Do big people have a natural distance advantage?

[waynewf]

I think he means grip strength, and I would have to agree. Thats how small major league pitchers can pitch well; they have ginormous monkey hands with crazy monkey strength! Ever seen Pedro's hands? He could strangle me from 6 feet away!

Grip strength????
OK, let's play the semantics game here.....what does how hard you can grip have to do with how far you throw a disc?

I throw my sidearm shots with 1 finger under the rim, hardly any grip at all, and can get them out around 325 or so....with zero grip?!?!?

No, no, no....size and strength always matter, with everything else being equal, the bigger stronger person will throw it farther. I'm not saying that a bigger stronger person will crush whatever distance the shorter one shot, but it will be farther...

 

[waynewf]

I think he means grip strength, and I would have to agree. Thats how small major league pitchers can pitch well; they have ginormous monkey hands with crazy monkey strength! Ever seen Pedro's hands? He could strangle me from 6 feet away!

And isn't the key to pitching all in the leg drive off of the mound? I don't understand how the ability to grip the ball harder would help you out unless, maybe if you're a knuckleballer.

 

[MNcyclone]

woah there buddy, I was the original guy in this thread preaching what you are currently preaching! I'm just saying that grip strength goes into it as part of the bigger/stronger equation. A strong grip = more efficient energy transfer from your body to the disc.

EDIT: To baseball pitching, yes, lower body propulsion does help pitch speed in the same exact way mechanics help disc golfers. Strong grips also effect pitching just like disc golf. A small hand with a weak grip makes efficient energy transfer hard to accomplish.

 

[JoshEpoo]

Grip strength????
OK, let's play the semantics game here.....what does how hard you can grip have to do with how far you throw a disc?

I throw my sidearm shots with 1 finger under the rim, hardly any grip at all, and can get them out around 325 or so....with zero grip?!?!?

No, no, no....size and strength always matter, with everything else being equal, the bigger stronger person will throw it farther. I'm not saying that a bigger stronger person will crush whatever distance the shorter one shot, but it will be farther...

Grip strength is enormously important for throwing far. You have to actually hold the disc in your hand while you accelerate it much faster than someone who isn't throwing as far. Simply keeping a disc in your hand while it's moving at speeds that will carry it 550' is a big task.

 

[Lithicon]

Yes, grip strength is what is important. Not much tricep or anything else. Those muscles only assist. You can argue that the stronger those muscles are the more they can "assist." But, that's very minor to actually having grip strength.

And, I wasn't taking your post as an attack. I was merely pointing out how much of form is in body positioning, most importantly timing, and grip strength. This thread alone actually pin points why so many people aren't able to throw much over 400'. Because they either don't know, or understand the keys in body positioning, or timing and grip strength. Let alone the complex application and timing of actual wrist extension.

 

[waynewf]

Lithi is short and fat

 

[MNcyclone]

Who exactly are you saying can't throw far because they don't understand mechanics? I didn't see anyone on this thread post anything that would lead me to this conclusion.

 

[Lithicon]

Ugh, this is getting ridiculous.

 

[Lithicon]

I'm not calling anyone out, nor am I trying to berate anyone. Just saying.

I'm 5'8, 150lbs. I can throw 400' now. But, my longest a year ago was only 450. My form is terrible now, and I don't deny it. Mainly because I have trouble with my wrist(Tendinitis), but I haven't been practicing nearly as much lately. I was just breaking into actually understanding and applying wrist extension and it made the difference of barely making 400' to watching a disc actually pull it's self to 450, instead of barely get there. Not saying I was getting good, or barely getting it. I'm just saying, that with that and proper grip strength, it's much easier. And, everything before it seems so much more effortless after you learn to.

 

[jpeaslee]

Ok, so can we mostly agree that size/strength/height can play a part in the distance of a drive, but big picture its a small part?

Point being in my original intent of the thread my brother (I feel like a 2 year old saying this rather than a almost 24 year old adult referencing his 22 year old brother) seems to think that my extra 150' is primarily from my weight and height rather than form?

 

[liamxparker]

it could be, the only way to test it is to lose weight gradually and test your throws.

 

[prerube]

How would that help with height? he'd still be taller.

 

[liamxparker]

How would that help with height? he'd still be taller.

His question was about weight and height, he can't shrink, test the weight.

 

[liamxparker]

Height could be a factor solely for the fact that you can see farther distances.

 

[prerube]

wouldn't it be easier to gain 20 lbs to see if he can throw a lot farther?

Height could be a factor solely for the fact that you can see farther distances.

If I am using binoculars can I throw farther?

 

[jpeaslee]

it could be, the only way to test it is to lose weight gradually and test your throws.

Thats still not isolating the variable. Time spent playing/practicing could also influence the distance that I'm throwing. I think one thing that we all can agree on is the fact that practicing and fixing form are definite factors in distance.

Can you tell I was a psych major and had to take lots of research/experimental classes:wall:

 

[liamxparker]

I have no solution for you then. It's going to be one of those things.

 

[prerube]

You could gain weight and measure throws, then loose weight and measure. If you continue to gain distance then practice is the cause, but if your throws change with weight change, then you have a possible correlation.

WHOA, maybe that's why cubby has so many aces, he has me by 80 lbs.

 

[liamxparker]

You could gain weight and measure throws, then loose weight and measure. If you continue to gain distance then practice is the cause, but if your throws change with weight change, then you have a possible correlation.

What about the HEIGHT, then?

As you mentioned to me.

 

[prerube]

What about the HEIGHT, then?

As you mentioned to me.

Height stays as a constant variable, so you are only testing weight