This article is going to have a look at what function strength plays in your Speed and Agility Training course. Now let’s check out a few terms.
Absolute strength – the greatest amount of power you’re capable of producing, your single rep max is your absolute strength
Starting Strength – a measure of what number of muscle fibers that you are able to instantaneously contract
Consider it this way, if you grab a heavy dumbbell off the floor you will damage your back. But if you pick it up slowly this wouldn’t happen. Starting strength (in this example), merely measures the most load you are capable of snatching off the ground without injuries.
Relative strength – your strength for every pound of body mass
Reactive Strength or Plyometric Strength – looks at your ability to absorb and use strength while changing from an eccentric contraction to a concentric contraction.
What’s the importance of these definitions to your training program?
The more your absolute strength, the higher your starting strength. The higher your starting strength, the faster your increase of velocity, the quicker your increase of velocity, the better your explosiveness or your ability to attain your upper speed quicker. Think about, “Is my Speed and Agility Training growing my absolute strength for those muscles that are important in my sport of choice?”
Relative strength is significant since the higher your relative strength, the more strength you will produce. This benefits you in two ways; your nervous system is better conditioned and may also cross over into your agility, and you have got less stuff to drag around. This also crosses over into speed.
A good question to pose is whether your Speed and Agility Training improves your relative strength. Bear in mind when training for speed and agility your relative strength is more critical than your absolute strength. Note: you should not be concerned very much concerning bulking up because a 10% growth in LEAN body mass equals a 30% increase in strength.
Last of all, we come to reactive strength. This type of strength plays a vital function in agility, it allows you to abruptly vary route and dazzle your opponent with amazing moves. It also enables you to jump higher while running (but not a great deal from a standstill posture). It also has a part in running speed however there are better ways to exercise for that if running speed is what you are after.
What is the take away home from this commentary? In order to correctly work for speed and agility you have got to incorporate strength training workouts in your regime. You must also adapt it for the athletic endeavour you’re in. There can be no shortcuts however there are effective ways of reaching your objectives (whatever they might be).
If this has bewildered you a bit you should….
Here is a food for thought question for you. Why do sprinters (50, 100 meter dash, basketball players, quarterbacks etc) have ripped abs without purposely training for them? Of course you must understand that starting strength is different for various muscles groups and can be trained separately. Understanding which muscles have a part in the movements most significant in your athletic endeavour enables you to concentrate on them and create rapid and effective results
If you liked this article, you can find more information, tips, and videos by going to: more Speed and Agility Training.
Tags: speed agility, speed and agility training, speed exercises, srtength training workouts