Skills Focussed: CUTTING: Chop Stop (3.4)
Other skills for which it can be used: MARKING: Non-thrower: Person-to-person (4.2.2.1), Body defense (4.2.2.2), Positioning pre-cut (4.2.4)
Concepts to know before doing the drill:
- Basic Rules of Ultimate
- Basic Throwing with pivot and Catching
- Open and break side
- Basic in-cut procedure
Drill Focus:
-Cutting after chop stop
- Develop explosive deceleration using chop stops
- Train clean directional cuts without telegraphing movement
- Improve real-time decision-making based on visual cues and defenders
- Strengthen lead passing and thrower-cutter coordination
Set-up:
- 3 cones (per group)
Cone A: Thrower line (with discs)
Cone B: Cutter + defender line
Cone C: Middle chop stop cone (10m from both A and B)
Player Roles:
1 thrower (with disc) at Cone A
1 cutter and 1 defender start together at Cone B
Remaining players split evenly between the two lines
Drill-Flow:
- Cutter and defender start at the base cone opposite the throwers.
- Cutter sprints to the middle cone and performs a sharp chop stop, coming to a balanced and low stop.
- Based on defender’s position, cutter makes a decisive cut to the left or right.
- Thrower delivers a leading pass into the cutting lane.
- After completion: Cutter joins thrower line. Thrower joins runner line
Defender jogs to cutter line for next rep
Coaching Points:
- Cutter: Must come to a full stop at Cone C — no “banana” or curved cuts
Explode into chosen direction; don’t hesitate or over-juke, dont make lots of very small cuts.
Thrower:
Anticipate the cutter’s move; lead the throw to space
Use best throw type:Righty: Backhand for left cuts, forehand for right cuts
Defender: Apply realistic pressure without overcommitting
Progression/Regression:
- P: Add a mark on the thrower to practice breaking the force
Position the thrower off-center to simulate in-cuts vs deep cuts
-R:
Stage 2: Chop Stop + Visual Cue
Remove defender. Cutter runs to Cone C and chop stops. Thrower points left or right → cutter responds and receives lead pass
Stage 1: Chop Stop Mechanics
No disc, no defender. Player sprints to Cone C → performs chop stop → holds low stance for 1 sec. Sprints back and repeats — builds deceleration and balance.
Source: Page 64,65,66 of ultimate trainers' manual