Agility & Speed Development - Blind Alleys, Wrong Turns and Navigating the World of the Unknown
No fitness variable confounds us more than agility. We know it when we see it, yet we continue to struggle to accurately define and measure this elusive component of performance. Yet ironically, it could be that the very act of trying to measure and define agility that is sending us in the wrong direction. If a problem cannot be solved from one approach, then we need different approaches. This presentation looks at how a design-based approach, focusing on the goal of agility rather than agility in itself can help shed light on the best way forward.
Ian Jeffreys PhD, FNSCA, FUKSCA, RSCC*E, PGCE, CSCS*D, ASCC, NSCA-CPT*D.
Ian is an internationally renowned coach, educator and author. An ex professional rugby player, where he played at the highest level for 15 years, he is regarded as a world authority in the development of speed & agility and conditioning for team sports. His Gamespeed system of sport specific speed and agility development, along with his RAMP warm-up protocols have revolutionised training in these areas and have been adopted by a wide range of coaches and organisations around the world. He is currently Professor of strength and conditioning at the University of South Wales, where he co-ordinates all of the University’s strength and conditioning activities. These include course ranging from Undergraduate to PhD, as well as strength and conditoning services to University athletes and external partners including international teams. He has also coached at international level and consults extensively with several professional sports organisations around the world. Ian has worked with athletes, clubs and sports organisations around the world including in the UK, USA, China, Japan, Australia, Korea, Turkey, Norway, Ireland, Poland, Iceland, Portugal, Germany, India, Brazil, Dubai Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. These have included professional and national sports teams, sports governing bodies and national sports associations.
Ian is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and has been re-certified with Distinction (*D) in both categories. He is also an Emeritus Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC*E) with the NSCA the highest coaching accreditation the organisation bestows. He was the NSCA’s High School Professional of the Year in 2006, the first time the award had ever been presented to a coach working outside the United States. This was awarded for his pioneering work in developing a Performance Academy for youth athletes which produced numerous international performers and championship teams and was used as a model for a number of sports organisations. In July 2009 Ian was awarded a Fellowship by the NSCA, for his outstanding contributions to the industry. He was on the Board of Directors of the NSCA between 2016 and 2019 and was the Vice President between 2018 and 2019.
Ian is a Founder member of the United Kingdom Strength and Conditioning Association and was a member of the Board of Directors from the organisation’s inception in 2004 through to 2013. He was also the Vice Chairman of the organisation from 2010 - 2013. With the UKSCA he was on the board of coaches that developed the UKSCA accreditation and co-wrote the UKSCA’s speed, agility and plyometrics workshop. Ian is an Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC), an assessor for the organisation and a tutor for the UKSCA education workshops. In 2015 Ian was awarded an honorary fellowship of the UKSCA for his outstanding contributions of the organisation and the industry. His expertise is also highly sought and he is on the advisory board to the Korean Strength and Conditioning Association, the Polish Strength and Conditioning Association and the Shanghai Sports institute. In December 2019 Ian was awarded a life membership by the Polish Association for his outstanding contribution to strength and conditoning.
Ian has authored nine books Total Soccer Fitness, A Coaches Guide to Enhancing Recovery - The Performance Lifestyle, Gamespeed first and second editions, Developing Speed, Soccer Speed, Strength and Conditioning for Sports Performance, the Warm-Up and Effective Coaching in Strength and Conditioning. He has authored multiple book chapters including the warm-up and stretching chapter for the third and fourth editions of the Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. He has authored numerous strength and conditioning articles which have featured in the leading international Journals. He is the Editor of the UKSCA Journal, “Professional Strength and Conditioning” and is on the Editorial Board for the NSCA’s Strength and Conditioning Journal, and the Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning. Ian is a much sought-after Conference Presenter having presented at all of the major strength and conditoning conferences around the world as well as being a regular on the invited Perform Better series of symposia. He has also given keynote presentations and hosted high performance workshops to a host of major organisations around the world.
