Being Effective in the Rain and Cold

disclaimer: these tips and ideas come through my expriences playing in extreme conditions. Beware-O 2001 (4'+ of rain and ~40 degrees), SB Qualifier 2006 (~40-degrees), SB Invite (5' of rain + cold), 2008 Southwest Regionals (35 degree start + rain) to name a few. and yes... I am aware that you East Coasters and Midwesterners will say "pshhh You don't know what cold is." But I'm a California kid.... and I'm just passing along words from my experiences. =)

Most of us remember instances when rain didn't mean staying indoors on a Saturday morning. Most of us will remember the first time they played Ultimate in a light shower, or for some of us, in a torrential downpour. Playing pickup in the rain is one thing for those who are brave enough... but being caught or forced to play in the rain at a major tournament is another thing. There are many things one can do to prepare for a weekend tournament and checking the weather is one of the most basic and overlooked tasks. However; when the rain is inevitable and you're not playing on turf, there are ways you can prepare and play that will not only prevent injury, but also allow you to be effective as a cutter or a handler.



1. Dynamic Stretching and Keeping your Muscles warm on the sideline.

Muscles work through a process of lengthening and contracting through myosin and actin cross-bridging. Basically the point is, your muscles require Ca2+ in addition to K and Na to effectively contract and relax so that you can run, throw, jump, etc. etc. This process is also heat sensitive in that "cold" muscles will be more prone to injury if any sudden and explosive strain is exerted (cutting, hucking, jumping). In a wet environment, the rain will most likely soak any ultimate player down to his base-layer and playing with a rain jacket and/or rain pants is not very conducive to the sport let alone your own safety. So there are ways to prepare.

Dynamic Stretching is a way for players to be consistently keeping their muscles loose and warm. What this means is that players need to stretch very well and CONSTANTLY at the beginning of each touranment and game, and while on the sideline. It doesn't make sense to stand on the sideline watching the game. The wetness and the cold will simply lower your core body temperature causing your circulatory system to reroute blood to your core and away from your extremities... consequently reducing blood flow to your muscles and therefore less Ca2+, Na... etc. etc. Basically what this means it that if you're not constantly moving on the sideline, you will be more prone to injury, cramping, and/or ineffectiveness on the field. When you are back on the sideline, you need to layer up with a thermal, jacket, or simply getting out of the rain helps.

Do some lunges with twists, jumping jacks, high knees and butt kicks on the sideline to keep yourself warm and ready to go back into the game. I guarantee that while on the field, you will not feel cold as you will be exerting maximum effort in your cuts. Playing in the game does not concern me... but the sideline activity or lack thereof is what's dangerous and will ultimately alter your overall effectiveness once you DO get in.

tips
- very thorough stretching pre-game
- layer up on the sideline or simply get out of the rain.
- keep stretching and moving on the sideline.
- Find a girl to hug. Girls are warm =)



2. Clothing

Performance baselayers are effective in the cold, but they will still soak through your jerseys and will be detrimental since they tend to retain moisture (supposed to be sweat) and will trap the cold between your layers. The most effective things I've found in terms of baselayering is to be Macruber and to simply wear a trash bag. Punch a hole for your head and arms, and (important). Do not wear the trash bag as the first layer on top of your skin. Polyethylene is NOT breathable and if you do wear it, you will believe it or not, cause overheating and dehydration. Wear the trash bag as the 2nd to last layer (from your skin), right under your team jersey, and on top of another baselayer. This will ensure more breathability for your skin but also will keep the rain out. BIG tip. It's the 2000's... don't wear cotton. It simply absorbes everything and will cool down your core. Cotton is the enemy (Underarmor).

Headware is important. You lose a high percentage of heat through your head so wear a beanie, or a hat at the very least. Who cares about visability or spotting the disc. If it's raining... a hat will pose more of a benefit than disadvantage. Hoods are no good since they ruin your peripheral vision, in addition to soaking through and promoting heat loss.

