What Is SAQ Training?
According to Athleta Chi, SAQ stands for speed, agility and quickness, which are basic fundamentals for athletic performance. SAQ training consists of short, intense drills that involve quick acceleration and deceleration while moving backward, forward or side-to-side. SAQ training improves balance, power and neuromuscular firing patterns.
SAQ training improves response time and ability to change direction quickly, says Athleta Chi. SAQ training aids in the performance of any sport, but it is especially useful for those that are quick-paced and require fast movement such as tennis, soccer or basketball. It also improves spatial awareness and reinforces the connection between the body’s muscles and brain. The central nervous system sends messages to a muscle’s motor units to work together with the muscle fibers, making muscles stronger. Because of the strain it puts on the central nervous system and muscles, SAQ training requires a recovery period of 72 to 96 hours.
Athleta Chi describes some SAQ drills, one of which is the four corner drill. The four corner drill consists of placing a ball in the center of a 10 yard by 10 yard square. The drill involves running from one corner to the ball, then back to the corner, then up to the next corner, repeating the process until all corners have been completed.
