How to Dominate in Ultimate Frisbee

No matter what sport you play, it’s always necessary to practice to get better. In ultimate frisbee specifically, there are dozens of methods to strengthen your skills and knowledge. Everyone can improve in some way – even seasoned professionals. 

Take a look at these tricks so that you can dominate in your next ultimate game.

1. Practice Your Throws

This tip seems obvious, but many handlers aren’t on top of their general throws. Think about how often you complete a pass – and when that occurs. We regularly practice with stationary targets. In the middle of the game, however, your cutter is continuously on the move. In practice, you’ll want to work on your passes so that you can make a goal when the time comes.

Once you’ve got that on lock, go further and develop your touch. For some, this technique takes time to build and work into normal gameplay, but it affects upline cuts and inside breaks. Your throw on all levels is essential.

2. Read the Field

In ultimate, successful athletes can analyze the field while they play. They know the whereabouts of the disc, plus the location of every cutter. Then, they learn to anticipate the next move on both sides. However, you can’t acquire this skill overnight. 

Make it a point to look around more during a future practice. Digest every bit of information – even if it doesn’t seem crucial at that specific moment. When you read the field, you can make better plays down the line.

3. Develop Speed and Endurance

Even if you knew how to execute every move flawlessly, you’d struggle if you weren’t fast. Speed is an essential part of the game. Can you get to that block in time? Are you there for that catch? If the answer is no, you need to find ways to run faster and implement them in practice. For instance, you can incorporate hill training and count your strides.

Endurance is another necessary skill. Ultimate requires players to move constantly. When you can’t focus on your cutter’s position because you need to catch your breath, that’s an issue. Develop a workout that focuses on this fitness aspect. Run long and slow and increase your mileage over time. This process won’t be easy, but it makes a massive difference on the field.

4. Watch More Videos

You can’t always be in practice or a game, so in your downtime, watch videos. Whether they’re clips of your team or not, footage can teach you a lot about the sport. Look out for players in your position and take note of how they move on the field. Can you see any mistakes? What strategies can you adopt? 

Allocate time so that you can rewatch segments. Write down your weaknesses and identify players that do the opposite on screen. Also, try to analyze why some plays worked – what could’ve stopped it? You won’t learn everything from these sessions, but they’re still beneficial. 

5. Mentally Prepare

Your mental acuity plays a considerable role in how you perform on the field. Like any sport, ultimate demands focus. It isn’t easy, but you need to learn how to set negative emotions aside and concentrate on the task at hand. Most of us do well when we’ve slept and eaten a proper meal. What happens when you haven’t gotten a blink of rest, and it’s about to rain?

To prepare your mental state, understand that attitude is a choice, and stick to a primarily positive one. You should also set realistic short- and long-term goals concerning your athletic abilities.

Use These Tips to Improve as an Ultimate Frisbee Player

At the end of the day, everyone has room for improvement. Use these tips to dominate the field in ultimate frisbee.