Drills
Crush the Can
The X-step is what loads the body with rotational energy before the arm ever moves. This drill isolates the final plant step of the X-step and trains the player to land it correctly — toe down first, then heel — which is essential for a clean, powerful weight transfer into the throw.
How to do it
- Place an empty aluminum can (or a disc, cone, or shoe) on the ground where your final plant foot should land — to your throwing-arm side if you're right-handed.
- Line your body up as if starting your run-up.
- Walk through your X-step in slow motion, focusing on each foot crossing correctly.
- As your final step comes down, land toe-first directly onto (or crushing) the can, then let the heel come down immediately after — this heel-drop is the trigger that should initiate your throw. If the heel comes down before the toe, or before the arm reach-back is complete, the player is "cheating the turn" and losing significant runway to build up disc speed.
- Once the heel plants, complete the throw as trained in Drills #1 and #2.
Recommended reps
4 sets of 8 reps done entirely in slow motion (no full-speed throwing yet) to lock in the footwork pattern. After 1–2 weeks of slow-motion reps, progress to doing the same drill at throwing speed with an actual disc, 15–20 throws per session.