Avery's grip tips

[IronJack]

In Avery's marketplace thread, he mentioned his site and some tips he's posted there. I was particularly interested in the grips section.

http://www.averyjenkins7495.com/2009/06/01/disc-golf-grips/

He repeatedly says he keeps the heel of his hand off the top of the disc to reduce drag and increase speed of release. My grip has been to solidly hold the heel of my hand into the disc. I'm interested to try this as soon as possible. Held some discs, and it feels a bit odd, but nothing I don't think I could get over.

Comments?

Also, it was interesting to see his power sidearm grip is the same as I use. I've never really known anyone else to use it, nice to know that, perhaps, the best sidearm in disc golf uses it too.

 

[drickanderson]

Pulling the palm up does two things. It reduces the amount of your hand that drags off the disc, and it gives you better leverage with your thumb to put pressure on the disc. He gave me this same advice when I played with him earlier this year, but I just couldn't ever get it to feel right. You really have to torque your wrist down to keep the disc level with the plane of the throw (just look at his wrist in any of his driving videos), and it really started to hurt after doing it for a bit, so I had to go back to my trusty 3-finger power grip.

 

[gcr_russell]

I'm a firm believer that the best grip is the one that works best for you. For example Climo's fork grip feels extremely uncomfortable to me even after I worked on it for a while. I always get better results on short or long shots using the 4 finger power grip. When it comes to FH I keep my middle finger and index under the rim but unlike Avery I don't curl the index finger at all. That hasn't stopped me from being a very strong Forehand player. Avery himself even commented on my good FH while playing a practice round with him before the memorial

 

[IronJack]

It reduces the amount of your hand that drags off the disc,

I was wondering what exactly was meant by "reducing drag," this makes sense. Basically, advocating less contact points and total surface contact to maximize power transfer to the disc - lame sciencey sounding enough for ya? I get it though.

 

[JTacoma03]

I think just focus on putting more pressure with your thumb and the heel of your palm will naturally come off the disc a bit more (as opposed to just laying your thumb flat on the flight plate).

I've used this combination of advice about how to better use my thumb in my grip and it's worked pretty well for me:

paraphrasing obviously...

from Avery: you want to try to equalize the pressure on the flight plate from top and bottom, so really press with your thumb because it has to try and match 4 fingers worth of upwad pressure.

from Patrick Brown: put your thumb just inside of where the rim meets the flight plate (you'll be able to feel it when you push down), put pressure down but also slightly forward (towards that "point" where the rim and flight plate meet") and think about pushing your thumb forward through the release.

 

[Lithicon]

Most people can't perform this grip for long, until they do it A LOT. What Avery doesn't realize is that his grip strength is probably twice what most people can achieve. His style of grip requires more grip strength, but is actually a good grip for a few reasons.

If you do this grip a lot, you'll help build your own grip strength up to the point where this grip gets comfortable, and works better.
It actually does help enforce assisting wrist extension, and this always produces more power if done correctly.
And, the less contact points is good, but what this grip really helps the most, is a good pivot point. This grip enforces pinching harder to hold onto the disc, thus generating more power transfer, and if done correctly a better pivot point, due to the increased grip strength and pinch power at the rip.(Mainly just to hold onto the disc, lol!) This is if your timing and such is right and everything else falls into place correctly.

But, there are some problems with it, that mostly arrive from grip strength. You're not holding the disc with your palm to stabilize it (Where part of the grip strength comes into play), but when the base of the thumb is off the flight plate, you have to pinch harder to actually hold the disc stable(This is the good part, but often people are unable to do this.) BUT, this is where people get confused, because this comes along with people thinking wider rims "FEEL" better in their hand. Sure it does when you wave it around, especially up and down, with the palm stabilizing, or wider rims. But, when you're going through your pull to your hit, you're pulling on the inside of the rim. That is where the force is applied, not up on the flight plate except where the index finger is. What this can do sometimes is it allows the disc to move around if you're you don't have the grip strength to hold it. This can lead to a multitude of problems, early release, nose up, terrible power transfer, bad wrist angles, and probably some others I forgot to mention.