Multiple layers of socks are good too in addition to a sandwich plastic bag in between them to ensure that your feet stay dry. Be ready to ruin a pair of cleats but keep your feet dry to avoid blisters and "corpse feet."

tips:
-wear a performance baselayer FIRST (underarmor, nike pro, or another jersey)
-NO COTTON
- Trash bag should be the 2nd to last layer (from your skin) directly underneath your active light or dark
- Wear headware to minimize heat loss.
- Multiple socks are suggested but not required. Do whatever feels right for your feet.



3. Throwing and Catching

If you've ever caught a disc on the knuckles on a brisk morning or evening, you know what i'm talking about. The disc is plastic, and will react to the elements much like you. I've had a disc crack entirely in half after hitting a fence because of the cold. The disc becomes rigid and will not "give" like in normal conditions. You, the player, must adjust to the disc. Since the disc never lies.

In throwing, the grip is key. Much like footing in rock-climbing. You need to establish a strong foundation through the grip. I've been told that in the rain, you wanna grip it tighter and stronger to ensure stability, but I found that it is more effective to almost go with what you're used to and to make minimal adjustments. I have a power grip that is very tight, and in the wet it will slip out from time to time... but it comes down to knowing what you can throw too. The hammer in the wet will not really work, but the nice floaty backhand is high percentage. The rain really levels out the playing field and if you can consistently throw "boring" but high percentage throws, you will be effective as a handler. Huge hucks might not work because of a constantly slick disc, so as handlers, it's up to YOU to know what you can throw at a 0.95 clip in the rain. Footing is important as a handler and you have to realize that you probably won't be able to plant you foot further out for hucks or breaks. Know---Your---Limits.

Catching is most difficult. Pancake catches require pressure on the top and bottom of the disc but with the rain, friction is hard to attain and the disc seems to just slip out. Lobster claw and Chicken catches require a bit more skill. I found that wearing long sleeves w/ my jersey gives me a little bit more friction in catching pancake style. I know it's not suggested to catch with your arms, but in the rain, that extra security might be needed. In Colorado, the cold was so bitter that most of my team including myself resorted to football receiver gloves to give us more warmth and friction on our catches. It sacrificed some throwing ability for some of us but hey... atleast we weren't dropping the disc. Cutting will be difficult as well and it comes down to traction. You might have to sacrifice some directional change by taking more steps, but your defender is going to have to do the same so the advantage goes to you.


tips:
- stick to your grip, slightly tighter/looser if needed (practice throwing with a wet disc).
- Know your limits in the rain. Boring and 100% throws will win you games and matchups.
- Long sleeves aid in catching (need practice first)
- Gloves if needed aid in catching + keeping warm.
- Exaggerate the # of steps needed to change direction. More Steps = More Open



4. Miscellaneous

Do not forget to hydrate. Even though there is water all around, your body will be consistently losing moisture to the more saturated air in addition to your body burning through resources to keep your core temperature up. You need to be hydrating and if possible, drinking warm fluids. If I know it will be bitter cold, I tend to bring a thermos with simply hot sugar water and/or honey tea.

Post-game, your team needs to find shelter from the rain/cold if going through a bye. Retreating to the cars is a good idea and/or simply retreating to a tent is just as effective. Just be ready to repeat Section 1 in warming up post-bye. At the end of the tournament, a cool down is needed. For your muscles to be working so hard in the cold and then suddenly just call it a day will cause your muscles to contract and increase the likelyhood of future injury or soreness over the week.


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In all... you just have to be smart when playing in the rain. Exercise common sense and be prepared. I can't describe how many times I've seen teammates that are ill-prepared for such conditions and have them reduced to a shivering mess, refusing to go in and play. You want to be looking out for yourself and if you are prepared, you will be effective and instrumental in your team's success. These are just a few tips that I have learned over my 4 years playing ultimate and if you have any other tips, please leave a comment for other ultimate players to see.


Till next time,
Hammie #10