Ambidextrous throwers?

[Monkeypaws]

I went to the soccer field for practice today, but my left index has been hurting of late so I tried throwing RHBH ... I was surprised how far i could throw.

I figured that proper form is all new territory even for my natural LHBH, so why not?

I was getting them out further than I was left handed even a few months ago, thanks to all the tips I've learned here.

I don't throw forehanded, so I am envisioning the practicality of throwing with both hands.

Anyone out there throw with both hands?

 

[BCDan]

I have primarily been a right hand forehand player, but I got my first basket ace left handed( back hand) a few months ago. I had my right hand in a cast for 6 weeks, so started throwing left hand back hand, within 2 weeks of throwing I got an ace, and I had a bounce out the same round.

I wouldn't call myself ambidextrous, cause my putting was horrendous, although, I did beat me Dad and my friend one round left handed. I was shooting 10-12 strokes higher left handed than right handed per round.


6 weeks later, my right hand back hand improved as soon as I took the splint off my hand. I was throwing very well back hand, better than forehand for a couple weeks. I think throwing left hand back ahnd helped improve my right hand back hand throwing. I was forced to break down my release angle, foot positioning, etc.

 

[freezermink]

i'm pretty much in the same stages as you are. I'm naturally right handed at pretty much everything i do, EXCEPT when it comes to discs. I've played ultimate for 13-14 years and my left hand was always the dominant one for some reason. Just this last year i've come to the realization that because my lefty flick is, to be blunt, horrid, i should start throwing righty more often.

I, too, have been surprised at the distance and speed in which i was throwing righty. I probably helps that everything else i do is right dominant, so the muscle structure, coordination and timing are all there. I'm noticing that because i've been concentrating more on form from the ground up that i'm getting quite a bit better snap with my right hand. It seems like a matter of learning from the beginning rather than trying to break habits formed with my left hand.

its already come in handy on a few of those crazy right-to-left hyzers and getting out of trouble. Never hurts to have a few extra shots in your arsenal!

 

[Monkeypaws]

I'm noticing that because i've been concentrating more on form from the ground up that i'm getting quite a bit better snap with my right hand. It seems like a matter of learning from the beginning rather than trying to break habits formed with my left hand.

Exactly! It's a chance to grow from the ground up - I am interested in pursuing this further.

 

[heartman]

Phil Arthur throws ambidextrously ... seems to work for him.

 

[JeremyKShort]

One of my friends throws LHFH and RHBH. For some reason he can't get a LHBH going. This leaves him with the problem of only having left fading shots.

I've seen more lefties developing right handed shots than the other way around. Probably because lefties learn to use their right hands for all the stuff that isn't ambidextrous. I can't do a darn thing lefty. I've tried to throw, but just can't get anything going. I've got both a RHBH and RHFH going, so no real reason to worry about it, I guess.

 

[CrashnBansh]

I am ambidextrous but it didn't translate to disc golf for me until after a couple of years of playing regularly. I get a lot more torque on my LHBH, but have better control RHBH at about 250' and in. I'm able to throw at all ranges with both as well as putt with both.

I do find myself having trouble stepping up to some holes. I'll have a line considered and a hand and will sometimes second guess the selection on the tee pad, leading to a switch of hand, possibly disc, and take an extra throw or two on the hole. Definitely one of the least refined elements of my game - commitment to my shot.

With that being said, it's certainly a skill/ability worth having and one I enjoy, keep working hard on it and good luck.

 

[Psicko]

After I got home from field work, the thought crossed my mind. I think the next time I do field work, I'm going to try left hand as well.

 

[davmer2303]

I was taught how to bat righty and lefty as a child. I throw some fishing rods left handed. Hmmmmmm... this I will check out tomorrow.

 

[BENFTS]

I keep saying that learning how to play with your off hand is much easier than most people think. I have a ton of videos some that go back a few years before I hurt my shoulder and had to play LHBH. My doc says that my right shoulder is about as good as it will ever be but my range of motion is not the same and neither is my power. Since my injury I have become a better player because I had to re-learn the fundamentals and this allows me to keep getting better as a player years after playing and starting over after 14 years of playing RHBH.

 

[Marv Vega]

Not really completely ambicextrous but I will throw LFBH on some right-fading approach shots. For longer right-fading shots I'll use RHFH.

 

[wake911]

A guy I play with has spent the last few months throwing LHBH as well as RHBH. He only does the LHBH on open holes, but can get it out further than RHBH. The consistency isn't really there yet, but on open/long holes it definitely helps him get some extra D.

I don't feel i need to try, since i can use RHBH, RHFH, RHBH turnover shots, so i don't think it would add much (other than less shoulder fatigue, which would be good for my screwed up shoulder from pitching all those years)

 

[affixor]

I found that trying the other arm was easier when I returned home and tried the new throws on a disc golf video game. It helped get the awkward throws out of the way developing some muscle memory so I could return to the real world with success. Like a training program for disc golf the game actually had real-world use!

 

[811rv]

I just started to practice driving with LHBH last week and the progress is pretty good. First day it was like 200 feet or so from stand still, then increased to 240-250 feet the following day. Then on third day with "walking" X step, I was able to get my Volts out to around 270-300 feet. Will take time to develop better aiming and disc control.

The reason I decide to go for LHBH is that I have on going neck issues since July 2010 and my RHFH is not that great. I can throw some good lines/distance with RHFH but not as consistent as I wanted to be. Since I learned a lot of what is the ideal way to throw disc so it is good to start from the clean slate with my off-hand.

I won't be surprised if I can throw further with my left than my right. But I ll use right for putting/approaches anyway.

I think it would be advantageous for talented kid wanting to grow up as world champ to use both hands for BH. Yes FH is very useful for some situations (difficult lie, limited space etc) but BH is far more consistent in most situations and it would be big advantage to use BH on both sides.

 

[UCF_Knight]

I am mildly ambidextrous, probably closer to confused than truly ambidextrous, and mainly a lefty. I throw a ball, bowl, bat, play ultimate, write and eat lefty. In dg I drive RHBH and putt and short approach lefty. For me I think this is natural because batting lefty is the same general body motion as a RHBH. I have been playing dg for about 10 months now and just started playing on a softball team a couple of weeks ago for the first time in about 5 years. My first time batting (left handed) I noticed I had waaaaay more power than when I was playing baseball or softball regularly. I can only attribute this to driving RHBH in disc golf.

 

[Psicko]

Today during fieldwork I tried throwing left hand. After awhile I was throwing decent d, but no real accuracy. I was able to throw my new champ teebird consistently farther left handed then when I throw it rhbh with much less harsh fade.

 

[jenb]

Phil Arthur throws ambidextrously ... seems to work for him.

Jay Reading also throws offhand, but says he's not really ambidextrous. He just trained his offhand.

I sometimes throw offhand during a practice round using a second disc. Once I get it warmed up, it is as good as my forehand. But if I haven't used it in a while, I have to work it back up.

 

[jchoate7]

After I got home from field work, the thought crossed my mind. I think the next time I do field work, I'm going to try left hand as well.

That sounds like a pretty good idea to exercise your brain with your non dominant hand.

 

[burdphil]

I'm a righty but throw more than half of my drives lefty. It's just like swinging a baseball bat from the left side, much easier than most people think... definitely easier than learning how to accurately crank anhyzer shots IMHO.

 

[Obligation]

After having shoulder surgery on my Right my RHBH/RHFH were out of the question for 4-5 months. I couldnt give up Disc Golf (even in off season) So I trained my left for throws.
After some practice and just mirroring your form its quite easy to throw left handed, just takes time and mirroring all of your form correctly. It also helps for those long right dog legs!