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6 Exercises to Improve Agility

6 EXERCISES TO IMPROVE AGILITY

Jacqueline Crockford // Fitness // 3/19/2014

Jacqueline CrockfordHealth and Fitness

Expert
Jacque Crockford, MS, CSCS, is an ACE exercise physiologist and education specialist. She
holds a bachelor's degree in kinesi...
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Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, weekend warrior or grandfather-in-training, agility

training should be an important part of your workout routine. Agility is the ability to move
quickly and change direction with ease. This describes both physical and mental agility. As
we age, or just become complacent in our daily routines, both our mental and physical agility
suffers. Here are six exercises that you can do to be quick on your toes and sharp as a tack.
LADDER DRILLS

Using an agility ladder, select a method of moving through the ladder. For example, you
might start with a high-knee march forward through each box, and then progress to a lateral
scissor if youre more advanced. To target your upper body, move through the ladder with
your hands while maintaining a push-up position. Once you have this move mastered, speed
it up and recite the words to your favorite song, the alphabet or the pledge of allegiance as

you move through the ladder. It might seem simple, but this move will get your heart rate up
and your brain working.

HURDLE DRILLS

Using either 6- or 12-inch hurdles (these can be cones, yoga blocks or whatever you have
on hand), set five to 10 hurdles up in a row, parallel to each other. Moving laterally, start by
going over the first hurdle with a high step and pausing in a stork stance before moving back
to the starting position. Then move over the first two hurdles, pause and go back to the start.
Continue this until all five to 10 hurdles have been traveled (1, 1 2, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4, etc.).
Count your hurdles out loud (both ascending and descending numbers) and remember to
pause on one leg before moving back to the beginning. Also, dont forget to switch
directions. When you become more advanced, speed up the hurdle steps and take out the
pause.

AGILITY BALLS

Using small agility balls, bounce them either to a partner or against a wall if youre working
out solo. Because the agility ball shape will send the bounce in varying directions, use a safe
space where you wont run into anything or anyone. Practice catching the ball with two
hands, then with your dominant hand only, and lastly, progress to catching it with your nondominant hand. Hand-eye coordination activities help increase mental stimulation and
chasing this tiny tool around is great for the heart and legs. I dare you to not smile while
doing this one!

BALLOON DRILLS

Using two different colored balloons, pick an order in which you will contact them (e.g.,
yellow then blue). Either alone or with a partner, hit the balloons in their selected order while
keeping them in the air. For more of a challenge, perform one bodyweight squat in between
each balloon contact, and then hit the next balloon. If youre really feeling frisky, try doing a
burpee in between each balloon contact. Remember, hit the balloons in the same order and
dont let them touch the ground. This is a great drill to do with your children or grandchildren;
for added fun, increase the number and color of balloons.

CONE DRILLS

Set seven cones up in the pattern shown. Using the

letters M, N, I, T, Y, select an order in which you will create those letters with your pattern of
moving through the cones. Touch each cone that creates the letter as you move through
each pattern at a pace that is appropriate to you. Depending on your fitness level, you may
choose to walk, skip, jog, sprint or shuffle. After you have completed each letter with your
movement pattern, change the order of the letters and try it again. For an increased

cardiovascular challenge, try facing the same direction as you create each letter and move
the cones farther apart. If youre working with a partner and like a little competition, time
yourselves going through the pattern, or trade off turns for each letter.

