The secret to Air Brushing – or – Sloppy Hands

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Air-brushing is more than slapping your hands at a disc and hoping that it comes back up into play. It is an art form that only a few have mastered in the short time that Freestlye has been around.

I have been watching over time and have noticed something about the best wind players. They have sloppy hands when they are air-brushing. If you ever have a chance to watch players like Tom Leitner, Doug E Fresh, or Jake Gauthier, you will see what I mean. It would seem by watching that they should have no control over the disc and it’s flight with the way that they position their hands. It almost looks as though they have Cerebral Palsy. The hands seem to become limp and contorted. Somehow this allows for softer touch and greater precision while brushing. Adding Z’s, changing angles, or putting the disc out in front of you in just the right position. Sloppy hands are no doubt the way to go. It is the ability to adapt a soft touch with striking precision that will help you change your wind game from hopeful wind player, to Wind Jammer.

Matt Gauthier

Learn to Chest Roll – or – The Power Roll

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The way I learned to roll was by first learning a power roll. I’ll explain for clock spin. First face the wind. This roll can be done in all kinds of wind, but I found it easiest to learn it in no wind. So indoors is good. Just make sure you have a high ceiling and no breakables around. It can get a little out of control. Next you need to toss the disc on a very steep angle to your left side. Then curl your left hand towards your forearm and wait with your hand down low, by your hip. As the disc comes down hit it at seven o’clock or so (this is important) with the palm of your hand. Stick your right arm straight up in the air and it will almost track itself. You might have to move your right arm forward a little bit to get it to track, but you will get the idea quick. You will need to hit it a little hard so that the direction of the disc will change from falling to travelling up your chest. As you get good at the power roll you will find that an open chest roll with no uphill travel will become easier. And if you give the open chest roll a little push with a curled wrist it will help greatly in making the disc track across your chest, because you’re giving it a direction instead of letting it roll as it will.

Kick Brushing 101

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Kick brushing is an integral part of freestyle Frisbee. So invaluable is this tool, that it can push your game into a whole new difficulty level as well as add some fun and inventive saves.

Kick brushing is rather simple to learn in its most basic form. Kick brushing is similar to the air brush. One can learn by tossing a disc on an angle into the wind and kicking it in the same direction as the spin. Ideally if the spin is clockwise you would kick the disc at five o’clock with the outside of your right foot, or the inside of your left. If the disc is spinning counterclockwise then kicking the disc at seven o’clock would be more prudent. Of course there are always exceptions to every rule. Depending on spin and angle you may have to kick it in a different place. Practice some and you will see it’s not that hard to get it to come back up to your hands. Adding spin, changing the angle, the direction, or bumping the disc with control…well that’s another story.

Adding spin:

It is sometimes necessary to add spin to the disc when kick brushing to gain stability of flight, or return to a delay. Adding spin can be tricky. It depends on many factors, such as; angle, wind, current spin, where the disc is relative to you, and much more. First you want to determine what your dominant leg is. (most right handers are right legged). In the beginning your dominant leg will be easiest to add spin with. For clock, however, the right leg will have better ability to add spin, and vice-versa for counter. Next, you want to toss the disc on and angle and kick it with the spin. It is like basic kick brushing, except that you will want medium to light contact with the disc. (If you hit it heavy you will send the disc into the upper stratosphere) When you kick the disc you will want to transfer almost all of the energy into the spin of the disc rather than flight path. Hitting the disc at four or five o’clock and continuing through with power clockwise will give the desired effect when the proper contact is made. Or eight to seven o’clock counter.

Note: When I learned I would throw the disc on a steep angle and try to add only a little spin. Beginning with too much power will not only be frustrating but can injure you and your friends.

Changing the angle:

Changing the angle with a kick brush is in some ways difficult and others not so much. It depends on what it is that you are trying to do. For instance, you can change the angle of a disc that is clock trailing off to your left with relative ease. The easiest way to do this is to use your skills adding spin. The biggest difference is where you kick the disc. Using your right foot, you will want to kick the disc in between five and six o’clock just a little low on the rim. ( Of course in the direction of the spin) Adding a ton of spin at the same time. This will tip the nose up in front of you instead of to the right where it was before. If you were using your left foot it requires a little more finesse. You need to use the inside of your foot with less power. Kicking in the direction if the spin, hit the disc at five o’clock (again just low on the rim) so as to bring the disc up to your hands to regain control. For counter transpose the feet and placement on the disc.

