How to Throw a Forehand (Sidearm)

The forehand – or sidearm – curves the opposite way from a backhand and is invaluable for shots that bend the other direction. It's less intuitive at first, but a reliable forehand doubles the shots you can shape.

Instructions assume a right-handed thrower. A right-handed forehand naturally curves a disc the mirror image of a backhand, which is exactly why it's useful: it lets you shape a shot that a backhand can't reach without an awkward angle.

Why learn a forehand

Two reasons. First, shot shape: where your right-handed backhand finishes to the left, a forehand finishes to the right – so it opens up doglegs, pin positions, and lines that a backhand can only reach with an awkward, forced angle. Second, utility in wind and tight spots: a snappy forehand with an overstable disc is one of the most dependable shots in the game once you have it.

The grip

The standard forehand grip is the two-finger "fork": index and middle finger under the rim, middle finger extended along the inside edge for control, thumb pressing on top. Some players stack the two fingers together for more power. The disc rests against the pad of your thumb and the side of your index finger. Grip pressure should be firm but not white-knuckle.

The motion

Unlike the big body coil of a backhand, the forehand is driven by the elbow and wrist. Point your throwing shoulder at the target, bring the disc back beside your body around waist-to-shoulder height, then whip it forward – leading with the elbow and finishing with a sharp wrist snap. That snap is what puts spin on the disc.

Keep your motion compact at first. A short, clean forehand with good spin flies far better than a long, loose arm swing that wobbles.

Fixing wobble (off-axis torque)

The signature beginner forehand problem is wobble – the disc leaves your hand fluttering and pancaking through the air. This is "off-axis torque": the disc tips off its spin axis at release, usually from throwing too hard or snapping unevenly. The fixes:

• Slow down. Throw at 60–70% until the disc comes out clean.
• Release flat. Keep the disc level; tilting it exaggerates wobble.
• More spin, less push. Feel the wrist snap the disc out rather than shoving it forward.

Which disc to learn with

This is where forehand advice flips from backhand advice. A forehand naturally wants to turn a disc over, so on a sidearm you should reach for overstable discs – ones with strong fade and little or no turn. They resist the extra turning force and finish reliably instead of flipping and rolling.

• Approach: the Discraft Zone (4 / 3 / 0 / 3) is the classic forehand utility disc – short, controlled, and virtually flip-proof.
• Control driver: the Innova Teebird (7 / 5 / 0 / 2) holds its line well on a sidearm.
• Distance: an overstable driver like the Innova Wraith (11 / 5 / -1 / 3) resists turning over even with a hard forehand.
• Avoid, for now: understable discs – on a forehand they turn over hard and roll away.

Want to see how much a disc's fade matters on a forehand? Compare an overstable disc against an understable one in the flight path comparator and switch the throw type to forehand.

Common mistakes

1. Throwing too hard. The fastest route to wobble. Build up gradually.
2. Understable disc. It'll flip and roll. Start overstable.
3. Rounding the elbow out. Keep the motion compact and in front of you.
4. No wrist snap. Without spin the disc has nothing to stabilise it.
5. Off-hand doing nothing. A little counter-rotation helps balance the throw.