Prelanned And Reactive Agility Training Influence On Agility Test Performance In Male Adolescents

Heidi Neitzke, Michael Miller, Christopher Cheatham, Jennifer O’Donoghue

Agility is an important skill in athletic performance because it integrates intermittent, dynamic, and skilled movements. Preplanned agility skills
are closed skills and have no temporal or spatial uncertainty. Reactive skills, also known as open skills, have temporal and spatial uncertainty and
are designed to mimic play in sports. Recognizing the development of adolescent athletes while challenging them in these skills are important.
Sufficient research is not present to endorse current agility training for adolescents. PURPOSE: To investigate two forms of agility training, pre-
planned and reactive protocols, and determine the effectiveness on 3 agility tests. METHODS: 30 male adolescents (age 16.33 +1.06; height 69.85
+2.95 in; weight 154.51+22.23 lbs) participated in 1 of 3 treatment groups: 1) Control Group; 2) Preplanned Protocol; 3) Reactive Protocol. The
three agility tests were the T-test, Illinois Agility test, and SPAD (Speed and Agility Drill). Subjects pre-tested on each agility test and then divided
into 3 groups based upon performance to equate scores for all 3 groups. Agility protocols were performed on 2 non-consecutive days per week
for 6 weeks. Subjects performed a 10-minute warm-up followed by 4 agility drills with 3 repetitions at maximal intensity. Subjects post-tested on
the agility tests at the completion of the 6 week program. A 2 (time) X 3 (group) repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine if differences
existed between the agility tests. RESULTS: This study found that groups significantly improved their scores over time in the T-test (p=.009) and
SPAD (p=.001) tests respectively. Refer to Table 1 for the means/standard deviations of the best time trials for each group. CONCLUSIONS: All three
groups improved throughout the 6 week study. The limited experience of adolescents may affect cognitive improvements, and biomechanical
changes may incur initially as seen in the overall improvement of time trials for the T-test and SPAD. The specific type of agility testing measures in
this study may have confounded the results. More examination into specific reactive agility testing measures and adolescent training is needed.
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The utilization of preplanned or reactive agility training has shown improvements for adolescent athletes. Athletes
may require longer periods of training for perceptible Central Nervous System adaptations and improvements to occur. Agility training, espe-
cially in adolescent athletics can be implemented to prevent injuries and assist in developing correct biomechanics and increase performance.

Table 1. Mean of Best Time Trials

Agility Test Control Preplanned Reactive

Pre T-Test 11.06 +.39 10.44 +.39 10.51 +.61

Post T-Test 10.99 +.70 9.98 +.75 10.06 +.47

Pre Illinois Agility Test 17.33 +.91 16.74+.97 16.84 +.93

Post Illinois Agility Test 17.25 +.99 16.40 +.77 16.68 +.70

Pre SPAD 10.51 +1.19 10.50 +1.55 10.50 +1.48

Post SPAD 10.44 +1.18 8.68 +1.00 9.53 +1.29