How to throw forehands using your elbow
Explaining the whip effect
Introduction
Originally I was planning to write a number of other essays before I started writing about throwing form. But a few posts I saw on Reddit this week inspired me to work on this post first. A classic example of Cunningham's Law.
The first was this post by u/TJantzer asking for help with their forearm form. The first time I saw the post, I only checked out the top reply, which has 74 upvotes, and doesn't mention at all what I'll be explaining in this essay. Another comment in the thread links to an Ultiworld article of forehand best practices...and none of those mention how to use your (throwing) elbow.
Now that I've gone back and read the whole thread, I see a few comments that cover briefly the concept that I'll cover in depth in this essay. User u/ColinMcI does the best job of briefly explaining the concept I'll discuss in this essay, but only has 6 upvotes (including one from me). Colin does a great job within the constraints of spending 5 minutes or less writing a Reddit comment. But I want to write the best version of this article. With pictures, and GIFs, and analogies and detailed explanations and science. So the next person doesn't have to spend another five minutes typing up a Reddit comment, they can just link to my post.
The second post that inspired me was "Looking for a specific throwing video". The video in question turned out to be this one featuring coaching by frisbee legend Ben Wiggins. I know squat about ultimate frisbee history, but it's pretty obvious that Ben Wiggins was a better frisbee player than I ever was or will be. But I've gotta be honest, I really think his explanation of how to throw a flick huck is pretty much hot garbage. (I'm not the only one to have pointed this out though—his advice doesn't seem to match how he actually throws.) Read on and I hope I can convince you to agree with me.
How Does A Whip Work
You'll often hear people explain throwing a frisbee (especially a forehand) as being somehow like a "whipping" motion. For example, the word "whip" shows up in two different comments in the first Reddit post I linked above.
So how does a whip work? I'm going to take the liberty to explain it the way that makes sense to me, taking inspiration both from this YouTube video above and this article.
Creating a whipping motion is all about giving a lot of momentum to something close to you, and letting that energy travel down to the far end. In the example of an actual whip, you're giving momentum to the whip's handle in your hand, and letting it travel all the way down to the tip of the whip. In the example of throwing a flick, you're giving momentum to your elbow (closer to you) and letting that energy travel down to the tips of your fingers (at the far end of your arm). [Side note for the physics sickos: yes, in physics, momentum and energy are separate terms, but they are closely related enough that me using them interchangeably in this description is not totally butchering the science]
(You can also think of your shoulder and wrists as components in this "whipping" motion — for more on that, see below)
Now, above, I used the idea of "letting the energy travel" into the next section. Whether I use momentum or energy, what it really means at the end of the day is the amount of force you'll be able to transfer into the disc based on how fast your arm is moving. The energy is related to how fast the thing is moving. So if we want to transfer the energy out of our fast-moving elbow, we have to...slow it down very quickly.
Done right, this energy/speed will translate down into our wrist/forearm. They absorb the energy that used to be in your elbow's motion.
The YouTube video I linked above does a good job of showcasing how that happens in the whip, watch the video for 30 seconds, starting at 5:41:
It's kind of magical to watch how the parts of the whip closer to the handle, once they reach about as far forward as they can go, kind of just hang there in the air as the rest of the whip continues unfurling. As you'll see below, in frisbee we do this same thing with our arms: our elbow stops moving and our forearm and hand gain all the elbow's energy and shoot forward like the tip of the whip.
Use Your Elbow
Getting elbow motion is an absolutely critical part of being able to throw a forehand really far. Here's a video of Jimmy Mickle that was recorded for the ultimate throwing form project:
Here's a screenshot of just after Jimmy has started the forward motion part of the throw:
and here you can see how Jimmy has accelerated his elbow forward before accelerating the disc forward:
In case it's not obvious from looking at the two screenshots, here's a GIF I made flipping between the two images:
Look at that! I actually think it's kinda amazing. Between the two images, I'm not sure the disc moves forward AT ALL (it does move vertically). At the same time, his elbow goes from being fully extended backwards behind his head to being just about even with the front of his body. It's probably moved two feet forward or more, while the disc hasn't moved forward at all.
Finally, later in the throwing motion the elbow reaches the end of it's natural range of motion, and as described above, that energy gets transferred into the forearm and hand. Between the two images in this GIF, now the elbow moves barely a few inches forward, while the hand (with disc in it) moves about two feet:
Leave the Disc Behind
This part of the whip concept somehow is absolutely critical. In my personal throwing experience, it's absolutely critical that you focus ONLY on accelerating your elbow forward. DO NOT try to directly move the disc forward. Instead, give a certain looseness to your lower arm, and just let it be pulled forward by the forward motion of your elbow.
In the whip video I linked above, there's a moment at 3:30 in the video where they analyze the footage they've captured of the whip, and they say:
Those strands right [at the end of the whip] are not in tension. Do you see that? ... It's chaos. And then, there's this moment, where they all come together [and suddenly reach their highest speed]
The same thing is critical for your throwing motion. Your forearm and hand play the role of the 'end of the whip', having a certain level of chaotic looseness until the energy coming from further up the whip (your arm) pull them into formation.
