Cutting

This is all-important in ultimate!  Without quality cuts you will not get open and will hurt your team.  Here are some important basics

• Cuts must combine sharp change of direction with acceleration.  They are often called “V” cuts because you want to change direction very sharply (like the point of the V)
• Cuts should be made in straight lines away from, or towards the handler
• Generally you want to get to the open side of the field (the side the other team is forcing) because that will be an easier throw for the handler
• And here is the all-important philosophy of cutting: the defense cannot take away everything.  You can get open if you work for it.  A great defender makes you work hard, but with perseverance you can and will get open.  So, the moral is TAKE WHAT THEY GIVE YOU!  If you are faster and they are guarding you underneath run deep!  If you are quicker change directions a few times and make him disoriented, if you are slower and less quick cut when he checks over his shoulder to look at the disc and his eyes aren’t on you or fake being lethargic and immediately run somewhere.  Set up your cuts with planned, intelligent fakes.  Change your body language to mess with them.  Smart cutters can always get open.

Here are some classic cuts and terminology

Scorch Cut:  

An up field handler cut.  The handler cuts diagonally across the field starting at a point level with the disc and gaining 5-10 yards.  

Continuation Cut:  

This is a timing cut, used after a dump swing sequence (or any other time!).  You might hear us call it a “mirror” cut, but we’ll try not to because of some confusion we were having with that terminology.  When the dump catches the disc, fake a hard cut deep.  When the disc is caught by the swing, cut hard and accelerate back towards the person who just caught it.  The moment they look up field they should see you already open and sprinting towards them.