Backhand Basics

For anyone who picks up a frisbee, the backhand will be the first throw that they try. It’s the most intuitive throw and is often the throw that players are most comfortable with and can throw the farthest, to the point that the most defenses are built on the premise of not letting players throw backhand. Even so, the backhand, along with the forehand account, for the vast majority of throws that occur in a game of ultimate and is therefore an extremely important throw to develop.

Rowan McDonnell once again has a video covering the basics of the throw:

Once a player is able to comfortably thow a standard backhand, they can begin practicing different backhand variants. For beginners trying to add some variation to their backhands, the easiest throwing characteristic to change is pivot distance. Being able to vary the distance of one's crossover step gives players a ton of flexibility to deal with various defensive situations.

The most obvious advantage you can gain from a varied step out distance is the ability to step around a mark, as shown in the video example below. Putting distance between your release point and your mark enables players to throw to the breakside for resets and inside looks more easily. It also allows for throwing to the open side with less pressure.

In addition to being able to step out farther, being comfortable able to throw a backhand with a small or no step is also an important skill to develop. You can release a backhand much quicker if you do not need to step out first and if you are throwing in the opposite direction of the mark, you can place your body between the disc and the mark.