I can throw flat/hyzer release FH but can't flex a FH to save my life. Tips?

[hisdudeness47]

I feel like I'm against the grain on this one. It seems like people generally have an easier time flexing OS discs FH than releasing neutral discs FH on hyzer/flat. I am the opposite, despite my extensive baseball background. It doesn't make sense. Could very well be some easy mental block that I need to (and shall!) overcome.

I've been working on my forehand for months now (still typically work on BH more however) and I'm starting to get more confidence in my hyzer and flat releases with stuff like Teebird3s, Rivals, Reactors, Hexes, etc. Pretty neutral/slightly OS stuff. The biggest improvement has actually come from focusing on following through like I'm throwing a baseball. Like a third basemen fielding a bunt down the line. Anyway, there's holes on my local courses where I would in the past throw turnovers that I'm now attacking with FHs off the tee. Feels Goodman. That was a big hurdle. The consistency is so much better than touchy angle sensitive turnovers (which I'm pretty good at, so that was/is one benefit of being BH dominant). I'm now able to let the disc do it's thang and I'm parking hole 18 at Lizard for bird more than ever. When it comes to trying to flex a Firebird (or others) though, the motion feels incredibly foreign and my arm/body doesn't like it. Probably looks like a monkey f***ing a football. I don't understand it.

Should I be using my same hyzer/flat release and just leaning my torso back (similar concept to BH anhyzers)? Should I be angling my arm (upper, lower, wrist) any higher? Does the release point differ in any significant way? My release point for flexes is a roll of the dice. Zero control. I'll sky one, turf the second, clutch my back/elbow in pain on the third... Rinse repeat. WHAT DO!? This one has been bugging me because it seems like this is the FH that's supposed to come naturally, especially for baseball players. I used to pitch for chrissakes! At least I'm learning the suggested/correct way, in theory, but I need a flex FH in the arsenal, especially with the Washoe Zephyr (wind) 'round these parts.

Anyone else have this issue? How'd you beat it? Any tips or resources would be much appreciated! Apologies for being so verbose. I like listening to myself type...

Cheers!

 

[sidewinder22]

Are your finger pads on the flight plate or inside rim?

 

[hisdudeness47]

Are your finger pads on the flight plate or inside rim?

Fingers extended, middle finger pad pushing on rim wall (and flicks towards target), index stacked with pad pushing on middle finger. Sides are touching but but pushing into the flight plate. Don't honestly know what the grip variation is called. Is it just called the stacked grip? Tried to take pics. Keyword is tried heh. Would not be the least bit surprised if there was something wrong with it but that's my muscle memory for now!

 

[sidewinder22]

Grip looks ok.

Here's me throwing hyzer flip vs flex:

 

[Skervoy]

My mental image is to tilt my upper body more left/upright to get an anhyzer angle and just as sidewinder has drawn try to swing more in to out.

In general though distance flex forehands are pretty hard to dial in and it is very easy to either over or under angle them, so a lot of practice were you slowly ramp up the power on them is probably a good investment in time.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

I was all forehand in my youth/heyday in the late '90s and it was all hyzerflip stuff for me back then when I still had my HS baseball arm. XClones, Whippets, and later Banshees. I've only lately figured out how to flex stuff. It's tricky! That angle seems difficult to dial in for me as well. Same for RHFH putters. I NEVER could do that back in the day, now can. It helps that we have OS stuff like Zones, Harps and Pigs today.

I was hitting 330' with Whippets back then. Now 250' and maaaaayyyyyybeeeee 10 or 15' more with a Z-Avenger SS is all this old fart can manage today, but it's still fun and tantalizing as I approach the magical age of 50 here soon. This upcoming year I get to play in a division that used to start with the word "grand" like "grandpa" !

 

[autocrosscrx]

For me, it is basically the same as backhand. I focus on standing up straighter for the anny angle.

With that said, it is a really touchy shot for me. Especially if I'm not leaning on really overstable discs like Caimans and Firebirds.

 

[jupiterboy]

Might practice short up shots and keep your elbow closer to your core, and make the hips/rotation do more work. Can't say that's going to translate to a full-send drive, but you might find the feel.

 

[madbrad]

I'm not known for good technique advice, maybe this is the cheap lazy way, but I just come over the top more to throw anny/flex forehands- make the wing plane less flat and more diagonal, like halfway between a tomahawk and a flat forehand.

 

[blayed]

I'm in a similar boat as you I'm much more comfortable sidearming flat or hyzer flip. Unfortunately sometimes you have to throw Flex sidearms. A couple things:

1) easiest practice is with putters at a target or playing catch with someone. I imagine a "hoop" up and to the right that I want to "push" my middle finger at. Look at the images SW22 posted for the "aim/apex" point

2) you probably need less anny than you think you do.

3) nose angle is more important for flex shots. Too much nose up and it stalls out early. Too nose down and you risk cut rolling. I think this comes down to practice

 

[hisdudeness47]

Grip looks ok.

Here's me throwing hyzer flip vs flex:

Holy Moses Malone, I think my "aiming line" has been left of my "target line", even on flexes. No wonder my release point is horribly inconsistent and the flex motion feels so strange. I think I may have just had an Aha moment. I also feel mad dumb because it's simply the opposite of BH. OF COURSE IT IS!! Man, I really feel like this is a huge part of the problem. I was throwing across my body in a completely unnatural way. It's in to out, not out to in! I'm a good player you guys, I swear!

