What is Agility?

Agility or nimbleness is the ability to change the body's position efficiently, and requires the integration of isolated movement skills using a combination of balance, coordination, speed, reflexes, strength and endurance. Agility is the ability to change the direction of the body in an efficient and effective manner and to achieve this you are require a combination of: 1. Balance - the ability to maintain equilibrium when stationary or moving (i.e. not to fall over) through the coordinated actions of our sensory functions (eyes, ears and the proprioceptive organs in our joints) 2. Static balance - the ability to retain the centre of mass above the base of support in a stationary position 3. Dynamic balance - the ability to maintain balance with body movement 4. Speed - the ability to move all or part of the body quickly 5. Strength - the ability of a muscle or muscle group to overcome a resistance 6. Co-ordination - the ability to control the movement of the body in co-operation with the body's sensory functions (e.g. catching a ball [ball, hand and eye co-ordination]). Agility is often defined in terms of an individual sport, due to it being an integration of many components each used differently (specific to all of sorts of different sports).

How do we measure agility?

There are a number of tests to measure an athlete's agility. They include:

1. Hexagonal Obstacle Agility Test

This test requires the athlete to perform a series of two footed back and forth jumps over the sides of a hexagon.

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes The assistant marks out a hexagon with 66 cm sides The athlete stands in the middle of the hexagon, facing line A throughout the test The assistant gives the command GO and starts the stopwatch The athlete jumps with both feet over line B and back to the middle, then over line C and back to the middle, then line D and so on When the athlete jumps over line A and back to the middle this counts as one circuit The athlete is to complete three circuits When the athlete completes three circuits the assistant stops the stopwatch and records the time The athlete has 5 minute rest and then repeats the test On completion of the second test the assistant determines the average of the two recorded times. If the athlete jumps the wrong line or lands on a line then the test is to be restarted

2. Illinois Agility Run Test

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes The assistance sets up the course as detailed in the diagram The athlete lies face down on the floor at the Start cone he assistant gives the command GO and starts the stopwatch. The athlete jumps to his/her feet and negotiates the course around the cones following the red line route shown in the diagram to the finish The assistant stops the stopwatch and records the time when the athlete passes the Finish cone

3.Lateral Change of Direction Test

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes The assistant places three cones 5 metres apart on a straight line The athlete stands by the middle cone (B) facing the assistant The assistant gives the command GO and points in a starting direction, right or left, and starts the stopwatch The athlete moves to and touches the first cone, returns past the middle cone to the far cone and touches it and then returns to and touches the middle cone The assistant stops the stopwatch, when the athlete touches the middle cone, and records the time The test is conducted four times - two in each starting direction (left & right) The fastest time in each direction is used for accessing the athletes performance

4. Quick Feet Test

This test requires the athlete to run along a 20 rung rope ladder, stepping between each rung and without touching the rungs, as fast as possible.

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes The assistant places a 20 rung rope ladder on a non-slip surface The assistant gives the command GO and the athlete commences the test The assistant starts the stopwatch when the athlete's foot touches the ground between the first and second rung The assistant stops the stopwatch when foot contact is made with the ground beyond the last rung and records the time The test is repeated and the fastest time used to access the athlete's performance

5. T Drill Test
This test requires the athlete to touch a series of cones set out in T shape whilst side stepping and running as fast as possible.

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes The assistant places 3 cones 5 metres apart on a straight line (A, B, C) and a 4th cone (D) is placed 10 metres from the middle cone (B) so that the 4 cones form a 'T'. The athlete stands at the cone (D) at the base of the T facing the T The assistant gives the signal to 'Go', starts the stopwatch and the athlete commences the test The athlete runs to and touches the middle cone (B) , side steps 5 metres to the left cone (A) and touches it, side step 10 metres to

the far cone (C) and touches it, side step 5 metres back to the middle cone (B) and touches it and then runs 10 metres backwards to the base of the 'T' and touches that cone (D) The coach stops the stopwatch and records the time when the athlete touches the cone at the base of the T

6. Standing Stork Test

The athlete warms up for 10 minutes The athlete stands comfortably on both feet with their hands on their hips The athlete lifts the right leg and places the sole of the right foot against the side of the left kneecap The assistant gives the command GO, starts the stopwatch and the athlete raises the heel of the left foot to stand on their toes The athlete is to hold this position for as long as possible The assistant stops the stopwatch when the athletes left heel touches the ground or the right foot moves away from the left knee The assistance records the time The athlete rests for 3 minutes The athlete stands comfortably on both feet with their hands on their hips The athlete lifts the left leg and places the sole of the left foot against the side of the right kneecap The assistant gives the command GO, starts the stopwatch and the athlete raises the heel of the right foot to stand on their toes The athlete is to hold this position for as long as possible The assistant stops the stopwatch when the athletes right heel touches the ground or the left foot moves away from the right kneecap The assistance records the time