Toss Up - Part 2

Now that the starter throws are out of the way and the basic toolkit is complete it's time to cover the crazier stuff. These are the throws that are situational and sometimes a bit risky, but very rewarding.

This post will cover three of the most advanced throws that a player can have in his arsenal. Just as in the last post, if you are a left hand dominant player, the instructions will be on the opposite side of the body. There will be pictures accompanying each description to aid the learning process.

The first throw in this post is a modified version of the backhand throw known as a lift pass or lift throw. This throw operates identically to the standard backhand, but instead of just throwing the disc out from the body, the disc will be thrown upwards and outwards. This is done from a standing position with the disc a bit under shoulder height. The player will push equal portions upward and outward, releasing the disc at the peak of height with a large flick of the wrist to give it a good amount of spin. If performed properly, the disc will go up for a few feet and then quickly drop back towards the ground all while moving forward. This throw is very useful for getting around defenders, but it can easily be blocked or intercepted.

The second throw, covered in this post is what's known as a push pass. The push pass is a lot like the lift pass in style, just reversed to the other side of the body. The grip requires four fingers under the disc and the thumb on the lip forming a c-like shape. Then, to throw the disc, the player starts with the disk at shoulder height or higher with the elbow slightly bent and pushes outward quickly with a small bit of spin clockwise on the disc. This throw is extremely difficult to master, as the disc never really seems to want to cooperate. A balance of force and speed are required to achieve balance. This pass is mainly used to catch defenders off guard in short-range passing situations. 

The last throw that will be covered, and by far the most peculiar of the whole bunch, is the scoober. Yes, you read that correctly. This throw is an odd combination of the hammer, a lift pass and a flick all rolled into one. The grip is identical to the flick with two fingers on the inside and the thumb on the outside, but the disk is going to be on your left and upside down. To throw this, stretch your arm out at a 45 degree angle to the ground with the disc upside down in a flick grip and lever your arm at the elbow and throw outwards, just like a flick. This throw is extremely difficult to use effectively because the disc will be upside down in the air, and Frisbees don't behave particularly well upside down. This pass is rarely used, but it can be used to throw around defenders and to the left side of the field.

There you have it. A collection of throws in Ultimate Frisbee from the basic to the downright uncanny. Learning to perform any throw well takes time and practice. Passing back and forth with a friend is a great way to get your bearings, or try out that crazy throw you saw online. Either way, the oldest of sayings holds true here: practice makes perfect.