MEDICINE BALL DRILLS

Using a moderately sized medicine ball (a weight that is appropriately sized for your fitness
level), stand facing a concrete (or otherwise stable) wall about 2 to 5 feet away, depending
on the length of your arms. Throw the medicine ball in a chest pass toward the wall as you
move laterally 10 to 20 feet. Reverse directions and move laterally back to the starting
position as you do the medicine ball chest passes against the wall. Make sure to do one
chest pass for each sideways step. For added difficulty, move quickly in a shuffle and squat
down to an athletic stance. Quickly change direction at the end and return to the starting
position. Keeping your feet from crossing each other as you concentrate on catching an
object will increase your cognitive activity as well as improve your cardiovascular health.
HOW TO RE-ENGAGE OLD CLIENTS

Michael Piermont//Career//3/13/2014

Michael PiermontContributor
Michael Piermont co-founded amSTATZ in 2011 with the intention of building a business tool
that would empower health & fitnes ...
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Over the years, clients come and go from your personal training business. Some may have
thought personal training was just a short-term solution, while others didnt see the results
they wanted. Either way, reengaging with old clients is important to running a successful
fitness business. If an individual was your client once, its probable that he or she can
become a client again! Here are some ideas on how to win back your old clients.
1. Provide incentives.
A general economic principle is that people respond to incentives. People are constantly
weighing the costs vs. benefits of the decisions they make. To encourage previous
customers to come back for more training sessions or classes, you have to tip the
cost:benefit scale in your favor. One way to do this is to provide them with a discount. For
example, if a client purchases five sessions at the full price, offer the sixth training session
for free. If they refer a friend to your training studio, give your referring client his or her next
training session for free. You can also encourage clients to bring a friend, a significant other,
or heck, even a first date! At the very least, being different will help you stand out and stay
top-of-mind.
2. Show you have a long-term plan for their overall fitness.
Having a personal trainer means one-on-one time with a client, which means you as the
trainer are completely focused on that clients fitness. A great way to encourage clients to
come back is to sell the individualized-attention aspect of personal training. Remind your
clients that you are completely focused on improving only their fitness and working to help
them achieve their goals. To drive home that point, show your customers how you can help
them set goals and how you can build a workout plan thats right for what they want to do.
When you can show clients you have a plan for them beyond the immediate meeting, you
have a distinct advantage and are more likely to earn their long-term business.
2. Share success stories from existing clients.
A great way to reengage a client is to tell them about the success stories youve had with
other clients. The best trainers use their past successes, such as providing before and after
shots, to market their fitness business. Do you have existing clients you could use as part of
a case study? If you have success stories of previous clients who do not wish to be featured,
you can instead speak in generalities of your success with that particular demographic.

4. Talk about improvements to the facility.

What improvements have you made since you were last in contact with clients? Talk about
the extra certifications youve received, the new equipment youve added to your studio, and
any other improvements or new services that you are offering. The fitness world continues to
innovate. How is your personal training business evolving with the times? The improvements
you make may seem trivial or routine to you, but improving your business is a great way for
you to pick up the conversation with an old client.
5. Come up with new events.
People love trying new things! To encourage clients who have maybe become bored with the
same old workouts, come up with a new event that catches their attention. For example,
offer a boot-camp series of classes that culminates in participation in a big fitness event.
Another great way to reengage past clients is to host a social hour. Set up a happy hour at a
local restaurant and truly get to know them beyond the studio. Its a great way to network
with your clients and have some fun!
Reengaging old clients definitely takes some effort, but is a great way to help grow your
fitness business. As I mentioned earlier, if theyve already purchased from you, it should be
much easier for them to purchase from you again. People who are already aware of your
business will be easier to convert back into a paying customer than those who still need to
become aware of your personal training business.
This article originally appeared on amstatz.com
TRY THIS JIU JITSU-INSPIRED WORKOUT
Christopher Gagliardi//Fitness//3/12/2014

Christopher GagliardiContributor

Chris Gagliardi is the Study Assistance Administrator at ACE. Chris holds a BS in