There are other ways to change the angle on the disc to save or for fun. Try throwing the disc with a severe angle, clock, and gently ease the top of your right foot onto the bottom of the rim at roughly four o’clock. You will need a lot of spin for this. The disc should flatten out. Practice some and you will figure out how to get it back up so you can deal with it. You can change the angle like this with any part of either foot. The more places on your foot you can change the angle with, the more adept you will be at saving a bad throw or pass.

Changing the direction:

Changing the direction of a discs flight path takes practice but is maybe more simple than changing the angle or adding spin. There are only a couple of things to consider. Mostly all you have to do is recognize the amount of spin and the direction in which the disc is traveling. The amount of spin will determine how hard you have to kick it, and how much of the angle you can change. The only thing I can say about this is practice some while jamming. It is solely experience that will help in determining how hard to kick or how much angle play you have. The direction is simple….where is it going? If you can determine where it is going you can decide where to hit the disc to make it go where you want it to. The best way I can think to practice this is: Get a friend to stand a bit away from you on your left. Have him/her throw the disc with the nose pointed up over to you. (your friend should be parallel to you and in the same line) Make sure that the throw is going to go a little past you, to your right, and that it is near your feet. When the disc gets near your foot stick it out and hit the edge around four o’clock. The disc should abruptly change direction and now be flying in front of you. As to the rest of it, practice. Try it and see what happens…having the aforementioned skills will greatly help you in your endeavor to change direction.

Bumping:

Bumping the disc is mostly reserved for a disc with high spin. It is easy really. Take a disc with high spin that is angling down toward your foot and lightly bump the disc at six o’clock with a not so gripping part of your shoe and it should come right up with almost the same amount of spin it had. You can change the direction with this method as well by hitting the disc at four or seven. Four will send it left and seven right. (this is clock of course…..can you tell which spin I use most?)

Matt Gauthier

Kick Brushing 210

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Kick brushing, much like all of freestyle, is an art form. After getting the basics you are ready move on to harder and more exciting kicks. It is my recommendation that even if you have not mastered the basics you should try trick kicks. In my experience I have found that trying things beyond your ability often solidifies the ability you have and accelerates your growth as a freestyler.

Outside Heel kick:

The outside heel kick is rather simple IF you hit the disc correctly. To perform this kick set the disc on an angle to your right or left side. (clock) Most commonly, this kick is done with the right foot. You will want to set the disc about shoulder height. Rotate your knee so that it points down toward the ground. This will bring your foot up towards your head. The outside of your foot is now facing forward. With the outside of your right foot touch the disc on the outside rim at four o’clock. With your left do the same thing only hit the disc at seven o’clock. Now, if you are brave you can change the angle. Hit the disc on the bottom of the rim at four and it will change. Experiment with it and you will be able to change the angle a little or a lot. Some people change the angle off the throw. It is best to attempt this with high angle.

Leg Over Kick:

The leg over kick is all about timing. It, in essence is just a regular kick. If you set a disc on a high angle in front of you, let it come down toward your foot like a regular kick brush. Moments before you are about to kick the disc jump up and kick your opposite leg over the disc then kick the disc with the intended foot. That’s it, nothing special here excepting the timing. That itself is rather hard.

Sole brush:

The sole brush is done with the sole of your foot. Hence, Sole brush. This one can be hard. It requires a bit of flexibility. Set the disc into the wind about head height directly in front of you. With your toe pointed, swing your foot up in the air, in the direction of the spin. Hit the disc just below the ball of your foot on the rim at about five o’clock ( for clock). The disc should end up in front of you.

Behind The Leg Kick:

The behind the leg kick can be done two different ways that I know of. One is with the sole of your foot, and the other is the top of your foot. With clock spin it is easiest to do this kick with your right foot. Set the disc to your left on an angle. Let it drift down towards the ground and kick with the top of your foot, behind your left leg at six o’ clock or so. The disc will either go up and to the right or straight forward. It depends on where you hit it. I find that depending upon the wind it is sometimes easier to jump then kick. Be careful not to kick your leg out from under you.
If you want to kick it with the sole of your foot, set the disc the same as aforementioned. Instead of just kicking behind your leg you can twist to the right swinging you right foot down with your toe pointed toward the ground. Hit it at five or six and there you have it. You don’t have to spin, yet I find it easier.

Inside kick brush:

The inside kick brush is dependant mostly on angle. First you will want your back to the wind. Next set the disc, from a rim delay, on a steep angle with the nose pointed towards the wind. . (Maybe sixty degrees, it depends on the wind) The set should be near the side of your body that you wish to kick with. Then give it a kick at six or so in the direction of the spin. Watch your face, a bad hit can result in a fat lip. You don’t usually have to hit it very hard a light tap will do the trick. I find that pointing your toe will help in gaining control. If you would like to practice on your own without a rim set you can try a two handed throw set. It works well.

