| On Ultimate Athletes

This sport is progressing. Players are getting faster, stronger and jumping higher than ever before. We have guys running 40’s in times that would get them a shot at the NFL combine. We have guys with jumping over people’s heads and owning the sky with 38” approach steps. The sport is on its way to becoming the most athletic of all sports. How exciting is this!

Be a part of it! We must conform, we must realize that we are athletes and we must train like athletes. If you don’t the other guy will and before you know it you are the one getting skyed.

Here is the process:

Phase 1: Falling in Love

Kevin Kebo captain of Jaxonville Ultimate, rear leg elevated split squat

This looks like fun
This is fun
I am an Ultimate player
This is more fun when I win
I am going to play harder and try to win more

Phase 2: Getting Better

Playing harder doesn’t always work; my body just can’t take it…
I need to figure out how to get better.
I think I’ll throw more
I think I’ll run harder
I think I will go to more tournaments

Phase 3: The Realization

All of this worked, but that is what everyone else does too… everyone is just running harder, throwing more and going to more tourneys. This is keeping me at par. I need to gain a competitive advantage! I need to train.

Phase 4: The Injury

I am going to do a thousand Plyos, so I can jump higher.
CrossFit looks cool, I’ll try that.
I like what that body builder is doing, he is jacked, I bet he plays good Ultimate, I’ll try that.

Darn it, now I have got shin splints, a torn Achilles tendon, beat up wrists, a 6 pack and massive biceps, but I can’t play.

Phase 5: Education

It’s time I really take the time to learn how to train and invest in my career. I am an athlete and dammit I am going to train like one.

I am going to read books and articles. I am going to e-mail experts for advice. I am going to go talk to my school’s head Strength and Conditioning coach. Maybe I’ll ask what the great ones do and learn from them.

Phase 6: Training Smart and Year Round

All that education payed off, now I know what to do.

Periodization: I am going to spend my off-season gaining strength and I am going to convert it to Ultimate Specific power come season.
Testing: I am going to test pre and post training to set goals, track progress and motivate myself to train.
Movements: I am going to learn how to run, jump, sky and move with correct mechanics. I am going to TRAIN MOVEMENTS, NOT MUSCLES. I am going to train mobility, work on my flexibility and use SMR techniques (pain ball, foam roller).

Brodie Smith working on running mechanics

Phase 7: I am an Athlete!

I am out there performing and living up to my athletic potential. I am staying injury free, I am winning games, basking in Glory and having more fun than ever. Some players don’t like me much because I am always skying them but that’s okay. They need to GET on my level!

I am going to be even better next season because I am going to use my off-season to build and continue to progress!

Conclusion:

Just imagine if all of us were at Phase 6 and 7. This sport would be on the front page of Sports Illustrated on the regular. Guys, here is the raw truth those of us out here pushing for this training and sharing training info: myself, Brodie, Melissa, etc. We are doing it because we love the game and we want to see it live up to its potential. We have an opportunity here, let’s take this beautiful sport and make it legit. It’s going to involve educating ourselves, training smart, training hard and training like an athlete. Our efforts to disperse information are all side projects for us, getting quality info out will take time.

We ask that you support the efforts via following our blogs and “liking” our pages, following, commenting and giving feedback. This gives us fuel to keep it going and continuing to push the sport by providing quality resources. We have just hit the tip of the iceberg my friends, much more to come.

What would you guys like to see? DVD’s, books, more clinics, more online videos?