"Most important" pieces of effective form.

[TorreyLaffoon]

I want to try a discussion. I know they're agree infinitely many different things that one might say to a person just beginning to take up disc golf to try to help them improve form. Tips and tricks and discs to throw etc.

But I want to hear what you guys think on form itself.
I have a friend just starting out this month and has been bitten by the bug. He's addicted. He knows I'm the most knowledgable in our group of friends, I do all the reading and applying things I read here and on DGR.

But I want to be able to give him a short list of things that he can focus on this winter to improve form and be ready to excell next spring.

So humor me here: if you had... HAD to narrow down a list of the 5 most important things to work on to achieve good form, what would make your list? I'm talking form, not disc selection or anything like that, as I already have confiscated his Starfire and even his Valk. Haha. So he has a Buzzz, shark, and aviar.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

[jrawk]

If you think about it, "form" is simply a means at more easily achieving a clean/proper/powerful hit consistently. Don't really matter what your form looks like before the hit as long as you're doing everything right at the hit point.

So... for that reason, if i'm going to teach somebody brand new to the sport to throw i'd have them mimmic the drills in this video:

 

[TorreyLaffoon]

He's watched snap 2009 already, so he may have seen this and the other ones too. But I'd really like to hear some people's lists. But those videos are good tools. And he would still like some direction to help build his consistency up till the hit point.

 

[jrawk]

Well that is the appeal of working from the hit backwards (as shown in the Dan Beto vids). So here's my list (in order of progression, always maintaining the previous as you progress):

1) throw stand-still flat an level. (see vid above)
2) maintain arm-shoulder plane reachback and follow through during standstill while maintaining balance (beto)
3) incorporate a single step (beto vid)
4) incorpate an x-step (beto vid)
5) increase spinal rotation during xstep, proper reachback and late pullthrough accelleration
6) work on grip strength (hammer pound)

 

[joshmo65]

It seems like shoulders is always the key to any sport.

 

[Technohic]

Smooth is far
gradual acceleration with most late
Keep disc close to your chest
shift weight to your lead foot
follow through.

 

[LtDan914]

1) stay loose until the right pec
2) keep the elbow forward
3) accelerate the forearm out (like you are backhanding someone) when the elbow is as far forward as possible
4) accelerate through the throw and not just until the disc releases
5) keep everything in the same plane for hyzers, flat, and annys

also, the closed shoulder snap drill posted earlier is good.

 

[Doupie620]

When throwing, look to where the disc will begin to do "It's thing", not the destination you want it to go.

If your disc on a 300ft throw lands 20ft left (looking in a straight line from your tee pad) and you want this to end up straight in front of you, then when you release you should be aiming 20ft to your right.

 

[Technohic]

Doupie, you are getting at something similar to what I have started doing, except I used to look at it as "I landed 20' left, I need to aim 20' right" but what I have found more useful is, looking at a closer point in a throw.

Maybe there is a gap between trees or maybe it's wide open, in which case I imagine a gap I want to hit, then I think of how I would want the disc to be at that point idealistically. Maybe I want it to be hyzering through. Maybe I want it to turn over right at that point. I don't know why, but it just seems easier to do what I want when my goal is closer.

 

[DiscChainBasket18]

1) Grip: most try to throw the disc like a Frisbee (with index finger outside of rim). Get all fingers your fingers under the rim so you can hold onto the disc.
2) Hold onto the disc! Too many beginners try to release the disc or let go at the right time. Hold it tight, but not so much your fingers turn white. Let the disc rip out of your hand.
3) Trajectory. We need to be lined up with our target/flight path. Keep your eyes on the spot as long as you can. If you're grip-locking, try to put your back to the target more.
4) Weight transfer (back to front). Check out the Ken Climo/Feldberg films.
5) Realize where your hit/snap point is. Check out the Dan Beto films.

 

[jenb]

Five Things? Assuming a backhand thrower:

1 to aim, point your elbow at the target
2 rotate the thumb down so the wrist angle has the disc pointing down as it extends away
3 reach over, not under, the offhand and pull in a straight line like trying to start a mower
4 shove the offhand arm down and back as you throw to increase leverage
5 pinch with thumb and index to get a good pivot and don't let go; force the disc to rip out of your hand

 

[New013]

i'd say

visualization
weight transfer
grip
late acceleration
nose angle / release point

 

[craftsman]

I find there are two types of new players- those that everything fades hard, and those that everything turns.
Seeing that hes disced down, ill assume fades the issue.


Weight over front foot- think ballerina
elbow up- imagine there is hedge
pull in close to the body- once it gets jammed up, all that energy has to go somewhere
keep wrist in plane- handshake position. Demonstrate the pen flick.

Most importantly, grip- it should feel awkward and tension filled at first.
I took a brand new, 100 ft hyzer, player out to the farm at founders which has an intimidating water carry (two actually). I loaded his grip. He said it felt awkward and like he could feel the energy already built up. He then ripted it across. Too bad he recessed back to a more "comfy" grip.

 

[craftsman]

Have the aprentice start, or come to their full reachback position. (head facing opp of target, weight over left bended knee, right leg extende with heel up)

Now standing behind them/facing them in full reachback..
Grab the disc to create a tension band like pull as they go through their throw.

This should teach them to use their heel to move their hips and to pull into the body instead of arching around.
It should be done in a somewhat slow.speed.

 

[TorreyLaffoon]

That's a good idea /\ /\. I might start doing that with a band myself in the off season to keep muscle memory and build at the same time.

 

[captain jack]

Shameless plagiarism

This is Dave D's (Mr. Innova) sig on the PDGA site;

" By far, the most important part of any shot is what is happening in the last split second as the disc is pulling itself from your grip. Focus there. It's the key. "

I live by this, and I think it should always be at the top of any form list.

 

[bbails]

uhhhh.... so, what should be happening there? What shouldn't be happening?

 

[gianetics]

i try to not load them with too much information. having fun is the most important part. for the first 5 or so rounds the only thing i tell them is to try and throw the disc into the ground 30 ft in front of them.
the biggest issue starting out is the massive nose up. let them learn a little on there own. after a few rounds throw the disc into the ground and try and hold on to the disc. this works best with a fairway driver vs a mid or putter. after about 20 rounds start introducing more but the first two will get them throwing with there weight over there front foot and realizing that the disc rips out of the hand not released out of the hand.

 

[DanJon]

dont pull the sword out of your sheath... instead,

smack the ho..

noobs pull the sword. reach down low from the waist and follow through high over their shoulder. this usually means-nose up huge hyzers which go 100'.

when you smack the ho, you pull through on an even line and follow through on an even line. if the ho is shorter than you, follow through low. if shes taller, follow through high. once you get it, you'll understand what each of those will produce.

sorry for the language mods.

 

[barneco]

1) Don't try to throw so hard...use a smooth %80 effort.
2) Nose down - "handshake"
3) Aiming technique (very personal, imo, so practice whatever works for you)
4) Concentration - previsualization, focus, not just going through the motions..etc. For me this is a tough one, but usually the main reason my execution starts slipping.
5) above all, Disc weight transfer - (i.e. snap, i.e. the hit, i.e. throwing the hammer....ad nauseum) - truly understand what happens at the hit, get a feel for it, then practice your technique for making sure it's the source of acceleration for each and every throw, not arm speed