Category: Beginner

Articles for the new freestyle frisbee skills player.

The Crank Part 1 – With the Spin

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In this video, I describe the 4 basic, with the spin cranks. The crank is a nail delay move in which arm that is controlling the disc rotates either; up, around, and back under the arm pit or under the arm pit, back, around and down…its makes more sense if you watch it. The with the spin crank on the rim is a really good move to learn as a beginner. It will allow you to do many tricks and help you gain control over the nose of the disc.

Watch the video or read my written article about the cranks for more details.

Matt Demonstrates Learning the Center Nail Delay

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The center nail delay is the basis for much of Freestyle Frisbee. It is the act of spinning the frisbee on your finger nail. Matt explains how to practice so you can master this skill.

First, give yourself a two handed throw. Be sure you choose the spin, clock or counter, that you want to practice. This throw is good because the disc comes to you perfectly flat. Now, let the disc land softly on your finger nail. Most people use the index finger, but any finger nail works. In fact sometimes I use two, or all five (the claw). Keep the disc above your head so you can see the center. As the disc slides on your fingernail, move your finger so it stays in the center. This may mean moving your feet to pursue the disc. Stay loose and chase it around. If it falls all the way to the rim, no problem. That’s called a rim delay. Just let it spin there, trying to keep only your fingernail contacting the disc. The rim delay is also a useful skill. As you get better at both the center delay and the rim delay, bring your arm down until you have control while looking at the top of the disc.

Have advice for someone trying to learn this skill? Let us know in the comments.

Rim Delay to Center Delay

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Lori Daniels demonstrates going from a rim delay to a center delay. This is a critical skill that marks a new level of nail delay control in one’s game. It is used all the time since the disc may come in at and any angle. It is also used if center control is lost. As this skill improves so will center control and eventually you’ll be able to set and angle you want.

Here Lori uses a technique swooping down and then lifting upwards. As the disc travels up push across at a right angle to the center. This will cause the disc to tilt and flatten outs. As it flattens spiral your nail in towards the center and gain center delay control. For an in-depth written description of this skill, check out this article I wrote back in the 90s.

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Matt Teaches the Rim Delay

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In this video, Matt Gauthier teaches how to do a rim delay.

A rim delay is a form of nail delay, or spinning the frisbee on your finger. When most people think of the delay, they think of the frisbee balanced in the center on their finger nail. A rim delay is different. Instead, the inside rim of the frisbee is balanced against the nail. Though a rim delay does take practice to master, it can be faster to learn that the center nail delay. Yet when it is mastered, it provides an enormous depth of tricks and control over the flight of the frisbee. It is truly one of the fundamental skills of freestyle frisbee beyond throw and catch. Check the video for an indepth tutorial on mastering this skill.

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Flat Under the Leg Set

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Matt Gauthier explains how to do an Under The Leg set on a Nail Delay. This trick starts with a center nail delay. You then put the disc under your leg and push (set) it up into the air, and then regain control in a center nail delay.

Matt aptly points out that one of the key skills of freestyle frisbee is to move your body around the disc rather than forcing the disc to go to one place or another. If you watch, you’ll see that Matt keeps the disc mostly in the same line perpendicular to the ground. As he holds it, he moves his leg over and then sets the disc up into the air.

Then Rim Shoot, by Ryan Young

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Ryan Young explains how he does a rim shoot. A rim shoot is a nail delay trick where the disc is set from your nail up into the wind on an angle. One use for the rim shoot is to move into a trick catch. This is because the rim shoot place the disc on an ideal catch angle. A rim shoot can also lead to other nail delay or air brush tricks or can be a pass to a partner.

To perform a rim shoot, first get the disc on a center nail delay. Then, bring your nail towards your body so the disc will tip with the nose towards you. You are now on a rim delay. Now, push gently around the rim so the nose is away from you. As you push, slowly accelerate your speed and nail pressure. When the nose is away from you, push the disc off your nail, propelling it up and into the wind.

At this point the disc will float up and away. As the wind blows and as gravity pulls the disc down, it will float back towards you. Now, make a trick catch or other freestyle frisbee trick.

Nuances of Spinning a Frisbee on Your Finger Nail

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In this video I talk about the basics of a flat nail delay and a rim delay.

In Freestyle Frisbee, a Delay is when the Frisbee is kept spinning on one’s finger nail. This can be done either in the center of the Frisbee on in the rim of the Frisbee.

Most people want to learn the Center Delay immediately. However, it can take many hours of practice to get it down.

The way I learned was by starting with the Rim Delay. This kept me from getting frustrated by not mastering the Center Delay right away. I learned to pass the disc under my legs and behind my back, all with a rim delay.

Over time, I began to understand how the disc progressed naturally in a circle and how to control it better. And then, one day I could keep it in the center.

So, don’t overlook the rim delay as you’re learning new tricks.