Backhand or forehand??

[shedevil]

Okay so Js73 and I were having a discussion regarding the difference between backhand and forehand. I'm proud to say that I attempt both and am advancing in both thanks to his guidence. Yet I'm still way under average considering how my throw continuously changes. (So frustrating). However the debate is which is more difficult. Any thoughts?

 

[Horsman]

Both equally as difficult if you ask me

 

[b-mart]

Personally, I consider the backhand more difficult. But that's because I've always been naturally accurate with my forehand, and my backhand has been all over the place. I've been working on it exclusively for a couple of months though, and it's starting to come together. However, it just feels like there are way more moving parts to a backhand shot. Maybe I trust the snap of my forehand too much and that's the only thing that gives me any distance, but it seems like it takes a hell of a lot more to get a decent backhand shot vs a good forehand. Someone who is great at backhand and can't forehand will probably say the opposite though.

 

[Psicko]

It all depends on what you primarily throw with. The one that you don't is usually the harder one. I started with throwing forehand, and I couldn't throw backhand to save my life. I started incorporating backhand in and then switched to primarily backhand. Now my forehand sucks. I need to go back and work on those.

I think sidearm was easier for me to pick up and do decent with, but I got much better when I started getting my backhand down.

 

[Halcón]

FH is more difficult to be precise with, at least for me.

 

[ohtobediscing]

About what? If the question is whether you should use backhand or forehand, the answer is both. You've got to be able to throw both to be competitive.
Is one going to be better than the other? Most likely. Using myself as an example, I'm proficient at both, but FH maxes out at 300'[though is slightly more accurate] and BH takes me to 375', though sometimes a bit off line.
FH doesn't seem to strain me physically as much. Part of this is the fact that I take only 1/2 to 3/4 step to throw FH, and my arm snap only travels about the same % of my total reach[compared to 4 steps/big reachback for BH].

Sometimes some courses are more prevalent towards BH or FH. I haven't played any of the peninsula courses out by you, but I just reviewed White River in Auburn, and it definitely is more RHBH-friendly than courses on average. Fortunately my LH flickability helped me pull off a par on my first round there.

If you're new to throwing any type of disc, it takes awhile[depending on how often you're out there]. Some DGers won't agree[mostly because they don't have any experience with it], but use a max-weight rubbery putter and play CATCH with another person in the open[100'-200'], and work on your FH while doing it. It'll come around. :thmbup:

 

[bobmcnelly]

It's totally just which ever you use more. But it is good to be able to do both. I started FH but then switched to BH. Now my FH is crap.

 

[DGfan68]

When I started playing, I solely threw forehand. Then I started playing every day and I developed tennis elbow and couldn't grip a disc , so I switched to back hand. Now I primarily throw backhand and throw forehand when the situation calls for it.

 

[Menacewarf]

I'd say FH is too snowboarding as BH is to skiing.

BH and skiing are more traditional. They also are the most commonly taught techniques and tend to be easier to get many started on, particularly for less athletic folks. Both BH and Skiing are also the staple for "maximum events" (distance or speed).

FH and snowboarding are more of a modern alternative. They are less commonly taught and tend to come naturally for some, particularly the young and athletic. Both FH and snowboarding can be disastrous on the first day out though, in terms of results and injury risk. While some can go as far or fast with FH and snowboarding that tends to be a select club.

What I also like about the analogy is that both are nearly interchangeable for the most part, but offer up slightly different lines, imagination, and approach.

Where the analogy falls apart is long term injury risk. IMO snowboarding and BH are much safer long term, while some say skiing and FH are like a time bomb for a moment of bad technique to open the door door to a serious injury.

 

[disc qualified]

fh anhyzer is probably harder to master than bh anhyzer

 

[Menacewarf]

fh anhyzer is probably harder to master than bh anhyzer

I don't agree but everyone's gonna differ on that.

 

[Nemmers]

fh anhyzer is probably harder to master than bh anhyzer

True story.

I started out throwing RHFH -- and still consider myself a primarily RHFH player -- but throwing an anny FH is really tough to master. Mine is basically a crap shoot: either I nail it and it rides a perfect R-L-R curve or it turns into a mad-bastard roller that could go anywhere.

Of course, this is true for me throwing an understable disc RHBH with an anny. Either I do it right and it floats perfectly along the line I envisioned, or it turns into the retarded step-brother of my FH roller that's even harder to predict.

My advice: Throw what you know. Throw what you're comfortable with. And practice, practice, practice. It'll come....eventually.