When whipping a whip, it's trivially easy to not try to directly control the end of the whip. It's not part of your body, so you obviously can only move the handle, and let the tip do what it does. But throwing a frisbee, the whip is your arm, and you have nerves and muscles throughout your arm. For this to work the best, you cannot try to control your whole arm. You have to just accelerate your elbow and let that chaos and lack of tension below your elbow generate those super high speeds.
Of course, there's a balance to this that only comes through practice. In order to get the disc to go exactly where you want it to go, you still need a certain level of grip and control over the disc. But at the same time, you need this sort of relaxation of the arm. An uncontrolled controlled motion.
This looseness allows your arm to flex fully in ways that aren't usually possible when we are trying to be in full control of our bodies. Look again at that second picture of Jimmy Mickle at the maximum-elbow-forward position:
His elbow is in front of his hip, while his hand is in a position about six inches behind his back. Try to hold your arm in this position. It's literally impossible for me, and probably is for you, too (unless you're double-jointed or whatever). The only way to get into this position is to do it instantaneously, quickly accelerating your elbow forward while letting your hand relax behind.
I'm not totally sure to explain why this looseness is so important. Here are a couple potential explanations. Consider them "useful ways of thinking about it" and not necessarily "scientifically correct explanations":
First, having your elbow way out ahead of your hand is critical just to get the angles right. If you want to generate power and throw the disc straight forward, you need create space to stop your elbow but at the same time still have space for your hand to continue moving forward. This is only possible if the elbow comes through first.
Second, if our arms are rigid and not relaxed the energy won't transfer correctly. I think of it this way: we can generate the most force by using our big muscles in our pecs, shoulders, and upper arm and letting that energy travel down our arm. Trying to directly use the smaller muscles in our forearm and wrist won't generate as much force. Ultimately, we can move the disc fastest by activating those large muscles and letting our lower arm relax. Since the arm is moving faster (and wrist is rotating) faster in the whipping motion than it could if we fired those muscles directly, trying to activate those muscles will only slow our arm down.
Get Your Elbow Back
If you want to throw the disc really far, you need to accelerate your elbow forward. To give yourself space to accelerate forward, you need to start by drawing your elbow back. Far back.
Here again is Jimmy Mickle with his elbow up at his shoulder height, way back behind his body:
For comparison, here's Claire Chastain throwing a long forehand from the same video series:
She has a great forehand form, definitely taking advantage of the whipping principles we've discussed so far. The only possible area for improvement is that she doesn't draw her elbow back quite as far as Jimmy does. His upper arm is about parallel with the ground, while Claire's is still about 30 degrees away from being horizontal. (I say draw the elbow "back", but given the way our shoulders work, drawing "back" is also going to mean drawing it further up.)
And I don't mean this to dump on Claire in any way. Especially not just based on one video. It's very possible that the director told them both "throw a few long forehands", and Jimmy thought to himself "I'm gonna rip it as far as I possibly can" while Claire thought to herself "I'm gonna throw a few nice, controlled hucks". She's an amazing thrower who clearly is using these principles in her form. But if in reality she isn't comfortable getting her elbow all the way back on those hucks, she probably has an opportunity to add a few more yards to those flick hucks.
It's Not Just Throwing Frisbees, It's Throwing Everything
This whip effect is not just the way to throw a frisbee forehand, it's how good throwers throw everything. For example, here's a GIF I made, similar to the ones above, of Major League Baseball pitcher Zack Greinke throwing his stuff:
Just like with Jimmy, we see that elbow start to move forward while the ball barely moves at all. Just like with Jimmy, his arm contorts into an impossible position. (One of the YouTube commenters calls the motion "violent", which seems fitting)
Speaking of impossible positions, here's another video, of a world champion javelin thrower:
The javelin throw really shows off how extreme these throws look when played in slo-mo. This guy's arm looks like an upside-down U:
So this is not some frisbee-specific trick. It's just how humans throw things. Whip your arms.
Please, Please Be Careful
I hope someone reading this has been inspired to refine (or completely overhaul?) their forehand throwing form. But let me give a word of warning. Like any athletic skill, the strength in your muscles, bones, and tendons that will enable you to achieve this form safely can only be built up slowly over time. As Melissa Witmer said in an article on Ultiworld:
At our annual UAP Coaches Conference, Jools Murray and I had a discussion on the idea of “six years to make an athlete.” The main point of the conversation is that there are some athletic adaptations — such as in bones and tendons — that take a very long time.
Throwing correctly with your elbow requires not just using new muscles, but also using those tendons in your elbow in a way that you most likely were not using them before.
I absolutely believe that it is natural and safe to throw in this way, using those tendons for strength. But it will be a slow adaptation, and you will be at risk of injury if you jump in too fast. Please take it slow. Find your limits by cautiously working up towards the edge of your comfort zone, not by blowing out your elbow after two weeks of overwork. This is a five-year plan, not a five-month plan.
