Forehand Grip

[Alexplz]

Hey guys, anyone else recently try to pick up a power grip for forehand? Ala two of my favorite pros:

https://youtu.be/SQ6Wutvn4Mg

https://youtu.be/mjlBl3vHPLA

(For a good breakdown of different options, check out Avery's Discmania Clinic https://youtu.be/x7ewCoZ8BwM?t=2m10s )

I started throwing forehand with a stacked "finger gun" grip, with my middle finger making contact with the inner rim and my pointer stacked behind it. The above Sexton clinic caused me to revisit the power grip.

The advantages seem clear; first of all, the peoples' champ throws that way /s. Second, as pointed out by a r/discgolf user, it allows power to be generated from the flexion of one's wrist, rather than ulnar deviation.

Anyway, I have been giving it a shot, and although I quickly warmed up to the feel of the grip, I couldn't get it to work. All it did was introduce a boatload of OAT into my otherwise fairly smooth developing forehand. I didn't initially make the connection as I had also tried introducing a crow hop to my run-up (changed two or more things at once, boo). However, at the park yesterday I figured I'd try the power grip vs the stack and sure enough, with the stack I was able to get a smooth AF forehand and hyzer flip to fade an Escape, while only wobbly garbage came from the power grip.

It really comes down to the hundreds of throws with the stack vs only tens with the power grip, as the stack has the advantage of me having built my entire throwing mechanic around a hit with the stack. It seems plausible or likely that if I had learned with the power grip or if I made the effort to switch, I could squeeze more D out of my FH. But, as a BH-dominant player that only needs a pocket FH for FH things, I would prefer a consistently smooth and predictable forehand over one that needs work.

Anyone have similar issues with FH grip? With BH I can adapt to a variety of grips but FH seems a little more finicky.

 

[etdefender19]

I use a stacked grip for FH (I'm almost exclusively FH on anything longer than 300')
I tried the "power" FH grip again recently with results the same as yours. I have issues with grip (in the "tacky v. slippery" sense of the term) and the power grip just slips out of my hand too often. If I use ProGrip (the bowler's product) to fix the slippery issue, then I get even worse OAT than my usual bigly OAT.
I got consistently better distance with the power grip, but significantly more inconsistency as well.

 

[discerdoo]

Recently been experimenting with the same after seeing that Sexton uses the power grip exclusively. FH is a big part of my game and I always used the stack grip with good results. So far I have better control with stack and a little better distance with the power grip. Not seeing the OAT issues that you are but the disc tends to sail high on me more with the power grip.

Still working with it and trying to use the power grip most of the time. For reference, I can consistently FH a Wraith out to about 350. Fairly happy with that being 56 with almost 2 years playing.

 

[slowplastic]

I've been using the 2 finger stack for years...when I was learning forehand I tried the power grip variations initially as it was more comfortable but I was more prone to OAT. Also my fingers are long and slender, and I would get finger joint pain from the pressure. The stack grip supports my fingers better and I get less strain.

I see the possibility for more wrist flexion with a forward facing position from the power grip. But I am still optimizing my FH with more critical parts of body position and plane maintenance and can still hit 350-375' golf shots with occasional 400' rips on perfect lines, and I know my FH has a couple issues. So my point is you can still hit long shots even if you think the other grip may provide more power.

I really don't know if there's a difference in power potential between them, I may experiment with the split/power grip in the future at some point but I've just found for my not beefy fingers it caused me pain.

 

[etdefender19]

Also my fingers are long and slender, and I would get finger joint pain from the pressure. The stack grip supports my fingers better and I get less strain.

This is also true for me...

 

[BPC2000]

Ive tried experimenting with the power grip but have stayed with the stack grip thus far. My main issue with full power driving FH is pronating too early and turning the disc into the ground. Ive resigned to the fact that its my natural arm motion, 30+ years of throwing a football/baseball that way, or protecting my arm/shoulder from past injuries etc.

Anyways the stack grip helps me keep the disc "true" at the release point, and allows me to pronate later in the follow through. I can consistently get a 300-325ft hyzer flip and out to 350-375ft with some high speed turn. Its also fairly accurate, so for me its getting the job done at the moment. I believe that with improved form I can add some distance to this.

 

[armiller]

I have been trying to make very small forehand grip tweaks. That recent Nate video was very interesting, but I won't switch from the stacked grip. It just feels too weird having the index finger bent underneath the middle finger; plus, it just doesn't feel any more powerful (actually feels less so to me) than stacked. For anything over speed 8 or so, I've started making sure the disc is wedged back into the webbing of my hand, and that seems to be a good change for drives. For midrange and putters, the jury's still out.

Overall, I've made recent changes that have helped my forehand become more consistent and useful on the course. I may have actually lost some distance in doing so, but not much. The main thing I've done is stop trying to overpower the disc, especially on drives with high speed stuff. As far as grip goes, I just try to hold the disc so that wrist flexion is the primary movement imparting movement. In practice, that means getting my stacked grip set up, then rotating my wrist a bit (pronating, I guess, or rotating so the pinky is a little lower). Maybe that helps me not do any extra, wonky pronation during the throw, but I'm not really sure.

