Sports scientists at Berry College in Georgia have investigated how the distance between the thumb and the center of the frisbee affects the throwing performance of a frisbee. It is the first time one study examines throwing technique in sports.
– I really welcome this, says Knut Erik Teigen Giljarhus, who himself has studied aerodynamics in, among other things, disco golf.
He has previously focused on how a frisbee moves after it is thrown, but not on how to hold the frisbee.
Flew at over 80 kilometers per hour
A total of 24 disc golf players participated in the survey, who were both amateurs and seasoned players. The research team focused on backhand throws and chose to use midrange discs which are one of the most common frisbees used in the sport. Each frisbee was equipped with special flight sensors that measured speed and rotation. In total, they measured throws from five different thumb grips.
The result showed that a thumb position three centimeters into the frisbee got the best results. On average, the frisbee then reached around 80.5 kilometers per hour and rotated roughly 14 revolutions per second.
– On average, the frisbee then got three to four percent higher speed and rotation compared to the other positions, says Knut Erik Teigen Giljarhus.
Needs more research
The study points out that the results do not apply to all types of Frisbees and may differ depending on size, shape or weight distribution.
Knut Erik Teigen Giljarhus emphasizes that there are many factors that influence how successful a throw is and encourages more research.
– It is still a young sport, and more research can lead to us finding even better ways to throw.