Name: Playbook - TrickStrong RX - W1/D7 Agility
Uploaded: 2023-11-08T15:55:23.504Z
Duration: 45 min
Description: W1/D7 Agility

Oh some of those were really challenging to transition directions 👀

Casey

The reps are a guideline. The hallmark of a good warmup is that you feel prepared to move!

Be sure to watch our follow-along CARs tutorials in ‘Mobility RX’ for an in-depth explanation on how to perform Hip CARs. These are best done daily to maintain and improve joint health. 

Here's how to do it.

[Step 1: Starting Position]
Start by standing up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on something stable like a chair or wall for balance. Stand tall and engage your core as if you are about to lift something heavy. 

[Step 2: External Rotation (ER) + Adduction]
Begin by spinning your hip outward with a straight leg. Bring this leg inwards towards midline while maintaining ER

[Step 3: Flexion + ER]
Slowly raise your knee as high as you can without tilting your pelvis or lower back. This is hip flexion. Hold at the top for a moment while continuing tension into ER as shown. 

[Step 4: Abduction + ER]
Next, rotate your thigh outward, bringing your knee to the side as far as you can. Do this while continuing tension into ER. 

[Step 5: Extension + Internal Rotation (IR)]
While keeping your knee at the same height, start to move it behind you. This is where you'll extend the hip. Notice that we spin the hip into IR, or internal rotation during this. Remember to maintain an upright posture, and don’t let your lower back arch. 

[Step 6: Closing the Circle]
Continue rotating the thigh inward as you bring your leg down and behind you, completing the circle. This is internal rotation combined with extension.

[Step 7: Reverse]
Reverse the motion smoothly, rotating the hip from IR to ER. Bring the knee back to the side, then to the front, and finally lower it down to the starting position.

[Step 7: Repetition and Switching Sides]
Perform this slow & controlled rotation for 2-3 repetitions on both sides. 

The goal is to move through your full range but without any pain. If you feel any discomfort, reduce the range of motion. It's about quality, not quantity. With time & practice, your hip mobility will improve.

Standing Hip CARs

Be sure to watch our follow-along CARs tutorials in ‘Mobility RX’ for an in-depth explanation on how to perform Knee CARs. 

This is a clip from the tutorial that explains how to perform the seated knee CAR.

These are best done daily to maintain and improve joint health.

Seated Knee CARs

Be sure to watch our follow-along CARs tutorials in ‘Mobility RX’ for a in-depth explanation on how to perform ankle CARs. These are best done daily to maintain and improve joint health. 

Here's how to do it.

[Step 1: Starting Position]
Start by standing up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Place your hands on something stable like a chair or wall for balance. Stand tall and engage your core as if you are about to lift something heavy.

[Step 2: Ankle Dorsiflexion (DF)]
First, maximally pull the toes of your foot up towards your shin, this is called dorsiflexion. 

[Step 3: Ankle DF + Eversion (EV)]
From a dorsiflexed position, initiate the rotation by turning your foot outward, making sure the rotation is coming from your ankle and not from your hip or knee.

[Step 4: Ankle Plantarflexion (PF) + EV]
Point your toes maximally while maintaining a turned out, or everted ankle. 

[Step 5: Ankle PF + Inversion (INV)]
While continuing to point your toes, move from a turned out, or everted foot position to an inverted, or turned in foot position. Maintain control throughout all motion. 

[Step 6: Ankle DF + INV]
Complete the circle by bringing your toes up towards your shin again, this time with the foot inward. Again, ensure the movement is happening at the ankle joint. Imagine drawing a big circle with your toes, encompassing all the directions of ankle movement.

[Step 7: Repeat & Switch]
Do 2-3 slow and deliberate rotations in each direction. Focus on moving through your full range of motion without any pain. Once you’ve done both sides, switch directions. 

The goal is to move through your full range but without any pain. If you feel any discomfort, reduce the ROM. Quality over quantity. With time & practice, your ankle mobility will improve.

