Wednesday, February 15, 2006

3 Points of Ultimate

Many times, discussions about training degenerate into basic boasting about the most difficult workouts that folks have heard about. This has never interested me as a) it seems pretty easy to conceive of very difficult workouts, and b) one particular workout represents, for the most part, less than 1% of my training plan for the year. I think my training posts made it clear that I believe that acclimating your body in a steady way is the best way to put yourself into the position of doing intense training sessions.

Having said that, I have spent some time thinking about speed workouts that are good for Ultimate. I came up with one several years ago that I call "3 Points of Ultimate". I think this drill does a good job of simulating Ultimate-type movements, and, if the macho folks will indulge me in a little boast, I can frankly say that "3 Points of Ultimate" is met by my Wellesley girls with a particularly unique sense of dread. I think the only way that they can reconcile my subjecting them to this is by fabricating that I must be in a really bad mood that day. While this bragging is an obvious lapse on my part, I only do this drill when I am at or near my peak of speed work (usually 6-7 months into my training year), and when I am focused on developing specific Ultimate tasks.

For this drill, you will need 5 markers. Cones work well. The course should be set up as follows:

The 5 cones will be a straight line that is 70 yards long.
The first cone (A) is the starting point.
The 2nd(B) is placed 40 yards from the start.
The 3rd(C) is placed 50 yards from the start.
The 4th(D) is 60 yards from the start.
The 5th(E) is 70 yards from the start.

After a REAL AND PROPER WARM-UP (no less than 15 minutes), you are ready for the drill:

Start with the Pull- Sprint from A to E
10 second rest
Play some D-Shuttle run(E-D-E-C-E-B-E)
20 second rest
Play some downfield O (not Al O)-Shuttle run (same as before)
30 second rest
Score the goal-Sprint from E to A
Celebrate-90 Second rest (the time between points)

Repeat two more times

Cool Down

5 comments:

gcooke said...

l,

I agree that variety is the way to go. I do "3 points" maybe 2 or 3 times in a year.

I like circuit-type routines like you mention. I also bring along a bag full of stuff like ladders, resistence bands, etc.

I think the variety thing kind of underlies what I talking about in my post. Many times a workout is presented as THE thing to do, but there is so much time in the year that mixing up how we challenge our body is the way to go.

I also find variety is very helpful when it comes to strength routines...speaking of which....I need to go do my strip sets.....

-G

Alex de Frondeville said...

Damn, I am just getting SLAMMED these days...

gcooke said...

Getty.....that's funny about the chords........


Al, I am sorry to pile on. You know that is not like me. I will start working on designing a drill for players that don't run...ooops.....serve as that crucial cog in the O.

-G

parinella said...

That's "clog," not "cog."

Alex de Frondeville said...

We're not talking about the hair you leave in the drain after every shower, ya eye-talian. I believe the word he was intending to use WAS cog.