Biggest Training Mistake in Ultimate Frisbee

Summary

In this video, Justin explains how to structure Ultimate Frisbee training programs by emphasizing the importance of recovery over the common fear of overtraining. He introduces the high-low intensity training split, where high-intensity days (games and lifts) are followed by low-intensity days focused on recovery and mobility. Using the Phoenix Suns' post-game training as an example, Justin discusses how combining recovery strategies with specific conditioning and skill work can enhance performance. He also emphasizes efficiency in training, suggesting how athletes can balance their gym sessions and practice schedules without overloading themselves.

Takeaways

• 😀 Overtraining isn't the primary concern; under-recovery is the bigger issue for athletes.
• 😀 Proper recovery is essential for athletes to avoid fatigue, injuries, and burnout.
• 😀 High-Low Training Split is a method that alternates high-intensity and low-intensity days to optimize recovery.
• 😀 High-intensity days should focus on game or practice sessions that demand maximum effort.
• 😀 Low-intensity days allow for active recovery, like mobility work, rehab exercises, and light cardio.
• 😀 Post-game lifts, like those used by the Phoenix Suns, capitalize on a player's high-adrenaline state after a game, combining intensity with recovery.
• 😀 When scheduling workouts, it's important to avoid stacking too many high-intensity days in a row, which can lead to burnout.
• 😀 Lifting should complement, not replace, the physical demands of the sport itself, such as conditioning and plyometrics.
• 😀 For Ultimate Frisbee, Zone 2 cardio and mobility exercises on low-intensity days can enhance recovery and improve performance.
• 😀 It’s not about making lifting the main focus—lifting should be supplemental and efficient, addressing gaps that Ultimate Frisbee doesn’t target.
• 😀 To maximize efficiency, athletes should limit redundancy in their training, focusing on what's necessary for strength and conditioning rather than overtraining.

Q & A

What is the main training mistake highlighted in the script?

The main mistake is not structuring training around proper recovery. People often think they are overtraining, but the real issue is under-recovery due to excessive high-intensity days with insufficient rest.

What is the core idea behind a high–low training split?

A high–low split clusters all high-intensity work on the same days and all low-intensity or recovery-focused activities on other days. This preserves the quality of high-intensity sessions and ensures better recovery between them.

Why do the Phoenix Suns perform a lift immediately after games?

Because the game is already a high-intensity event, stacking a lift afterward keeps all high-intensity work on the same day. This prevents spreading intense sessions throughout the week and frees up other days for recovery.

What happens if an athlete schedules too many high-intensity days in a row?

Their performance gradually decreases due to accumulating fatigue. Even if they intend to give 100%, their body may only be capable of 70–80% effort by the end of the week.

How does high–low training apply to college ultimate frisbee players?

Since ultimate practices and tournaments are naturally high-intensity, lifts and other high-intensity training should be placed on these same days. This allows the days between practices to serve as low-intensity recovery days.

What types of activities are appropriate for low-intensity days?

Low-intensity days can include upper-body lifting, mobility and accessory exercises, zone 2 cardio, skill-based throwing, or light recovery work such as stretching or therapy exercises.

Why is upper-body lifting considered low intensity compared to lower-body lifting?

Upper-body movements use smaller muscle groups and are less physiologically taxing, allowing for quicker recovery compared to lower-body exercises like squats or deadlifts.

What is zone 2 cardio, and why is it recommended on low-intensity days?

Zone 2 cardio refers to maintaining a moderate heart-rate range that supports active recovery. It is restorative rather than fatiguing, helping improve conditioning while aiding recovery.

What forms of training are redundant during the ultimate frisbee season?

High-intensity conditioning and extensive plyometrics are often redundant because ultimate already provides these stimuli. During the season, training should focus on supplemental work that the sport does not provide.

What types of training remain important during the season despite redundancy in other areas?

Intensive plyometrics, low-volume maximal effort jumps or sprints, and strength training remain important because ultimate does not consistently provide true maximal-power stimuli or resistance training.

How can athletes structure high-intensity sessions when schedules are busy?

They can combine lifting with practice or games—lifting beforehand, afterward, or in the same general time block—allowing high-intensity work to be consolidated without requiring extra separate training sessions.

What is the ultimate goal of a high–low training split?

The goal is to maintain the quality of high-intensity work, maximize recovery between those sessions, prevent performance from slipping into medium-intensity output, and ensure training adaptations occur effectively.