Videos Forehand

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Pivot

A Forehand thrower should pivot off the opposite leg than their throwing arm; a left-handed thrower should pivot off their right foot, and a right-handed thrower should pivot off their left foot.

Keeping the pivot foot on the floor, step out a comfortable distance while facing your target. Some throwers like to drop their hips slightly in order to release at a lower height.

A thrower should only step out as far as they can while still maintaining balance. If they are unbalanced then the throw is likely to be unstable.

Many throwers tend to lean their torso more with a forehand than they would with a backhand. This is because it tends to be more comfortable when leading with the elbow. However, it will enable the thrower to pivot faster and maintain their balance better.

Body Position

When throwing a forehand, many throwers like to step into the throw in order to generate more spin & provide more support.

The core is engaged throughout the motion. A tightly engaged core ensures that the maximum torque is transferred from the hips, through the torso and into the arms.

Arm & Wrist

The faster the arm speed, the quicker the disc will fly. The harder the wrist snap, the more spin will be applied to the disc. More spin helps the discs to cut through the air faster, ensuring a more stable flight path.

The disc is drawn backwards prior to the throw; this enables the thrower to generate more force. The disc is then whipped forwards, towards the target, with a particular focus on snapping the wrist to generate spin. The disc should be in line with the forearm throughout.

Note how the thrower leads with the elbow as she starts to bring the disc forwards; this forces the wrist to be in a cocked position, allowing the thrower to generate maximum spin.

The thrower should follow through, with the throwing hand pointing towards the target after the disc has been released. This should help with accuracy.

Grip

The disc is gripped with two fingers inside the rim, the thumb outside, pinching the disc against the other two fingers. Note that some throwers prefer to slightly splay their fingers, and throwers tend to differ slightly in terms of how precisely they hold the disc based on the size of their hand in relation to the disc. You will notice slight differences in the throwers in these videos, and you should throw in a way that you feel comfortable.

Splitting the fingers adds stability but reduces power. Using two fingers together when throwing is ideal for range or speed; this is sometimes referred to as “power grip”.

Here’s an example of an extremely long & powerful forehand:

And here’s that same throw from another angle. Note the following:

• Gripped with two fingers inside the rim
• Hips facing away from target initially, then rotating through the throw to add more force
• Front leg steps forwards to provide more support
• Elbow leading into the throw, enabling the thrower to maximise the spin imparted on the disc.
• Disc is in line with the forearm throughout the release