How much power comes from the arm?

[loki993]

Yep, GG just has a lower pull to get more leverage. Hard to pull the disc across your gut with your arm bent

Really what you're looking for is the hit and really the best way to get it is to do those pec drills that everyone hates so much. You just want to isolate that one little motion and do it until you finally get it right. You can't launch a disc from your pec without snapping it. I mean you might get it 100-150ft from just slinging, but unless you actively snap your wrist and eject that disc, you won't get any real distance. Once you get the feel for that rip/snap and see the disc actually flying you can start adding reach back, then footwork, etc. The snap is all the same in the end.

So is the snapping of the wrist a conscious thing or does it just happen when your mechanics are right?

also loading it, you don't bend it, it should load on its own by keeping on the outside of the disc, pulling straight and keeping the elbow high?

I don't hate the pec drill, its just when I first started I did it a lot and it seemed to mess up my throw, it got really round, I also had to really swing my shoulders to get the disc to do anything. Also when I do it it just doesn't feel right....Maybe I need to try it again...maybe Im not getting any snap...who knows

 

[SirRaph]

That's actually relatively easy to learn. You don't need to be especially strong to do it, either. It's just what you get if you have good mechanics but mediocre timing.

And that's why so many people get stuck at that plateau. Most people focus on the big, easy to see and replicate motions that only marginally help and ignore the small, difficult to see and replicate motion that helps the most. If you're OK with being at that plateau then that's fine, but not everyone is OK with that.

The kicker here is that you can have good mechanics that allow you to throw like that, but also prevent you from throwing farther. You may never find "snap" if you build your throw that way because your mechanics might be preventing good timing.

However, if you've spent the time to build up good mechanics it will likely be easier for you to rebuild your throw to learn and incorporate good mechanics. You have to be willing to start all over, though. Much of your throw will probably be incorporated into your new throw but you won't know what little thing you're doing is stopping you from getting snap until you build your throw from the hit back.

Here's a thread at DGR that explains it well:

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24905

So the hammer pound is great to do right away. It teaches you what it should feel like to have the disc rip out of your hand. General things like weight shift and big timing issues (e.g. starting your pull after you plant, not at the same time you plant) are good to focus on first. Once you get those figured out then it's easier to try to incorporate those small adjustments. Either way I think being focused on the hit above all else is the right way to look at it.

I'm certainly at that plateau, but I am willing to, and have, worked at breaking that plateau. It just never seems like anything quite makes it click. I've been playing off and on for 8 years. I've played competitively off and on for 4 years. Usually, the reason I take a break from the game is because I can't figure out how to improve my distance.

I try the hammer pound drills until the duct tape protecting my fingers falls apart, and never seem to feel a different "weight shift" on the disc than the first time I try the drill.
About 2 years ago, I decided to commit to the right pec drill. Didn't play a round for two solid weeks, but went to a field and did the right pec drill every. single. day. Zero zip nada. Never felt or saw a difference between my first and 400th throw. I watch pro drive videos in slow motion, create gifs of those videos where they hit occurs, compare it to mine, etc. etc. Every time I watch, I think I've figured out what I'm doing wrong, rush out to a field to try it. 360', 375', 360', 370', etc. etc.

I even once paid a cannon-armed acquaintance to watch my form and do field work with me for an afternoon. The only thing that came out of that was him saying "no, man, you've got good form. You just gotta snap it. Yeah, like that, but snap it."

It's not like I'm 345lbs with T-Rex arms. I'm 6'1" 180lbs, played competitive sports my whole life.

I'm sort of thread jacking here. But it ties into the topic for me. Because I think it's a source of frustration for a lot of players, especially the ones who put the work in and don't see results.

 

[loki993]

I'm certainly at that plateau, but I am willing to, and have, worked at breaking that plateau. It just never seems like anything quite makes it click. I've been playing off and on for 8 years. I've played competitively off and on for 4 years. Usually, the reason I take a break from the game is because I can't figure out how to improve my distance.

I try the hammer pound drills until the duct tape protecting my fingers falls apart, and never seem to feel a different "weight shift" on the disc than the first time I try the drill.
About 2 years ago, I decided to commit to the right pec drill. Didn't play a round for two solid weeks, but went to a field and did the right pec drill every. single. day. Zero zip nada. Never felt or saw a difference between my first and 400th throw. I watch pro drive videos in slow motion, create gifs of those videos where they hit occurs, compare it to mine, etc. etc. Every time I watch, I think I've figured out what I'm doing wrong, rush out to a field to try it. 360', 375', 360', 370', etc. etc.

