Wrist flick is a quick, sharp movement of the wrist used to generate speed and/or spin in various activities. It's a subtle yet powerful technique often employed subconsciously by professionals. The exact application varies greatly depending on the context.
Wrist Flick in Different Activities:
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Sports: In sports like baseball, basketball, volleyball, and table tennis, a wrist flick is crucial for adding power and spin to throws, shots, and serves. For example, in basketball, a flick of the wrist at the release point helps impart backspin for a consistent arc, as mentioned in a Reddit thread on BasketballTips (https://www.reddit.com/r/BasketballTips/comments/1bo9cgj/what_can_i_do_to_flick_my_wrist_better/). In volleyball, a similar wrist action helps create topspin (https://www.reddit.com/r/volleyball/comments/7kqzno/how_to_get_that_flick_on_the_wrist_to_get_topspin/). Many professional athletes use this motion subconsciously, making it difficult to observe ([How to Wrist Flick - YouTube](Reference Video)).
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Disc Golf: In disc golf, the wrist flick is debated. While some find it helpful, others find it detrimental to control and timing, particularly with faster discs (https://www.dgcoursereview.com/threads/backhand-grip-wrist-position-and-don%E2%80%99t-flick.175925/).
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Technology: Some smartwatches utilize a "wrist flick" gesture to activate the screen (https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Sense/Fitbit-Sense-screen-not-turned-on-with-wrist-flick/td-p/5168512).
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Gaming: In rhythm games like Beat Saber, wrist flicks can be used to increase speed and accuracy (https://www.reddit.com/r/beatsaber/comments/kbs5a7/do_you_swing_your_arms_or_flick_your_wrists_as/).
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Other Contexts: The term "flick of the wrist" can also be used figuratively to describe something done easily or quickly. For instance, a simple Instagram post features this phrase (https://www.instagram.com/followthefishtv/p/Bml9z9kg4lc/). Conversely, involuntary wrist flicking can sometimes be related to neurological conditions or anxiety (https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-cause-of-my-having-the-urge-to-flick-my-wrist-or-shake-my-head-every-few-seconds).