Brace for Impact

[HyzerUniBomber]

That's the tagline for this blog post.

http://heavydisc.blogspot.com/2014/10/why-we-brace.html

And if you want to skip all the words, the video is at the bottom with an extra helping of self-mocking.

 

[scotnt73]

Great stuff. I've learned a ton recently in the why beto is important thread from you guys. I just would like to add that while doing this in the field I found that adding the mike c heel stomp to the beto drill solved this issue for me and it was like an aha moment. Once I got the release point down I gained about 50 feet of distance.

I always found standing still for the pec drill too restraining(maybe because I'm fat..lol). However once I started stomping down on my right heel it made me naturally pivot and follow through.

 

[bsurg]

Love the video (and all your videos, really). Bracing the plant foot is something I've really struggled with understanding. Now that I've corrected some timing issues with reaching back and stepping my plant foot forward at the same time, I get to work on the intricacies of the "powerful pirouette" (love that term). I'm always concerned with overloading the outside of my right ankle because I've sprained it before, but I should really work up to it. Currently maxing out at 300' from a standstill with a hyzer-flippy DX TeeBird.

 

[rocthecourse]

That's the tagline for this blog post.

http://heavydisc.blogspot.com/2014/10/why-we-brace.html

And if you want to skip all the words, the video is at the bottom with an extra helping of self-mocking.

I just skipped the whole thing...

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

I just skipped the whole thing...

Safe bet.

 

[Kodachrome]

yeah. i like what you do; it's fun to watch.

i just wish someone could come here and place my body in the right positions and force my to brace myself. that's the whole problem; i've known what i've been doing wrong (that) for about a year and i cannot seem to fix it.

kudos to you for making some informative vids to help the newbies out and save their arms.

 

[rhatton1]

Haven't had a chance to watch the video though so you may have mentioned it, but something i was thinking about is the squeeze between the knees position of good form shown so well in the fourway shot shown on your blog here- http://heavydisc.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/improving-back-hand-distance.html

This is a position that happens as a result of a good brace and is an easy one to play around with to find how to get to the position whilst at home. It is impossible to achieve this position (unless you are some kind of bendy freak) with your weight on your outstep of either foot, it has to be on the instep. Try it right now, press against your right instep with the foot to the head lined up on a diagonal bracing against your instep then press against your left instep and you will be squeezing between the knees.

It is also much easier to attain the position with bent knees than straight knees.

I know this has all been said time and again but just playing around with the body positions at home in front of mirrors has helped me to try to feel how I can get into this position. once you have found the position its for me easier to find the ways into it and out of it - I hope that made sense.

 

[Timeetyo]

yeah. i like what you do; it's fun to watch.

i just wish someone could come here and place my body in the right positions and force my to brace myself. that's the whole problem; i've known what i've been doing wrong (that) for about a year and i cannot seem to fix it.

kudos to you for making some informative vids to help the newbies out and save their arms.

So this. I think my last few form updates get more or less the same videos linked by SW and I still just can't translate what I'm seeing to fixing it when it all starts moving.

Work has been keeping me from major form work lately but I'm hoping these vids will help me translate that better when I get some time.

 

[drummadude2]

Link?

Great stuff. I've learned a ton recently in the why beto is important thread from you guys. I just would like to add that while doing this in the field I found that adding the mike c heel stomp to the beto drill solved this issue for me and it was like an aha moment. Once I got the release point down I gained about 50 feet of distance.

I always found standing still for the pec drill too restraining(maybe because I'm fat..lol). However once I started stomping down on my right heel it made me naturally pivot and follow through.

Do you have a link for the heel stomp? I tried to do a search but it brought me back to this thread.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Thanks to all above, always glad to hear some happy feedback.

Do you have a link for the heel stomp? I tried to do a search but it brought me back to this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8voe-Ke_kg

i just wish someone could come here and place my body in the right positions and force my to brace myself. that's the whole problem; i've known what i've been doing wrong (that) for about a year and i cannot seem to fix it.

Do you have any tennis or racquetball background? The motion is very similar to a backhand shot in those sports. Obviously it's the reverse for a hockey shot or baseball bat swing - but if you have a bat available - it might be worth learning to swing it opposite handed. It's also like an opposite handed bowling brace.

I feel ya on wanting some kind of contraption that forces you into the right positions so you can feel it. The feedback suit... patent pending.

So this. I think my last few form updates get more or less the same videos linked by SW and I still just can't translate what I'm seeing to fixing it when it all starts moving.

