Have you ever found that you don't expect to catch a disc, but you throw a hand out anyway, and the disc just seems to stick in your hand?
Most of the time this has to do with which direction the disc is spinning. Learning to read how the disc is spinning is as important as learning how to read the flight of the disc, and this post will be dealing with how to do just that.
First of all, when catching (and especially one handed) you need to stop two forces, the linear force, and the rotational force. To catch a spinning disc one handed, you need to catch it at the back (to stop the linear force) and on the side of the disc spinning toward you (to stop the rotational force). It is, actually, that simple. Here's a diagram to help visual people:
So how do you know which way the disc is spinning? Regardless of whether someone is lefthanded/right handed, or throwing forehand or backhand, the disc will always spin toward the thrower. If you go out and watch someone throwing, you'll see what I mean.
One of the very best things about learning to read spin is that once you get it, you don't have to actively think about it when throwing. You will automatically adjust your catches to cater for how it is spinning. Spend an intensive few throwing sessions practicing to read spin and catch the disc one handed, and you'll be amazed at how your catching improves.
when i first found out about this i was like, "smeh.... I know how to catch, pfft this is for sissies"
ReplyDeleteBut then you try it and actively move your hand to one side of the disc (depending on the spin) and you instantly feel the disc stop spinning in your hand. Its quite normal to go for the middle of the disc when youre new etc but (and that does work) BUT if you only go slightly to the wrong side you find the disc kicks out of your hand.
To clarify what huddy said about catching the disc on the back... Initially I didnt get that. But picture the scenario. Youre in a vert stack and you cut to the break side. Therefore the handler (R handed) must throw an around the back, break backhand or inside out forehand. For this scenario say its the backhand. Therefore the disc is spinning back toward the thrower.
BUT what this means for the cutter is that if you simply reach out with one hand to the centre of the disc, it will more than likely pop out due to the spin of the disk. So what huddy suggests is that you literally need to reach beyond the closest rim of the disc and across to the far side rim, to stop the spin (or reach to the back side).
BUT HOW DO YOU DO THIS YOU ASK?
think about how you normally just extend your arm to catch one handed... (tyically thumb down yea??)
Now simply drop your wrist and your thumb will be on top... So by taking this technique you can reach to the other side of the disc and catch it one handed whilst trapping the spin.
Hope that makes sense