There are many more trick kick brushes that can be learned. Practice and experiment. Much like all freestyle there are more ways to do it than have been invented.
Also, watch film there is tons to be learned in the playback.

Decision making skills for the Mob-Op player

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If you want to know how to play with other people, even with a limited skill set, the answer lies in your ability to take into account a few variables; where are the people around you, what spin is the disc, how much spin is on the disc, and how long has it been in play. If you can perceive these few things you can have an incredible jam with almost anyone.

First things first. Know where the people are around you. Before every throw you should take a quick gander at the lot of people. Where are they? Who can you pass to? Are you even in a good position to receive the disc? Be sure you are not in someone’s lane. If you are in someon’s lane, find an open hole and move yourself to it. Sometimes the only open hole is on the end of the line of jammers. It is Okay to stand in front of the jam sometimes. Be sure not to be a wind shadow, and be ready to move out of the way if someone comes running at you. Next is the disc coming to you? If it is be ready. Even if you think it might not be coming, be ready. A bad throw or miscommunication can result in your turn for play. If the disc is coming to you, you will need to decide if the throw has enough spin to take it on a delay. If it does feel free to do so. If your skills are limited think about passing after one or two pulls. This will get the disc out of your hands and give you an opportunity to keep it in play for extended periods of time, thus increasing the fun factor. Passing is essential. It keeps everyone involved, and helps fire up the jam. If the disc should come to you with only a little spin you are left with different options. You could brush the disc to one of your friends, or to yourself. You can also terminate the throw. Don’t be afraid to throw a similar throw to another jammer after your termination. A little speed flow never hurt a jam. The most common error I have witnessed is not knowing how much spin is on the disc. If you think there might not be enough spin, don’t hesitate to terminate. Early termination, sometimes feels a little weird, but it never busts a jam. A seal is a seal. Far too often we jam without termination. This is a game of throw and catch. If someone serves you up a set, with little spin, that is a good angle to brush back, go for it.

Sometimes there may be plenty of opportunity to keep going after the throw has been in play for a while.Feel free to catch. Even if it is just an under the leg. A few solid catches can really fire up a jam, and build mob-op chemistry.

Knowing the spin will help you determine what you can do with it and for how long. If you don’t know the spin coming to you pass it off. The next person probably does. Passing the disc off is huge. When you are losing control, pass it off. If you can’t think of anything to do pass it off.

Passing leads to what I think is the best part of mob-opping. As soon as you pass run to the other side of the person you passed to. Or if someone has that lane move to the end of the jam. You should be thinking about where you can be most helpful at any given time. Even running in a circle around the jam can be fun. It leaves a lot of space for you to get involved.

It is also important to note that when you do not have the disc in the jam there are plenty of things you can do besides spectate. You can hoop, leg-over, or get in front of a jammer so you can tip it back. If you have the energy, run with anyone who goes on a brushing run. When they get in trouble, there you are waiting to pick up the pieces and create more fun. It also encourages other jammers to pass to you.

In short, the idea is to create the most interaction between the most people that you can. All while using the skills you have.

Matt Gauthier

The Flamingitosis

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LustiWritten by Dan “Lusti” Lustiger

When I first looked at the flamingitosis I didn’t believe it was possible. But when I learned the flamingitis I knew that that trick was my next goal.
I bet I know what you’re thinking; flexibility is required to do that trick. NOT!!!!!
I’m not flexible at all and I am doing it. The key is the set.

Ok enough small talk…
Before you do the flamingitosis I recommend that you learn a few catches.
The flamingo, then to a flamingosis. And the flamingitis.
Once you learn the flamingosis and the flamingitis you need to mix them together. The set is very important. When you do the flamingitis you should look how far your hand can go to catch. If your hand doesn’t go so far you should make the set a little to the right so when you do the osis spin it will be easier to catch it.
Okay now make yourself the set. The set should start from the waist level and end at the ankle area.

Now, once you did the set, spin around fast to the opposite way of the catch (spin clockwise if you’re catching it with your right hand). Raise your right leg (again, if you’re catching it with your right hand) over the disc, lean on your non-catching hand and catch.
Tip: some people are more comfortable of doing it with a center nail delay set. You should be expert in both (rim and center) sets so in mob-ops and small jams you will be able to end the co-op with a great catch.
Another Tip: some people like me can only do the movement if they set a disc. If you can’t do it without a disc, don’t think you lost it.
Last Tip: work both indoors and outdoors. The wind can change your movement completely. Be patient.

