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Get fit to play sport. Don’t
play sport to get fit!
 Making
plans for your winter training? Usually we talk about warming up the dogs but
perhaps there should be more emphasis on warming up the handlers, too. Ruth
MacGill, fitness coach for Agility Team GB, thinks it would be a worthwhile
investment in your time and effort. She has written an interesting
and informative article on physical fitness, not just for top competitors but
also for handlers at all levels.
Agility may not be an officially recognised sport, but running around a
course and the physical demands that it places on our bodies are similar to what
you would see or experience playing many sports such as hockey, football, squash
or tennis.
Many of us will spend a considerable amount of time improving our dog’s
fitness, but, if you are looking to make some improvements over the winter, then
devoting some time developing your own fitness will be time well spent. Fitness
is hard to gain but easy to lose, thus a little hard work is required on your
part, but you will be fitter, stronger, more confident and thus better prepared
for the season ahead.
There are several components to fitness which are outlined in the diagram
below. Some are more important to the agility handler than others. These are
highlighted in red. Some components are closely related. For example, in order
to be able to sprint quickly, you need to have powerful leg and core muscles to
generate the speed to be able to sprint down the side of the dog walk.
When starting any form of training to
improve fitness, then 'specificity' is key. For example, if you were training
for the marathon, you would not choose to swim for 2-3 hours every day, but
instead would follow a long distance endurance based running programme.
Exercises that are linked as closely as possible to what you would physically do
whilst training and competing with your dog are preferable. Therefore, you
should be doing exercises which focus on short sprinting, twisting, turning,
bending, quick footwork, accelerating and decelerating.
Here are some tips to help set you on
your way:-
-
Always warm-up for a minimum of five minutes prior to any form of exercise.
Some fast walking, gentle jogging, faster running and some footwork drills
using a speed ladder are perfect.
-
Join
a Pilates or yoga class or buy a book/DVD. This is a great way to improve
functional and core strength, flexibility and mobility.
-
Invest in a speed/agility ladder. There are lots of drills on line and will
help develop movement skills and build quick footwork and for helping with
warm-ups.
-
Try
some 'Dog Walk Sprints.' Set up some cones or use a dog walk, sprint up and
back, rest, then repeat three or four times.
-
Practice running around a course, without your dog, as fast as you can
concentrating on any short sprints, twists e.g. rotating behind you to
reconnect with your dog or turns such as a pivot, European style etc. This
will help you to focus on your movement around the course and identify any
weaknesses to work on later. It will also improve your speed and anaerobic
fitness.
-
If
you like to go out running, then do some short sprints up a hill or between
lamp posts (10-20 seconds) to develop speed and add variety.
-
Keep
things fun – try training with a friend or small group so you can challenge
each other and maybe have some races!
-
If
you have any doubts about doing physical exercise then consult your doctor.
 About
the author...
Ruth MacGill has played sport since a teenager, reaching junior international
level hockey and later continued with high level representative hockey and
cricket. She studied Sport and Exercises Sciences, gaining a BSc Hons degree
and have several sports coaching qualifications.
Ruth
began agility about ten years ago. She
has been working with the GB Agility Team for the past five years, preparing
handlers to compete at international level.
Her
day job is in military aviation and operational delivery.
Photo
of Ruth Macgill and Natasha Wise courtesy of Simon Peachey
First published 22
November 2017
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