I posted a simple question to Reddit's Ultimate Frisbee community recently.
"Do you know an ambidextrous Ultimate player? I'm writing a book about Ultimate Frisbee and one of my theories is that the ideal, best players are those that can use both their left and right throws equally."
Within 48 hours, the post had 134 comments and 19,000 views. It became one of the most discussed threads I have ever seen. Clearly, I had touched a nerve.
The responses fell into three camps, and understanding all three will help you decide how to invest your own training time.
The Skeptics: It Is a Party Trick
The loudest voices argued that full ambidexterity offers diminishing returns. Their core belief is that elite throwers can already put the disc anywhere on the field with their dominant hand.
One experienced player summarized this view: the best players are the best players because of amazing skills, athleticism, and field sense, not because they throw with both hands. The common thinking is that ambidextrous throwing would have really diminishing returns in terms of practice time.
The skeptics raised several specific objections:
- The pivot foot problem. Once you establish a pivot, you are locked into one side of the field. You cannot switch pivot feet mid stall, which limits your off hand options to awkward, low power releases.
- Elite throwers already break the mark. Great throwers can put the disc wherever they want on the field regardless of whether they are throwing forehand or backhand. Does a second hand really open more windows?
- The time investment. Hours spent developing a second set of throws could be better spent refining dominant hand skills, conditioning, and field sense.
Perhaps the most striking testimony came from a player who actually has strong off hand throws: "My off hand is better than the average dominant hand. And so I never ever use it, because my dominant hand is better. There are maybe two percent of situations where it would make sense to use it, but it is more optimal to just not think about it."
The Moderates: Off Hand Backhand Is Enough
The middle ground held that a short range off hand backhand is genuinely useful and worth developing. But they drew the line there.
One experienced club player captured this view: being able to throw a lefty backhand is clearly valuable, and occasionally a lefty scoober is nice. But to be fully ambidextrous is basically a party trick. There are so many ways to break the mark with one hand.
The moderates offered practical guidance:
- Focus on five to fifteen yards. That is the range where off hand backhands are most useful.
- Use it for give and gos and uplines. Quick continuation throws are the sweet spot.
- Do not bother with off hand flicks. The juice is not worth the squeeze for most players.
Another commenter quantified the benefit: "I think seventy to ninety percent of the benefit of being ambidextrous is covered by being able to throw a five to ten yard offhand backhand for give and gos and uplines."
This camp even advocates teaching beginners an off hand backhand before teaching a forehand flick. It is easier to learn, immediately useful, and covers most situations where you might want an off hand option.
The Advocates: This Is the Future
A smaller but passionate group argued that ambidexterity is undervalued and will become more common among elite handlers.
One commenter made a bold prediction: "In ten to fifteen years I bet a lot of the top handlers will start becoming more fully ambidextrous. How you can conclude that it's not much of an advantage is kind of baffling to me honestly. When was the last time you tried marking a serious center handler who has a flick huck from both sides of the field? It sucks."
A high school coach shared direct experience: "I have an ambidextrous person on my high school team. He is extremely difficult to mark against considering he is an amazing handler with both hands. For other teams who are unaware that he can throw practically anything, they have a very hard time trying to figure out how to guard him."
The advocates pointed to specific tactical advantages:
- The wide stance technique. One player described a teammate who upon receiving would widely plant both feet so that the pivot foot was not immediately identified. Then he could pivot six feet in either direction. Almost impossible to block.
- Faking across hands. Faking with one hand, without pivoting, then throwing with the other vexes marks.
- Speed of release. When you catch with your left hand, you can throw immediately instead of switching hands and winding up.
Named Ambidextrous Players
The thread identified several players known for genuine two handed games:
- Bob Liu (Machine/Ring) — Reportedly played a full season throwing lefty after injuring his right wrist
- Nate de Morgan — Throws lefty backhand hucks and righty hammers in games
- Gene L'Heureux (Salt Lake) — Described as "filthy and hard to cover because you never know what direction he's going"
- Joe Cubitt (Mechanix) — Developed from semi ambidextrous to fully ambidextrous over time
- Sadie Jezierski — Her lefty high release flick made Ultiworld's Throw of the Year bracket
- Jakob Brissette — "Broke me with a sick lefty laser flick"
- Pat Beecher (Dallas, 1980s) — "Short quick guy who was fast with his throws whichever hand"
What I Have Learned from Training My Left Hand
I have been working on my lefty flick for several months now. I can throw it twenty to thirty yards, though I have not used it in a game yet. Here is what I have discovered.
