The Self Set Throw – How to Practice Catching

Ryan Young teaches how to throw to yourself so you have the perfect set for practicing a trick catch. By using this throw, you will put the disc into the air with the perfect nose and enough spin to keep it stable. Thus you can practice any catch and spins as well.

As always, start by facing the wind. Grip the disc with a backhand grip at 3 o’clock (or 9 for counter). Now lift your arm and pivot your hand towards 6 o’clock. As your hand pivots, let the disc roll in your fingers so that it moves away from your palm. This is what generates the spin. As your hand gets to 6, release the disc into the air. The goal is to have about a 45 degree angle. The disc should float gently up and then back down and slide slightly towards you as it falls. Now you can make a trick catch.

I like to call this throw a luff, in reference to a sailing ship being steered into the wind so that the sails just begin to flap. Since the goal of this throw is to be a perfect set, you want perfect wind position and only enough spin to keep the disc stable, but no more. This throw is a necessity for catch mastery and can be used as a close up speed flow pass to a friend.