Jerry Diaz’s clients work on their speed during a training session at BBJ Athletics.
“THROUGH all the sports that I’ve participated in such as basketball, track & field, and karate, speed, agility and quickness training enhanced my ability to perform and to go beyond,” said Jerry Diaz, a National Academy of Sports Medicine certified personal trainer.
Stability
For the initial stage of training, he recommends exercises that promote stability.
These include movements such as single leg balance and stepping up or down a stepbox with increased control.
Diaz also recommends a breathing technique while contracting one’s abdominals to protect the spine from lower back pain.
He said lying down and reaching up to one’s knees, toe reaches, roll ups, and standing knee crosses can also build up core stability.
Strength endurance
Diaz also teaches his clients how to perform resistance movements repeatedly and correctly without decline in performance.
The goal is to avoid muscle tissue fatigue while keeping joints and tendons safe during a workout.
Diaz said push, pull, leg and shoulder exercises as well as pushups, dumbbell shoulder presses, squats, and rows can be enhanced through higher repetition and increased resistance.
Cardiovascular endurance
Like strength endurance, cardiovascular endurance is the ability to repeat movements without decline in performance.
A good example of cardiovascular endurance is the “Talk Test.” When an individual can talk and breathe while running or playing a sport that includes cardio, then their cardiovascular system is performing well.
Not easy
“Accessing power through performance training is no easy feat,” Diaz said. One must undergo rigorous and consistent fitness training to access their peak performance through power movements that involve plyometric explosive movements with speed, agility and quickness.
When training with power movements, an individual is exposed to short, quick and fast execution of movements. These include short sprints, speed ladder drills, jump training, footwork coordination, explosive dumbbell, kettlebell, and barbell transitions.
“Athletes that can perform circus-like movements easily and repeatedly spent many hours of perfecting their speed, agility and quickness,” Diaz said.
For professional fitness inquiries, contact Jerry Diaz through Instagram at @BBJ_Athletics or Facebook.
