A 2-day intermediate-level course available through North American Seminars is designed to provide attendees key techniques for improving speed, agility, and quickness of athletes of all ages and abilities. According to www.healthclick.com, the course is intended for physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and sport coaches.
View the Speed, Agility, and Quickness Training pdf
The site says the course is built to assist participants in pinpointing common mistakes in acceleration, deceleration, and change of direction. Specific instructions and techniques will also be provided in order to assist participants in teaching correct mechanics with the goal of achieving a more explosive first step for athletes.
Upon completion of the course, the site notes that participants will be able to help athletes develop a more explosive first step, improve their speed, and improve their ability to change direction “at a moment’s notice.”
The site reports that beginning and advanced training techniques will also be discussed during the course. Previous experience with these concepts is not necessary prior to attending this course. There are extensive laboratory sessions throughout this course, and the site says participants will receive a comprehensive manual that summarizes the information provided in the lectures. Research support and a list of references for the training techniques will be included. The concepts presented can be applied to both healthy athletes and athletes who are undergoing rehabilitation, the site states.
During the course, the site adds that participants will also learn how to create successful and lucrative speed clinics and sports performance programs.
Course objectives include performing and designing warm-up drills to best prepare athletes for training and competition; teaching athletes to position themselves in the best alignment so as to give them a more explosive first step; and teaching corrective techniques for acceleration, deceleration and change in direction, and identifying the most common flaws in technique.
Additional objectives include performing the most effective drills for improving speed, acceleration, and change in direction such as the wall drill, falling starts, get up and go, ball drops, cone drills, and more, understanding the science of plyometrics to be able to safely and systematically progress athletes through the various drills, and teaching the most effective exercises for developing speed, strength, and power.
For more complete course objectives, locations, and dates, visit www.healthclick.com
Course instructor Brian Lawler, MS, PT, OCS, ATC, CSCS, PES, is co-owner of Asheville Physical Therapy in Asheville, NC. The site says Lawler obtained a Master of Science degree in Physical Therapy from Duke University in 1993 and is board certified in orthopedics. He also has a Master of Science degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention from California University of Pennsylvania. Lawler is a certified athletic trainer with NATA, a certified strength and conditioning specialist with NSCA, and a performance enhancement specialist with NASM. According to the site, at his clinic, Lawler routinely provides preseason ACL injury-prevention programs for young female athletes. He also offers other cash-based programs that address the specific needs of women.
[Source: North American Seminars]
