Agility definition, classification, assessment, factors affecting agility, agility training, physiotherapy seminar topic.

1. A G I L I T Y
Presented by
Syed Adil - MPT-1
Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
Department

2. CONTENTS
• Definition
• Classification
• Factors determining Agility
• Agility testing
• References

3. DEFINITION
• Agility has classically been defined as simply the ability to change
direction rapidly but also the ability to change direction rapidly and
accurately.
Or
• Whole-body change of direction as well as rapid movement and
direction change of limbs.
Bloomfield, Ackland, & Elliot, 1994; Clarke, 1959; Mathews, 1973
Baechle, 1994; Draper & Lancaster, 1985

4. CLASSIFICATION

5. Factors determining Agility
Strength
• It is an important contributor to agility and to athletic success.
• In agility development, increasing force to move the body more
quickly relates directly to strength.

6. Concentric strength
• It refers to the force exerted by a muscle as it shortens.
• An example is the push-off during a running, jumping, or cutting
movement that is followed by powerful extension of the hip, knee,
and ankle.

7. • Here, gravity works on the body to pull it down. However, with a
powerful extension (straightening the ankles, knees, and hips),
athletes can overcome the force of gravity and can more effectively
run forward, jump, or make a cut.
• Maximum concentric strength is especially important in the
acceleration phase of sprinting.

8. Eccentric strength
• It refers to the force exerted by a muscle as it lengthens.
• An athlete with high eccentric strength can quickly and
effectively decelerate his body while maintaining dynamic
balance in preparation for a directional change.
• The ability to decelerate the body quickly and with control is
another important contributor to movements that involve rapid
directional changes.
• Inadequate eccentric strength can slow deceleration and reduce
the ability to quickly change direction.

9. Joint stability
• It is an important and often overlooked factor that contributes to the
effective application of force during agility movements.
• Strength that optimizes stabilization is also important for muscle
balance.
• Agility training requires strengthening the muscles involved in
stabilizing the trunk and the joints of the lower extremities.

10. Stretch-shortening cycle
• When required to jump in the air, most people quickly bend the hips,
knees, and ankles, and then extend those joints.
• This is because rapidly stretching the involved musculotendinous
structures (through an eccentric action) creates greater force and
power output in a shorter amount of time during the subsequent
shortening (concentric) action of the same structures.
• This process, known as the stretch-shortening cycle, is involved in
most activities of daily living.

11. Anthropometric Variables
• Anthropometric variables, such as height, weight, body fat, and
length and circumference of the limbs and trunk, may play a major
role in athletic success.
• A short person with a lower center of gravity and shorter limbs can
conceivably change direction faster than a taller person with a higher
center of gravity and longer limbs.
• If the two athletes weigh the same amount, it stands to reason that
the leaner athlete would be able to produce greater force than the
athlete with more body fat.
• This is because the fitter athlete has a greater amount of lean muscle
mass.

12. AGILITY TESTING
• ILIONIS AGILITY TEST
• THE ARROWHEAD AGILITY TEST
• T- TEST
• THE 505 AGILITY TEST
• 3 CONE SHUTTLE DRILL (‘L’ DRILL)

13. llinois Agility Test
(r = 0.8)
Equipment required: flat non-slip surface, marking
cones, stopwatch, measuring tape,
Course layout:
• The length of the course is 10 meters and the width is 5 meters.
• Four cones are used to mark the start, finish and the two turning
points. Another four cones are placed down the center an equal
distance apart.
• Each cone in the center is spaced 3.3 meters apart.

14. PROCEDURE:
• Subjects should lie on their front (head to the start line) and hands by
their shoulders.
• On the 'Go' command the stopwatch is started, and the athlete gets
up as quickly as possible and runs forwards 10 meters to run around
a cone, then back 10 meters, then runs up and back through a course
of four cones.
• Finally, the athlete runs another 10 meters up and back past the
finishing cone, at which the timing is stopped.
• Several trials should be completed, with the best score recorded.

