Agility exercises are necessary and important for every one especially for athletes. Agility hurdles are an important equipment as these require concentration and body response from an athlete.
Agility Hurdles
Agility hurdles are used by athletes for agility training. Through these, they work to improve their stamina, coordination, agility and speed. These hurdles come in many varieties and heights of some hurdles can be adjusted. There are many exercises that can be performed using them. In order to prevent injury, you should wear properly cushioned shoes so that you keep yourself safe from a possible injury upon making a rough impact.
Two-Footed Jumps
In order to strengthen your legs, you should do this exercise. Start by setting up five to ten hurdles at a distance of about three feet. Place your hands on your sides, and stand with your feet touching each other. In order to clear the hurdle, you should leap up and ahead while swinging your arms back and forth. Do not rest after clearing a hurdle as you will lose the stamina. Immediately, progress to clear the next one. Repeat this till you have made your way through each hurdle. You can increase the challenge and stamina by placing more hurdles.
Sideways High Knee Running
For this routine, you need to place 10 agility hurdles about 2 feet away from one another. Warm your body by running and jumping on the spot. Once, you are able to do that, you should start moving sideways trying to clear the hurdles. Your torso must be erect during the process. You should continue moving until you have cleared all the hurdles. Once through with it, return to the starting point and repeat the process. You should do this in the opposite direction the second time.
Lateral Jumps
These jumps do well to develop aerobic endurance, coordination and agility. All you need is a single agility hurdle to perform these jumps. You should stand next to a hurdle with your feet together. Then, you should curve your knees to achieve quarter squat position, and swing your arms backwards. Bring your arms forward, and jump up and across the hurdle. Upon landing on the other side, repeat the process. Choose the number of times you would be jumping across the hurdle in a single go.
Hurdle Hops
The last one on the list of agility hurdles exercises are hurdle hops. For this, you place 5 to 10 hurdles at a distance of at least two feet from one another. You should stand on the standing point on one leg. With the help of your arms swing, move over and across the hurdles. Stop only once you have cleared them all. You should repeat the process upon completion but using a different leg.
As for the agility hurdles, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In order to select the hurdles for you, you first need to consider what kind of exercises you intend to do. For jumping exercises, you will require agility hurdles with adjustable heights. For lateral movement, you would not require the adjustable varieties.
You need to keep your safety in mind too. Some types of hurdles available in the market are made from foam or are collapsible. These hurdles collapse upon impact and can cause severe injuries. Agility training is a grueling activity; therefore, there is always a chance of getting injured. If you do not have much control over your movement, then do not go for metal or other hurdles that are made from solid material. Most people go for aluminum or plastic hurdles but they are expensive as compared to other varieties.
Hurdles made of aluminum are lightweight and durable. Therefore, it is easy to store and transport them. Plastic and PVC hurdles are better in this regard as compared to aluminum ones. If you plan on changing your exercising routine, then it is better to buy adjustable hurdles. Adjustable hurdles are also good for people, who were injured, and are recovering from it. Once the injured trainee becomes more comfortable, challenge can be improved by changing the agility hurdles height.
In conclusion, agility counts a lot for any athlete. This aspect of the athletes ability should be properly focused upon and proper training arrangements should be made. Moreover, agility hurdles should be a part of every training routine for every game as it is certain that no athlete can do well in a game without being agile.