I even once paid a cannon-armed acquaintance to watch my form and do field work with me for an afternoon. The only thing that came out of that was him saying "no, man, you've got good form. You just gotta snap it. Yeah, like that, but snap it."

It's not like I'm 345lbs with T-Rex arms. I'm 6'1" 180lbs, played competitive sports my whole life.

I'm sort of thread jacking here. But it ties into the topic for me. Because I think it's a source of frustration for a lot of players, especially the ones who put the work in and don't see results.

you think thats frustrating...try being stuck at 250....Im just getting to the point where I can get past that but it seems everytime I try to change something I go right back......

 

[Tiny]

All of it duh. You aren't throwing discs with your legs or stomach!

 

[Dan Ensor]

So is the snapping of the wrist a conscious thing or does it just happen when your mechanics are right?

also loading it, you don't bend it, it should load on its own by keeping on the outside of the disc, pulling straight and keeping the elbow high?

I don't hate the pec drill, its just when I first started I did it a lot and it seemed to mess up my throw, it got really round, I also had to really swing my shoulders to get the disc to do anything. Also when I do it it just doesn't feel right....Maybe I need to try it again...maybe Im not getting any snap...who knows

Right now, you're looking for a passive snap. A "half-hit". Basically the disc's momentum is making your wrist do it. After a while, you'll feel the half-hit and tug a little bit actively, making for a full-hit.

 

[alex513ninja]

Idk if anybody mentioned this or have tried it but the towel drill changed my drive game completely. http://youtu.be/BfQzUrn80UI

 

[DiscNutt123]

All of it duh. You aren't throwing discs with your legs or stomach!

Couldn't be further away from the truth here. You generate power from your hole body. If timing is off though, you waste most of that power. This is why most people strong arm a disc, even if they are getting close to 400'.

 

[notroman]

So is the snapping of the wrist a conscious thing or does it just happen when your mechanics are right?

also loading it, you don't bend it, it should load on its own by keeping on the outside of the disc, pulling straight and keeping the elbow high?

I don't hate the pec drill, its just when I first started I did it a lot and it seemed to mess up my throw, it got really round, I also had to really swing my shoulders to get the disc to do anything. Also when I do it it just doesn't feel right....Maybe I need to try it again...maybe Im not getting any snap...who knows

You had to use your shoulders because you were not snapping the disc so the only way to get any distance was to throw your shoulders open generating at least some forward momentum on the disc. Learn to get it out using just the opening of your wrist. You almost eject it with your palm as you snap the wrist. Keep in mind it's not a huge motion of the wrist...really if you hold your hand out in a hand shake position, moving your wrist from 12 o'clock to 2'clock is really all it is. As you move, you'll notice your palm kind of move up - that's the motion that pops the disc. That's what you will try to use with a tendon bounce to really eject/accelerate the disc. You do have to use your shoulders, but only to allow a follow through and get your body/hips squared with where you're throwing.

 

[Tiny]

Couldn't be further away from the truth here. You generate power from your hole body. If timing is off though, you waste most of that power. This is why most people strong arm a disc, even if they are getting close to 400'.

Lol, it was meant as sarcastic I forgot to add a

 

[notroman]

Here, I'm at work right now but this is a short little video of what I mean by the palm moving. This is a video of me moving my wrist open - that is all the motion you need for the snap. The first few times I just open and close the wrist, which doesn't really do much, but then you'll see I actually pop my palm out as I snap, that's what you need to do to really accelerate the disc. The wrist will close naturally as you pull through, but as you snap your wrist open at the release of the disc that little extra palm pop really gets the disc moving. When you are doing the pec drill, you will really rely on that little bit of palm, and the whole point of the drill is for you to get the feel for that motion and to time it right with the rest of the throw to accelerate the disc out of your hand.

 

[SpringDgLover]

Im not a big believer in breaking your wrist to create snap. The snap comes from tendon bounce and your hand should never go to 2 o clock. Power is created with the body starting from your feet through your hips and extending to the end of your arm. Your arm should be a whip you pull through your release zone with out a ton of arm exersion.

 

[SpringDgLover]

I was at a clinic last night and I saw something noticeable, at first you would think its a no brainer, but actually seeing it up close is different I suppose.

