Objects: Flying Discs

Throwing Techniques:


Right Side Up:
Right-side up throws are all similar in that they react the same way to the tilt of the disc when it is released. A disc thrown right-side up will accelerate in the direction of the low end of the disc. A disc tilted leading-edge up will lose speed at the end of the throw and make a gentle landing; if tilted sideways (known in aeronautics terms as roll), it can curve around objects.


Backhand:

This is probably the most commonly learned throw, and also one of the most powerful.

• Grip: Fingers are curled under the disc's rim, and the thumb is placed on top of the disc to hold it in place. The index finger may either be on the edge of the disc (to help aim), or four fingers may be tucked underneath the rim (to aid power).
• Throw: The thrower draws the throwing arm across the body from the left to the right (for right-handed throwers) to build velocity for the disc. During this movement, the arm straightens out. As the arm becomes straight, the wrist is flicked to impart spin. For backhands, the thrower should step with his strong leg (the same side as his throwing arm) forward or across the body to allow a smooth, accurate throw.

Variations

• The High Release: Used to get around an object (or a person), the High Release is thrown above the thrower's shoulder, and relies more heavily on the flick of the wrist to impart power.
• The Air Bounce: This throw is released at a downward angle, but with a high angle of attack. This throw will move toward the ground at first before downwash causes it to rise, giving the visual effect of the disc "bouncing" in the air. This is done by pressing down with the thumb, which lowers the trailing edge at the instant of release.
• The Beach Backhand: Rather than reaching and throwing the disc across the body, the arm is curled and the disc is cocked next to the hip on the same side of the body as the throwing arm. The disc is released by extending the arm straight ahead and snapping the wrist. The term "beach backhand", or "barbecue backhand" as it is sometimes called, is considered pejorative, as this release technique is uniformly inferior to a standard backhand. It is also sometimes referred to as the "chicken wing" as it involves an awkward cocking of the elbow, mimicking a chicken wing.

Forehand:

This throw is also known as the flick, two-finger, or the side-arm. Focused in the wrist, this throw takes little time to execute. Along with the backhand, it is one of the two most common throws used in Ultimate, as it allows throws from the opposite side of the body from the backhand.

• Grip: The middle finger is extended and laid along the rim of the disc. The index finger is placed against the middle finger for power, or pressed on the bottom of the disc pointing towards the center for stability. The thumb is pressed against the top of the disc. The wrist is cocked back, and the arm is extended out from the body.
• Throw: A snap of the wrist imparts spin as the disc releases off the middle finger, as well as some forward velocity. Extension of the lower arm provides additional power, as does shoulder and upper body rotation, although too much reliance on arm movement can lead to "floaty" throws with little spin.

Variations:

The forehand is a versatile throw, and can be adapted to many different situations.

• Different wrist or arm angles on release can allow for inside-out or outside-in curves.
• Most upside-down throws (see below) use the forehand grip and use the same wrist snap and release, and are therefore variants of the forehand in some sense.
• The High Release: Used to get around an object (or a person), the High Release is thrown above the thrower's shoulder, and is powered by the flick of the wrist as well as the rising action of the arm on release.
• The Pizza Flip: Used primarily in faking, the Pizza Flip is executed by starting a standard forehand throw; but at the last moment rotating the disc counter-clockwise (for right handed players), under the throwing arm, using only the middle finger and the momentum of the spin to hold the disc. The Pizza Flip is then released towards the dominant side of the thrower, perpendicular to the direction of the standard forehand throw.

Objects: Flying Discs

Different Types of Flying Discs:


Ultimate
The most common frisbee is called "Ultimate Frisbee"its a 175g frisbee and is used in the sport "Ultimate" The weight and the shape of the frisbee makes it ideal for various different types of throws and grip techniques.

Disc Golf
Disc golf discs are usually smaller but denser and are tailored for particular flight profiles to increase/decrease stability and distance.

