Speed and Agility Clinic with the KW Vipers

Happy Friday Everyone!!

I had a great experience this week running a speed and agility clinic for the KW Vipers.  They are a local rep basketball team.  It was such a joy to be able to work with such keen and enthusiastic boys!!

As a track person I was always focused on linear speed.  Straight ahead as fast as you can go.  Period. End of story.   Last year I had a chance to learn from one of the best multi-directional speed coaches in North America, Lee Taft.  I was getting my IYCA Speed and Agility Specialist.  At the clinic I could feel the difference with how my body moved as I applied Lee’s strategies and pointers and I wished that I had learned them earlier for all the other sports I played that involved changes in direction.  My next thought was I need to share this with younger athletes so that they can move more quickly and safely.

I started the clinic by taking the boys through a few of Gray Cook’s Functional Movement Screen exercises and the screen allowed the boys to see that even at the age of 12 they have developed some imbalances in their bodies.   Most of the boys had excellent mobility and stability. This is a great tool that I would suggest all athletes take a look at.  I did last fall and found some imbalances in my own body. I digress…back to the clinic.

(This is the Vipers team picture from the tournament that they won  in London last weekend!!)

The boys were eager to learn and were great at picking up the pointers that I was sharing with them.  I  introduced them to the plyo step for quicker starts and the hip turn for faster stops and changes of direction.  All the while I had them working for no more than 10 metres.  That is crucial when you are doing speed and agility training.  Make sure that it is for short distances and that the athletes get a full recovery.  Too often coaches confuse conditioning with speed training and run their athletes to exhaustion.

One of the parents even made that comment to me on the way into the gym that night.  She said that the boys were thinking that they would be exhausted from the night.  I told the parent that a good speed workout will often send you off feeling better than when you started!!  I also passed this message on to the boys at the start of the clinic.

Coaches Mike & Steve thanks for having me in to work with the boys!!!  All the best in the rest of your season!!

Cheers,

Coach G