Still a work in progress.

 

[StevenSeagal]

When I first started playing I threw for about two years using the stacked grip for all distance and fairway drivers and a fan grip from mids and putters. I switched to the power grip as described by Avery and for the most part never looked back. I'm 6'4 and I have larger than average digits and palms but for me the power grip still feels more secure and locked than anything else. The one thing I do really like about the stacked grip is I feel it is easier to keep the disc nose down in your hand.

 

[Spectacledbear]

Could the stack grip be more prone to slide the disc out? I feel like sometimes my disc slides out off my fingers. Lack of snap is another reason i guess.

 

[slowplastic]

Could the stack grip be more prone to slide the disc out? I feel like sometimes my disc slides out off my fingers. Lack of snap is another reason i guess.

Like with backhand I find this is usually due to improper timing. If you try to gas the shot too soon your arm will start to fling out before the angles line up and you won't be able to physically hold onto the disc through the point that would send it forward. So early release/grip slip.

If you swing the disc up and down vertically and snap it straight down into the ground it should feel dead easy, and like the disc just wants to get some added juice at a certain point. Same thing with when you change the angles by 90 and throw a FH the same way. Just if you try to snap or swing too soon it'll come out early.

I used to get minuscule "slips" and the bottom edge of the disc would burn the end finger joints with a stacked grip and give me a nasty blister/callus. Over time my fling/snap timing got better and I'd be actually powering it through the hit, rather than starting to power it and have the bottom edge burn along my fingers as it ripped out slightly early.

 

[Spectacledbear]

Nice tips, you're probably right. If only it was as easy to throw FH as when you hold it verticaly, this really feels way more comfortable than at 90. I'll keep on practcing to come closer to an understanding of this "hit". Jeremy koling has such a nice hit it doesnt even look like hes snaping the disc at all- stacked fingers though!

 

[slowplastic]

Nice tips, you're probably right. If only it was as easy to throw FH as when you hold it verticaly, this really feels way more comfortable than at 90. I'll keep on practcing to come closer to an understanding of this "hit". Jeremy koling has such a nice hit it doesnt even look like hes snaping the disc at all- stacked fingers though!

It is just as easy ...just when you slam it into the ground you don't have any expectations so it works. As soon as you try a throw you are trying to hit a line, get nose down, get some distance, etc. Take away all expectations and pop it out there. Then go from there.

Of course it does feel different with gravity helping you swing toward the ground, but if you have a nice loose backswing to forward swing transition it should be pretty similar.

 

[Spectacledbear]

It is just as easy ...just when you slam it into the ground you don't have any expectations so it works. As soon as you try a throw you are trying to hit a line, get nose down, get some distance, etc. Take away all expectations and pop it out there. Then go from there.

Of course it does feel different with gravity helping you swing toward the ground, but if you have a nice loose backswing to forward swing transition it should be pretty similar.

So i have tried to make the same motion sideways as vertical. As you said gravity helps when i do it vertical and it feels smoother. I got some semi nice "hits" by doing this, but i noticed that the hit point was like an arms length ( from the elbow to the hand ) away from me ca. Is that abit far away? Im really hyped too see if this can work, because im done with arming the disc out for distance. Also for putters and mids i tried to just press my thumb down when i released, that added some straight flights i have otherwise not been able to do with slightly understable discs- didn't feel so smooth though.

 

[slowplastic]

So i have tried to make the same motion sideways as vertical. As you said gravity helps when i do it vertical and it feels smoother. I got some semi nice "hits" by doing this, but i noticed that the hit point was like an arms length ( from the elbow to the hand ) away from me ca. Is that abit far away? Im really hyped too see if this can work, because im done with arming the disc out for distance. Also for putters and mids i tried to just press my thumb down when i released, that added some straight flights i have otherwise not been able to do with slightly understable discs- didn't feel so smooth though.

Check through this thread and video for arm length, etc. https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128673

I definitely have to think about pinching the disc near and through the hit. I don't try to pinch down too soon or I tense up my forearm and wrist, and don't get that easy load back from the disc weight in the backswing. But definitely as I am approaching the hit point I need to pinch down hard to get the nose down and be able to swing the disc through with a clean release.

Another thing with arm swing length, make sure you are releasing the arm and disc through the hit point. And not snapping the disc and arm "at" or "to" the target. Everything should release around and your arm should swing across your body and not just to the target and stop. Doing the vertical disc spike into the ground should feel pretty natural to swing the arm through release entirely. I do find that with powered down putter/mid shots it can be hard to do this full arm swing at low distances, and I tend to do more snappy wrist pops rather than really leverage the arm through the shot...as that gives me too much disc velocity for the distance I need in order to put enough spin on a putter/mid to keep it going straight.

 

[Spectacledbear]

Excellent post you linked- alot of nuggets there- cant wait to put it into practice. Im definitely guilty of snapping it "to the target. If i try to throw my mako3 and roc with my arm they just get weird flight patterns, not much spin at all.

I saw koling throw a roc pretty far, so it should be possible with practice. Hes palm was facing down to the ground after release, weirdly enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99kiJ0p347c&t=931s

at 14:22.