Austin Form Journey

[Austburn]

Hey everyone!

I've played off and on for awhile, but caught the bug again - this time I'm looking to improve my form. I've spent a lot of time watching and reading, but now I think I've lost sense of where I'm at.

Discs I throw and avg distance:
- Pure: 240'
- Truth: 290'
- Leopard: 300'
- Valkyrie: 320'
- Wraith: 340'

Occasionally I've thrown my Crave (similar to Leopard) out to 330'-340' and sometimes the Wraith touches 360'.

I'm hoping to gain some consistency and a touch more power. Ideally, I'd like to get my Truth close to 325', the Leopard to 350-370', the Valkyrie to 400', and the Wraith I'd be happy with anything over 425'.

Side: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgzT8nyLPmg
Rear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBhMHrjWmbo

Thanks for any/all help!

 

[sidewinder22]

Need to fix your S-posture first and foremost. Setup standing more upright and relaxed/natural with glutes/abs more engaged more than quads/hammys.

 

[Austburn]

Thanks - that's a very telling screen capture. I haven't been able to practice much due to weather and schedule but got out yesterday. I went through a few different phases of trying to understand how to apply that video to my throw.

Initially, I was focused on keeping my core engaged early on and really trying to pump my elbow up.

I started to think more about the video and how he says that initially most pros do have tilt that lessens throughout the throw. I tried engaging my core and pushing my hips forward a little bit in my backswing. It felt a little unnatural at first, especially in a full x-step. I'm not sure if that's the movement I should be going for, just was trying some different things out. These little adjustments were pretty jarring at first.

My off hand is still doing some weird flaring but working on it.

No real distance updates, not consistently at least. I had one or two really satisfying throws with an Emac Truth out to 300'. Typical average for me with that disc is closer to 275'.

My initial impressions are that pumping that elbow has caused me to lean back a little bit. My x-step seems way too big still. I'm wondering if these are slightly related? If I'm leaning back I'll have to "fall" further forward. I consciously try to shorten it but I seem to always be getting some horse stance. I also noticed that my footwork deteriorated a bit - open stance.

 

[sidewinder22]

Setup standing upright knees extended/glutes engaged and shoulders more sideways and hanging to swing arm/disc targetward.

You are setup too squared up to target with shoulders retracted behind back and knees bend/butt out.

Stride straight, like going down a tight hallway. You are striding too leftward or too staggered closed and keeping your knees too bent and crouched.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118948

 

[Austburn]

Was able to work on staying a little more upright. Final step is a little too open in the first video along with a high back swing. Having few release angle issues with today's adjustments. Feet seem closer together laterally. My spine still seems a little S-shaped when the disc is in front of my chest.

 

[sidewinder22]

I would suggest "reaching back" or turning back more toward back right tee and throwing to the left 10' clock for a distance line. Your wide "reachback" is telegraphing a pure hyzer line to the right.

 

[Austburn]

Not much of an update this week. I've been trying to focus on the inside swing a bit as well as bringing my plant foot straighter down the tee. Felt a little more zip in my throws today focusing on this.

Poor camera angle this week doesn't help.

 

[sidewinder22]

Looks like you are going over your front leg instead of bracing up behind/against it to sling the arm/disc targetward away from you.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=132910

 

[Austburn]

Working on bracing this week. I've reverted to one leg and stand still drills until I'm really bracing up against that lead leg. I suspect this has been one of the biggest problems with my form.

I was able to get a little more upright this week. On my stand stills I was focusing on creating rearward pressure counterclockwise on my rear foot and trying to shift/roll that rear foot and crush the can with my front foot. Feeling some different sensations throwing but no real "aha" moment, yet.






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[sidewinder22]

You are taking OLD too literal. There should be a slight shift or walk back to the right tee side in the backswing. Note how your body moves toward the left tee side in backswing while I'm moving back toward the right tee side. Your weight pressure is staying on your rear toes and increasing, while I'm moving the pressure and rolling back to heel/targetward and then back to toes.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136487

 

[Austburn]

This was a Wraith out to 330' or so. I feel like I kinda started to rush through the motion. Trying to focus on feeling my weight shift and momentum into the next step.