When I watch videos and see people throw in person, especially good ones, it looks like when they throw they're using very little effort and it just goes.

Looking at people throwing its seems more about shooting the hips and turning the shoulders then the arm....almost like the arm is just along for the ride and it just the whip part of the throw.....


How accurate is that? How much power should I be applying with my arm?

I went into the field and tried it...making sure I got a good shoulder and hip turn, problem was I actually lost distance and was basically back where I started 250 or shorter the discs going straight but not really doing much of anything.....could it just be that not my timings off again after adding that and it just need to come back or am I doing something wrong.....

I think maybe I'm missing the snap or whip at the end of the throw..

Its the perfect conjunction of all the things you are describing hitting that hit in harmony. It takes alot of practice to learn how to get all those things moving at just the right rate.

 

[SpringDgLover]

So is the snapping of the wrist a conscious thing or does it just happen when your mechanics are right?

also loading it, you don't bend it, it should load on its own by keeping on the outside of the disc, pulling straight and keeping the elbow high?

I don't hate the pec drill, its just when I first started I did it a lot and it seemed to mess up my throw, it got really round, I also had to really swing my shoulders to get the disc to do anything. Also when I do it it just doesn't feel right....Maybe I need to try it again...maybe Im not getting any snap...who knows

You cant think of anything when you are throwing a good shot, the minute that part of your brain kicks in, its to late.

 

[notroman]

Im not a big believer in breaking your wrist to create snap. The snap comes from tendon bounce and your hand should never go to 2 o clock. Power is created with the body starting from your feet through your hips and extending to the end of your arm. Your arm should be a whip you pull through your release zone with out a ton of arm exersion.

I find it way easier to aim a disc if you actively snap like that. I mean everything is still a fluid motion but extending your wrist like that creates more momentum on it and gives it linear motion... Hard to describe but now that I know what it feels and looks like I see that's how a lot of the pros direct their shots as well. You can really see it when McBeth throws. You can also see when they miss their shot because they either miss the timing of the snap our because they fail to direct it.

 

[Jax11]

notroman throws far seemingly effortlessly, in my opinion his advice is sound. He has helped several of our other local friends improve their form and increase their distance. I'd ask him for help if I wasn't a flicker.

 

[sidewinder22]

How much power comes from the arm in a jabbing punch? The arm is loose and snapped from the hips into the opponent, and the arm tenses up at the last second to deliver the blow with your body's weight behind it. I'd say the key to finding the hit is to be first leveraged properly for the lower arm/disc blow targetward with your mass behind it. Then you can pivot your levers. The closed shoulder drill is where it's at.

 

[teemkey]

Loki, just checking, but are you keeping your throwing arm totally relaxed until the moment before the "hit"?

 

[loki993]

Loki, just checking, but are you keeping your throwing arm totally relaxed until the moment before the "hit"?

Honestly probably not most of the time. That's definitely something I need to work on and something I've had an issue with in most sports I've played. when I was practicing in the field from when I was talking about though I was. Heres is the issue though I think I was just letting the arm follow my hips and shoulder and it was basically just going along for the ride.

I was playing today after spotting for DGLO and I was with a couple people the one told me I needed more shoulder turn, I was throwing basically with no turn at all fully closed, just trying to come through and snap at the end. when I turned away and got a good turn, then came around consciously snapping at the end the disc flew decently. what I noticed then was it was actually seemed easier for me to hit the snap at the end too. now I need to confirm that in the field so we will see. Didn't get a chance tonight. which sucks a little because hopefully I'll be playing toboggan tomorrow. lol

 

[PMcBeth]

i move around the disc from about 3 second mark to the 7 second mark the disc is in the same spot. i don't actually "reach back" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo-VAGr0xBU

 

[garublador]

Just last night I was at a clinic and Garrett Guthrie was there...he popped two shots with a mid like it was nothing and they both went probably 350-400.....but it didn't look like he threw them hard at all. I also noticed that his arm hardly bends, its nearly straight all the way through his throw. I even mentioned it...he said its all his hips and shoulders coming through. Scott Papa was there too and he even said that Garrett probably keeps his arm straighter than anyone else out there. I tried it and it doesn't seem to work for me lol....

What you're describing there is how he maximizes his snap. If you aren't getting any snap then trying to emulate all of that won't help. You need to figure out how to replicate the snap first and then all of differences between "Swedish" style (like GG) or "American" style (like Beto) will make more sense.