Aerobie
The Aerobie Superdisk is an alternative design of flying disc that, although somewhat differently shaped, still has very similar properties to the conventional disc. It has less air resistance. Because there is less resistance to motion, the Aerobie discs can fly farther than the conventional disc. The Aerobie flying ring has minimal drag and has held several world records for the longest flight by a human-thrown projectile. However, due to the lack of a rim, the Aerobie is less suited to angled, curved flights and air-bouncing.

Objects: The Flying Disc and the Physics behind it

Suitability of Disc:
A disc is suitable for flight if its air resistances in different directions are of an appropriate relationship, allowing its flight path to be more efficient in the direction in which it is thrown; and it can therefore be thrown farther than a ball. It must be made of an adequately dense material such that its velocity change due to air resistance is low and the force exerted by gravity is low enough for air flight. Additionally, the shape of the disc must be suited to the throwing action: a flat disc would be inappropriate due to the lack of grip that the thrower could get from the disc, resulting in accidental release.


Air Resistance:
The two major types of flying disc are the conventional design used in both Ultimate and Disc Golf and the aerobie ring. Although these designs are very different, they both use air resistance in the same way to fly.


Effects on Flight:
When a spherical ball flies through the air, it has the same cross-sectional profile causing air resistance in all directions, while a flying disc does not. Its shape causes it to have much more vertical air resistance (assuming horizontal flight) than horizontal air resistance. This is partly due to the large circular cross-sectional area vertically, but is enhanced by the rim around the edge of the disc which encloses air inside the disc in the same way as a parachute.

Effects on Flight Path:

The angle at which the disc is thrown alters the ratios of air resistances in different directions, affecting the direction of flight.
At low speed this can have the opposite effect, and a disc that is pitched upwards will usually fall backwards on its path as it falls through the plane of low resistance. The diagram below shows the path of a pitched disc that is thrown downwards.

The tilt of the disc can also cause the disc to ascend vertically if the disc is tilted upwards, without the need for the disc to be thrown in the upwards direction. This is because of the lift effect caused by the rim of the disc. This is the same principle that is used in the wing of an aeroplane. A disc that is thrown downwards at a tilted angle, and then ascends, performs a movement known as the air-bounce (or air-hop). The diagram below shows the airflow acting upon the disc.

Spinning the Disc:
The spin of the disc helps to keep the disc stable in flight and prevent unplanned tilting. This is because a large angular momentum stabilizes the disc in the same way that it keeps a gyroscope steady, with the angular force forcing the mass of the disc away from the centre of mass, perpendicular to the axis of rotation. Any unequal force acting on a particular area of the disc is quickly redirected to be equal over the circumference of the disc. As the disc spins faster, it becomes more stable due to the rapidity of the equalisation of forces.

Objects: Flying Discs

The Flying Disc

The Frisbee, which is also generically called a flying disc, is one of the most popular outdoor social games that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Today, there are many variations on this theme, but the humble Frisbee is still the most commonly seen at parks and beaches around the world. It has spawned a number of other crazes, such as disc golf and disc dog. You might be wondering who invented the Frisbee and when did it happen? This article will answer this question and take a look at other interesting things about the Frisbee.


Who invented it:
A man named Walter Morrison and his wife were throwing a cake pan on a beach in 1938 when they were offered money for it. Morrison thought that there was a market for this type of toy and started selling them. After World War II he created a flying disc called the Whirlo-Way which was later renamed the Flyin-Saucer. Morrison made changes to the design in 1955 and called the new model the Pluto Platter. Two years later, in 1957, he sold the rights to the toy to the company Wham-O who renamed it the Frisbee.

The Frisbee was not a major success until 1964 when Ed Headrick (the new General Manager of Wham-O) redesigned the Frisbee so that it could be thrown more accurately.

Objects: Frisbee's

I never really knew that much about frisbee's until this summer when i finally had enough space to use one properly. I was shocked to find out how much more there are too them then just picking it up and throwing one. Theres also nothing more satisfying then launching the perfect frisbee throw to your mate like 200meters away. Another attraction to frisbee's is that they are very easy to use and in most cases you can just pick them up and play.