Hive Ultimate’s “How to Train Hex” Series
New training content released every month
This resource is available to $8+ Patrons
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The drills and exercises laid out in these videos are useful for developing a number of skills and techniques applicable to all ultimate offences, with a particular focus on the spacing, movements, and techniques suited to Hexagon Offence.
Grid Game – 29/04/2023
Here’s a good game to expand your offence, encouraging your players to look for bigger throws to bigger spaces, and to use the space effectively by spreading out whilst staying active.
Multizone Keepdisc – 29/03/2023
This exercise is similar to Keepdisc, but with the addition of multiple scoring zones marked by different coloured cones, which the offence transitions between attacking. A great exercise to run at the end of a warm-up / keepdisc to aid with the transition into full blown Ultimate.
Triangle Give-Go / Double Dribble Drill – 27/02/2023
This drill (and the double-dribble extension) practices give-go and double dribbling moves on offence, and is a new favourite of mine! The Triangle Give-Go involves a basic straight-line, three-touch give-go/dribble move before passing on to the next player. The Double Dribble extension involves two players dribbling together, and includes a change of direction whilst the disc is in-hand in order to continue the dribble.
10 Second Attack – 26/01/2023
This exercise encourages players to be aggressive with their moves, generating quick forward movement / penetration and scoring opportunities. Includes Felix talking about a trick to get free deep immediately after your team catches the pull, and thoughts on ‘gaming the drill’.
Training the Next Pull Fielding Meta – 28/11/2022
Molly Brown and Valeria Cardenas recently set a new standard for fielding the pull which involves a quick give-go off the pull catch, getting the disc back moving aggressively forwards.
Felix breaks down the method into it’s component parts and shows how you can build up a similar good pull fielding routine through training.
Rondo (2-post) – 29/10/2022
This possession exercise for 4-6 players practices 1v1 and 2v2 situations with extra support from posts (or bouncers) on offence. It’s inspired by the “Rondo” football exercises which Johan Cryff brought to Barcelona – he said “Everything that goes on in a match, except shooting, you can do in a rondo”. Rondos are said to improve player decision making, coordination, team play, creativity, competitiveness, and physical conditioning.
Flags – 29/08/2022
Flags is a great game for 2-5 players of any level to work on throwing/catching and a few other skills, with initial similarities to ‘piggy in the middle’. Offence pass the disc around, aiming to pass over a line marked out by ‘flags’ (or cones, or water bottles), whilst a defender tries to intercept. This 15 minute Training Tier video explains the rules in full, features footage of the game being played semi-competitively, and has Felix explaining the game to a group of 20 players of mixed ability who then try it out.
Diamond Throwing exercise – 18/07/2022
Travis Norsen wanted to create some bread-and-butter, everyday-at-the-beginning-of-practice sorts of exercises that would allow players to practice throws in somewhat more game-realistic ways than the typical static throwing & static catching done at the start of practice. This is one of the ideas he came up with, which involves and trains and allows discussions of: quick disc movement, the importance of maintaining visual contact with teammates via the “inside pivot”, and movement to attack open spaces and maintain good triangular spatial relationships with teammates.
Modified End Zone Drill – 24/06/2022
This modified version of the classic end zone drill incorporates two extra passes which encourage throw’n’go moves and hitting return passes / give-go moves, adding more flow to the offence when this drill is used as a pre-match warmup, and practicing moving the disc off the sideline with a lateral give-go move.
Colombia World Games squad – Felix’s Team Talk – 16/06/2022
Team talk that Felix gave the Colombian World Games squad before they played a (relatively easy) match at TEP, translated from English to Spanish sentence-by-sentence by Símon Ramirez (shortened versions with only English/Spanish included).
Hive Training Program – Uni Sessions – 24/05/2022
This 19 week training program is aimed at University teams, High School teams, or any teams which have a large influx of beginners. Follow the program or pick the sessions or drills/exercises you wish to add to yours!
Dynamic Hex Shape Exercise – 28/04/2022
This exercise is an engaging way to teach good spacing and hex shape to a group of players. It challenges players to focus on maintaining shape under increasing amounts of defensive pressure, moving the disc quickly (stall 4 counted from anywhere), and prioritising taking the open pass over looking for yards.
Triangle Dominator Weave Exercise – 10/03/2022
This exercise replicates the triangle motion offense pattern that Jack Williams talks about in his analysis video of Ring’s dominator offense. Easy setup and execution of the exercise with a group including demonstrations, and head-cam footage breaking down the details from the first person perspective, so you can effortlessly integrate it into your session.
Dribble Dominator Drill – 27/02/2022
This drill challenges players to level-up their dribbling game, and trains how to support an active dribbler. One player, being marked by multiple defenders, dribbles between several teammates, who bounce the disc back to them until a turnover or a stall out.
Disc Ladder Footwork Exercise – 30/01/2022
This exercise trains players footwork, coordination, and balance control. Mastery of this exercise ensures players are extremely comfortable with short passes in small spaces, maintaining good pivot discipline and balance control, and able to quickly utilise space near the disc to begin building an attack.
Up-line Flow Drill – 23/12/2021
This drill involves 1 disc which moves continuously. Players catch and throw, accelerating out of their passes, simulating up-line or slashing cuts, and lateral dribble moves after passing into the backfield.
Turn’n’Go Double Dribble Drill – 31/08/2021
This drill trains players ability to accelerate out of their throws into a double-dribble with a teammate. Specifically, bouncing the disc off a player who is moving forward from behind the disc, and attacking downfield with them. Features two examples of this move from the recent US Open 2021 Final between Sockeye and Machine.
