First time form check

[the1discChallenge]

Hey all, this is my first time asking for help on my form. I've always been a casual player who still does field work and wants to improve, but doesn't really have any interest in playing tournaments (though I love playing leagues!).

What I'm mostly asking for advice on is my timing (which will involved a lot of things, probably). I'm getting decent distance and accuracy, but something about my timing feels off and can't self identify. Here are two throws from the side and one from the back. Thanks in advance!

https://youtu.be/Ik-zFhZdytg

 

[the1discChallenge]

A few things I'm realizing after the fact:

Sorry this isn't a landscape video– it was a spur of the moment thing and I only had my bag to prop up my phone!

After watching back a few times, I'm realizing I need to keep the disc away from my body longer before pulling through. Any accuracy inconsistencies I've been having might be due to the disc not staying in a straight line.

Something looks a bit off with my rotation as well, maybe rotating too much?

My plant foot seems to be a little too in line with my back foot. I've been working on getting that a little more out (to the front left of the teepad, if I were on one).

 

[Brychanus]

Welcome!

You're running up backwards in a horse stance, leaning away over the rear or "drive" leg before you plant, and throwing too flat. Throwing too flat is as much about how the parts of the body relate to each other and the ground as well as the shot itself.

I'd maybe recommend starting here:


And Here:

 

[sidewinder22]

Your shift and rotation is all backwards.
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=118948
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133543

 

[the1discChallenge]

Thanks to you both for the replies and videos. It's funny, I'm a ball golfer as well and the weight shift in my golf swing is much more intuitive than my disc golf form for some reason (though I did play competitive high school golf in 2009 where I had regular instruction, so that probably helps). The Shawn Clement video is particularly helpful with the timing and the "you shift your weight at the top swing" idea.

To clarify, I'm shifting my weight too early? Or not really at all? Watching back to my video, it looks like I'm already starting to pivot before my right foot hits the ground if I'm understanding it right.

 

[sidewinder22]

Your rotation is too early before your pressure shifts.

 

[Brychanus]

Thanks to you both for the replies and videos. It's funny, I'm a ball golfer as well and the weight shift in my golf swing is much more intuitive than my disc golf form for some reason (though I did play competitive high school golf in 2009 where I had regular instruction, so that probably helps). The Shawn Clement video is particularly helpful with the timing and the "you shift your weight at the top swing" idea.

To clarify, I'm shifting my weight too early? Or not really at all? Watching back to my video, it looks like I'm already starting to pivot before my right foot hits the ground if I'm understanding it right.

Golf background might help if you learn from sources here (depending on how developed your swing was). A few habits will need to adjust.

Adding moving legs makes it harder, and my understanding/experience here is that the one hand swing and DG posture needed for the release trajectory is tricky for the body to learn.

Your shift and rotation look like you're swinging everything back together then everything forward, and as a result your rear leg kind of yanks around as you spin out after landing on it. Running up backwards seems to make it more likely to happen since there's nothing for the backswing to leverage against.

Compare to your golf swing where your rear leg forms a brace for your backswing and your weight shifts "from behind you" simultaneously as you backswing. Reason I recommended what I did is it's not just sequencing but also some of the posture and motion stuff that can take time to work out...

 

[the1discChallenge]

Your shift and rotation look like you're swinging everything back together then everything forward, and as a result your rear leg kind of yanks around as you spin out after landing on it. Running up backwards seems to make it more likely to happen since there's nothing for the backswing to leverage against.

Your rotation is too early before your pressure shifts.

Ahh yes, I see that now. I've always wondered why my form looked weird when I watched back and that explains it. Watching pros throw has been helpful for some tips, but there are so many little mechanics, it's hard to catch them all.

I think some of the baseball bracing videos clicked with me just now. I'm in my living room swinging my arms everywhere, but the idea of feeling the brace on the right leg AFTER I crush the can is really helpful right now.

As far as the back swing goes, is it a little more 1-to-1, where when my arm comes back (in a standstill) my weight also transfers back? This video where he talks about taking a slight step with the front foot during the back swing makes sense, but I'm having a harder time transferring that to the DG swing.

Thank you both, this is extremely helpful!!!

 

[sidewinder22]

As far as the back swing goes, is it a little more 1-to-1, where when my arm comes back (in a standstill) my weight also transfers back? This video where he talks about taking a slight step with the front foot during the back swing makes sense, but I'm having a harder time transferring that to the DG swing.

Thank you both, this is extremely helpful!!!

