Form Check/update

[slowplastic]

I think you are reaching your max backswing a little early relative to your plant, which may be leading to your arm coming forward with you as you drop down rather than having its own momentum back at the top of the backswing.

My arm rising issue has always been terrible though so if I actually knew how to fix it then that wouldn't be the case. But still I see the top of the backswing leading me to think you're not letting the arm do its thing on the way back...like a heavy connected lag feeling arm. Like you said I think the hammer will help you.

 

[Lumberjack504]

I think you are reaching your max backswing a little early relative to your plant, which may be leading to your arm coming forward with you as you drop down rather than having its own momentum back at the top of the backswing.

My arm rising issue has always been terrible though so if I actually knew how to fix it then that wouldn't be the case. But still I see the top of the backswing leading me to think you're not letting the arm do its thing on the way back...like a heavy connected lag feeling arm. Like you said I think the hammer will help you.

Yeah the backswing is definitely still early and I'm not feeling the weight of the disc. I'm kind of pushing the disc back instead of letting my body glide forward of it.

 

[sidewinder22]

Work on Perpetually Longer Swing Drill. Your rear foot is just spinning out.

 

[slowplastic]

Yeah the backswing is definitely still early and I'm not feeling the weight of the disc. I'm kind of pushing the disc back instead of letting my body glide forward of it.

Try to feel like your whole arm has weight. I think if I just try to make the disc have weight then the arm can get disconnected like a string with slack tied to something and then pulled tight in an instant.

 

[sidewinder22]

 

[Lumberjack504]

Back with some hammer tosses. Not 100% sure what to look for here but I think I see some rear leg counter. Trying to just heave it with minimal effort and not get "tossed around like a rag doll" as the wise SC would put it.

 

[sidewinder22]

When you hold the hammer forward at setup, your arm/hammer are turned 90 degrees over. Your thumb print/head hammer should be facing the target, yours are facing the ground. It looks like you change it during your swing correct, but your pre-swings are 90 degrees off plane.

When you go to toss the hammer you appear to be really turning open behind your front foot. Bring your shoulder forward over the front foot, and rear shoulder follow through over foot as well.

Note how much more forward on the front leg I start and finish. My shoulders are still closed in the last pic, your shoulders are wide open and behind your front foot. It will probably feel very over the top to you to setup this way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-KVWfUkQ3s&t=3m14s

 

[Lumberjack504]

Moar hammer vids:

The biggest concern to me is my over-opening of the shoulders, and losing connection to the weight of the hammer/disc by chicken-winging the lead shoulder joint. It's glaring on video, and totally explains why I usually shank high and to the right off the tee.

I'm not sure if this is something that will work itself out through better balance and posture, but I'm almost considering going to right pec/closed shoulder drills for a while.

Today I tried to slow down and feel the weight of the sledge more, but it still looks like I'm jerking the shoulders open way too fast. It's such an instinct at this point and I don't know how to fix it. DGCR you're my only hope!


One leg hammer



Xstep hammer



Swinging the sledge like a lefty baseball bat because why not?



PS: SW, in the one leg I tried to orient the thumb and hammer like you recommended, but it's hard to hold the weight of the hammer that way, which is likely why I reverted to the 90º off-plane orientation in the x-step.

 

[sidewinder22]

Barely bend your elbow and toss it like an Olympic hammer throw and then slowly add more elbow bend. Spin around with it - Don't try to spin it. Toss it's weight away from your body like ball on string.

You are stepping your front foot forward ahead of your weight/CoG/butt and then trying to push off the rear foot and/or pull your Cog on to the front foot - this is very inefficient way to walk or move. You need to tip/move your CoG targetward and catch yourself so your foot swings ahead at the end in dynamic balance - this very efficient way to walk and move laterally/throw(pay close attention to SC Purpose of Hips in link and Hershyzer2 and Kick the Can). You are moving your hips like the Am vs PRO in pretty much all those.
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133543

 

[Lumberjack504]

Barely bend your elbow and toss it like an Olympic hammer throw and then slowly add more elbow bend. Spin around with it - Don't try to spin it. Toss it's weight away from your body like ball on string.



You are stepping your front foot forward ahead of your weight/CoG/butt and then trying to push off the rear foot and/or pull your Cog on to the front foot - this is very inefficient way to walk or move. You need to tip/move your CoG targetward and catch yourself so your foot swings ahead at the end in dynamic balance - this very efficient way to walk and move laterally/throw(pay close attention to SC Purpose of Hips in link and Hershyzer2 and Kick the Can). You are moving your hips like the Am vs PRO in pretty much all those.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=133543

Thanks man. Not sure what you mean "like a ball on string". But I think I get the Olympic hammer part.