Work has been keeping me from major form work lately but I'm hoping these vids will help me translate that better when I get some time.

Sidewinder is amazing at seeing the flaws. It's amazing. No BS, though... it is VERY hard to explain how to do things right. I was back in the field w/ another DGCR'er yesterday and even in person, showing him the motion - it's very difficult to make that motion happen for somebody else.

The best thing you can do, is to spend quite a bit of time learning how those key positions feel. Get your body into the right stacked position from zero movement.



Then add just a little back and forth to feel what just a bit of motion will do... how your hips load, how your thigh tightens up. Elbow over knee over foot. I spend a good amount of time pushing into my plant leg, trying to figure out how it best takes weight and where I am most balanced.

 

[EvanKRob]

Not a fan of the MikeC video, i feel like it will introduce a few new problems to players who don't really get his point.

HUB,

One thing I've noticed that has helped people struggling with this is to turn that plant foot toe inward a little bit. A lot of times people who struggle with the brace plant with an open foot pointing more towards the target. Turning it in (towards the left for a RHBH) on plant makes a world of difference.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

One thing I've noticed that has helped people struggling with this is to turn that plant foot toe inward a little bit. A lot of times people who struggle with the brace plant with an open foot pointing more towards the target. Turning it in (towards the left for a RHBH) on plant makes a world of difference.

Good point, I think forces some weight into the ankle in a way that is supported or braced versus being more open, where your weight would be supported by ball of your foot fighting the natural walking motion.

I will say that a solid bracing motion is hard on your ankles, at least for me. I've actually considered getting an ankle brace. Regular play is completely fine, even with drives for longer courses - but when I'm throwing fieldwork daily, I end up sore. Seems worse if I'm bracing and pivoting in grass.

 

[drummadude2]

Thanks for the link HUBs! That heel stomp is something that will be incorporated with your drill.

 

[EvanKRob]

I will say that a solid bracing motion is hard on your ankles, at least for me. I've actually considered getting an ankle brace. Regular play is completely fine, even with drives for longer courses - but when I'm throwing fieldwork daily, I end up sore. Seems worse if I'm bracing and pivoting in grass.

Something might be off then. You should really feel the brace more in your right thigh, if your ankle is taking the bulk of the pressure then it is going to result in knee problems.

Are you really getting that heel down and the proper toe-to-heel movement?

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

I feel the brace in the thigh. I believe that I'm getting the movement right.

A few backhands: http://youtu.be/igDU-JnU_aw

I think it could be that the field I throw in is pretty lumpy ground under the grass and I don't always get a good pivot to release the pressure on the ankle.

It's not sore past a day later, and it's not intense soreness.

It could be that I'm not going toes up on the plant enough, to clear a wide enough section of pivot. Watching the video - I open the foot for some degree and then twist for the last bit. That could explain the situational soreness

 

[bfowler]

Ok, I can get a really good hammer pound, snap and follow through on my pull. My problem I feel like I'm having now is I don't feel like I'm really getting my hips/torso into it.

I'm either going so slow until the hit that I don't feel much power going into the hit or with an X step I'll just focus on not throwing my weight forward so I don't put a lot of force into that plant because I'll fall forward if I do. I don't really feel anything in my ankles or thigh.

I'll get to that knees together position but it's more relaxed and easy. I'm not actively flexing anything. It's just slow and smooth. My distance is still around 360 max but it's hard to feel the snap with high speed discs.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Shoot some more video, could be something we could help you identify. There's definitely a level of feel and a level of loose-ness that helps hit 400+

For me, it's helpful if I'm getting that 350' standstill feeling, with the loading wrist on a mid - and then my xstep is just focused on getting into the standstill with the elbow driven forward with a little more mustard on a teeBird. If I lose the loading feeling, remove the x-step and repeat.

 

[elmexdela]

good stuff thanks for all the info

 

[zgmc]

I was experimenting with using the brinster hop, and I felt like I was getting a really good brace. Couldnt quite dial in the timing but for one throw. I think using the hop forces you to brace. If you don't, you will fall forward. Cant wait to get back out on Friday. Thanks for the info HUB.

 

[Vorpaljesus]

This blog post has added a consistent 50+ feet to my max D drives. Focusing on bracing against the lead foot has made a huge difference in timing and in the force I can generate from my back leg, because now it has something to push against. I think this is something that I unconsciously did on good throws, but now that I focus on it, it comes every time and adds tons of spin and velocity to the disc.

I highly recommend anyone stuck at the ~325 mark read HUBs post and watch the video. It helped me a lot. Thanks