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When I think about training for ultimate I am thinking not only about what is objectively (to the extent that is possible) the best physical training one can do, but I am also thinking about what is the best possible use of the limited time that we have to train. Clearly, given unlimited time and resources (fields, training equipment) we could achieve a whole new level of fitness. And in that situation I certainly would not be the person discussing physical training for ultimate.

That said, there is so much we can do through physical training to make ourselves better ultimate players. I myself have found it sometimes hard to maintain the distinction between a vague concept of “being in shape” and what it means to be in "ultimate shape." It seems to me that the trend has been to focus more on "sport specific" training over the time I’ve been playing ultimate. I now shudder to think that in college one of our main training activities was jogging a three-ish mile campus loop. No turning, no change in speed, just a nice steady jog, and certainly no discs. Aside from burning off all the waffles I ate in the dorms, I don’t think this did much to make me a better ultimate player.

Based on what I have learned and stolen from others, I think in general, physical training for ultimate should involve as much change of direction and change of speed work as possible, and should involve a disc as much as possible. When you think about what you are doing to get open on the ultimate field, it pretty much boils down to either changing your direction or changing your speed—ideally the majority of the training we are doing involves one or both of these elements. Change of direction work can include things like shuttle runs, as well as agility drills that focus more specifically on the mechanics behind changing direction (e.g., agility ladder and Nike Sparq drills—both of which I think are excellent and should be done regularly to see improvement). With respect to incorporating a disc, needless to say if you are the fastest person on the field, but can’t catch, you are in great shape, but you are not a great ultimate player.

Given these principles, I still think there is a role for doing some work on the track. Running on the track still seems to be the easiest way to run directly against your teammates and push your top speed. I also think there is a psychological effect of doing a hard track workout. People believe in it. It also can be a great way to work on endurance that certainly will benefit you during long points. However I could see ultimate teams getting to a point where we do little if anything on the track. To the extent we are doing track work, we try to focus on speed in your first few steps and change in speed. This involves distances of 25 to 50 yards, varying your starting position (starting by jumping back and forth over a cone and then exploding out, starting in push-up position) and varying your speed (run the first 25 yards at 85%, then the next 25 at 100%). I also think it helps to incorporate visualizations, as cheesy as that may sound. If you imagine you are chasing someone on an in-cut, staying right on their hip, and then exploding past them at 100% when the disc goes up, you are working your body and also your mind.

Off the track, I think there is even more potential to improve as an ultimate player through training. This is where "sport-specific" training is really key and you can get very creative and incorporate a disc while working very hard. I think the key with the disc work is to make sure that you are still pushing yourself as hard as you can and not allowing the disc work to slow you down. My favorite example of this type of work is shuttle runs with a disc. We set up cones at 5-10-15-20-25 yards. You run them as a traditional suicide for the first two cuts (to the 5 and 10). For the last three cuts, you will receive a disc the second you turn around from your partner standing on the starting line. You throw back to them and turn and sprint to the next cone, and repeat to the 25. Ideally, you are doing these side by side with other pairs of your teammates, which pushes you even harder. We also like to do running where you are chasing a teammate. You can set up three cones on a line 10 yards apart—you start in the middle and your teammate is facing you. You decide which cone you will cut to first, then you cut back to the middle, at which point you can continue across to the other cone and finish back through the middle or cut back to the same cone and finish through the middle. These are great because you are going full speed, changing direction, and also practicing reading someone’s cutting patterns.

Bryn Martyna of this year’s Team USA (San Francisco Fury) helps to lead her team's workout regimen throughout the season. She is also a fierce downfield cutter and one of Fury’s never-tired players.