Kinesiology from San Diego State University ...
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Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art that focuses on throws, takedowns, grappling and
groundwork. It emphasizes joint locks applied to the arms, shoulders, legs and ankles, as
well as the use of chokeholds that can be applied from various positions and using different
parts of the body. The following workout is comprised of several movements that are
traditionally used during the warm-up prior to the instructional and live practice portions of a
Jiu Jitsu class. The exercises and drills used during the warm-up are selected based on how
they prepare the body for the techniques that will be taught and practiced during class.
Even if youre not preparing for your next Jiu Jitsu class, these exercises can be used for a
great workout or as a way to add some variety to an existing workout program.
Warm-up: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds followed by 30 seconds of rest.
High Knee Running
Running in place with an emphasis on hip flexion by bringing the knees up to hit palms of
hands.
Butt Kickers
Running in place with an emphasis on knee flexion by bringing the heels to the glutes.
Push-ups
Lunges
Jumping Jacks
Workout: Perform each exercise for 30 seconds at the highest intensity you feel comfortable
with followed by a rest period of 30 seconds. You can start off by doing two rounds with a 1:1
work to rest interval and then change the intensity by adding rounds to future workouts. Or
you can change the work/rest periods as you feel more comfortable with the movements.

Burpee/Single-leg Burpee

This exercise can be done as a standard burpee or you can do it on one leg at a time,
alternating between legs with each repetition. Start from a standing position and then lower
your hands to the ground while moving your feet back into a push-up position. Bend the
elbows and lower down, and then hop back up to feet into a ready/athletic position. This
completes one repetition. This exercise simulates sprawling to defend against a takedown
attempt, so focus on trying to get to your feet as quickly as possible.
Technical Stand Up

Start in a standing position with your hands in an athletic position. Squat all the way down by
bringing your butt to the ground, then roll onto your back while bringing your arms out to your
sides. From here, sit up while posting one hand back, to push off on; drive the leg on the
same side forward while planting the foot of the opposite leg on the ground. From this
position, you will drive off the foot planted on the ground and jump back to an athletic
position. This exercise simulates being knocked to the ground and using your forward leg to
maintain distance and getting to your feet again as fast as possible.
Mountain Climber

Start on your hands and knees with hands slightly ahead of shoulders. Bring one foot
forward and place it right beneath your chest. Lift the back knee off the ground, making it
straight and strong. Keep your hands firmly on the ground and jump to switch leg positions.
Both feet should leave the ground as you drive one leg forward and one leg back.
Matador

Begin in a seated position with one knee bent in front of the body and one knee bent to the
side of the body. Without touching the hands to the ground, move the side leg to the front
and the front leg to the side. Repeat this movement in both directions.
Sit Out

Start on your hands and knees in a quadruped position. Keep your hands planted on the
floor as you step up with one leg and bring the opposite leg toward the foot on the ground.
From this position transfer your weight from the straight leg back to the hands and sit out to

the other side by pushing off the planted foot. This exercise simulates getting out from
underneath an opponent, usually from an all-fours position.
Elbow Escape

Start in a supine position with your hands in an athletic position. Side bend at the hips,
reaching your hands to your feet. Drive your weight into the toes of your top leg and slide
your body back into the starting position; repeat on the other side. This exercise simulates
replacing your guard if you are mounted.
Kimura Sit-up

Start in a traditional sit-up position, with hands clasped across the chest. Sit up and twist
your torso to bring the hands to the ground on one side of the body. Rotate and lower
yourself back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Knee on Stomach

For this exercise, I recommend using a foam Airex pad or a pillow. Start in a side control
position, with one knee planted on the foam pad and both hands planted on the ground just
past the top of the pad. From here, jump from side to side across the pad, switching which
knee you have on the pad; be sure to keep your hands on the ground. A key to this exercise
is to try and stay as close to the pad as you can at all times and to minimize the amount of
time spent without a knee on the pad.
Arm Bar From Guard

Begin by lying on your back and lifting your hips off the ground while twisting to one side.
Keep your arms on the ground for balance and make sure to keep your hips as high as you
can while pinching your knees together. Next, open your legs as wide as you can and rotate
your position to the other side, finishing with your hips as high as you can get them and
knees pinched together. This exercise simulates performing an arm bar from the guard
position.
Spidermans

