I finally decided to learn this shot. It's awesome. It has turned 3 holes at my local course into almost certain deuces everytime. These are short holes, and my thumber only goes about 230' right now. Anyway, I ripped a piece of skin off of my finger below the first joint of my thumb (first joint from the top) Is this natural or am I gripping improperly? Also, what is the crow hop? I have seen some mention about it but need some explanation. Finally, does glide affect a thumber at all? I would think not, but my champ t-bird goes farther than my star firebird even though it's a slower disc.
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A couple of thumber questions...
- Thread starter bortimus
- Start date
Firebird isn't exactly a distance disc, even for thumbers.
You can throw overhand long with a lot of discs, but mod overstable distance drivers seem to work the best for me.
Champ Starfires, X Predators, and SOLFs all see to corkscrew predictably and end up straight and long.
Glide doesn't seem to be a factor in the traditional sense, since I usually get all my overhand discs to glide upside down. So its like... reverse glide that matters or something.
You can throw overhand long with a lot of discs, but mod overstable distance drivers seem to work the best for me.
Champ Starfires, X Predators, and SOLFs all see to corkscrew predictably and end up straight and long.
Glide doesn't seem to be a factor in the traditional sense, since I usually get all my overhand discs to glide upside down. So its like... reverse glide that matters or something.
Blake_T1
* Ace Member *
bort:
the loss of skin tells me that you aren't "snapping" the throw. if you "hit it" in the right way the disc should catapult off the thumb pad. sounds like it is dragging and sliding against the thumb.
a crow hop is a term used to describe the mechanics of a long baseball throw. basically it starts with the feet perpendicular to the target. start with some weight on the left foot and "hop" your right foot towards the target line beyond and in front of your left foot. that should build a good leg drive into the push back onto the left foot.
thumbers don't really glide unless you have enough power to bring it back up topside.
key factors are HSS and LSS. flippier discs are easier to kick into the corkscrew. discs with a lot of LSS will aid in pulling through the corkscrew.
the best discs have a negative HSS and a very high LSS.
discs can be stable at HSS, but it will take more power to get them to roll over.
from a flight characteristic standpoint, discs like flicks, wildcats, z xs, epic, teerex, pulse, diablo etc. tend to be best suited for these shots. keep in mind that while i rate the flick, teerex and pulse as stable at high speeds, they are in fact slightly understable but only people with tremendous power (or into a strong headwind) will ever really experience that. discs that are quite squirrely and with moderate to strong fade are also prime for this shot.
keep in mind that you want a disc that will carry a while before it kicks into the corkscrew. if it flips right away it won't get a lot of carry. also, discs that are so overstable that you have to give them tilt to flip them will often flip too early when tilted as well.
the loss of skin tells me that you aren't "snapping" the throw. if you "hit it" in the right way the disc should catapult off the thumb pad. sounds like it is dragging and sliding against the thumb.
a crow hop is a term used to describe the mechanics of a long baseball throw. basically it starts with the feet perpendicular to the target. start with some weight on the left foot and "hop" your right foot towards the target line beyond and in front of your left foot. that should build a good leg drive into the push back onto the left foot.
thumbers don't really glide unless you have enough power to bring it back up topside.
key factors are HSS and LSS. flippier discs are easier to kick into the corkscrew. discs with a lot of LSS will aid in pulling through the corkscrew.
the best discs have a negative HSS and a very high LSS.
discs can be stable at HSS, but it will take more power to get them to roll over.
from a flight characteristic standpoint, discs like flicks, wildcats, z xs, epic, teerex, pulse, diablo etc. tend to be best suited for these shots. keep in mind that while i rate the flick, teerex and pulse as stable at high speeds, they are in fact slightly understable but only people with tremendous power (or into a strong headwind) will ever really experience that. discs that are quite squirrely and with moderate to strong fade are also prime for this shot.
keep in mind that you want a disc that will carry a while before it kicks into the corkscrew. if it flips right away it won't get a lot of carry. also, discs that are so overstable that you have to give them tilt to flip them will often flip too early when tilted as well.
Blake is correct with the crow hop description. Heres a visual for you thats not called the crow hop but its the same thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzyH9yAOK9Q
I use of all things a Z Xpress as my thumber disc and it works very well for me. I can throw a thumber as far as a RHBH drive. Given more time with the thumber Ill soon be outdriving my RHBH throws. Ide say average throw for me RHBH might hit 300 feet, yes I lack snap =P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzyH9yAOK9Q
I use of all things a Z Xpress as my thumber disc and it works very well for me. I can throw a thumber as far as a RHBH drive. Given more time with the thumber Ill soon be outdriving my RHBH throws. Ide say average throw for me RHBH might hit 300 feet, yes I lack snap =P
Blake_T1
* Ace Member *
snap it towards the trajectory line. for a line drive you will be snapping more downwards than if you were snapping for a high bomb. generally the preferred method = snapping "outward" with outward referring to where you want it to go
you want it to be firm, but you don't want to be overly tight early in the throw. try a few shorter range ones with very little reach back and focus on snapping. you will be able to feel by inertia just WHEN you have to be tight.
Fritz
* Ace Member *
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2005
- Messages
- 4,682
Stay Tuned to the Discraft site for an AMAZING lesson in thumbers. Monty Koz a newly sponsored Discraft Player from Colorado has the best thumber I've ever seen. He throws his thumbers 450feet easy, he can corkscrew em down a tunnel, it is simply amazing. I believe he uses a Reaper, Predator or Extreme by Discraft as his thumber disc. He throws them with dead on accuracy.
marcusmpe
Newbie
I have been using a thumber more and more and here are a few things I've found.
I throw two different thumbers:
One for distance which I throw about 220-230 feet. I use this going uphill, or when I want my disc to finish hard to the right. This has a nice S turn and usually stops on a dime after one or two hops on its edge
One for height which goes about 170-190 feet. I use this for going over trees and stuff, comes down almost vertically. This turns over quickly before the peak of the flight and flies relatively straight. This really stops on a dime with usually no bounce whatsoever.
The only thing I change is the launch trajectory and maybe the release angle a little. It's a very useful shot that I am enjoying a lot.
I throw two different thumbers:
One for distance which I throw about 220-230 feet. I use this going uphill, or when I want my disc to finish hard to the right. This has a nice S turn and usually stops on a dime after one or two hops on its edge
One for height which goes about 170-190 feet. I use this for going over trees and stuff, comes down almost vertically. This turns over quickly before the peak of the flight and flies relatively straight. This really stops on a dime with usually no bounce whatsoever.
The only thing I change is the launch trajectory and maybe the release angle a little. It's a very useful shot that I am enjoying a lot.
marcusmpe said:
ya, earlier this summer i started practicing a lob-style thumber for getting out of trouble, sliding toward the pin on fast/steep greens (can't catch an edge and roll if it's on its back), hitting super-narrow gaps that are near the lie, etc. and boy has it been useful. the shot is easy to groove and the finish is totally predictable.
niblick83
Par Member
Nothing to add in terms of technique but just a word of warning to be careful of throwing too many thumber shots especially if you haven't gotten loose. This shot can put a lot stress on your shoulder and or elbow if you use it a lot at full power. Make sure you stretch your arm some as the human arm isn't exactly designed for an overhand throw.
