Catching the disc. This is the most basic and most important skill in playing a game of ultimate.
There are 7 different ways of catching a disc:
1. Pancake catch (one hand on top of the other in an alligator snapping way).
2. 2 handed catch in front of the body, thumbs under the disc, facing the sky.
3. 2 handed catch in front of the body, thumbs ontop of the disc, facing the ground.
4. 1 handed left-hand catch, thumb facing the sky.
5. 1 handed left-hand catch, thumb facing the ground.
6. 1 handed right-hand catch, thumb facing the sky.
7. 1 handed right-hand catch, thumb facing the ground.
Tasks for the week:
Spend 15-20mins each evening playing with the disc, throwing it up in the air and catching it all 7 different ways.
This can be done in front of the TV, while waiting for the dinner to cook, while watching home and away etc. If you associate an action/event such as watching a program with throwing the disc to yourself it makes it easier to remember.
Sunday Session:
This session requires a minimum of 2 people to be completed.
This is a simple session consisting of throwing and catching.
* Catch 15 throws using the pancake catch. Do the same with every other catching technique. This will total 105 throws and catches. The throws can be any kind as they are not the focus of the session.
* Now focus on when to use the different catching techniques by throwing and catching another 100 times. Examples: If the disc is above head height the disc should be caught with thumbs facing the sky either 1 or 2 handed. A pancake catch becomes more difficult the higher the disc is. If a disc is below the pelvis the disc should be caught with thumbs facing the ground, one or two handed. If a disc is far to the left or right the a one handed catch might be the easiest and safest way of catching the disc. Experiment with your catches to see which feels the most comfortable and which produces the best results.
* A 2 handed catch in front of the body can give you an arms extra length in a game. This makes in harder for your defender to get a D. This catch can feel strange initially and you may find you get more turns then with a simple pancake catch but it really improves with practice and can give you an edge to your game. Give it a try and see!
Throwing the disc. This is the vital element in the game of ultimate.
There are several different ways of throwing a disc. The most practical throws are the following:
1. Flat backhand
2. Outside in backhand
3. Inside out backhand
4. Low release backhand
5. Forehand (flick)
6. Outside in forehand
7. Inside out forehand
8. Low release forehand
9. Hammer
10. Scuber
For more info on these throws check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_disc_techniques
Tasks for the week:
Unfortunately throwing is a hard skill to practice without a partner in crime. However it is for one week only so don't let this prevent you from practicing your throws.
1. Throw 3 times this week. Grab as many discs as possible and practice all 10 throws. Ideally you want to throw 100 throws in total-10 of each throw. If you're throwing on your own the more discs you have the easier and quicker the session will be.
Day 1: Backhands, throw 30 of each throw
Day 2: Forehands, 30 of each throw
Day 3: Overheads, 30 of each throw
1. Practice throwing with a mark on once this week at least (the more the better). This is a completely different ball game from throwing unmarked and is very important in this weeks tasks. If you have 3 people this is a simple Luke Skywalker drill. Practice for 30mins. If you have two people pick a target to aim for (tree/goal post) and mark each other while you aim for the target. Practice for 30mins. If you are on your own find a pitch with a set of goalposts. One is your marker, the other your target. Pivot and fake at least three times before throwing the disc. Practice for 15mins.
Sunday Session:
This session requires a minimum of 2 people to be completed.
This is a simple session consisting of throwing and marking.
* Throw 100 throws, 10 of each.
* Practice advanced throws/throws that you want to improve for another 30mins. For example hucks, low released outside in forehands and backhands. Low released inside out forehands and backhands.
* Luke Skywalker 30mins.
Jumping and Diving. These are skills Irish ladies can probably improve the most.
Jumping and diving increase our chances or catching more difficult discs whether we are completely free on a pitch or being marked hard by an intense defender.
There are several ways of jumping.
1. Off both legs with one or two hands reaching
2. Off the left leg with the right hand reaching
3. Off the left leg with the left hand reaching
4. Off the right leg with the left hand reaching
5. Off the right leg with the right hand reaching
Like jumping there are also several ways of diving
1. Diving forward landing on your chest
2. Diving to the left or right side
Tasks for the week:
This weeks tasks are going to teach you more about yourself as a player and show you what techniques suits you best. Go into this weeks tasks with a positive mental attitude. Take any preconceptions of "laying out" out of your minds, in fact we are not even associating that word with our session. This week are priority is catching the disc and retaining possession in the best and most effective way possible.
1. Warm up with lots of leg exercises including high knees, bum flicks and skipping. Find a suitable tree or goal posts at which to test your jumping ability. Go through all of the jumping techniques and find which one gives you the most height, try these techniques standing still, jogging towards the target, sprinting etc until you find your optimum performance. Focus on this technique. Do this 10 times, each time trying to better your last attempt. Rest for 5 mins and repeat. Do this once this week.
