MAXIMISING ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT (A task based approach to developing effective speed & agility)

Ian JeffreysPhD, ASCC, CSCS*D, NSCA-CPT*D, RSCC*E, FNSCA, FUKSCA

THE DIFFERENCE MAKER?

Speed and agility play a major role in performance in most

team and court sports.

AGILITY?

The ability to explosively brake, change direction &

accelerate again (Plisk, 2008)

A rapid whole body movement with

change of velocity or direction in response

to a stimulus (Sheppard & Young,

2006)

context specific movement, where an

athlete maximises their sports performance via

the application of sport-specific

movement of optimal velocity, precision,

efficiency and control in anticipation of, and in response to, the key

perceptual stimuli, and skill requirements of

the game.

If it can’t be measured, it doesn’t exist!!

The Stongest?

The most agile?

The Fastest?

• “not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts”

What does he want from us?

To play the game more effectively!

THE DESTINATION!

Are we missing the big picture

Am I really helping?

EFFECTIVE MOVEMENT

Effectiveness

Decision making

Consistency

Adaptability

Control

Efficiency

Force capacities

Closed agility

Speed

PHYSICAL TRACK SKILL TRACK

∑

Perception

Cognitive processing

Motor action selection

Motor action application

HOW MUCH ARE WE MISSING?

ATHLETES SOLVE PROBLEMS!

TIME TO CHANGE THE PARADIGM?

Definition Measures Drills

REVERSE ENGINEERING

Progressive exercises

Key tasks Game

Movement scientists have long realized that models of movement control must allow for the same movement

goal to be achieved from variable environmental conditions and different starting positions of the body

and limbs. (Hayward, Roberton & Getchell 2012).

APPLYING DYNAMIC SYSTEMS

PLAN THE JOURNEY

Fundamentals

Sport Generic

Sport Specific

THE GAMESPEED SYSTEM

Actualisation

Acceleration Max Speed

Initiation

StartingChanging Direction

Transition

Static Moving

QUALITY PRACTICEIS KEY

Progressive Challenge

Strategic

At edge of capacity

Variable

RepeatedExternal

focus

Cognitive involvement

Random Allocation

EFFECTIVE PRACTICE

DRILL BASED TASK BASED

Progressive ChallengeStrategic

At edge of

capacityVariable

RepeatedExternal

focus

Cognitive involvement

Random Allocation

A TASK BASED APPROACH

The use of movement based challenges to develop context specific movement capacity

PROGRESSING CHALLENGES?

Establish basic

pattern

Establish

Add variants

(temporal & spatial)

Progress

Progress variables into sport

generic task

Sports Generic Sport Specific

Develop sport

specific task

DEGREES OF FREEDOM

COACHING TASKS

Observe

Evaluate

Feedback!!

Adapt?

Helping athletes solve

problems

SUMMARY

Thinking Gamespeed brings a contextual focus.

Utilising tasks maximises learning.

Must be combined with effective coaching .

MANY THANKS

www.allproperformance.co.uk

info@allproperformance.co.uk