On rear pressure - how do players like Simon apply pressure when it seems their rear heel never touches the ground.

Also just wanted to say appreciate all the help - I feel like I was kinda spiraling watching so many videos and trying to apply so many ideas at once. Having a little direction has been super helpful!

 

[sidewinder22]

You are walking/waddling like a penguin spreading your feet laterally.

Walk more normal, feet closer together laterally and normal step length. Land heel-toe.

Simon is a ninja. There is no issue with the rear heel tapping the ground as long as you bounce back off it.

 

[Austburn]

Feel like I cleaned up the elephant walk a little bit. Tried incorporating the backwards shift into my OLD.

 

[sidewinder22]

In your Ewalk it doesn't look like your swing is heavy and pulling thru the whole body to pull your trailing leg into the next step. Your shoulder retracts to the right behind your knee instead of swinging out over the knee toward the left and giving the disc a bigger power pocket behind the shoulder and elbow. Note how my chest is more over the knee.

In OLD your knee is collapsing and same with Ewalk your shoulder is retracting behind your knee instead of swinging wide over it.

 

[Austburn]

I see - I've been trying to work on getting a heavy disc this week. Been doing some hammer work as well. Is there something fundamentally wrong with how I'm swinging the hammer?



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[sidewinder22]

Need to let go, stop trying to manipulate the hammer into positions, and swing it. Note how you raise the hammer and curl it back coming out of the top of the backswing, and then releasing downward into the finish, instead of upward. The hammer needs to be lofted up to it's apex. Thumb should be on the back of the handle.

How to properly grip a hammer - thumb on back of handle.

 

[Austburn]

I see - I think mentally I was trying to force the dingle arm/get into a power pocket. Will the arm collapse more with speed?

This time I really felt how my weight shift influenced the speed in my throw - quicker, harder pressing of my front heel led to a faster swing. I was trying not to think about throwing in this context so that I didn't bring back old habits. That said, I'm not sure how close this drill should replicate my final form. I realize in the photo below there are a lot of things different between Ricky and I, but is this mostly a grip/speed issue - i.e. rotating my wrist + speed will create the dingle arm/elbow collapse to bring the disc through the power pocket flat? Or am I missing something?

 

[bsammons]

Power pocket is one of the most incorrectly thought things IMO.

Arm will collapse when under load. Just like your leg when you run and jump, you don't try to compress your leg, it just happens as it begins to support your weight. As your arm begins accelerating disc, the inertia of the disc (accelerating from static state) causes your arm to compress, even as you're trying to extend it. Don't try to guide the disc into your "power pocket", swing it targetward and what looks like the "power pocket" when watching pros swing will happen with your swing too.

 

[sidewinder22]

The start of the hammer looked decent, but you are really choked up on the hammer and a little tight and fast, instead of letting go more swinging looser and longer. With the disc you are moving really fast and tight. You need a lot more patience and levitation and falling with gravity. F=MA, so speed without your mass coupled to it doesn't produce much force. A longer slower swing can produce more force with all your mass behind it and just a little burst of acceleration at the end like pushing a kid on a swing set.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nu4CzVnITlo#t=5m57s
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134415

 

[sidewinder22]

Power pocket is one of the most incorrectly thought things IMO.

Arm will collapse when under load. Just like your leg when you run and jump, you don't try to compress your leg, it just happens as it begins to support your weight. As your arm begins accelerating disc, the inertia of the disc (accelerating from static state) causes your arm to compress, even as you're trying to extend it. Don't try to guide the disc into your "power pocket", swing it targetward and what looks like the "power pocket" when watching pros swing will happen with your swing too.

I would change "guide" to "manipulate". You do guide or direct it's momentum, but it's not really forced or manipulated.