What, are you still here? Go jam!!!!!!

Lusti

Jam Report: We had only ONE hour…

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…to jam in the gym. So, as Lori nailed-up, Jake was already working on brushing, kicking, and spinning catches. No warm-up, just shred out there. Lori finally feeling ready, was given z’s and both just continued the momentum of passing, rolling, brushing, tipping, and catching as fast as two people who are jammin’ against the clock could go. Noteworthy moments were when Jake and Lori tried to do some ground moves to each other, Jake’s phlaud pulls, and Lori’s upsidedown moves. We were trying to dream up some co-ops for eventual demos that we are trying to schedule for the not-too-distant future. By the time our 55 minutes were up, both were exhausted, sweaty, hot, and happy. A strong contrast to the driving rain and cool temps outside of the gym. Move of the jam: Lori’s utl set to spin one way, to a utl pull under other leg…you’ll just have join us to see what we’re talking about. 😉

Heinsville Polls

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Announcing Heinsville Polls. At least once a month Heinsville will post a new poll seeking to root out popular opinion on important topics like: What’s the hardest catch? Which spin is better? Do you point your toes? And preferred wind speed. These questions are meant to educate, entertain, and inspire. Don’t miss your chance to weigh in!

This month’s Poll. Which catch is most difficult: Gitis, Phauld, Scarecrow, or Pancake?

Milwaukee Labor Day Jam 2009

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Sunny Daze! Jammin’ Craze! I was out there too much to video the dropless shredding that was going on… but, you can get a taste of it by watching some of the great moves by these folks. – LD

How’d you get so good at Rolling?

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Larry does a chest roll in the snow.Written by Larry W. Imperiale

Background

Crushed…My first big prelims in Vancouver 78, and I lost a half-point on the variety check-off sheet because I didn’t do a brush and another half-point for not doing a roll. I figured I better work on this, and by Fall 1979 I had basic brushes and rolls down, thanks to Corey Basso and Skippy Jammer. But it wasn’t until I became a bench-warmer for Stanford Ultimate that I jumped to the next level with these skills by brushing and rolling on the sidelines.

Roll/Brush Fundamentals

1. Play by yourself often, practicing rolls and brushes where you have room to run and hopefully some, but not necessarily nice, wind. Visit San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and other good wind-spots on nice wind-days as often as possible.

2. Face the wind. Know where you are in relation to the wind at all times. Learn to feel it like a sailor.

3. As Skippy says. remember that the object of a roll is not to get it from one hand to the other (bounce, bounce), but to roll it along the body as if it’s on Velcro, pulling it along your arms by moving your body in the opposite direction of the roll with “touch-Zs,” turbo rolls excepted.

4. Step into and follow-through on all brushes and kicks, as you would in tennis, volleyball or baseball.

5. Decrease the margin of error by wearing size twelve shoes for better surface-area for kicking. I’m a size 11.

6. Seriously, try brushing the disc steeper at times, a skill I learned watching Dave Marini and JJ (John Jewel) in 1978.

7. Step into the disc when brushing so if it goes too far you can get to it, always being ready for the missed hit….be on your toes and ready to sprint.

8. Don’t plan too much. The best part of this game is to take advantage of the hand dealt to you. If you plan to do a roll off of a set but it’s there for a kick or a scarecrow catch instead, go for what’s there. Don’t force it…go with the flow.

9. When you’re indoors, compensate for no wind by running faster to make your own wind, and by setting rolls and brushes steeper.

10. The force of the brush should be inversely proportional to the Zs on the disc. For example, you’re middle-jammer in a 3-person MAC-line (Midair Attitude Correction). The disc comes to you with a slight angle and high Z’s – just meet it with your hand or body part…it’s riskier to swing at it or brush it hard when it’s not needed. On the other hand, hit it harder if it has low Zs. Learn how to adjust the disk with a cuff as needed for better options in MAC-lines..

11. Cuff often when you’re sweaty and you have a steep, high Z disk.

12. The meek will not inherit the kick. Be aggressive. Pretend you’re the batter in 6th-grade kickball.

13. Play the spontaneous wind game with your friends, but also learn when to give space to your partner for individual moves. Go on “brush runs” with your partners. . Be like Magic Johnson and make the players around you better…Set up your partners with good, easy brush/roll/kick sets and watch great, difficult things happen that you won’t remember after you do them… this is a good sign. Communicate frequently before and after you jam to enhance these opportunities. Also talk during spontaneous times (e.g. all-mine, all-yours, coming, etc…).