Start in the lowered position of a push-up. Move one hand forward while moving the leg on
the opposite side forward to rest on the elbow of the arm that was left in the original push-up
position. You will end in a position that looks like Spiderman climbing up the side of a
building. Perform this exercise on both sides.
HOW TO RECOMMEND GROUP FITNESS CLASSES TO PERSONAL TRAINING
CLIENTS
Pete McCall//Career//3/10/2014

Pete McCallHealth and Fitness Expert

Pete McCall, MS, CSCS, is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer and long-time player in the
fitness industry. He has been feature ...
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One of the things I liked about being a club-based personal trainer were all of the resources
that were available for helping members start and maintain an exercise program. In my
opinion, personal trainers often overlook one of the greatest resources available to them:
group fitness classes. If youre a personal trainer at a health club, do you urge your clients to
participate in the club's group fitness program? If you do, way to goyou know the benefits.
If you don't, here are some good reasons why you should reconsider.
Over the years I've heard both colleagues and trainers at other clubs tell their clients NOT to
take group fitness classes. This confuses me. As a personal trainer, my role is to facilitate
fitness success for my clients, and group exercise classes are a tremendous resource to

help achieve this goal. At some clubs, there is an additional charge to participate in group
fitness classes, but at most major health clubs the majority of classes are included as part of
the monthly dues. The three club companies I have worked for have diverse group fitness
programs with many class offerings that provide numerous options for trainers and their
clients.
I incorporate group exercise into a client's program by taking a copy of the club's group
fitness schedule and circling the classes I think my client should try to fit into his or her
weekly workout program. Many of my clients are motivated to exercise, but simply didn't
know what to do when they come into the club on their own. My approach to fitness is based
on functional, multiplanar movement patterns for each client's specific needs, which means
some of my clients dont feel comfortable trying these complicated exercises on their own.
Rather than have them sit idly by until our once- or twice-weekly appointments, I recommend
and encourage their participation in group fitness classes. My goal is to find any way
possible to keep my clients moving and engaged between our training sessions.
Some clients need structure for their cardio training, so I point out the fun indoor cycling
instructors they should try or the dance classes they might enjoy. For clients who are
athletically inclined, I recommend boxing, kickboxing, sports conditioning or circuit-training
classes. If a client indicates a high stress level from work or needs some additional flexibility
training, I recommend yoga or stretching classes. When clients are motivated to develop
muscular definition or improve strength, I recommend total-body conditioning or weighttraining classes.
The point is that I want my clients to be active most days of the week. Some are comfortable
and have the motivation to follow the program I develop for them while others need the
guidance of an instructor or the motivation of working in a group. Most of my clients find they
enjoyed group fitness classes and appreciate the recommendations. And, because other
instructors appreciate having people sent to their classes, Ive often been rewarded with
referrals from their group fitness participants who were interested in personal training.
The way I see it, encouraging my clients to be active and use the club on days we dont work
together helped to ensure that they stayed active, which could help them reach their goals in
a shorter period of time. It has never occurred to me to be worried that my clients might
enjoy the group fitness classes more than our training sessions. Whether it is one of my
personal-training sessions or a friend's group fitness class, I want clients to enjoy the
exercise experience, which helps them develop long-term adherence to regular activity.
If you have been recommending group fitness for your clients, you know the benefits, so
please keep it up. If you haven't considered using your club's group exercise program to
augment the programs you develop for your client, its worth your time to get to know a
couple of the instructors at your club and start encouraging your clients to participate in the
classes. If your client has fun and enjoys the experience, you are in a great position to gain
new referrals because they'll be talking up your services to the other participants in the
class.
4 SUSPENSION TRAINING SINS

