A throw without a catch is a turn (the other team gets the disc). In order to score a goal you need to catch the disc. If you want to advance down field you need to be able to catch the disc. Sometimes on defense you’ll want to intercept the disc. How do you effectively catch?
Use both hands!
Really, that’s the easiest way to catch a disc. When trying to catch the disc, always use both hands when possible. One handed catches should be rare if at all. The safest way to catch is the Pancake Catch.
Pancake Catch
This should be the most common way to catch the disc. One hand goes palm down on top of the disc and one hand goes palm up on the bottom of the disc and you clamp down on the disc as if making a stack of pancakes (I guess.) and bring the disc in towards your chest. Watch it all the way in. Visualize catching the disc. I know that sounds silly, but far too often you’ll see a player try catching the disc and looking for the next throw. They turn their body or their hands follow their mind and they botch the catch because their palms aren’t lined up, their hands are too high / low, or for a host of other reasons.
Why is it the best catch? Clapping your hands onto the bottom and top of the disc, you cover more disc surface and slow the disc down. This is the most secure catch because you deal less with leading the rim of the disc and trying to stop spin. Obviously, there’s also a greater deal of area in the middle of the disc than on the rim. Similarly, some players do what is called a Crocodile Catch.
Crocodile Catch
This is fundamentally the same as the Pancake Catch except your forearms are straight in front of you and you clamp the disc with your hands like the long mouth (snout?) of a Crocodile. When you can’t get in front of the disc, this is the way to catch it. Almost always prefer a good old Croc Catch to anything one-handed or on the rim.
Catching the Rim
This is another way to catch the disc which should prefer two hands. Sometimes a Pancake or Crocodile catch just isn’t reasonable. For example, the disc is way too high to get in front of, you need to jump just to reach it. This is the opportunity to catch the disc along the rim. When you do this, try to get both hands on the rim on “the leading edge,” which is the edge of the disc going in the direction it is flying. Both hands should grasp the rim of the disc at the same time to prevent the disc from spinning out the side of your hands or hitting your palm and bouncing away before you can grip it. This catch is a little riskier, but sometimes you just can’t jump high enough to catch a disc at the waist.
There are two ways to catch the disc along the rim: thumbs on top, and thumbs on the rim. Experience tells you best which is more effective for certain situations, however, the rule of thumb is to try to catch a disc below the elbows with thumbs on the top of the disc, otherwise your thumbs should be on the bottom of the disc. When the disc is low, you don’t want to try and twist your wrist to catch it. Having the fingers below and thumb on top is a natural catch. If you really try both positions and focus on the feel, you’ll notice the difference. You get an easier grip and greater range without rotating your wrist.
Catching One-Handed
So maybe the disc is too far for both hands or you’re really reaching for a layout. Perhaps you’re trying to snag a quick D in a tight situation. You might need to try and catch the disc with one hand. Honestly, the best help you can get here is experience. Reading the disc and determining how / where to catch is something that comes through practice. That being said, there are a few tips to get you on your way.
Just like the two-handed catch on the rim, you’re going to need to position your hand to catch the disc on the rim properly. The thumb up / thumb down rule above the elbow applies here as well. High discs, where the arm is extended beyond the elbow, should generally be caught with the thumb on the bottom and low discs that fly below the elbow should be caught with the thumb on top. Along with the proper method of grip, you’ll want to grab the disc in the right place. Talking simple physics, the disc is spinning in a certain direction and where you try to grab it will help stop the disc from spinning. You’ll want to grab the disc at a point on the leading edge opposite the direction of the spin. This allows you to absorb as much of the spin and velocity as possible.
However, like I said, the best way to get better at any of these catches is to go out and practice! It is hard to explain how to catch. It’s easier to just get out there and do it! Also, remember that you should hardly need to catch with one hand no matter how often you think it’s necessary.