5% fewer throwaways

In a tough game, throws are harder. The mark is better and on average your cutters aren’t getting as open. This means that you will probably have to look for your dump more often, but also that the dump coverage will also be tighter.

If we look dump 50% of the time and only complete 90% of those passes, 5% of our total passes are turnovers. And those turnovers in the backfield kill you in transition. We need close to 100% connections and knowing that we can dump easily will let us look off tougher throws upfield. When dumping at close range, a touch forehand can be hard to throw, let alone with a mark that is harassing you. From the dump’s perspective, a forehand can be difficult to read off of your hand.

For this situation, I really like a “flip pass”. I’m not sure what you call it but it’s basically a pizza-pie toss. It’s the throw you would toss to yourself if you’re jogging and want to catch one above your head. The disc is flat and parallel to the ground so it will hang in the air at a particular spot. It’s a very short pass so it’s a lot of wrist. Your arm should be mainly straight at the elbow on this throw, and the lift comes from an underhand ball toss motion. The spin comes from a backhand grip and snap.

As the dump comes around, you can step towards your target window using your body to seal off the mark, and fairly easily toss the disc into the smallest of windows. This pass doesn’t move very fast and is easy to read off of your hand. To practice your dump, try to throw a disc into a laundry basket (vertical, not on its side, maybe on a chair for elevation) from about 10 feet away from your pivot. This simulates being able to hang a disc in a very small window where your dump can go and get it. Personally, the flip pass is the easiest way for me to do this from a number of different body positions. Can you do better with a different pass? If so, please teach me.

The reverse fist pump

Sometimes you don't want to go crazy with the fist pumping. Maybe the occasion is slightly subdued, or showing your enthusiasm could mean an undesired punch in the nuts. There are also times, however, when less is more, and the subtle, so-called "reverse fist pump" may be just the statement you need.

The reverse fist pump is mechanically simpler than the classic full extension fist pump, but arguably harder to master.

1. (The Fist) Make a fist with one hand with your forearm extended out, elbow slightly away from your side. At the same time, rotate your fist so that your palm is up.


2. (The Pump) To execute the pump, bring your elbow in to your side, making sure to clench your fist and contract your bicep slightly. This ensures the assertive motion which is essential for all fist pumps.

Exactly how far out your elbow starts results in different degrees of the reverse fist pump. A shorter distance is usually used for more personal fist pumps or extreme subtlety. Farther distances can turn the reverse fist pump into a defiantly public expression of victory. Modest distances of about 4-6 inches are standard for visual affirmation with a small number of people. The speed with which you execute the fist pump can also affect the message it sends to others. A fluid, controlled movement is usually preferred, but a deliberate pause between The Fist and The Pump is sometimes used in more droll situations. The standard reverse fist pump has been used to great effect in sports as well as politics, showing spectators that the fist pumper is happy in a self-assured but not flashy way.

In the picture, Mark demonstrates a passable reverse fist pump caught at the very beginning of The Pump. Although the arm itself has sound technique, notice how important body language can be in bringing across the bigger fist pump picture. Mark could have adopted a more aggressive body stance - straightened back, hips thrust slightly out, feet set a little wider - which would contribute to a more assertive fist pump. Also, there is no smiling in fist pumping. But what Mark lacks in contextual cues, he makes up for in his bold costume choice. In fact, one could argue that Mark is actually performing a rarely seen cousin of the reverse fist pump, the Reverse Chuck Norris Stealth Jaguar Fist Pump.

Many variations of the reverse fist pump exist, including the double reverse fist pump (two fists), and the extreme (double) reverse fist pump (prolonged end pump with fists clenched hard enough to vibrate the forearms). Only superficially similar to the reverse fist pump, the double reverse and extreme reverse fist pumps are usually associated with over-hyped and over-adrenalized people like pro wrestlers and others who have yet to master the art of subtlety.

Today's lesson: extension

Okay, there is actually some skill in fist pumping. A teammate or two may need help in learning this skill. As loving teammates, it is our responsibility to help the lesser skilled teammates improve in the fundamentally essential technique of proper fist pumping.

Today's lesson should really build upon previously learned techniques of the proper way to make a fist and load the arm for the pump. I'll let those more skilled in that specific area to give tips. This lesson is more about how to extend your arm, "to pump" so to speak.

When "pumping" you need to thrust your arm out to its full extension. Direction isn't as critical when initially learning this essential technique. What is important is FULL extension.

An example of good extension:




Note how her right arm is fully extended ("pumped"), while the left arm is cocked to begin another pump. This is good technique.

Let's contrast this to an example of poor technique.


In this example, note the lack of enthusiasm in the pump. This is demonstrated in the short extension of both arms. This is not a good fist pump. You want full extension. Having items in your hands or a pack on your back is truly not a valid excuse for a lame fist pump. In these cases, drop the items in your hands and sack up about the pack on your back. Fist pumpings always have dibs on your attention.

To recap on today's lesson: Full extension on your pump for maximum impact.

Are you ready to fist pump!?

	Let's face it. We're a bunch of crazy people. We punish our bodies, punish other people's bodies, fight for the privilege to eat questionable things, dress like walrus astronauts, and basically get into all sorts of mischief. We have the heart, the skill, and the je ne sais quoi that makes life such fun times. When it's time to get the job done, we rock it. When it's time to rock, we bring the noise. And when it's time to bring it - we do more fist pumping, baby. Use this space to write about anything Mischief, ultimate, or life-related, especially if it encourages more fist pumping. Heck, use it as a substitute for spamming the Mischief list with youtube videos - go nuts! Happy fist pumping, shwu (Images courtesy of NJ Beach blog)