When you are in training to be a fitness instructor or a certified sports specialist, you will have to pass many of the same physical trainer requirements. Safety and form is a big part of your trainer certification. Exercises to increase speed and agility should be monitored closely for good form to prevent injury.
Running and triathlons are popular sports that use speed and agility training to improve power and speed. Some of the safety considerations to incorporate into training are the current level of fitness of your client and also the type of fitness. If someone is very new to fitness, their muscles are not developed enough to support the joint impact of high-impact exercising such as plyometrics. If someone is very fit in their current sport, that doesn’t mean that their fitness carries over into other sports. For example, if your client is a master level yogi, that does not mean they can do a challenging high-impact workout without having issues. That rolls into other sports too. Runners that mainly run and do little cross training may be very tight in the hip flexor muscles, preventing them from a full range of motion during a plyometric exercise. It is best to test your clients to see where they are and build a customized plan from where they currently are with their level of fitness and guide them to help them reach a personal goal.
Form is also a safety consideration to take during plyometrics. If a client is not able to perform the move correctly, they risk injury to their joints. Demonstrate the move slowly and observe your client perform the move. If they are unable to do it correctly and safely, you will need to make modifications for them to help them build enough strength so they will be able to eventually do them without modifications.
For runners, sprinting is a powerful exercise that builds speed quickly. These types of drills to increase running speed are effective if your client is able to shift into that kind of training safely. If they are new to plyometrics, start with a sprint training plan for beginners until they are able to execute and master that plan without injury.
A speed and agility certification is perfect for trainers and coaches that help clients in sport specific settings that demand more power and speed from their personal training routine. Be sure to practice safety and monitor form so that your clients receive the maximum benefits from these moves.
