Cutting is an art. It requires speed, timing, defender reading, and total commitment. But when you do it well, it's magical.
In Ultimate Frisbee, one of the most crucial aspects to becoming an effective player is mastering cutting moves. Knowing how to get open from your defender not only makes you a viable target for your teammates but also opens up the game for the entire team. In this chapter, you will learn about the fundamental types of cuts — under, deep, and break — the anatomy of a good cut, how to work on speed and direction changes, and how to read your defender to maximize your options on the field.
At Disckatus Madrid, we incorporate these techniques into our Monday and Wednesday trainings at Polideportivo Orcasur, aiming for each player to evolve from theory to effective practice.
Cuts are strategic movements made by a player without the disc to receive a pass. Knowing when and how to execute them is fundamental to unbalancing the defense and creating scoring opportunities. The three basic types are:
The under cut is a short, quick move forward, usually toward the short passing lane or the center of the field. It is used to receive the disc nearby, gain ground safely, and maintain possession.
The deep cut is a long, fast run toward the back of the field. It is ideal for breaking the defense and generating deep passing opportunities, which can result in a quick score.
The break cut is a move designed to break the defender's force and marking angle. It heads toward the opposite side from what the defender expects, exploiting spaces in the defense.
A successful cut is not just running fast; it is a combination of technique, timing, and perception. Understanding the anatomy of a good cut will allow you to execute effective and sustainable movements.
Before starting a cut, your posture should be ready for the explosion. Keep your knees slightly bent, your body slightly leaning forward, and your eyes on the disc and the defender. This position allows you to react quickly and change direction without losing balance.
A good fake can be the key to leaving your defender behind. Use head movements, shoulders, or small body feints to make them believe you are going one way, then change quickly. Naturalness is essential: don’t exaggerate to avoid losing credibility.
Varying speed during the cut confuses the defender and makes their reaction harder. Alternate between explosive accelerations and controlled decelerations. The direction change must be clean, supporting the pivot foot firmly to avoid slips or injuries.
When you are about to receive the pass, accelerate to beat the defender and arrive in an optimal position. Do not slow down just before contact with the disc. Hand-eye coordination and concentration are key to completing the play.
Speed is a natural advantage, but knowing when and how to change direction can be even more decisive to get open. In this section, we will delve into how to train and improve these skills.
To improve speed, focus on acceleration exercises, short sprints, and leg strength work. At Disckatus Madrid, during trainings at Polideportivo Orcasur, we dedicate specific time to develop leg explosiveness and anaerobic endurance.
Practical exercise: 20-meter sprints with full recovery. Perform 6 sprints, focusing on explosive starts and technique.
Changing direction requires strength, balance, and technique. Work on lateral movements, quick turns, and firm foot placements.
Practical exercise: Zig-zag cones. Place 6 cones spaced 3 meters apart and run zigzagging between them, focusing on controlled foot placement and quick direction changes. Perform 4 repetitions with 1-minute rest.
A good cut involves maintaining balance, especially when changing direction at high speed. Core training and proprioception help improve this aspect.
Practical exercise: Lateral jumps over a line. Jump side to side over an imaginary or marked line, landing softly and maintaining balance. Do 3 sets of 20 jumps.
Reading the defender is a mental and perceptive skill that allows you to anticipate their movements and adjust your cuts accordingly. It’s not enough to make the best cuts; you must make them at the right time and place.
Notice if the defender is ahead, behind, open, or closed. Their posture and gaze can indicate what type of cut they accept or reject. For example, a very closed defender invites you to make a break cut to exploit the free space.
With experience, you will be able to sense what moves the defender will make against your fakes. Use this information to launch credible feints that provoke a reaction and then exploit the space created.
Sometimes, the defender can quickly adjust their mark. Therefore, it is important to be flexible: if the under cut doesn’t work, switch to a deep or break cut depending on what you observe at the moment.
Practical exercise: Marking simulation. In pairs, one player acts as defender and the other as attacker. The defender constantly changes the intensity and direction of the mark while the attacker practices different cuts, adapting to each situation.
Incorporating these exercises into your training will help you internalize the techniques and improve your performance on the field.
At Disckatus Madrid, our Monday and Wednesday sessions at Polideportivo Orcasur are designed for you to move from mastering theory to executing cuts with confidence and efficiency. We not only work on individual technique but also synchronization with teammates, communication, and game reading.
We encourage you to take advantage of every training to try different types of cuts and understand how each situation on the field demands a different movement. Constant practice and conscious observation will make you progress quickly.
Cutting moves are the foundation to becoming an incisive and unbalancing player in Ultimate Frisbee. Mastering under, deep, and break cuts, along with good technique in speed, direction change, and defender reading, will allow you to get open intelligently and effectively.
Remember that the key lies in constant practice and attention to detail. At Disckatus Madrid, we await you on Mondays and Wednesdays at Polideportivo Orcasur to train together and keep growing as a team and as players.
See you on the field and cut with determination!
📚 Sources and Inspiration: This article was inspired by educational resources from USA Ultimate, WikiHow, Ultimate Frisbee HQ, FrisbeeThrows.com, and the collective experience of the Ultimate community. We especially thank the authors and coaches who share their knowledge to help this sport grow.