I see what you mean about hershyzer/butt lead stuff. My question is, with improved lower body balance, do you see the upper body stuff sorting itself out? Or are they two separate issues that each need their own attention?


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[sidewinder22]

Thanks man. Not sure what you mean "like a ball on string". But I think I get the Olympic hammer part.

I see what you mean about hershyzer/butt lead stuff. My question is, with improved lower body balance, do you see the upper body stuff sorting itself out? Or are they two separate issues that each need their own attention?

Your lower body must move ahead and anticipate what you want to do with the upper body, so everything rotates on plane and as centered as possible for speed and power. How you move and twirl your CoG dictates the release of everything.

 

[Lumberjack504]

Took some rear view footage earlier today and noticed how horribly staggered I was at the plant, and how little space that leaves for the disc/arm to swing through.

So I threw a pinecone in my backyard, trying to stride more laterally. Looks like there may have been a bit more space for the arm to swing through as things don't look quite as bunched up as they have before, but I can see how my lead foot is trying to ease my weight down instead of hanging more and catching my weight.

More can kicking and hershyzer up soon....

 

[sidewinder22]

Your momentum stops or jitters when you land heavy/flat footed on your rear leg with your CoG behind it and have to pull it forward along with your rear arm being way back behind you and swinging away from you, so everything gets thrown out of sequence with your front foot leading your stride. Your front foot is landing flat, land on your toes first and stay more on the rear toes - athletic.

You need to glide or hop quicker over your rear leg/hip and leverage from being forward of it. Make it more rhythmic and accelerate. Keep your rear arm forward - it you want to spin faster you raise your arm over your head like GG making your weight more tightly centered by raising your CoG. Your rear arm position affects your front arm position. Do some spinning around.

 

[drk_evns]

Thor has that Kevin Jones hand up wave at the end there.

 

[Lumberjack504]

One leg from today:

 

[sidewinder22]

Pre-swing all the way thru, so your chest faces the target and pelvis swivels and rear arm is over front toes. Allow the rear heel to spin down and balance the backswing as the pelvis swivels behind the foot. Your front heel spins away during the swing so your pressure is more in your toes rather than stacking all your weight through your joints heel/ankle up.

 

[slowplastic]

I think you're trying to restrict yourself from going past the brace, treating it like it's a place in space or a wall that you can't go past. Like your sternum is hitting a wall and that will stop you from tipping forward.

You actually need to be more laterally targetward still...head and spine over leg/foot, shoulder past foot in a free feeling.

Don't restrict your torso, it may tilt/tip forward a bit but your butt and rear leg will counterbalance you. Treat it like an axis that you will be balance and leveraged around at all times, if you are in the correct positions you can swing freely and it will work out. Don't slam into a wall or axis.

 

[Lumberjack504]

I think you're trying to restrict yourself from going past the brace, treating it like it's a place in space or a wall that you can't go past. Like your sternum is hitting a wall and that will stop you from tipping forward.

You actually need to be more laterally targetward still...head and spine over leg/foot, shoulder past foot in a free feeling.

Don't restrict your torso, it may tilt/tip forward a bit but your butt and rear leg will counterbalance you. Treat it like an axis that you will be balance and leveraged around at all times, if you are in the correct positions you can swing freely and it will work out. Don't slam into a wall or axis.

Yeah I see what you mean, similar to what you've been saying in other critique threads about the right shoulder being braced and not the spine.

I do really want to nail this down - one thing I noticed from today's one leg vs a couple standstills and x-steps that aren't worth posting, is that the swing plane and elbow-forward positions look better, without really thinking about it. So it's encouraging to see the potential for things kind of working themselves out with improved balance and posture.

Not sure at this point what to do to get more laterally in the one leg setup/swing, but I'm gonna keep trying!

 

[Lumberjack504]

More attempts but still looks/feels wonky. Something(s) ain't right.

 

[slowplastic]

Yeah you're kind of bracing your sternum or right collarbone on the leg. I would really recommend doing as SW suggests and addressing the target fully on the front leg. It will feel crazy far forward, like you're just standing there and almost ridiculous. This is how far forward you have to let yourself be, with your shoulder and arm out ahead. I've even started lining up my putts like this, it's very effective. It feels so forward and casual/not "strong" but it works.

Another drill to try is the one where SW hops up and down on the right leg, landing while in the backswing, then swings the arm/hammer forward. I know he has a gif of it somewhere. But it forces you to be aligned on the right leg since you are hopping up and down. The swing will be delayed since you have to absorb the landing first...but it's a good way to MAKE sure you're on the right leg, or else landing from a hop will feel very bad/weird.