SAQ Drills
To enhance your speed and agility over short distances, incorporate SAQ methods into your personal and if possible team training sessions. SAQ is directly related to power, and an explosion of speed over 5 metres to break the gain line is an essential characteristic to possess to out-manoeuvre a heavy and lumbering forward in the senior game.
Below are a series of drills to get you started and help initiate an improvement in the way you move and co-ordinate your body whilst running. Each drill is intended to be performed as quickly as possible, however form and technique must not be compromised - a balance between speed and movement is essential to progress as a player in the senior form of the game....
Throughout each exercise it is essential to maintain perfect running form, including arm and leg mechanics and body posture:
Arm Mechanics
> Elbows held at 90 degrees
> The inside of the wrist should brush against your pockets
> The hand should move from buttocks to chest
Leg Mechanics (Initial Acceleration strides)
>45 degree knee lift
> Keep foot contact with the floor on the balls of your feet
> Front of the foot in a linear position
> Knees lift to chest in a vertical position
> Foot to floor contact should make a 'tapping' noise - not a thud.
> Keep off the heels
> Maintain leg lift within the line of the body (avoid the knee splaying out over shoulder width)
Posture
The spine should be kept straight as much as possible at all times. However, this does not necessarily mean bolt upright; a slight lean forward with a straight spine ensures an effective transfer of power.
The Drills....
Click on a SAQ Drill for an animation of the drill and key teaching points:
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12 Jabroni Drive
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S3 8NB
Tel:
0800 33 47 92