2. In pairs stand 10 meters apart from your throwing partner. Imagine that your feet are now glued to the spot your standing at. Your job is to always catch the disc. If the disc is below knees drop to your knees to pancake catch it. Get used to getting your body low and behind the disc, dont lean over to reach for a low disc, get your body down and close to the ground to catch it. If the disc goes to the left or right reach out to get it. Keep your feet where they are and dive/lean/fall over/crawl in order to get the disc. It doesnt have to be pretty ladies! Whatever it takes to get the disc. Our goal is to become friends with the ground
As the thrower dont throw easy catches to your partner, this is a learning exercise for the reciever not the thrower. Throw low discs and discs to the left and right of the person, make them work for it!Cutting.
There are two main cuts made while playing ultimate
1. An under cut
2. A deep cut
Cuts to avoid are horizontal across the pitch cuts. These take away options from further up the pitch while giving your defender a good chance to bid on and intercept a disc.
* A good cutter will always be able to get free from their defender whether they are marked well under and get free going deep or are marked well deep and get free coming under.In this case the defender may decide what option she is going give the cutter. For example if the cutter is always a deep threat she may mark her deep and force her to recieve it under. In this scenerio its the defender who is in charge of the situation and is in control of the cutters movements on the pitch.
* A great cutter will be able to decide where they want to recieve the disc whether its under/deep/open/break. They are in charge of their cuts and are not being controlled by the defence.
* When cutting focuse on getting your body close to the ground. When turning plant your heel and push off your toes while keeping your strides short initially until you build up speed.
* One helpful tip I find is that when you plant your foot and turn, look in the direction that you wish to face and your body will follow behind you. Dont focus too much on technique but do think about how to improve the speed at which you turn and take off.
Tasks for the week:
1. Take the time to warm up well, include striding and 60/80/100% runs. Set out a distance of 20meters. In pairs practise cutting in vertical lines, your goal is to get free of your defender, if you can do this in 2 cuts then your job is done. It may take 3-4 cuts to become free but persist until you have beaten your defender. Swap roles, repeat and take a 2min break. Repeat x 5.If you have three people one person throws a disc when the cutter gets free. Each person should cut and mark 5 times.
2. In the same 20m space decide in your own head where you want to get free/recieve a disc and cut until you've accomplished your task. Again repeat x 5. Do this at least once if not twice this week.
Marking a Cutter.
Marking a cutter is a huge task both physically and mentally. It is physically impossible to prevent your cutter from doing everything ie. receiving the disc open under, deep and break side. If the person with the disc has every throw and they want to get it to your person then it is impossible for you to stop every option. However a minority of ultimate players have all the throws all the time. The throwers abilities reduces or enhances the chances of your person getting the disc. This is where the mental side of the game kicks in.
* As a defender you need to watch the offense. Know who the offensive throwers are and mark accordingly.
* Know where the disc is at all times. This means watching two things at once: the disc, the player your marking. Angle your body in a way which allows you to watch both. This might mean you are slightly behind your player shoulder looking forward. It is easier to look at the disc and keep your person visible in the corner of your eye than vice versa.
* Anticipate. Depending on which player has the disc your person may want to cut deep for a huck or recieve it under. If you are marking someone with good throws (a mid maybe) they will want to be involved in the disc action and will look for it under more than cut for it deep.
* Control. Decide what your going to give your person. If a weaker thrower has the disc you may want to force your cutter deep and tempt the thrower to throw a more difficult pass. If a great thrower has the disc you may want to force your player under to reduce the risk of them scoring in the endzone. Try and control your player instead of letting them control the game.
* Give 100%. Take away the easier options forcing offense to take riskier options. If your taking away an undercut never get beaten under, give 100%, sprint, bid, do everything to prevent your person getting the disc on their terms. I have found that if you give 100% alot of cuts dissolve after a few strides as they dont believe they will get free. The first few strides I think are the most important, even if you dont have the energy to continue for the entire cut. The cut may never happen if you intimidate your person in the first few strides.
* Never follow your person, anticipate what they are going to do and go with them, not behind them but stay just at their shoulder.
* Dont turn your back on your person, its a blind spot and may end up costing you. If turning, turn towards them, this may mean you turn your back on the disc for a few strides until you recover.
* Dont get beaten up the line. If it happens once make a point of not letting it happen again in that game(!!).
Tasks for the week:
1. Take the time to warm up well, include striding and 60/80/100% runs. Similar to last week set out a distance of 20meters. In pairs practise cutting and marking for 7 seconds. Your goal is to mark your defender for that length of time. Dont let them get free. Swap positions and repeat. Mark and cut for 10 times each (70s in total of marking). Rest in between each set (set=1 cut and 1 mark each)
2. If you have 3 people 1 person is the thrower and the pair cut and mark accordingly. Set up cones 10, 20, 30m away from the thrower (if you have no thrower use a cone to mark their position). At each cone mark and cut x3. The point of this exercise is to defend cleverly. If your person is 10m from the thrower they can only cut deep. A person 30m away is more likely to come under. Think about how your marking. For example at 10m mark anticipate that your person wants to go deep and take control of the situation, force them to do what they dont want to do- cut under. If you do have a thrower in this drill get then to count out the stall so you know as a defender how long left you have to give 100% for.