Shana Verstegen//Fitness//3/5/2014

Shana VerstegenHealth and Fitness Expert

Shana Verstegen is a world champion lumberjack athlete, fitness competitor, gymnast and
competitive runner. Based in Wisconsi ...
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They are present in almost every gym, athletic training center and studio around the world,
but it is not uncommon to see many people using suspension trainers improperly. TRX is the
leader in suspension-training education and we always encourage trainers and instructors to
go through at least one of our qualification courses to not only learn a broad range of
exercises, but also how to make suspension training safe and effective for all populations.
Quality of movement is what we strive for, which can deteriorate if somebody begins with an
exercise they are not ready for, chooses a progression that is too advanced or pushes reps
beyond failure. Avoid these four sins when working with your clients and teaching your
classes, so everyone can safely reach their fitness goals!
1. SAGGING

On occasion I hear people complain that suspension training hurts their lower back. One
hundred percent of the time, when I have evaluated their form during exercise, the pain was
caused by not maintaining a solid plank throughout movements. If the hips are allowed to
sag while in suspension or during any other exercise, pressure will be placed on the lumbar

spine, which will lead to back pain. If your client cant keep his hips from sagging, instruct
him to change his angle or increase his base of support to make the exercise easier.
2. NOT STARTING IN THE CORRECT POSITION

Ensure your client is starting at an angle that is safe and doable for the exercise you have
selected. Also, always begin shoulder exercises with an offset foot stance and at the end
range of motion to maintain constant tension on the suspension trainer.
3. SCRAPING

When struggling for stability, some people lower the straps so that they rub on the arms. Not
only is this a form of cheating, but it can also be quite painful. To avoid scraping the straps
on the arms, have your client slightly lift the hands up. If this cannot be done without
sacrificing form (see: sagging) then change the angle or base of support to make the
exercise easier.
4. SAWING

This will lead to early wear and tear of your suspension trainer. To prevent the straps from
sawing back and forth, have your client slow the movement down and put equal pressure
into the foot cradles or handles.
If youre interested in learning more about safe suspension training, check out the TRX
education courses.
HOW TO HELP YOUR CLIENTS INCREASE THEIR WILLPOWER
Michael Mantell//Behavior Change//3/3/2014

Michael MantellContributor
Michael Mantell earned his Ph.D. at the University of Pennsylvania and his M.S. at
Hahnemann Medical College, here he wrote h ...
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More important than exercise science to a certified fitness trainer and more important than
nutritional science to a certified health coach, is the science of behavior change. Radical
idea? No, not at all!
Todays leading-edge thinkers in fitness and health are absolutely clear about the central and
primary role that behavior science plays in helping people live healthy, fit, happy lives. In a
recent survey by the American Psychological Association entitledStress in America,
respondents were asked about their abilities to make healthy lifestyle changesthe central
offering of fitness trainers and health coaches. The number-one reason given for not
following through with such changes was lack of willpower. Not giving up hope. Not lack of
knowledge. Not lack of availability of coaches and trainers. Rather, they cited lack of
willpower. Enter WIT (whatever it takes), grit and self-control.
The groundwork for the study of self-control in modern times dates back to the 80s, when
Walter Mischel, Ph.D., reported his famous marshmallow study (1989, Delay of gratification
in children. Science, 244, 933-938). Preschool-aged children were given a plate of treats
including marshmallows. The children were told they could have two marshmallows if they
could wait for the researcher to return to the room. If they couldnt wait, all they had to do
was ring a bell and the researcher would come back right away and the child who couldnt
wait would be allowed to eat one marshmallow.
Years later, in 2011, B.J. Casey, Mischel and Yuichi Shoda, followed 59 of those children
(who were now in their 40s) and found that those who were not able to wait for the
researcher to return also performed poorly on self-control tasks as adults (2011, Behavioral
and neural correlates of delay of gratification 40 years later. Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, 108, 1498-5003). The value of not reacting emotionally and
impulsively, but rather coolly and cognitively, is seen in study after study. As adolescents, the
marshmallow subjects who withstood the temptation and waited to have two marshmallows
scored higher on the SAT and had greater ability to plan, handle stress, respond with
reason, and concentrate without becoming distracted. As adults, those who had lower selfcontrol showed brain patterns that were different on functional magnetic resonance imaging
from those with higher self-control in the areas of the prefrontal cortex (executive
functioning) and the ventral striatum (processes desires and rewards).
Roy Baumeister, Ph.D., and his associates have shown that repeatedly resisting temptations
takes its toll and liken willpower to a muscle that becomes fatigued from overuse (1988, Ego
depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology,
74, 1252-1265). And the work of Angela Duckworth, Ph.D., and Martin Seligman, Ph.D., at
the University of Pennsylvania have demonstrated just why perseverance and passion for

