach you would
do some agility drills about half way through your CVE run. For example, you could set up 10
obstacles such as chairs, traffic cones, or anything to serpentine
around about 10 feet apart in a line. As you approach the obstacles you would sprint as fast as
possible around them, then jog back to the first obstacle and repeat the
serpentine running another two or three times. Then use the remainder of your CVE run as a
cool down.
3. Adding an agility component to your anaerobic sprinting routine. This would be identical to
adding it to the cardiovascular routine except that you would be doing it after the last sequence
of sprints.
4. Incorporating change of direction movement to cardiovascular or anaerobic running routines.
Rather than setting up a set course of obstacles perform 1O quick changes of direction while
doing the sprint or jogging work. Turn left and sprint toward the side of the track, then quickly
turn right toward the right side and repeat 10 times. This could be done once during each lap or
several times during the last lap of sprinting or jogging.
5. Creating an agility/anaerobic circuit. During circuit training you move from one
exercise to another with a set rest period or activity , such as running, between
exercises. The same principles can be applied to anaerobic training where you vary
sprints, plyometrics and agility drills into one routine. In this routine you could identify
selected points where you would do the 1O change of direction movements described in
# 4 and three stations where you would perform plyometrics. This way you could get
agility and explosive leg strength work in one routine. An example is below:
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Sprint 20 yards then do 10 change of direction sprints
Sprint 20 yards then do 10 - 20 repetitions of a plyometric hop
Walk 30 yards then do 10 change of direction sprints
Sprint 20 yards then do 8 - 1O repetitions of a plyometric jump
Walk 30 yards then do 10 change of direction sprints
Sprint 20 yards then do 8 - 1O repetitions of a plyometric bound
Walk 30 yards then do 10 change of direction sprints
Sprint 20 yards then do 8 - 10 repetitions of a plyometric jump
Walk 30 yards then do 10 change of direction sprints
ADVANCED AGILITY TRAINING
The Illinois Agility Run measures the ability to generate speed, to stop, to change
direction and again generate speed while avoiding obstacles. This training program
breaks the test down and trains its component parts.
Description
1. Acceleration phase/drills train the ability to create speed, in this case from a
stationary position. Because the test is only 30 feet in length, the goal is not
necessarily 'top speed'; rather, the emphasis should be on a powerful push off the
ground and shorter steps. Appropriate arm action consistent with good running
form (arms held at approximately 90 degrees, punching forward and reaching back
'for your holster') The following starting positions will be used:
a. 4-way ACC: from a standing position, falling start, from one knee, and
from a prone position
b. 3-way ACC: from a falling start, from one knee, and from a prone position
2. Deceleration phase/drills train the ability to stop effectively using muscular force
and not simply gravity and joint structure. It also prepares the body to change
direction. The following cues should be used for good deceleration:
a. Sink the hips as you come to a stop -drop the center of gravity
b. Shoulders in line with hips and square to the front
c. Chest up, eyes forward, back straight
d. Arms and legs in opposition as in running
e. 'Stick the landing' that is, stop on the designated line, low, in a good
running posture.
3. Changes of direction in this program begin with cones off-set such that the change of
direction represents a 45 degree turn. The progression is to go to a 90 degree turn, then a
180 degree turn.
4. Obstacles will be placed ten feet apart consistent with the Illinois Agility Run test.
1. 4way ACC: set up two cones, 30' apart. Start from each of the four positions:
standing, falling start, from a knee, from a prone position. On the start, accelerate 30'
using good mechanics. Jog back to the start.
2. 4way ACC/DEC: Same set up. Start from each of the four positions. Stop at the cone
30' away using good deceleration mechanics.
3. 45 deg turn: set up two cones 30' apart and set up a third and fourth cone, each 30' from
the second cone at a 45 deg angle. The cones should result in a 'Y' configuration. Start
from one of the positions, accelerate 30', turn left or right 45 deg, run 30' to the next
cone, stop at the cone using good deceleration mechanics. Jog back to the start.
4. 90 deg turn: set up two cones 30' apart and a third and fourth cone, each 30' from the
second cone at a 90 deg angle. The cones should result in a 'T' configuration. Start from
one of the positions, accelerate 30', turn left or right 90 deg, run 30' to the next cone,
stop at the cone using good deceleration mechanics. Jog back to the start.
5. Double 90 deg turn: set up four cones in a square with 30' sides. Start from one of the
positions, accelerate 30', turn left or right 90 deg, run 30', turn 90 deg, run 30', stop using
good deceleration mechanics. Walk back to the start.
6. Double 90 w/slalom: set up a rectangle with two sides 30' long and two sides 40' long.
The 40' sides should have cones spaced 1O' apart in a straight line to practice the slalom
portion of the test. Start from one of the positions, accelerate 30' turn left or right 90 deg,
slalom through the cones, turn and run 30', turn one more time at the cone, slalom
through the cones, stop at the last cone using good deceleration mechanics.
7. 180 deg turn I: set up two cones 30' apart. Start from one of the positions, accelerate 30'
stop using good mechanics, turn 180 deg, accelerate 30', jog back to the start.
8. 180 deg turn II: set up two cones 30' apart. Start from one of the positions,
accelerate 30', turn 180 deg, accelerate 30', stop using good mechanics.