Simple Agility!

Healthy reflexes are important part of Functional training, and necessary for all the activities of daily living and must form an integral part of one’s fitness training routine. This is especially so, since the speed of reflexes and agile movements decline with age or due to inadequate use!

Another important aspect is agility – that is being able to move quickly, correctly and effectively while at the same maintaining balance and co-ordination. Very interestingly, the primary reflex and agility training happens early during the childhood, and impaired development of any of the two leads to developmental problems and other problems like ADHD etc.!

While sportspeople use many drills to train for agility, as a part of their training routine, a normal person can also include some exercises to do some agility training, in a normal health club setting.

Aerobics - The regular aerobics (whether freestyle or structured) classes are a very simple way to work on agility, since they demand a lot of attention to the instructions, alertness, rapid in changes in direction, flexibility and control of movements.

Kickboxing & Martial Arts-based classes – Probably the most reputed way to work on your reflexes and agility, while focusing on the body and mind holistically.

20-feet shuttle – In the simplest ways, choose an open area and mark 2 points – Pt. A - one where you are standing and Pt. B - 20-feet away. The task is to run from A to B and then turn around at B and run back to A, and turning around at A, and repeating the shuttle between A & B, 6 times (can be varied) in as little time as possible. A stop-watch is used to mark the start and stop.

Buddy exercises – Stand pivoted at a place, and ask a buddy to throw soft, rubber balls all aimed at you, from different directions, and try to catch them, without moving the feet, while the upper body is free to move in all directions!