 

[ferretdance03]

best sidearm in disc golf uses it too.

He's good, but I doubt even Avery thinks he's the best sidearm in the game.

 

[gcr_russell]

He's good, but I doubt even Avery thinks he's the best sidearm in the game.

That could be a good debate topic. Ulibarri, Jenkins, Geoff Bennett, Jeremy Koling all come to mind.

 

[IronJack]

He's good, but I doubt even Avery thinks he's the best sidearm in the game.

You might have a future with Fox News. I said "perhaps, the best..."

 

[Lithicon]

You might have a future with Fox News. I said "perhaps, the best..."

LAWLZ, ****ing love this reference.

 

[ferretdance03]

I was gonna let it slide, but Fox News? That's a low blow... You said perhaps, the best sidearm blah blah blah. I take the placement of your comma to mean that you're saying, maybe he uses the same grip, not maybe he's the best. Don't be mad at me for your poor grammar, be mad at public schools.
Regardless, semantics aside, you have something in common with a World Champ, congrats.

 

[GLong]

I wouldn't even say 'perhaps the best.' I would call it 'very serviceable.' He uses it when he needs it otherwise is BH dominant.

 

[New013]

I use that power sidearm grip as well. I got it from a friend who told me that's the best way to hold the disc when throwing a tomahawk. Once I got better results on that throw I translated it to my sidearms.

 

[Brall]

You might have a future with Fox News. I said "perhaps, the best..."

owned!

or is it pwned?

as for me, im too fat and weak to do this grip, but it's worth a try.

 

[Traver]

Can anyone clarify what is meant by 'mid-line palm'?

Should the thumb be above the index - creating a true pivot, or can it be in front of the index? I've had some success with the latter.

For those weak-wristed sissies out there: http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Pro-Strengthening-Extra-Heavy-Tension/dp/B000UMHUSI

I have the heavy tension version and it has done wonders for my guitar playing and probably helped with DG. Just follow the guide to different exercises.

 

[BarkBuster]

For those weak-wristed sissies out there: http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Pro-Strengthening-Extra-Heavy-Tension/dp/B000UMHUSI

I have the heavy tension version and it has done wonders for my guitar playing and probably helped with DG. Just follow the guide to different exercises.

I have the exact same one for guitar and DG purposes as well! hah.

 

[Connor Jones]

I have the exact same one for guitar and DG purposes as well! hah.

:thmbup: same.

 

[himynameismatt]

I actually use a a backhand grip that looks very similar to Avery's. As in I keep the 'meaty' part of my thumb off of the flightplate. For me I have two reasons I do this...

I'm able to get more pressure at the front of my grip with that part of my thumb off the disc which in turn = more snap.

Second, I tend to grip-lock when it's tucked under there and create OAT. Basically I just get a cleaner release with only my finger and thumb tips on and under the disc.

 

[Lithicon]

Most people are opposite of those effects, generally because they have poor wrist angles to begin with. Couple that with lowering grip strength due to them not being use to this grip, and it requiring more grip strength. The poor wrist angles, with how the disc sits below the life line in the hand makes it much more prone to nose up, with little power. So it usually ends up a total bust if you're not dedicated enough to learn it.

 

[Lithicon]

Can anyone clarify what is meant by 'mid-line palm'?

Should the thumb be above the index - creating a true pivot, or can it be in front of the index? I've had some success with the latter.

For those weak-wristed sissies out there: http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Pro-Strengthening-Extra-Heavy-Tension/dp/B000UMHUSI

I have the heavy tension version and it has done wonders for my guitar playing and probably helped with DG. Just follow the guide to different exercises.

Mid line palm, generally refers "Life line" or "Fate line" in your palm.http://www.greenmangos.net/Beliefs-And-Ideas/Palmistry.aspx Check this if you're not familiar with palm reading, but honestly. The way I teach to grip is along the "Fate" line, intersecting the "life line". With the first knuckle(The one on the palm of your hand.) of the index finger above the disc leading edge.

http://www.powerballs.com/ These are also very beneficial, in strengthening and also rehabilitating, injured wrist/hands.