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Agility Change of Direction Deficit

Change of direction deficit (CODD) testing is a method used to assess an athlete's agility and ability to change direction quickly. It involves comparing an athlete's linear sprinting time with their time to complete a change of direction task, such as a 180-degree turn or a zigzag sprint. The difference between these two times is known as the change of direction deficit (CODD). A higher CODD indicates a greater impairment in agility and change of direction ability.



test purpose: gain valuable insight into an athlete's agility and change of direction abilitis, by isolating COD ability independent of sprint speed.

equipment required: stopwatch or timing gates, measuring tape, marker cones, a flat non-slip surface. Ensure the surface is suitable for sprinting and turning movements to reduce the risk of injury.

pre-test: Explain the test procedures to the subject. Perform screening of health risks and obtain informed consent. Prepare forms and record basic information such as age, height, body weight, gender, test conditions. Measure and mark out the course. Ensure that the participants are adequately warmed-up. See more details of pre-test procedures.

procedure: Set up the testing area with cones or markers to indicate the start, finish, and direction change points. Athletes begin by performing a linear sprint over a predetermined distance, such as 10 or 20 meters. Timing gates or electronic timing systems are commonly used to measure the sprint time accurately. After completing the linear sprint, the athlete immediately transitions to the change of direction task. This could involve performing a 180-degree turn around a cone or navigating through a series of cones set up in a zigzag pattern. See the agility tests list.

scoring: The time taken to complete the change of direction task is recorded using the same timing method as the linear sprint. The change of direction deficit (CODD) is calculated by subtracting the time taken to complete the linear sprint from the time taken to complete the change of direction task. This provides a numerical value representing the athlete's agility and change of direction ability. A higher CODD suggests a greater impairment in change of direction ability relative to linear sprinting speed, indicating potential areas for improvement in agility training.

CODD = Agility Test Time — Linear Sprint Time

target population: sports where agility is important, team sports such as netball, soccer, basketball

comments: Athletes may perform multiple trials of the Change of Direction Deficit test to obtain reliable data. Results can be compared over time to track improvements in agility and assess the effectiveness of training interventions.



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