Fielding the pull is arguably one of the most important skills in ultimate. A properly fielded pull improves field position and flow, as well as sets the tone for the rest of an offensive point.

In DDD, NP dehydrates, decreasing segment pressure and leading to pathological mobility [29]. Replacement of altered IVD tissue with hyaline cartilage limits migration of NP fragments into AF.

Catch the Pull

The ability to field a pull well is one of the biggest factors in the offense's ability to dictate the point. It puts them at a huge advantage in terms of tempo and field position by getting the disc moving quickly and putting themselves into strategic high ground before the defense sets up.

Having good technique on catching the pull is obviously important, but also having the ability to read the flight path of the pull and be positioned suitably for it requires a lot of practice. Being able to measure the approach of your own feet to the disc, seeing where the defense is sprinting down fast and being able to communicate with your teammates about what is coming up are all parts of this skill.

Be sure not to let your minds wander during the catch - keep your focus all the way through until the disc is in your hands. Odd catching execution errors can happen easily if you're thinking about your next move before the disc is in your hand.

Center the Disc

While Fielding disc a pull, you should be looking for the right amount of distance to move forward and gain intentional field position. You also need to be aware of where the disc is going so you don’t miss it completely.

Angular velocity is the rate at which a disc rotates and affects its centripetal force. It is dependent on the position vector and can be different at different points of the disc.

Using a set of dividers, mark the center of your disk. You can do this by pushing down on the end of the dividers with a center punch or a sharpie. You’ll have a small indent on the clear plastic. Alternatively, you can use a ruler to make a circle on your metal disc and use a marker to draw around it. You can also use a piece of cardboard to help you hold the paper in place over the disc. If you do this, it’s important to have a clean, smooth surface!

Flow Into Offense

As the disc moves from a thrower to a receiver -- whether on a huck or undercut -field space that was unavailable to the offense prior to the throw becomes accessible. A flowing offense is able to take advantage of this change in attack angles and punish the defense.

Stagnant offenses rely heavily on calling out specific passes and cuts, which limits the number of options they have at any given moment. This can be effective, but it often comes at a cost to team chemistry and downfield flow.

Flowing teams move the disc in quick spurts, attacking the defense with a controlled wave of movement and well-timed continuation. This approach is much harder to defend than predictable set plays that rely on players to run into predetermined paths or wait for a call from their coach.

Cutters Downfield

When a handler throws for a set pull (or any other offensive scheme) the cutters need to get downfield to clear and then look for open cuts to the Fielding disc. Often this means running into down field defenders and poaches.

When playing into wind it is important that defenders play with their heads up. This allows them to read cutters better and not be caught off guard by unexpected moves like a sudden change of direction or a step towards the break side.

A good way to train this skill is the Shape Race, an exercise that requires players to quickly identify what a good hex shape should look like and then move into that shape as fast as they can. This is available for Training Tier patrons.