I would consider the agility ladders useful for general movement prep.
I think the process of agility development is often overcomplicated.
It’s simply a combination of 3 things:
1. movement efficiency (flexibility, general motor skills etc. -or simply - can that athlete get in the right position and perform the movements correctly at an easy pace absent intensity?)
2. horsepower (strength and motor qualities - how much force is behind the movements?)
3. mental factors (how well does the athlete transfer anticipated to unanticipated movements?)
Simply take the movements in sport and make sure the athletes can do them correctly. Watch how they move while they’re in their sport and looks for deficiencies in certain areas. For example, track guys often have a problem with deceleration and lateral movement.
But whatever the problem is take those deficiences and address them in an anticipated format where they know ahead of time what they’re supposed to do. Get them into position. Then weave this corrected movement pattern into an unanticipated environment where you have them assume the perfect movement pattern in an instinctive reactionary fashion.
Oftentimes you can create all the agility needed simply by boosting up things on the horespower nad movement efficiency end like strength adn active flexibility.
so how does the ladder fit into this scheme …if i understand the above correctly agility can be effectively improved/achieved with competent coaching and planning. would not that be the preferred method instead of the super-sweet gadget?
Then why use a ladder, when it doesn’t conform to the individual circumstances of different athletes (some have longer legs, bigger feet, etc)? Why not devise some movement drills that don’t involve ladders or hurdles and simply teaches the athletes how to plant their feet in relation to their hip or the desired movement - as Clemson has stated. And, you don’t have to have your head down to see where your feet are landing - you should be able to sense where the most appropriate foot plant should be placed - not see it.
I’m not attacking the ladder - just playing devil’s advocate. I have been in arguments with coaches who get pissed if there isn’t a ladder on the ground for drills. What is on the ground is irrelevent - it’s what the feet are doing in relation to the hip that is the concern of the coach.
This is not true. There are many sprint coaches who advocate long-to-short programs and their GPP phases include no speedwork. Speed is specific and requires adequate recoveries - GPP work tends to be continuous and work capacity oriented. Some skills can be developed in a GPP phase - as outlined in Charlie’s GPP Essentials DVD - but this does not mean that it is general.
At the university I work at, the sprint coach doesn’t do any speed work in the fall (not that I agree with this approach) but some of his guys still run decent in the spring.
My post above was just stating that footspeed is different than footwork. And, therefore, that footspeed training can be used as general prep just as strength training.
Interesting issue you bring up Firebird - is footspeed the same as sprinting speed? People always refer to foot speed, foot work, etc. I wonder if they actually know what they are referring to. Sometimes I don’t know what they are referring to.
Is footspeed the same as speed from Point A to Point B?
How come no one refers to “hip speed” since this is where the power is coming from? From now on, everyone should use “hip speed” when talking to other coaches and see if they get it. I’m sure it would mess some people up.
I’m sure the debate over semantics could go on forever.
…if i understand the above correctly agility can be effectively improved/achieved with competent coaching and planning. would not that be the preferred method instead of the super-sweet gadget?