The Biomechanics of Agility, Live From the NSCA 32nd National Conference

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By Sal | July 9, 2009

There were a lot of great sessions to choose from Thursday afternoon, the first day of the NSCA's 32nd annual convention here in Las Vegas, but I can't be in more than one place at a time - or else I would have been at the pool and attending the presentations.nsca-00m-03s

Anyway, I had the pleasure of sitting in the Champagne Ballroom at the Paris Hotel and listened to Dave Suprak, PhD, ATC and CSCS give a talk titled, "Biomechanics in Agility Development."  I would have live blogged it, but my battery was running out and there were no outlets from which I could recharge.

Like the saying goes, "What happens if Vegas stays in Vegas," so I really can't tell you what went on in this session.  Just kidding...

Dave Suprak did an excellent job of explaining the mechanics of agility and used a good balance of technical information and real world examples in his presentation. As I wrote in my earlier entry about the presentation about prevention of ACL injuries in female athletes, the information about the mechanics of agility - an incredibly complex issue - is much easier to absorb in a presentation setting.

Agility can be defined as the ability to decelerate, accelerate and change direction quickly while maintaining good body control without decreasing speed, and during his presentation Suprak was able to clearly describe the effects of forces - "kinematics" - and the causes of movement - "kinetics" - as the body changed direction with speed.  Speed being the operative word.

Strength coaches and personal trainers need to understand the mechanics of agility, as agility training should be an important component of every training program.  Fitness professionals that grasp the complexities of agility will be able to teach their clients the proper ways to move and be able to develop training programs and utilize drills to improve their clients' performance.

This presentation is yet another illustration of the importance of attending the NSCA's national conference.

Check back tomorrow for details about the NSCA's Index Testing Championship and the low down on the exhibit hall.

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