What is Strength & Conditioning (S&C)?

Strength & Conditioning is more than just lifting weights or working up a sweat. It is a systematic, sport-specific approach to athletic development designed to build faster, stronger, and more resilient athletes. For Ultimate, S&C builds physical dominance by improving your explosive cutting speed, vertical jump, layout safety, and late-game endurance while protecting your body against injuries.

What Will You Be Doing? (Fall Training Focus)

The Fall block sets the foundation for the entire year. Before building peak explosive power, we must build the engine and structural capacity to handle heavy athletic loads.

Fall training focuses directly on three core physical pillars:

  • Mastering fundamental lifting mechanics, deceleration (stopping safely at high speeds), jump/landing mechanics, and trunk stability. Moving efficiently on the gym floor translates directly to sharper, safer cuts on the turf. text goes here

  • Building tissue resilience and capacity so your body can tolerate high-volume change of direction and repeat sprints without fading.

  • Developing lower-body force output (squats, single-leg split stances, and deadlifts) and upper-body stability. Higher baseline strength gives you more capacity for sprinting and protects joints from layout impacts.

Typical 60-Minute Session Breakdown:

Prep & Pillar Warm-Up (10 min):

Joint mobility, core integration, and dynamic movement prep.

Speed & Power (10 min):

Plyometrics, acceleration/deceleration mechanics.

Strength & Resilience (35 min):

Compound strength circuits targeting lower- and upper-body strength.

Cool-Down & Recovery (5 min):

Guided tissue restoration and mobility.

Meet the S&C Coaches

  • Sam Cabral, MSc, CSCS

    Masters in Exercise Science and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA) with a focus on field sports performance. Current Canadian Men's National Team Field Hockey athlete.

  • Shauna Pearce, MKin, CSCS

    Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA) with a Masters in Kinesiology with extensive experience in both rehab and performance settings working with UBC’s Varsity sports performance program.