That's me holding the disc! I love Ultimate Frisbee!My name is Jonathon Lunardi. I have been playing Ultimate for over 20 years across DC, Virginia, and Silver Spring, Maryland. I play for the Black Cans in the Great Grand Masters division, I referee professional UFA games for the DC Breeze, I coach middle school Ultimate with WAFC, and I have played in at least 10 hat tournaments over the past 4 years. But here is the habit that matters most: I try to throw and catch a disc every single day, by myself, no matter what. That daily practice is my kata, my version of a martial artist's daily forms, and it has dramatically improved my throwing and catching when I am actually playing the game of Ultimate. That is what this book is all about. But, before we toss a few words back and forth on how to get better at Ultimate, here are a few things to know.
About The Cover of the Book
The inverted Hula Hoop Drill, rotating the disc upside down around my middle finger, is arguably the toughest movement to sustain over time. The regular Hula Hoop Drill spins the rim around your finger like a tiny hula hoop, and gravity helps hold everything together. Flip the disc over, and gravity switches teams.
Upside down, the disc is constantly trying to slide off your finger, so your finger, wrist, and forearm have to fight for every single second of spin. It is one of the most difficult disc skills in this entire collection, and I will not pretend otherwise: it took me a long, long time to hold that spin steady. But that is exactly why it is on the cover. It is proof of the promise this content makes to you. Every drill here starts somewhere humble, stacks rep upon rep, and ends somewhere that looks like magic. Spin by spin, session by session, seemingly small stuff becomes superpowers.
This book is about learning new movements with the disc. If you see a photo or diagram, grab a disc and try to mimic it, then get creative and modify the movements to meet your own style! Make it fun!
The Four Symbols
Throughout every chapter, four marks call out the moments that matter most:
You will also see important sayings highlighted like this. If you only remember the highlighted lines, you will still walk away a better player. If you are skimming through the content, definitely pause and soak in these highlighted sayings please!
The Four Levels
Throughout this book you will see skills described by level. The beginner flick, the intermediate backhand, the Legend tier drills. Here is what those words mean when you see them:
Beginner means you are just starting out. Everything is new and many things probably feel uncomfortable.
Intermediate means you can throw and catch reliably. You are starting to understand the game and where you might fit in amongst a group of other players.
Advanced means you are a competitive player working on specific skills. People want you on their team and look for you as a bailout when the stall count is about to lapse.
Legend means ambidextrous play and elite level mastery. Your defender never wants to guard you, your speed and endurance are a super valuable asset, and you probably are coaching others to improve their abilities.
The Videos
When you see a video, watch it, they are usually fairly short. Reading a drill is good. Watching it is better. Doing it is best. Every demonstration shows you exactly what the drill should look like, so you can match it in your own backyard or inside wherever you might be.
Read this site front to back, or jump straight to the chapter that scratches your itch. Every chapter stands on its own. Now grab a disc or better yet, two discs. Let us begin. :)