Developing the Athlete
Session 2
Coaching Speed and Agility for
Handball
Led by John McElholm
Introduction
 Head of PE in St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt,
Co Derry
 MSc Sport, Exercise and Leisure
 Large coaching portfolio including numerous inter
county Gaelic Football teams
There is no such thing as a ‘Quick Fix’!
Nothing beats hard work and proper preparation!
“Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail”
Video Clip of Elite Performance
Handball
 Movement analysis
 Fitness components
 Principle of Specificity
 Implications for training
 Importance of Speed and Agility
 Dimensions of the alley (40x20, 60x30, One-Wall)
 GPS?
Components of Fitness
• Cardiovascular Endurance
•
Agility
• Strength
•
Co-Ordination
• Flexibility
•
Reaction time
• Speed
•
Balance
• Muscular Power
•
Muscular endurance
Speed
Definition:
Speed is the ability to move all or part
of our bodies as quickly as possible.
Sport where Speed is Important:
Handball…..picking the ball, chasing a
passing shot, etc
Test for Speed:
The test for speed is a 30 metre run
Agility
Definition:
Agility is our ability to change the direction of our body at speed.
Sport where Agility is Important:
Handball-turning quickly,
covering the alley at pace etc
Test for Agility:
The test for Agility is the
10 x 5 metre shuttle run.
Factors Affecting Speed
 Fitness
 BMI
 Injury
 Hydration
 Flexibility
 Training Methods
 Heart Rate
 Age
 Development
Implications for Training/Coaching
 Principle of Specificity
 Matching energy demands and movement
patterns in the game
 Periodisiation
 Endurance Base → Speed Endurance → Speed
Agility
 Out of Season → Pre Season → In Season
(competition)
 Work/Rest Ratios-(1:1, 1:3)
Speed and Agility
 Drills
 Equipment
 Warm-up
(dynamic/ballistic)
 Linked to the game
 Technique
 Movement patterns
 Pace of training
 Adequate recovery
A Typical Speed Session
 A typical speed session might consist of 5 sets of 10 repetitions in
total.
 Try to keep a work to rest ratio of 1:4. For example a 6 second
sprint should be followed by approximately 24 seconds active
recovery.
 Speed training drills are best performed when the athlete is fresh.
The best time to introduce speed wouldn’t necessarily be after a
long endurance run or a weights session.
 Make sure the athlete completes a full warm up before starting a
speed training session. E.G. 10 minutes light aerobic exercise
followed by some dynamic stretches.
 Avoid static stretches in the warm up. These are best left until the
end of the session when increasing/maintaining flexibility is
important.
Drills
 Warm-Ups
 SAQ-Hurdles, ladders
 Range of agility drills over
short distances (grid work)
 Evasion belts
 Circuit Training for speed
 Adapting the drills for purpose
Be Innovative - Trial and Error!!
Today’s Objective
To experience a range of speed and agility training
techniques that will allow you, the coach, to use, adapt
and modify them for purpose.