Covid-19 update: The drills below are rated from A-C on the UKU’s Outline of Phased Return to Play. During high risk of virus transmission, queues in drills, stacks in games, and 1-to-1 marking should be avoided where possible. See the UKU Outline of Phased Return to Play for more details, and felixultimate’s Covid-19 Safe Training & Play Ideas. The Hive Ultimate drills below maintain 2m distance between players, except where noted. The Hex and Flex strategies encourage spacing between players as a principle, which opens up many more opportunities for distanced drills, exercises, and safer play in games. Adhere to your local guidance to keep you and the people around you safe above all else.
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Dribble Slalom Drill + Throw’n’Go Technique
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| Throw’n’go technique is a key element of good Hex, and is trained directly with the Dribble Slalom drill. 3-5 players take turns to accelerate out of their throws and decelerate into their catches, give-go, and perform basic dribbling by changing direction when the disc is in their hands. The drill can be made competitive between groups, and there is plenty of scope for expansion and variations with similar types of throw’n’go drills using the principles at play. In this video Felix also talks through avoiding travelling & travel calls with specific throw’n’go technique tips, and plays an excerpt from a live stream where he talks to Bryan Jones about ways to practice give-go moves. Watch video. | |
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Keepdisc
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| Trains players ability to maintain possession in a sustainable way – providing a regular stream of viable options with getting tired, focusing on moving the disc and keeping it alive as opposed to looking for yardage or the end zone. Very similar to playing fast flowing ultimate, this is probably the most common exercise seen at a training run by Felix. Watch video. | |
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Hex Sprint Pattern
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| FREE VIDEO – Perfect for solo and socially distanced training, the Hex Sprint Pattern focuses on an individual’s speed, agility, and stamina. A favourite among faster, fitness-oriented players, and very popular among those who train individually or in small pods. Cones are laid out in two triangles, with a player sprinting between them in a pattern, ending with a long sprint. When you add a second (static) player with a disc, the two must coordinate their fakes and passes to be realistic and synchronised, as they should be in a game. This drill develops adeptness with a variety of short-quick-passes, improves an individual’s throw’n’go technique, and works on their stamina and concentration when tired. Watch video. | |
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Give-Go Swill Drill
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| The give-go-swill drill trains give-go and dribbling technique, along with misdirection, balance, and using flow and tempo to attack. Players should find that it is more effective to advance the disc through give-go moves – including moves away from the end target – than it is to directly break the force from static. Players also learn to communicate clearly (through gesticulation) with the static players about when/where they want the disc thrown back to them. Watch video. | |
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Brilliance Box Drill
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| Training players ability to throw’n’go in a game-like situation – accelerate out of their throws, decelerate into their catches, and change direction with the disc in their hands. A progression of the drill also introduces dribbling with 2 active players. Watch video. | |
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Shape Race
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| Training players knowledge of and ability to create good shape as a team – communicating with each other and adjusting to new disc field positions to make good shape quickly and efficiently. Watch video. | |
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1-2-3-Pass Drill
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| The 1-2-3-Pass drill involves four players who work as two pairs. They train give-go moves, and connecting continuation passes once the give-go sequence halts. A good drill to run towards the start of training, developing good throw’n’go fundamentals, 1-to-1 connections, and repositioning to give teammates space / options.Watch video. | |
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Hex Puzzle Drill
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| Initiating flow from static, sustaining flow whilst in good shape, creating and using space as you see it appear, decision making, communication… The Hex Puzzle drill is unique as it trains all these elements which are important in Hex, and all at the same time. It is notoriously challenging to do well, despite the lack of defenders – all 5-7 players must stay engaged and alert in order to maintain the tempo & rhythm of the offence. An essential tool for a team to get better at Hex quickly, introducing many elements which are not seen in other drills. Watch video. | |
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Hex Huck Drill
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| Cutting and throwing deep from the type of movement / patterns seen in Hex – different to those seen in conventional stack offence. Good throwers can train their hucks, weaker throwers can train their shorter flow passes – the Hex Huck Drill provides multiple options with each rep, always including a deep, and challenges 5+ players to adjust their spacing, timing, and decision making on-the-fly in order to maintain flow. This drill can be adjusted to emulate certain patterns, such as Japan-style crossfield hucks, dump-swing-continue reps, and more. Watch video. | |
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Felix’s Gamesheet, Drillsheet, & Coach Accessories
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| Felix introduces two sheets he uses to help coaching at trainings and in matches, including a walkthrough of the mysterious “Doughnuts” Gamesheet. and talks about his essential and his preferred Coach Accessories and how to use them. Watch video. | |
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Whiteboard: Countering Split & Side Stacks
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| Split Stacks and Side Stacks create large spaces on the field for the offence. They can be countered by the defence through surrounding, or a combination of unbalanced bracketing and sustained poaching, as Felix sketches out in this whiteboard session. Watch video. | |
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Flexagon Defence: Full Team Online Session Recording
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| This 2hr22min video contains everything you need to know about Flexagon Defence, in long-form. It is a recording from an online session commissioned by Oakland Ultimate in California, focused around Team Defence, specifically Flexagon Defence. Felix starts from scratch and builds up a complete and coherent picture of how Flex works and how the viewers can implement it with their teams. This is the most comprehensive resource for Flexagon Defence which currently exists – for any further questions, or if you like the look of this session but would prefer your team to have their own session where Felix will talk directly with them and they can ask questions, contact Felix via the About page. Watch video. | |