 

[coupe]

I've run a lot of clinics for elementary and middle school age kids over the years, and my observation is that the overwhelming majority, regardless of gender, learn to throw forehand A LOT quicker than they learn backhand. I would estimate that ~50% can consistently put a disc inside the circle from 100' throwing FH by the end of day 1, and ~80% can consistently get it inside the circle by the end of day 2, whereas with BH, most still haven't broken the 100' barrier at the end of week 1, and only about half will get there by the end of week two. So I would say that FH is easier to learn from the standpoint of the mechanics and developing a reasonable level of control and consistency.

OTOH, it takes kids longer to break through the distance plateaus throwing FH than BH.

 

[Menacewarf]

True story.

I started out throwing RHFH -- and still consider myself a primarily RHFH player -- but throwing an anny FH is really tough to master. Mine is basically a crap shoot: either I nail it and it rides a perfect R-L-R curve or it turns into a mad-bastard roller that could go anywhere.

Of course, this is true for me throwing an understable disc RHBH with an anny. Either I do it right and it floats perfectly along the line I envisioned, or it turns into the retarded step-brother of my FH roller that's even harder to predict.

My advice: Throw what you know. Throw what you're comfortable with. And practice, practice, practice. It'll come....eventually.

I find FH anhyzers fairly pinpoint by just incorporating some OAT. Just pick your apex point up in the sky, throw right at, and throw an with an otherwise normal flick motion but with some counterclockwise wrist roll(RHFH).

It's not the only way to do it but a fairly consistent one.

 

[ohtobediscing]

I'd say FH is too snowboarding as BH is to skiing.

BH and skiing are more traditional. They also are the most commonly taught techniques and tend to be easier to get many started on, particularly for less athletic folks. Both BH and Skiing are also the staple for "maximum events" (distance or speed).

FH and snowboarding are more of a modern alternative. They are less commonly taught and tend to come naturally for some, particularly the young and athletic. Both FH and snowboarding can be disastrous on the first day out though, in terms of results and injury risk. While some can go as far or fast with FH and snowboarding that tends to be a select club.

What I also like about the analogy is that both are nearly interchangeable for the most part, but offer up slightly different lines, imagination, and approach.

Where the analogy falls apart is long term injury risk. IMO snowboarding and BH are much safer long term, while some say skiing and FH are like a time bomb for a moment of bad technique to open the door door to a serious injury.

Ooof. Deadheads shouldn't mix sports analogies.

 

[digital]

For me, backhand is tougher. And I like this anology.

I'd say FH is too snowboarding as BH is to skiing.

BH and skiing are more traditional. They also are the most commonly taught techniques and tend to be easier to get many started on, particularly for less athletic folks. Both BH and Skiing are also the staple for "maximum events" (distance or speed).

FH and snowboarding are more of a modern alternative. They are less commonly taught and tend to come naturally for some, particularly the young and athletic. Both FH and snowboarding can be disastrous on the first day out though, in terms of results and injury risk. While some can go as far or fast with FH and snowboarding that tends to be a select club.

What I also like about the analogy is that both are nearly interchangeable for the most part, but offer up slightly different lines, imagination, and approach.

Where the analogy falls apart is long term injury risk. IMO snowboarding and BH are much safer long term, while some say skiing and FH are like a time bomb for a moment of bad technique to open the door door to a serious injury.

 

[jkdisc]

my backhand has gotten worse. im thinking of just getting more creative with my fh

 

[Js73]

Come on guys. We all know BH is harder, to get more distance you have to be clean thru out everything. From your walk up, your pull, your release. We've all seen people on the box walk up and flick something 300' with no effort. Besides, know any pros that throw FH?

 

[gvdg jake]

I think it depends on what you throw when you start out. I started and I could only forhand for about 1.5 years. I finally got tired of seeing great drives from people who could backhand and I started to learn. It took over a year to where I was 100% comfortable to throw BH in tourneys. But I think backhand it harder to learn...but I didnt have much problems with forhands when I started.

 

[5QU166Y]

Come on guys. We all know BH is harder, to get more distance you have to be clean thru out everything. From your walk up, your pull, your release. We've all seen people on the box walk up and flick something 300' with no effort. Besides, know any pros that throw FH?

It may be easy for some people to muscle a Boss out to 300' sidearm, but that is not representative of a good sidearm. In the right hands, a sidearm can be just as effective as a backhand, and just as useful.

Also, amost every good professional player throws forehand. I don't know what pros you watch, but every pro that has been in the top 10 for at least the last 5 years has had some kind of sidearm. Even Feldberg and Climo throw one occasionally.

If you want to see a good sidearm, you should watch some videos of Ricky Wysocki, Paul McBeth, and Jeremy Koling (especially Koling), as they all have great sidearms and use them frequently.