Speed, Agility and Quickness - SAQ

Speed, agility and quickness (SAQ) training allows a person to enhance their ability to accelerate, decelerate, and dynamically stabilize their entire body during higher-velocity acceleration and deceleration movements in all planes of motion.2 Neuromuscular function is vital to SAQ because the activity and the interaction of the central nervous system coupled together with the muscles ultimately influence the rate and strength of muscle contraction.1

-Speed is the ability to move the body in one intended direction as fast as possible

-Agility is the ability to start, stop, and change direction quickly, while maintaining proper posture

-Quickness is the ability to react and change body position with maximal rate of force production, in all planes of motion and from all body positions, during functional activities.

SAQ training is usually used by athletes to improve sports performance, but can also be used by healthy sedentary adults and those with medical limitations.  The increased neuromuscular, biomechanical and physiological demand used in SAQ training can aid in weight loss, coordination, movement proficiency, and helps prevent injury when applied safely.2 SAQ drills require greater demands on the body’s biologic system than does a more common steady-state, moderate-intensity modalities.  The demand on the body’s biologic systems facilitates constant responses and adaptation.  These rapid adaptations are critical in the development, maintenance, and improvement of neuromuscular, physiologic, and biomechanical proficiency from childhood through the senior years.2  

SAQ drills are a type of interval training in which participants exhibit short, repeated bouts of high-intensity activity.  So using SAQ drills would make a good choice for weight loss because of its high intensity and variety of movements required.  To use the SAQ drills for weight loss, be sure to design them in a fashion to keep the heart rate up for fat oxidation and caloric expenditure.

Resources:

1Baechle, T. R., Earle, R. W., & National Strength & Conditioning Association (U.S.). (2000). Essentials of strength training and conditioning. Champaign, Ill: Human Kinetics.

2 Clark, M., Lucett, S., & Corn, R. J. (2008). NASM essentials of personal fitness training. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins