Beginner guide
How to throw a backhand frisbee
The backhand is the throw you already half know from the beach — and the one most people throw badly for years without ever being told why. It takes about an hour to fix.
Watch it done properly
Backhand instruction
Grip, stance and release, demonstrated slowly.
A second angle
A short tutorial covering the same throw with a different emphasis on the wrist.
The grip
Thumb on top of the disc, four fingers curled underneath against the inside of the rim. Your index finger can either curl under with the rest, or run along the outside edge — both are common, and the curled version gives more spin.
The important part is that your fingers press up against the inner wall of the rim, not just the flat underside. That is what lets the disc peel out with spin instead of sliding off your hand.
The beach-frisbee grip is the problem. Most adults learned to hold a disc loosely with the index finger pointed along the rim and everything else relaxed. It throws a floaty disc twenty feet and nothing further. Curl the fingers in and squeeze.
The throw, in five steps
- Turn side-on and step across. Right-handers: your right shoulder points at the target, and you step across your body with your right foot towards where you are throwing. In a game this step is also how you get around the defender marking you.
- Reach across, do not wind up. Bring the disc across your chest towards your opposite hip. That is the whole backswing. A big looping wind-up adds nothing and telegraphs the throw.
- Pull through in a straight line. The disc should travel on a flat, level path towards the target — not in an arc. Think about pulling a drawer open rather than swinging a bat.
- Snap the wrist at the end. As your arm extends, uncoil the wrist. This is where the spin comes from, and it is the step almost everyone skips.
- Follow through low and flat. Your hand should finish pointing at the target, palm down. If your hand finishes high, the disc probably left nose-up and will stall.
Fixing the four common backhands
| What it does | Why | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Curves hard left and dives into the ground (right-handers) | You released with the outside edge tilted down — the single most common backhand fault | Consciously release with the outer edge slightly raised. Ask someone to stand behind you and call out “flat” or “dropped”. |
| Floats up, hangs, and drops short | Nose up at release | Point the leading edge slightly down. Throw at your partner’s knees, not their head. |
| Wobbles | Loose grip, no wrist snap | Squeeze the rim and throw short and hard. Spin fixes wobble; power does not. |
| Fine standing still, terrible in a game | You are not stepping around the marker | Practise stepping out and across as part of the throw, every time, so it is automatic when someone is standing in front of you. |
Two drills worth doing
- Kneeling backhands. Kneel and throw twenty feet. With no legs and almost no arm available, all the spin has to come from your wrist. Ten minutes changes the throw.
- The flat-line drill. Throw along a fence, sideline or path and watch whether the disc tracks parallel to it or curves away. Straight is a skill you can see, so make it visible.
Throw with people who can watch your release
Ultimate Together is a new beginner-friendly pickup group forming in the Howell–Brighton area of Livingston County, Michigan, with first adult co-ed games planned for May 2027. Pairs throwing before every session is part of the plan — and someone standing behind you is worth more than any video.
Backhand questions
Is the backhand easier than the forehand?
Much easier to start with, because the motion resembles throwing a ball across your body. Most people can throw a usable backhand within one session. The forehand takes weeks — but the backhand also has a lower ceiling if you never fix the grip.
Why does my backhand curve into the ground?
You are releasing with the outside edge of the disc tilted downwards. The disc goes where its edge points. Release with the far edge level or slightly raised, and the throw will straighten out immediately.
How far should a backhand go?
A solid recreational backhand travels 25 to 40 yards. Getting past that is mostly about spin and a clean flat release rather than strength — players who throw the length of a field are not throwing harder, they are spinning it faster.
Should my index finger be on the rim or curled under?
Both are used. Curling all four fingers under the rim generates more spin and is the better default for a beginner. Extending the index finger along the outside gives a little more control on short touch passes.