See the issue: October 2008

Good agility is a huge attribute for a successful football player. According to Tom Shaw, owner of Tom Shaw Performance Enhancement, training how you move directionally on the field is crucial. “Football is not a straight-ahead game,” Shaw says. “Athletes must be able to move in a variety of directions—as well as change directions quickly.”

Shaw, who’s worked with 108 first-round NFL draft choices and trained the last seven Super Bowl MVPs, provides some essential dos and don’ts on agility training.

Do
• Wear supportive shoes
• Perform drills 1 to 2 times a week, with 1 rep of 3 to 5 different drills per session
• Warm up before every session
• Perform every rep with maximum effort
• Continue training after the season begins

Don’t
• Perform the same drills over and over
• Rest longer than 2 minutes between reps
• Go longer than 25 minutes per session
• Run with your head or chest down
• Perform drills that aren’t specific to the way you move on the field

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