Do big people have a natural distance advantage?

[discjunky]

In my experience ,it is experience that matters. It seems like most people that I meet at the course that throw farther than me have been playing a lot longer than me, yet for example I have four brothers new to the sport that can't touch me in distance or accuracy.
They are all 50-100#'s heavier and 3-6"'s taller than me.

 

[discjunky]

Oh yeah, I'm 5'5" and 115# and throw about 250'

 

[vonDrehle]

In my experience ,it is experience that matters. It seems like most people that I meet at the course that throw farther than me have been playing a lot longer than me, yet for example I have four brothers new to the sport that can't touch me in distance or accuracy.
They are all 50-100#'s heavier and 3-6"'s taller than me.

We have a DSCJNKY how dare you!!!

And for the weight arguments I have lost 55ish pounds and am throwing better than I was 55pounds heavier. It's also nice to be able to play an entire round without having to sit down and I think that plays a big part in it too. By the back nine I am just as comfortable as I was on the front so I can maintain my distance and accuracy.

I'll report back when I am down 100.

 

[prerube]

In my experience ,it is experience that matters.

Playing 6 months.
good thing you live in TX or your experience would only be in snow.

 

[discjunky]

ROGER THAT!

 

[sidewinder22]

First, long arms provide long levers. If two throwers are rotating at the same speed, the farther the disc is from the body (or axis) the greater the momentum generated. This doesn't always necessarily translate to snap or distance, but there's more momentum potential. Secondly, a taller thrower has a higher release point if he/she throws correctly.

Body weight is not really a significant factor since a disc(180g) is about 0.4% of a 100lbs athlete. You would pretty much have to double the body weight for any measurable difference all other factors being equal. Now if the disc weighs about 1-2kg, your body weight will be a bigger factor all other things being equal, but its still only a couple percent. But then again being heavier makes it harder to be agile and rotate.

 

[prerube]

First, long arms provide long levers. If two throwers are rotating at the same speed, the farther the disc is from the body (or axis) the greater the momentum generated. This doesn't always necessarily translate to snap or distance, but there's more momentum potential. Secondly, a taller thrower has a higher release point if he/she throws correctly.

Body weight is not really a significant factor since a disc(180g) is about 0.4% of a 100lbs athlete. You would pretty much have to double the body weight for any measurable difference all other factors being equal. Now if the disc weighs about 1-2kg, your body weight will be a bigger factor all other things being equal, but its still only a couple percent. But then again being heavier makes it harder to be agile and rotate.

If 2 people had the EXACT same form

Flexibility would increase range of motion to increase time that force is imparted on the disc and the longer arm would also give longer time in motion and work as a longer lever (and maybe increasing the release height by an inch or 2).

However I think we all know height can not make up for great form.

Sweet, I agreed with Sidewinder22 on a form issue. It must be correct

 

[slimshadyemb]

Citing disc weight relative to body weight is a silly attempt to make it sound like you have any idea what is going on.

I am not a physics pro, but my understanding is that the disc being thrown is all about leverage. Form between 2 players being equal, the longer armed player with generate more speed around the middle of the rotation than a shorter armed player. If you are a player who rotates around the body (as opposed to a straight pull through), then an arm 1 inch longer equates to 3.14 inches more circumference. The extra 3 inches around the axis generate extra leverage/speed through the throw, resulting in more distance

That said, form is most important. Form > Leverage > Strength

 

[Lithicon]

Longer levers as I described doesn't exactly increase you potential distance. It's about compact rotational torque. You want the disc close to you as you actually rotate, not farther away. Thus, how far you get it out from your body, doesn't really matter. I pointed out earlier the reach back only allows your to get the shoulder back, which allows you more potential rotational torque. Since the follow through is a straight direction, the arm only assists the body's rotation once it's into the pec. The Long arm theory "wrapped" around the disc allowing for more potential "spin" on the disc isn't doing anything. Because the disc doesn't begin to spin until it's left your finger tip. Thus, where the grip strength comes in.

Now, you say the height thing gives you about two more inches of release height? Doesn't matter, everyone that throws nose down will have their own way of countering this. Because, the disc actually creates lift. So, to counter being two inches shorter, you'd just require a tad more nose down to create the proper lift to get teh same distances.

 

[liamxparker]

it's all a course of variables, ie there are short people who are still good at basketball, even though it is a tall dominated sport.

it all really depends on your form, yet there are slight variations that could hypothetically alter your throws in some situations.

/end thread.

 

[Lithicon]

I should rephrase that part about the arm wrapped around not doing anything, it does. But, the longer the arm wrapped around is more there to begin the rotation. Because, it would be almost impossible to eliminate it, and keep the disc in your hand. So, it does help, but not nearly as much as people give it credit.

 

[JoshEpoo]

There are many genetic factors that influence efficiency and power. There is no doubt that a certain type of bone structure works better than another type, but there are so many complex variables that it's not really worth noting one over another as being more significant.

I have no idea why this thread got so long. The OP has been answered repeatedly and now people are basically fighting about how to properly phrase the correct answer. If you were going to build a machine that launched discs, you could worry about the length of your levers and the physics a bit more. Since you're stuck with the body you got, you can worry about getting it in shape and working on technique, or you can dawdle with half baked, incomplete, deeply flawed theories about the mechanics of human motion...

 

[liamxparker]

Well, if everyone didn't have an unnecessary sense of self importance then it should have ended sooner.

 

[Lithicon]

If you don't feel you should be participating in this discussion anymore, you're completely welcome to remove yourself from it. ^^;

 

[liamxparker]

If you don't feel you should be participating in this discussion anymore, you're completely welcome to remove yourself from it. ^^;

Aw, well shucks, thanks.

 

[MNcyclone]

I like these physics debates, they class up the joint, we aren't talking about racist dog eaters

Lithi, I just have to disagree with your proposal that the arm length doesn't matter because you want the disc close to you. The whole point of proper form is to cause your arm to act like a whip. Like when you play crack the whip on skates, the longer the whip the bigger the snap. Or a real bull whip, a 10' whip could hurt you bad, but a 100' whip could kill you dead. Of course you couldn't possibly operate a 100' whip correctly, but I don't think that its arguable a human can't manage to operate an 80" whip if they can operate a 70" one.

 

[slimshadyemb]

I like these physics debates, they class up the joint, we aren't talking about racist dog eaters .

We can all agree about this yeah? Unforunately, I don't think a lot of physics professors play disc golf. Anyone have luck getting their insctructors wasted and tossing a round as the college DG course?

If you ask me the ultimate to this answer is "practice practice practice"

 

[Lithicon]

Lmao, I just have to say first of all. I've NEVER played crack the whip on skates. HAHAHAHAHAH!

But, thinking about how the arm is simply a guide out to the hit. Just like in the wrist, you're assisting with your arm pulling at some point. Everyone knows that, but it's only assisting the body as it's rotation completes. Accelerating the disc into the hit. I'm going to stick with my pretty general consensus on it as the short, or really long arms would likely hurt you. But, the average is probably the best. But, generally everyone should be able to apply those same mechanics and end up with the same results I believe.

 

[jpeaslee]

FWIW, I'm the OP ad I got my answer And I got my brother to understand.

I win.

 

[slimshadyemb]

Sweet smiley beer

fail miller lite