Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Beat it like a cop

So I've been thinking about ultimate a lot lately and just being able to watch has provided me with some insights. Perhaps not necessarily insightful, but hey that's what happens when you are half retarded.

I have often heard that there are two types of players. Those who think while playing and those that use instinct without thinking. I think a lot when I play and perhaps this will only be helpful for people similar. Perhaps others can think of this while not playing and later apply it to their playing.

When the disc is in your hands you can't turn it over unless you get stalled or call a timeout that you don't have. So the faster the disc is able to get between people the better. Right? This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to throw the disc faster, but instead focus on throwing on better angles. When throwing to a player cutting in the shape of the disc should not be OI but directly to the chest. While there are exceptions to this (defender is really hard inside) you should make it a habit.

When on offense recognize that you are being given an option and you should take it. Almost no defender is good enough to be able to shut you down completely downfield, instead they pick what they are most concerned about and protect it. Downfield you already have the advantage of getting to run a race to anywhere at anytime so exploit this further deficiency. The same is true for a thrower. You get to decide what throw you are going with and when you are going to throw it. You have the advantage.

However, in order to continue to be dangerous you have to be able to throw every kind of shape from any position. This takes some practice but is not unreasonable. If you are handling for this team you should have no problem with forehands and backhands with a mark on you. Most people have a go to throw for breaking the mark (I go high release because of my height) but you must develop the other throws. If I have been throwing high release breaks for a lot of the game the defense is going to wise up and try to stop it, but in order to stop that they have to give up a different throw. Now I can go to work on IO's and low releases.

Understandably it is hard for me to preach on fitness right now given my lack of working out and becoming horribly out of shape, but there are few things more important. That being said I start physical therapy in about an hour and barring specifically being told not to work out I am going to be working hard to get back in shape. If you want to join me I'll start letting people know when I'm at Henry Crown. Also it is much less intimidating working out with me then Wallace or Noah. So come out.

Random thoughts for now.

McMuffin Out