Summer Training

Given your current strength, track and plyos can maximize your speed and jumping in a few months. The only way to get faster from year to year is to get stronger. We'll probably start jumping workouts in December again. The stronger you can get by then, the more potential you will have to turn that strength into speed and explosiveness. If you get in the gym three days a week for the next six months, how much stronger can you get?

The template I recommend is Westside for Skinny Bastards. You can also download a pretty PDF of the same info here. You get to choose what exercises you want to use. You should rotate exercises every 3-4 weeks. I suggest you stick to pullup variations for your max effort upper body exercise. As always, do a dynamic warmup before you lift. You should try to arrange your lifting schedule so you play Ultimate on your upper body days.

If you want to do a different program, that's fine so long as it includes heavy lower body exercises. If your lifts are improving and you're using more weight from week to week, keep doing what you're doing. If you aren't getting stronger, you should try something else.

If you are not playing Ultimate this summer: I suggest doing the basic 4-day template and replacing the dynamic lower day with either a track or jumping workout.

If you are just playing pickup or playing on a team that's not going to Sectionals: Do the basic 4-day template and skip the dynamic lower day and lift three times per week.

If you are playing on a team that you will be playing with at Sectionals: For June and July, do the basic 4-day template and skip the dynamic lower day, lift three times per week, and do 1-2 conditioning workouts (barefoot!) per week. For August and September, do two full-body lifts, two track workouts, and 2-3 conditioning workouts per week.

Other stuff:

• Set goals for the summer.
• Throw. A lot.
• Pay attention to nutrition and recovery.

Feel free to email me if you have questions.