Why I chose the flick over the backhand for my off hand:
- Eyes stay forward. With a lefty flick, I can keep my eyes on my target throughout the motion.
- Quicker release. The flick snaps out faster and is harder for the mark to anticipate.
- Harder to guard. With a backhand, I almost have to take my eyes off my receiver, and the motion is easier for the mark to spot and block.
- More release points. I can go high release, low release, or air bounce underneath without changing my stance.
But here is the insight that changed my thinking: training my left hand has made my right hand better.
- Cross teaching. My dominant side teaches my non dominant side. The mechanics transfer. And when I return to my right hand, I understand the motion more deeply.
- Better fakes. My confidence in moving the disc between hands has grown.
- Recovery time. Working your off hand gives your dominant arm rest. It balances your muscles and your overall sense of athleticism.
- Bigger gains for less work. The marginal improvement from working more on an already strong dominant hand is tiny compared to the leaps you make developing your weak side.
The Pivot Foot Question
An interesting debate emerged about the rules. Can you catch the disc flat footed, hold both feet planted, and then choose which foot to pivot on based on which hand you want to throw with?
One commenter described a teammate who would pick up the disc with his feet set wide and throw a few righty flick fakes but not establish a pivot foot, then step out into the big open space for a lefty huck. It worked, except that it attracted arguments about travelling because it was a strange maneuver.
From my understanding of the rules, this is legal. When I pick up a disc, I plant both feet, look around, and do not move either foot until I decide which direction to attack. Only when I step does my pivot get established. This technique maximizes the ambidextrous advantage.
→ Action Step: Practice catching the disc and holding a wide, balanced stance with both feet planted. Survey the field before committing to a pivot. This buys you time and keeps the mark guessing.
The Honest Truth About Marking an Ambidextrous Thrower
I know a couple of truly ambidextrous players. Guarding them is demoralizing.
What it feels like to mark them:
- You cannot take away one side because both sides are live
- You cannot anticipate the release because it could come from either hand
- You cannot read their fakes because they might throw from the fake hand
- You start guessing randomly and hoping to get lucky
I have resorted to just throwing my arms up or sticking a leg out at random moments. That is the only way to get a block against these players.
Most people are not ambidextrous in general. Only about one percent of the population is naturally so. But the few who have developed it through deliberate practice have something the rest of us do not.
Wrap Up
◆ The skeptics argue that full ambidexterity is a party trick with diminishing returns, especially because the pivot foot limits your options once established.
◆ The moderates believe a short range off hand backhand of five to fifteen yards covers most situations and is worth developing.
◆ The advocates predict ambidexterity will become more common among elite handlers and offers genuine advantages in speed, surprise, and marking confusion.
◆ Training your off hand improves your dominant hand through cross teaching and gives your arm recovery time.
◆ The wide stance technique, catching flat footed and delaying your pivot choice, maximizes the ambidextrous advantage.
◆ Marking a truly ambidextrous thrower is demoralizing. You cannot take away a side, anticipate the release, or read the fakes.
Mentor's Closing
134 comments. 19,000 views. The Ultimate community has strong opinions about this topic.
Here is where I land after reading every single comment and training my own left hand for months: all three camps are right, and all three are wrong.
The skeptics are right that most players will never need full ambidexterity. If you are a competitive club player with excellent dominant hand skills, your time might be better spent elsewhere.
The moderates are right that a short range off hand backhand covers most practical situations. It is easy to learn, immediately useful, and does not require years of development.
The advocates are right that ambidexterity is genuinely powerful when fully developed. Marking those players is a nightmare. And the prediction that more elite handlers will develop both hands in the next decade feels right to me.
So what should you do?
If you are a beginner, focus on your dominant hand. Get your backhand and flick solid before worrying about your off hand.
If you are intermediate, develop a short range off hand backhand. Five to fifteen yards. Use it for give and gos and continuation throws. This is the moderate path and it works.
If you are advanced and chasing Legend status, go all in. Train the lefty flick. Build finger strength on both hands. Do the Hula Hoop Drill with your non dominant hand every day. Because the player who can throw from four release points instead of two is the player nobody wants to guard.
The debate will continue. But while everyone is arguing about whether it is worth it, you could be out in the park, quietly building a weapon that almost nobody else has.
That is what I am doing. And my left hand gets a little better every week. :)