Have you noticed a decrease in your speed and flexibility? Aging naturally slows us down, but there are effective ways to regain your agility. For those eager to improve their stability and quickness, this guide outlines agility exercises for better movement – six straightforward steps to enhance agility.
Who Can Benefit?
This guide caters to individuals striving to increase their agility for improved everyday movements.
So, let’s explore six simple steps that will help you glide through life with enhanced speed and fluidity.
1. Stretch and Warm Up
Stretching is the basis for improving agility. It primes your muscles, ensuring they remain flexible and ready for action. Before any exercise, kick off with gentle stretching or a brief walk to prepare your muscles for the activity ahead.
Why Stretching is Crucial
Regular stretching not only improves flexibility but also extends your body’s range of motion. This increased flexibility greatly reduces the likelihood of sustaining injuries during physical activities.
2. Agility Tools: Ladder and Bands
Agility Ladder drills
One of the best ways to increase your foot speed is to do agility training using an Agility Ladder. You may see this being used during football practice, along with cone drills, and is an excellent piece of equipment for greatly improving your foot speed, coordination, and balance. It is also something you don’t need to spend money on as you can create your own by putting tape on the ground.
There are myriad different exercises to do with an agility ladder but it is best to start with simple exercises. Check out this video for simple agility training exercises.
Resistance band exercises for agility
Resistance bands can be used for agility training and to strengthen muscles in your legs and hips while also improving your balance. They are rubber or latex bands or tubes that can be used for strength training. When used on your lower body you benefit from strengthening muscles you seldom use.
The following video does a great job showing you simple exercises you can do to improve agility and strength.
3. Power Up with Plyometrics
Plyometric exercises help you develop explosive strength and improved agility. Indeed, there are many different types of plyometric exercises, some of which use equipment and some that don’t.
We are going to focus on two exercises, one for the upper body and one for the whole body, both of which are relatively easy to perform as a beginner. Each provides tremendous benefits, especially when used with some of the other agility drills listed in this blog.
Plyo Pushups
Plyo Pushup involves doing pushups but when pushing up from the ground you exert enough power to propel yourself upwards, letting your hands leave the ground.
Start at the push-up position and lower yourself to the ground slowly. Then, with as much explosive power you can muster push off from the ground allowing your hands to leave the ground at the height of your pushup. Land at the starting position with your hands firmly on the ground and slowly lower yourself back to the ground. You will notice that your strength and balance improve over time and you may then advance to more difficult versions of this exercise.
Burpees
Most of us learned Burpees at school when we were younger but haven’t done one since. This exercise combines push-ups with squats with jumping from the squat position. This is a full-body workout that exercises multiple muscles in your body, including muscles in the lower body, your core, and your upper body.
Start with a push-up and with your hands fully planted on the ground. Then pull your legs up beneath your body with your legs in a ready position to immediately jump up with your arms extended to the sky. It is advised you go slowly to begin with as this exercise requires a great deal of balance and body control. Work up to full speed with higher jumps over time.
4. Embrace Stair Runs
Running stairs is not only a great cardio exercise it is also great agility training. As you run up and downstairs you develop leg strength, endurance, and foot speed. It is best to start slowly walking upstairs and over time increase your speed. Also be sure to use the handrail when you begin doing this exercise as it is easy to lose your footing, especially come down the stairs.
5. Try Yoga or Martial Arts
Yoga classes are a great way to develop strength and balance. It is also most useful for stretching muscles you don’t usually think to stretch. Yoga is great for strengthening your core which will make all the other exercises in this blog easier. Yoga’s main benefit is the mental strength you gain by concentrating on breathing and body control.
Taekwondo or other fighting martial arts are great for agility training as you advance from beginner to more advanced levels. Taekwondo almost always begins a training session with proper stretching and then focuses on meditation and breathing exercises, promoting mental agility. As you proceed through a Taekwondo class you then will perform extensive core drills focusing on footwork and kicking combinations.
Like Karate, Taekwondo has pattern training that has a practitioner go through kicking, striking and footwork movements to complete the pattern. As you progress through the levels the patterns become more elaborate and difficult with more focus on refined movements and concentrated breathing.
6. Game On for Agility
Sports like basketball, racquetball, or dodgeball are dynamic agility boosters. These games challenge your coordination and movement, effectively honing your agility as you engage in gameplay.
Why Agility Matters
Agility reflects quickness, adaptability, and grace in movement. Whether in sports or daily routines, mastering agility improves not only your physical abilities but also your confidence. In fact, regular practice of agility exercises builds nimbleness, flexibility, and strength for better movement.
Final Thoughts on Agility Exercises for Better Movement
Agility isn’t is only for athletes—it’s a skill for anyone seeking improved movement. These steps are merely the starting point. Embrace them and experience the transformative impact on your agility and overall well-being.
For more information on stretching check out The 6 best stretching exercises for men over 50
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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the support and guidance of your physician when you are unsure about any health issues.