 

[the1discChallenge]

Went out to the field today and worked on some standstill shots trying to get the weight shift and timing. I was just doing some swings to get the weight shift, and then focusing on the "butt wipe" and "can smash" drills.

https://youtu.be/KZsoB7DHgF4

Does this look any better than before?

 

[sidewinder22]

You are pushing your upper body over top. If your front leg gave out you would fall head first to target instead of the opposite like Wiggins slipping here, like a skier going into a turn or hockey stop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q4snQoLDzY&t=60s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxnhM5amro0#t=1m14s

 

[the1discChallenge]

It's been about 6 months since I've checked in here due to the end of the semester and visiting family/work, but I have been working on my game and seeing good results. I'm throwing with more consistency and I feel like I'm being more efficient with my movements.

However, I noticed over the past month or so that my hip/glute area on my plant leg (right leg) is sore. Not when I throw, but the day after I notice it. If I stand up straight and twist to the right slowly (as if I were throwing), I can feel soreness there. Not sure if this is just throwing better and my muscles aren't used to the new motions, or if it's a problem of bad form.

I wasn't even going to share this video, but I took it for me to check something in my back swing. I can take another one today or tomorrow if this one isn't good. Figured I'd share it and see if anyone has some feedback/suggestions.

On a separate issue, the last bit of critique I got here was that I was falling forward. I've been trying to work on that, but my back leg continues to swing around my body in my follow through. I've noticed other pro players that do this, but many of them are able to stay balanced on one leg in their follow through, or are able to keep their back leg from swinging in front of them. Again, not sure if this is something I need to fix, or just my throwing style.

https://youtu.be/eE4AkIjVsOE

 

[sidewinder22]

You have both feet stuck flat on the ground, instead of shifting between one leg balance between the feet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxnhM5amro0#t=1m14s

 

[the1discChallenge]

Checking back in here for the first time in about 6 months (I guess that's the right amount of time to come back for me). I've been trying to work on things that were suggested here like not falling forward and weight transfer, but I feel like I'm getting worse. When I go out to the field or for a round, I focus on one thing to work on (squaring my feet, weight transfer, engaging the lower body, etc) but it's been consistently 1 step forward, 2 steps back.

Distance I used to get (which wasn't impressive to begin with) is really hard to get now, accuracy is getting worse, and I've developed pain in my elbow every time I get out to throw (taking weeks off in between rounds, and it only comes back when I play).

I've been working on various weight transfer drills (like riding the bull and the skier drills) and it all makes sense and feels good when I'm standing still, but as soon as I actually throw the disc or try to add an x-step, it feels really awkward and I can't timing of it well. Since last summer, I've been slowing things way down, only taking one extra step in my x-step and everything still feels wrong. The biggest problem for me is bracing– when I watch back a video and I'm mostly upright (like in the side shot, and even then it's a very weak brace and I'm still leaning forward a bit), I feel like I'm having to kill all my momentum and the disc goes nowhere.

Anyway, I just got back from the field feeling pretty discouraged and unmotivated to play. Not sure if anyone can offer advice, I know a lot of things are still very very awkward and now a little painful (weight transfer, bracing, timing in general, footwork, lower body engagement).

Sorry for the general negativity, just feeling pretty lost with the game right now.

 

[sidewinder22]

You are landing with your frontside turned open, instead of turned back - shifting from behind/crush the can.

 

[the1discChallenge]

Any reason you can see for the elbow pain? and how can I start to apply this to a slow x-step?

 

[Kennets]

Regarding the elbow pain. I would take it a tad more serious, seek a doctor or at least take a few months off from DG or throw lefty.

 

[the1discChallenge]

Regarding the elbow pain. I would take it a tad more serious, seek a doctor or at least take a few months off from DG or throw lefty.

I'll definitely be more careful about it. I'm in my doctorate degree and with the semester getting in full swing, I definitely won't be throwing for a couple months. I'd like to play for many more years if I can help it, and hopefully figuring out better form (after some good time off) will help with that.

 

[sidewinder22]

Any reason you can see for the elbow pain?

Yes, because you aren't turning your shoulders(whole frontside) back and using your whole body to lever the arm/disc more efficiently, instead of mostly just using the arm. Elbow pain can also be from gripping too hard for too long(golfer's elbow).

and how can I start to apply this to a slow x-step?

There's not much point in a doing a x-step until you get your standstill working properly. You should be able to throw further from a proper standstill, than you are right now with an x-step. Note how my standstill position is basically the same as Eagle going into the plant from his x-step.

 

[the1discChallenge]

Thanks for the more detailed feedback. I'm going to give throwing a break for a good while, but may check in here with standstill drills inside.