long-term goals, or grit, is so valuable, and described how to achieve it (2005, Selfdiscipline outdoes IQ in predicting academic performance in adolescents. Psychological
Science, 16, 939-944).
Duckworth defines grit as the ability to work strenuously toward challenges, maintaining
effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity and plateaus in progress. She
distinguishes self-control as a shorter-term behaviornot eating the marshmallow right in
front of you. Grit is about pushing toward goals over a longer period of time. The fitness
trainer and health coach is interested in both.
Helping clients develop self-control and grit to achieve and maintain healthy lifestyle habits
and long-term change is the core of the work you do as a fitness trainer and health coach.
Ask your clients if theyd be interested in taking Duckworths 12-question test to see how
they measure up on grit.
Here are some key ways to help your clients develop WIT, GRIT and self-control:
WIT. Whatever it Takes is the mantra to teach your clients to say to themselves over and
over again. A 2010 study at Stanford University found that mood and belief could buffer the
effects of willpower depletion (Job, V., et al. 2010. Ego depletion: Is it all in your head?
Implicit theories about willpower affect self-regulation. Psychological Science, 21, 16861693).
Goals Get You There. Help your clients set SMARTER (enthusiastically set and rewardable)
goals. When your clients control one small thing they are unaccustomed to controlling, it
actually helps strengthen their willpower muscle. Doing these frequent reps, practicing
small steps of attaining mini-goals and doing so on deadline increases self-control and
willpower. Putting these short-term goals in writing will help.
Relax and Reward. Teach your clients how to attain the physiological relaxation-response
and teach stress-prevention techniques to boost willpower reserve. Slowed breathing and
muscle-tension release can help your clients have more effective responses to the stress of
challenges to their willpower. Knowing that incentives work wonders, trainers and coaches
would be wise to discuss what clients find rewarding about achieving a goal and maintaining
longer-term health habits.
Implementation Intention. Help your clients improve their self-control and plan ahead for
temptations by teaching them a simple if-then strategy. Is your client going to a party where
lots of alcohol will be served? IF anyone pushes a drink on me, THEN Ill thank them and
carry a glass of club soda with a few olives in it. These plans, or implementation intentions,
can improve self-control, even among those with reduced willpower by avoiding using
decision making rather than simply relying on willpower.
Thinking Truthfully. Help your clients see what Kelly McGonigal in her book, The Willpower
Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of
It(2012, Penguin Books, New York) calls the three different aspects of willpower:
-I wont powerthe ability to resist temptations
-I will powerthe ability to do what needs to be done
-I want powerthe awareness of ones long-term goals and desires
Meditation can provide the arena in which healthy, accurate thinking can take place. Teach
your clients the well-recognized value of taking time to reflect rationally onwhats going
right in life. Further, teach your client the value of thinking self-forgiving thoughts, which help
prevent the all-or-nothing, success or failure thinking that leads to relapse. Arming your

clients with rational responses to inaccurate thoughts, such as I cant stand being hungry or
I cant make time to get to the gym, will boost their self-control.
These are some well-documented steps to creating WIT, GRIT and self-control. Before
establishing a nutritional or exercise plan, be sure to bring the best that behavioral science
has to offer your clients to ensure healthy lifestyle behavior change.