Agility in Physical Education Is the ability of the human body to change direction in a specific movement, with the greatest possible efficiency.
It is one of the main qualities that an athlete should have, regardless of the discipline he practices, along with coordination, endurance and balance.
This quality has to do with the ability to respond to a change of situation, this implies precision and speed in the movements, a certain degree of strength, muscular power and mechanical flexibility. In short, it is the conjugation of all the coordinating capacities.
Agility is related to lightness, understood as the ease of movement. It has to do with elasticity, flexibility and speed. It is associated with non-cyclical movements; Those that require constant changes of direction, direction and speed.
Like all components involving physical dexterity, agility depends to a large extent on the cognitive element, that is, a correct development of the central nervous system that emits the necessary stimuli so that the body can move quickly towards the required direction and direction, and thus Effectively meet the objective.
Recent studies have found that agility not only requires the physical ability to react to changes of direction at high speed, but also has a high perceptual content.
However, agility is something that can be significantly improved with the right dose of physical training. Unfortunately, it is also a quality that has deteriorated over the years.
What is Agility? Determining factors
Agility is a physical condition that allows you to perform movements with the least amount of time and energy possible.
Agility is necessary in all types of sports disciplines, but it is essential in those involving obstacles or opponents that must be avoided.
Some concrete examples are rugby, American football, obstacle course or hockey.
Also in sports such as tennis where the ball moves very fast in a relatively small physical space.
The player needs good eyesight, good reflexes and an excellent physical condition to move quickly to one side or the other side of the court.
It is a quality that involves the whole body, so it can not be said of segmental agility; Requires multiple skills and comprehensive training.
In addition to those already mentioned, such as balance and coordination, there are other decisive factors to make an athlete more or less agile:
- Basic motor capacity : Possibility of performing basic movements with quality and ease.
- Specific motor capacity : Ability to perform more specific movements with equal quality and ease.
- Psychomotor ability : Ability to perform coordinated and precise movements in space and time.
- Basic physical capacity : It has to do with the integral quality of the individual in terms of musculoskeletal conditions, flexibility and strength.
Advantages of physical agility training
1- Improves performance
A good physical training is gradually developing greater stamina and better performance in the practice of the sport, managing to perform the activity in less time, that is, with greater efficiency.
2- Increases resistance
The body is trained to endure the requirement of sports activity for longer without so much wear and tear.
In addition, this entails that the athlete also requires less and less time for their recovery in the short and medium term.
3- Prevent injuries
Foral and periodic training, in addition to increasing agility, strengthens muscles and bones and"teaches"them to behave and react correctly to eventualities both on and off the field.
Muscles learn to warm quickly and do not fatigue, and the body knows how to move so as not to injure itself; Is better prepared for contingencies.
4- Improves balance and control of the body
The athlete is better able to correct and maintain his center of gravity, which prevents falls and ensures stability during sports practice.
It prepares the body for a better development in daily life: agility is intimately related to the energy needed for the day to day.
In addition, a good physical condition helps to be prepared to react properly to everyday contingencies.
For example, avoid a fall, overcome an obstacle in public or make use of personal defense in the face of insecurity.
Activities to train agility
1- Slalom Test
The performer is placed behind the starting line and must run through posts aligned vertically, surrounding them from side to side until reaching the goal.
The idea is to time the execution time to be able to measure the progress. The faster you can do it, the more agility you gain.
2- Race of obstacles
The performer is placed behind the starting line and must run jumping obstacles of a certain height located along the track trying not to knock or trip.
It is an activity that requires coordination and flexibility, as well as a lot of physical resistance. Likewise, it must be timed to be able to measure progress.
3- Stroke with cleats
The performer is placed behind the starting line and must run as fast as possible to a line placed about nine meters away.
There are placed wooden blocks on the floor, which must be raised one by one, return to the starting line, deposit again on the floor and run again in search of the next.
The terrain should be smooth and level. It is necessary to time the results in order to quantify the progress of the individual in terms of agility.
References
- Antonio García López et al. (2000). Games in Physical Education from 6 to 12 years. Publications Inde. P. 68.
- Agility assessment. Recovered from efdeportes.com.
- Yanci, J., Los Arcos, A and others (2012). Agility in primary school students: differences by age and sex. Recovered from cdeporte.rediris.es.
- What are the benefits of agility training? Recovered from health-life.info.
- Mauricio Moyano (2013). Conceptualizing speed and agility. Importance in sports situation. Retrieved from g-se.com.
- E.F. Torrevelo. Basic motor skills: Agility. Recovered from eftorrevelo.blogspot.com.ar.
- Eric Vallodoro (2013). Agility. Recovered from sports.wordpress.com.
- Agility. Glossary of Physical Education. Retrieved from glossaries.service-alicante.com.