USA Ultimate

My Secrets For Throwing Farther

by Parker Krug

How to throw farther. 

A good question. To start I will say this. Some people do not have the physical ability to throw as far as others. Strength, body type, and other factors are the reason behind this. However, there are ways to throw further no matter how far you can throw it now. 

TECHNIQUES
The best throwers in the game and their ability to throw the disc further than others is based on a few techniques. 

In my opinion the most important of these techniques is the grip. A loose grip with result in a weak release with little spin. Which is okay for shorter throws with touch. A strong grip, strong enough that the disc can not be moved from their fingers while the disc is being held, is key in getting distance on your throws. Gripping the disc firmly will not only allow you to produce more spin on the release but will also allow you to hold onto the disc as you throw it with all your strength. A weak grip and a strong throw will result in an early and most likely inaccurate release. A good strong grip is key when throwing for distance. 

Watch people as the try to throw far in practice and you will usually see them step forward in an attempt to get the disc out in front of them as soon as possible, this is a mistake. By stepping forward you will limit how much spin you can put on the disc, and spin is what helps the disc cut through the air. Spin is a result of the snap of our wrists as we release the disc, and is another key component in throwing far. It is much harder to get that snap as you step forward, and that's because the angle of your wrist is not conducive to a strong snap in front of your body. So while practicing, continue to step to the side when releasing a huck. This will also help you feel more comfortable while throwing a huck with a mark on you. 

When throwing a disc for distance you must consider the effects the air/wind will have on it. To achieve your maximum distance in a windy situation, I believe an inside-out throw is best. A disc that starts its I/O angle will lose less spin and speed early in its flight than an outside-in angle will. It will then flatten out and float as far as the spin and strength behind it will allow it to. This is especially true when the wind is strong. An extreme inside-out angle is the only way to get distance in an extreme wind. Outside-in throws will achieve the distance of an inside-out throw only if going down wind. I leave it up to you to choose which angle works best for you going down wind. 

PRACTICE
Personally when I practice hucking I try to simulate game time situations. That means, even though there is no mark, I am still stepping out and in my mind breaking the mark to release my huck. I also throw one or two fakes in before I huck, as most marks will stop your first and maybe even your second choice. However, I have learned through my experience that if the mark stops your first huck look and especially your second, it is better to holster that throw and move the disc elsewhere. 

The most accurate and best choice huck tends to be one without a mark. How do you get a huck without a mark, you ask? Give-and-go. Getting the disc on the move, hopefully up field, will give you an open look at your target without a mark. However, it is not easy to stop running, establish a pivot foot, and step to the side to throw a good huck. So while practicing hucks, throw the disc a few yards in front of yourself, run up to it and catch it and throw it. Remember to step out to the side and not forward, especially in this situation. This will simulate a game time give-and-go into a huck. Personally, that is my favorite huck look. 

EXERCISES
There are a few muscles key to the success of throwing the disc far. First is your hand/fingers and wrist strength. These muscles allow us to "grip it and rip it," if you will. Wrist curls, strength balls for your hands, and that gyro-ball that spins while you rotate your wrist are all exercises I do to increase and maintain my hand and wrist strength. This is especially true with the flick/forehand. It is called a flick for a reason, there is little to no body in the throw. It's all in the "flick" of your wrist. Backhands tend to go a bit further because you can get your body into it. A strong core, upper back, arms and shoulders will all help increase your backhand distance. Curls, chops, sit-ups, military press, push-ups, and planks are just a few I do to maintain that strength. There are plenty of exercises that will give the same result. 

MY SECRETS
If there is one thing I would tell someone looking to throw the disc far, it's this: get out there and play some disc golf (with Ultimate discs). But don't simulate a pull every time you are on the tee-box, like most do. Establish a pivot foot, throw a fake, and then huck your disc towards the target. My throws are not as far as the other guys as they run up to the line and throw theirs. That's fine. My approach shots always make up for that. Come tournament time, however, this technique pays off. I have no problem stepping out and throwing a disc as hard and/or far as I can without traveling, because I have done it hundreds of times more than most.