Practicing Using Your Elbow
The best way I've found to practice using your elbow, the cue that works best for me, is to pretend that I have no control over my forearm or wrist. When practicing my throws, I focus on the motion of my elbow and the sensations that I'm feeling in it, and try to really relax my forearm and wrist and just let them do what they want to do based on where my elbow pulls them.
As I mentioned above, this is not a literal truth but sort of a little fictional story in my mind that I'm choosing to take part in. Of course I still need to have some control over my forearm and hand. But focusing on really letting that forearm relax (while at the same time still gripping the disc. It's complicated.) while moving my elbow is what's helped me build up a forearm form that takes advantage of the benefits of the whip effect.
Here's the same advice in the form of a picture:
If whipping your elbow is truly new to you, try doing it a few times without even having a disc in your hand.
I've generally found that the stopping your elbow part can come naturally. Try to notice your arm stopping near your side and not ending up in a follow through way in front of your body. One of my friends memorably has a throwing form where their hand ends up behind their butt on their follow through. I've found this is a good way to guarantee to yourself that you are stopping your arm. You should be able to throw 30 yards with a follow through that leaves your hand literally behind your butt. I personally don't actually throw this way but find it useful as a practice technique.
And as always, when it comes to changing anything about your form, be patient. Don't demand immediate improvement. There may very well be a period of time where you throws get worse before they get better. But hopefully the evidence I've laid out in this article gives you the confidence that this is the right way to proceed, and that confidence can help propel you through the dark weeks or months where your throw is a little worse than it used to be.
Whip Your Shoulder And Your Wrist, Too
Although this article has focused on your elbow, my experience is that the same concepts apply to the way you use your wrist and shoulder as well.
This is a real-world example of that "kinetic chain" that you may have heard about. You draw your shoulder back, and then use your pectoral muscles and core muscles to accelerate the loose shoulder forward. You use that upper arm speed to accelerate the elbow forward, which draws your loose forearm and hand forward with it. And finally you use that forearm speed to whip forward a loose wrist.
When people talk about "getting more wrist flick" on a throw, considering what you've learned in this article, what does that mean? In my experience of learning to throw, it does NOT mean trying to make your wrist rotate extremely fast. Although you can use your body's muscles to rotate the wrist without moving your arm at all, the fastest motion is going to come from accelerating forward your forearm, and having that relaxation in your wrist that allows your hand to snap forward when the energy from your forearm motion is transferred into it.
"You Throw Like A Girl"
I really don't want to ruin a perfectly good essay but bringing up a political topic and butchering it. But I can't help but wanting to try because I feel this is relevant:
I'm sure we're all familiar with the sexist phrase "you throw like a girl". And it is sexist. Anyone of any gender can be good at throwing, and anyone of any gender can be bad at throwing.
But, while the phrase is sexist, I think it isn't meaningless. We've given a dumb-ass, sexist name to a real phenomenon. You could compare it, maybe, to the phrase man-to-man defense. Many of us, me included, have switched to calling it person defense because there's no reason to needlessly and incorrectly bring gender into the name of a specific defensive strategy. But there is a specific concept there, underneath the bad name. We can happily give it a new name and be much more comfortable talking about it without worrying we're disparaging anyone.
In the same way, there's a real, specific concept under the bad name of "throwing like a girl". And that concept, as I understand it, is doing the opposite of what I've laid out in this article: throwing with a rigidness in your body and arms that doesn't take advantage of the physics of transferring energy through the whipping effect. A throw that's lacking in the power generated through looseness when you accelerate your elbow forward while letting your wrist hang behind until the elbow pulls it forward.
I think this is a pretty clear-cut example of our patriarchal society. Girls in our society don't get the same number of opportunities or the same quality of coaching that our boys do when learning to throw. Then when our girls fail to learn to throw more often than our boys do, we create this disparaging term.
But the solution isn't to say that every different throwing form is equally good. The solution is to teach our girls to throw with the same quality that we teach our boys to throw. Humans throw best when using their arm as a whip.
PS — Further Reading/Watching
I've already mentioned above the Ben Wiggins video on forehand form and the Ultiworld article with some forehand best practices. Here are a few other sources I've checked out:
Kurt Gibson's "Huck A Flick" tutorial shows me that he understands this concept, but I don't think he explains it well enough to teach it to others. His basic flick tutorial is about the same — he clearly mentions "bringing the elbow through", but there's not much stress or detail.
Ryan Lowe seems a little confused to me. He does talk about leading with the elbow, and bringing it back high first in order to then accelerate it forward. But he compares it to swinging a bat in baseball or swinging a golf club. Watching this video of golf swings, it doesn't seem like there's a whip effect going on there (The front arm and the club stay straight and locked, so the straightening rear arm must be just pushing, not whipping). Why not just compare throwing a frisbee to throwing a baseball!?
Rowan McDonnell does a very good job of showing and explaining the elbow motion in his forehand tutorial video. I think my essay does a better job of really diving into the topic in detail, but in the context of a five-minute tutorial, his explanation is about as good as you can get.