Ankle CARs

The hip 9090 stretch is called this because of the 90 degree angles your hip will make. 

The hip is a ball and socket joint. This means that in order to train our mobility in an effective way, we will want to explore and be less linear with this stretch. 

The hip 90/90 is a great way to explore the surfaces of the hip joint and to really move into your restrictions.

This drill is a great way to warm up your hips and core as it is ACTIVE. Think of allowing one hip to trail while the other aims for the floor to encourage hip opening.  

You should not be feeling any pain in your lower back, hips or knees.

Modifications: Hand Assist

Dynamic Hip 90/90

Knee To Wall Taps are great for ankle mobility. They help us to create stability and control within our movement.

This is where flexibility and mobility differ. The former is just a position you can get to, while the latter is a movement you OWN. 

Notice the direction of the toes here. They are pointing forward, which encourages us to move through our ankle joint rather than our foot.

Shifting your weight to the front leg loads your foot and ankle more and enhances the benefits if you can tolerate it. If this is too much, you can start by shifting your weight more towards the back leg or by doing this same motion from a kneeling lunge position.

The wall gives us a goal to reach that can be measured over time and can guide us in going just far enough. We want to avoid letting the heel come up off of the ground.

Knee to Wall Taps

This mobility drill fits perfectly into a warmup as a line drill. You can also do this throughout the day to improve hamstring length and to reduce lower back tension. 

Lead with a straight leg and hinge from the hips while sitting your butt back. Arch your lower back when doing this. 

Another tip is to imagine that you are "scooping water" with your hands.

You should feel a stretch in your hamstring without feeling pain at the lower back, calf or feet.

Hamstring Walks

The Lunge Step Through is a great exercise to build total body coordination, power, explosiveness. 

To do this right:

1) Begin either bodyweight or with a KB/DB horizontally in both hands. 

2) Step forward into a lunge, loading into the front hip and core by actively rotating, pulling the weight past and BEHIND the forward hip. You should feel this intensely in your lower lat and QL area (muscles in your lower back area) on that side. 

3) Use this tension to recoil and step through as shown. It should feel as if the tension is now being transferred to the opposite shoulder as you actively pull your elbow diagonally across your body towards your ear.  

4) Throughout the exercise, you should actively be pulling & pushing the weight towards either side using both arms. In other words, both arms help to drive the weight into each position. 

Modifications: unweighted, dumbbells, plates, clasping hands together

Lunge Step Through

Adamantium Knees Warmup

This is a basic, but incredible exercise for developing cardiovascular health, power and agility in the lower extremity. 

Your goal should be to keep ground contact time to a minimum. Try quick flicks with your ankle while keeping the core tight. Training like the floor is "hot lava" will improve reactivity - or your speed and efficiency in plyometric movement.

Jump Rope

Agility is skilled and accurate movement. We need agility for injury prevention and performance as we will need to quickly and skillfully adapt to many situations in order to change directions, transition effectively and stay safe. 

For this drill, we will need a ladder, tape, chalk or other visual border. 

Perform the pattern as shown, paying special attention to which leg is contacting the ground. As the reaching leg touches, the stable leg lifts off of the ground. Try to follow this rhythm when doing this drill.

The loop band adds additional challenge, especially stressing the lateral hip. Place this at the lower ankle as shown. 

Perform this for 30-45 seconds, each side

Lateral In & Outs, Banded (Agility Ladder)

Hops are amazing for building leg strength, stability and explosiveness. Perform both sides

The goal is to land centered over your foot with good landing mechanics. Absorb landing by compressing and springing through the hip, knee and ankle with core tension. 

With this single leg variation, it is even more important (and difficult) to maintain proper alignment. If you find yourself landing with poor form, reduce the side hop height or distance until you're in control.

This helps solidify good landing technique and deceleration ability. This is critical for improving performance and longevity.

