There’s likely no play more exciting in Ultimate than the huck. It’s how you start every point, and how some teams make some BIG plays. The question is; how do the best throwers in the game throw the disc so far and with so much accuracy? Well, that’s what I (and a lot of internet crawling/YouTube binging) am here for.
Simply put, a huck is when you throw the disc far. Yup. That’s it. Throw it far. But! To throw a solid huck, you need three things: proper grip, proper spin, and POWERRR.
Grip. When you throw a backhand huck (the most common kind), there are two ways you can grip the disc; using the ‘power grip’ or the ‘split finger’ grip. A power grip means all fingers are along the underside of the rim with the thumb gripping firmly on top of the disc. A split finger grip is relatively the same as the power grip, however you place your index finger along the side of the rim. For a good huck, you want to use the power grip.
Spin. The more spin you put on the disc, the more you will be able to control the flight of the disc. I hope you hit the gym on the regular, folks, because your core is key here. The more core power you use when you huck the disc, the more spin you’ll get. With a little core and a flick-a-da-wrist, you’ve got yourself some spin.
Power. The power behind your huck comes from a combination of elements you put into your throw, including; stepping out, turning your hips, using your core, snapping your arm, and flicking your wrist.
- Stepping Out: Basically, luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunge! If you’re hucking on a throw-off, take a few steps into the throw. If you’re hucking during play, use your pivot foot to your advantage and lunge around your marker when you throw.
- Turning Your Hips: Turn your hips with your throw! This should come naturally as you step out and use your core to throw the huck.
- Using Your Core: It’ll take some pressure off your arm and put more of your body weight behind your huck.
- Snapping Your Arm: This will aid you in directing where you want the throw to go.
- Flicking Your Wrist: Throwing a frisbee is aaaaall about that wrist and flicking when you huck is crucial to get that spin on the disc.
Put that all together and you’re got yourself a long huck, my friend.
More of a visual learner? Check out my good friend Brodie Smith on YouTube.