16. Normative values for the Illinois Agility Test (16-19
years)

17. The Arrowhead Agility Test
(r = 0.67)
Equipment required:
• Stopwatch or timing gates, measuring tape or or chalk for marking the
ground, 6 marker cones, a flat non-slip surface.
Test layout:
• The cones are laid out as per the diagram, with three marker cones
placed in a arrowhead shape, and one set of cones or line marker to
indicate the start and finish line.

18. Procedure:
• The player starts with their foot
behind the starting line in a sprint
start position.
• When ready, they run as fast a
possible to the middle cone (A),
turn to run around the side cone
(C) or (D), around the far cone (B)
and back through the start/finish
line.
• The subject completes four trails,
two to the left then two to the right

19. Scoring: Record the best time to complete the test for the left and right
turning trails. The time is recorded in seconds to the nearest two
decimal places for each direction.

20. Agility T TEST
(r = 0.86)
• The T-Test is a simple running test of agility, involving forward, lateral,
and backward movements, appropriate to a wide range of sports.
Purpose: the T-Test is a test of agility for athletes, and includes forward,
lateral, and backwards running.
Equipment required: tape measure, marking cones, stopwatch, timing
gates (optional)

21. Test setup: Set out four cones as illustrated in the diagram (5 yards =
4.57 m, 10 yards = 9.14 m).

22. Procedure:
• The subject starts at cone A. On the
command of the timer, the subject
sprints to cone B and touches the base of
the cone with their right hand.
• They then turn left and shuffle sideways
to cone C, and also touches its base, this
time with their left hand.
• Then shuffling sideways to the right to
cone D and touching the base with the
right hand.
• They then shuffle back to cone B touching
with the left hand, and run backwards to
cone A. The stopwatch is stopped as they
pass cone A.

23. Scoring: The trial will not be counted if the subject crosses one foot in
front of the other while shuffling, fails to touch the base of the cones,
or fails to face forward throughout the test. Take the best time of three
successful trials to the nearest 0.1 seconds. The table below shows
some scores for adult team sport athletes.

24. The 505 Agility test
(r = 0.77)
• The 505 Agility test is a test of 180 degree turning ability.
• Equipments required: stopwatch, non-slip running surface, cone
markers.

25. Test layout: Markers are set up 5 and 15 meters from a line marked on
the ground as shown in the diagram

26. Procedure:
• The athlete runs from the 15 meter marker towards the line (the run
in distance is to build up speed) and through the 5 m markers, turns
on the line and runs back through the 5 m markers.
• The time is recorded from when the athletes first runs through the 5
meter marker, and stopped when they return through these markers
(that is, the time taken to cover the 5 m up and back distance - 10 m
total).
• The best of two trails is recorded. The turning ability on each leg
should be tested.

27. Scoring: record the best time for turning on each side, and also the
average of both.

28. 3-Cone Shuttle Drill Test (L-Drill)
(r = 0.8)
Purpose: this is a test of agility, including speed, quickness, flexibility,
change of direction, body control.
Equipment required: stopwatch, measuring tape or marked football
field, marker cones, a flat non-slip surface.

29. Test layout: Three marker cones are placed to form an "L." with cones
at the corner and at each end, 5 yards apart (see diagram).

30. Procedure: The player starts by getting down
in a three-point stance next to Cone 1.
• On the command 'Go', he runs to Cone 2,
bends down and touches a line with his right
hand.
• Then he turns and runs back to Cone 1, bends
down and touches that line with his right hand.
• Then he runs back to Cone 2 and around the
outside of it, weaves inside Cone 3, then
around the outside of Cones 3 and 2 before
finishing at Cone 1.
• The player must run forward while altering his
running direction, as opposed to strictly
stopping and starting in opposite directions.

31. Scoring: The time to complete the test in seconds is recorded. The
score is the best time of two trials.

32. References
• Jay Dawes, Mark Roozen Developing agility and quickness, Human kinetics
National strength and conditioning association june 2011
• M. Sheppard, W. B. Young Agility literature review: Classifications, training
and testing Journal of Sports Sciences, September 2006; 24(9): 919 – 932
• P. F. Stewart, A. N. Turner, S. C. Miller Reliability, factorial validity, and
interrelationships of five commonly used change of direction speed tests
Scand J Med Sci Sports 2014: 24: 500–506 10.1111 12019

33. THANK YOU :-)