Modifications: Double leg, less/more distance, less/more height

Side Hops, Single Leg

Primer Superset: Jump Rope, Banded Glute Ladder, Side Hop

This exercise challenges our single leg power and change of direction ability, which is huge in being able to handle the demands of sports such as tricking. 

In fact, physical therapists use this very exercise for return to play testing after injury. Being able to do this is that important! As always, progress intelligently and prioritize form over jump height or distance. 

1) Put a piece of tape about 6 inches thick down on the floor. Spring floor tape is about 4 inches and works well if you jump over the line.

2) Perform 3 hops in succession crossing over the line each jump as shown. 

3) Stick the landing for 2-3 seconds before rising on one leg.

Our goal here is horizontal translation, so try to keep your height low and distance long. Keep eyes, trunk, hip, knees and ankles ahead and stress good triple extension mechanics (hips, knees and ankles) to get the most out of this exercise.

Practice to even out imbalances between sides.

Crossover Triple Hop

This exercise challenges our single leg power and change of direction ability, which is huge in being able to handle the demands of sports such as tricking. 

1) Put a hurdle or piece of tape directly to the outside of your working leg.

2) Perform one hop over the hurdle (or tape) immediately followed by a forward hop for distance. Remember, the floor is "hot lava".

3) Stick the landing for 2-3 seconds before rising on one leg.

Our goal here is a vertical jump to horizontal translation, so try to keep your height on the first jump, and then explode to a low and long distance jump. Keep eyes, trunk, hip, knees and ankles ahead and stress good triple extension mechanics (hips, knees and ankles) to get the most out of this exercise.

Practice to even out imbalances between sides.

L Hop (1 Hurdle)

For this agility drill, we are performing 2 single leg hops forwards, followed by a hop backwards. This requires us to decelerate our forward momentum which is helpful in developing overall athleticism. The quicker we can stop, the faster we can absorb force or explode when we need to. 

Try to stick the last landing for 3 seconds without any additional hops. End in a single leg stance position to get some extra strength and stability work in as shown. 

We want to land cleanly without any additional hops, keeping eyes, trunk, hip, knees and ankles ahead. We want to stress good triple extension mechanics (extension through hips, knees and ankles) to get the most out of this exercise. 

Our goal here is horizontal translation, so try to keep your height low and distance as far as you can with control.

Hop - 2 Forward, 1 Back

The Agility T Drill is an awesome exercise to work on explosiveness and change of direction ability. 

Traditionally it is set up with the base cone being 10 yards from the middle cone, with the left and right cones being 5 yards apart from the middle.

With whatever space you have, run to each cone in the order in the video. Note that we are shuffling, meaning we are not allowing legs to cross as we go from cone to cone. We also tap the cone with the hand closest to it. 

Counting reps:
1 rep = one sequence through each point of the T

Start slow to feel the drill out before going all out. Also, be aware of your surroundings when running back. 


Modifications: Imaginary (no cones), slower or faster speeds, different routes or formations

Agility T Drill

This is a really good one for improving knee mobility, encouraging blood flow and improving quad activation. This is a great warmup, cooldown and maintenance exercise as it is low-impact with awesome results. 

Loop a superband around a sturdy anchor at knee height.
Step into the band with both legs and place it at the back of your knees.
Stand facing the anchor point with feet hip-width apart, ensuring there’s good tension on the band.
Shift your weight onto one leg, maintaining a slight bend in the non-working leg for stability.
Extend the working leg at the knee, pressing against the band’s resistance until your knee is fully straightened.

Focus on contracting the quadriceps muscle at the top of the movement. Control the movement as you return to the starting position with a bent knee. Alternate legs. If pain-free, play with adding speed and power.

You could also go super heavy, but I prefer using this as an endurance exercise in the 30+ rep range. This encourages blood flow and just feels good.

Finisher: Alternating Banded TKEs

W1/D7 Agility

Revealed SO many weaknesses. Showed me exactly what I should be working on. Stoked for the rest of the program.

Mitchell

Re building this knee day one overall felt great didn’t know I could do a lot of that

W1/D7 Agility

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