Excellent replies from all of you. Can't wait to get out there.

 

[acrosley]

Stokely had a neat video about forehand tips/techniques. I think it was this one, but anyway the big takeaway for me was to approach it more like throwing a baseball vs a frisbee

https://youtu.be/nc2vWOKxWI4

 

[gwsmallwood]

Holy Moses Malone, I think my "aiming line" has been left of my "target line", even on flexes. No wonder my release point is horribly inconsistent and the flex motion feels so strange. I think I may have just had an Aha moment. I also feel mad dumb because it's simply the opposite of BH. OF COURSE IT IS!! Man, I really feel like this is a huge part of the problem. I was throwing across my body in a completely unnatural way. It's in to out, not out to in! I'm a good player you guys, I swear!

Excellent replies from all of you. Can't wait to get out there.

I catch myself doing that sometimes too. Stokely talked about it in one of his videos as a big reason why a lot of people pronate before releasing the disc. I think there's some validity to that. If I try to thrown anny forehand and release too late, most of the time I end up with a cut roller.

Brian Earhardt suggests The faster and more overstable a disc, the higher and more forward the release point. (Like throwing a ball). The slower and more understandable the disc, the lower, flatter, and farther back the release point (like cracking a whip).

 

[hisdudeness47]

I catch myself doing that sometimes too. Stokely talked about it in one of his videos as a big reason why a lot of people pronate before releasing the disc. I think there's some validity to that. If I try to thrown anny forehand and release too late, most of the time I end up with a cut roller.

Brian Earhardt suggests The faster and more overstable a disc, the higher and more forward the release point. (Like throwing a ball). The slower and more understandable the disc, the lower, flatter, and farther back the release point (like cracking a whip).

Ahhh, so if I understand the disc, I release lower. Got it! ;-)

Giving ya a hard time. Can't count how many times I've seen this autocorrect.

That Earhardt tip makes a ton of sense. Yesterday I threw some flexes up to the practice basket and it clicked immediately just by changing my aim point. Crazy stuff. Should be able to adjust to this pretty easy I think.

 

[araytx]

I feel like I'm against the grain on this one. It seems like people generally have an easier time flexing OS discs FH than releasing neutral discs FH on hyzer/flat. I am the opposite, despite my extensive baseball background. It doesn't make sense. Could very well be some easy mental block that I need to (and shall!) overcome.

I've been working on my forehand for months now (still typically work on BH more however) and I'm starting to get more confidence in my hyzer and flat releases with stuff like Teebird3s, Rivals, Reactors, Hexes, etc. Pretty neutral/slightly OS stuff. The biggest improvement has actually come from focusing on following through like I'm throwing a baseball. Like a third basemen fielding a bunt down the line. Anyway, there's holes on my local courses where I would in the past throw turnovers that I'm now attacking with FHs off the tee. Feels Goodman. That was a big hurdle. The consistency is so much better than touchy angle sensitive turnovers (which I'm pretty good at, so that was/is one benefit of being BH dominant). I'm now able to let the disc do it's thang and I'm parking hole 18 at Lizard for bird more than ever. When it comes to trying to flex a Firebird (or others) though, the motion feels incredibly foreign and my arm/body doesn't like it. Probably looks like a monkey f***ing a football. I don't understand it.

Should I be using my same hyzer/flat release and just leaning my torso back (similar concept to BH anhyzers)? Should I be angling my arm (upper, lower, wrist) any higher? Does the release point differ in any significant way? My release point for flexes is a roll of the dice. Zero control. I'll sky one, turf the second, clutch my back/elbow in pain on the third... Rinse repeat. WHAT DO!? This one has been bugging me because it seems like this is the FH that's supposed to come naturally, especially for baseball players. I used to pitch for chrissakes! At least I'm learning the suggested/correct way, in theory, but I need a flex FH in the arsenal, especially with the Washoe Zephyr (wind) 'round these parts.

Anyone else have this issue? How'd you beat it? Any tips or resources would be much appreciated! Apologies for being so verbose. I like listening to myself type...

Cheers!

Here is a simple tip, also from a former college baseball player, based on what you already know from baseball.

If you're throwing your forehand on flat and hyzer releases just fine, and imitating the throw of the a third baseman fielding the bunt down the line and throwing to first, sometimes called the "barehand-left-right-step-throw" then try this baseball throw for the forehand flex line:

throw like the third baseman who's backhanded the ball behind the bag and has to make the long throw across the diamond to first base. Now, not too quick, assume you have plenty of time to throw the guy out at first, just throw it the same way you would a baseball across the diamond. See if that helps get you that flex line forehand.

A.

 

[AirErvin]

Stokely had a neat video about forehand tips/techniques. I think it was this one, but anyway the big takeaway for me was to approach it more like throwing a baseball vs a frisbee

https://youtu.be/nc2vWOKxWI4

This is one I also got a lot out of. I'd try an overstable disc like your Firebird and just pretend you're throwing a football or fastball. The disc will probably turn and burn into a roller. You correct for this by leaning in the direction of your throwing arm so it comes out at the angle you want. Also try different discs and the Aha things from sidewinders post!