I got sidearm game

[BirdieMachine]

Actually figured out my sidearm throw finally. I was thinking about what Ricky Wysocki said in a sidearm clinic about taking it back further and palm up, bam. Actually getting it out to 300-310 now which is adequate distance for lots of the Left-Right shots around our area.

Maybe these tips will help someone else out too.

 

[Reniger]

I've been really working on forehand this spring... Still not getting it where I want. I just watched Jerm and Rick's sidearm videos and will have to get out to the field after work. Who knows... Maybe something will finally click. We'll see.

 

[BirdieMachine]

I've been really working on forehand this spring... Still not getting it where I want. I just watched Jerm and Rick's sidearm videos and will have to get out to the field after work. Who knows... Maybe something will finally click. We'll see.

Man I am so stoked really, I have been playing for 25 years, last 5 seriously and never had any FH control or distance (like 250 max, seriously best ever). I just went out, I think I wasn't trying to throw it so hard or force it like normally I think I was doing, just smooth and relaxed and everything was clicking. I was like, bam, bam, bam, so easy. I'm just thinking about all the shots I got now.

 

[esc1]

I'm working on short approach flicks with my putters. I got some mad OAT to get rid of. Maybe I need to experiment with my thumb placement more. Smaller hands with putters don't help. I've tried shallow putters, but don't like them for regular putts. Fun throws to experiment with though.

 

[Reniger]

Man I am so stoked really, I have been playing for 25 years, last 5 seriously and never had any FH control or distance (like 250 max, seriously best ever). I just went out, I think I wasn't trying to throw it so hard or force it like normally I think I was doing, just smooth and relaxed and everything was clicking. I was like, bam, bam, bam, so easy. I'm just thinking about all the shots I got now.

Yeah, I think a lot of my problem is trying to put too much behind it. With a backhand, I can use my full body's strength to rip into a throw. I need to concentrate on the fulcrum of my shoulders/arm more and less on laying my whole body out. I'm much like you, I'm in my 14th year of playing and have never put time into a sidearm besides approach shots. I always use understable discs on a turnover, but plenty of times that simply won't work. I want that Big Jerm straight for 300' then fades out right!

Doesn't help that I'm in my 30s now and strength/aches are a real deal. A consistent sidearm might save me some pain and give me more stamina.

Meh, we'll see. Here's to hopin'!

 

[BirdieMachine]

Yeah, I think a lot of my problem is trying to put too much behind it. With a backhand, I can use my full body's strength to rip into a throw. I need to concentrate on the fulcrum of my shoulders/arm more and less on laying my whole body out. I'm much like you, I'm in my 14th year of playing and have never put time into a sidearm besides approach shots. I always use understable discs on a turnover, but plenty of times that simply won't work. I want that Big Jerm straight for 300' then fades out right!

Doesn't help that I'm in my 30s now and strength/aches are a real deal. A consistent sidearm might save me some pain and give me more stamina.

Meh, we'll see. Here's to hopin'!

Oh yeah it is technique for sure, I'm closing in on 40 now. What's funny is that I had already given up that I couldn't learn the FH, but I said whatever let me toss a few and see cause the other day on the course I threw one on a short left to right 200 foot hole and it felt really good. I was trying to envision myself throwing just like Big Jerm does and it all came together. I just hope I still have it tomorrow.

 

[BirdieMachine]

I'm working on short approach flicks with my putters. I got some mad OAT to get rid of. Maybe I need to experiment with my thumb placement more. Smaller hands with putters don't help. I've tried shallow putters, but don't like them for regular putts. Fun throws to experiment with though.

I've never been able to FH a putter either unless it is a flat and shallow one like a Ringer, Breaker or Suspect (tweener mid). The depth makes the grip really difficult. Flat and shallow works well though.

 

[Mocheez]

Oh yeah it is technique for sure, I'm closing in on 40 now. What's funny is that I had already given up that I couldn't learn the FH, but I said whatever let me toss a few and see cause the other day on the course I threw one on a short left to right 200 foot hole and it felt really good. I was trying to envision myself throwing just like Big Jerm does and it all came together. I just hope I still have it tomorrow.

The bolded part is what I struggle with. I have breakthroughs and get all excited and then the next day I am fluttering discs into the ground.

 

[BirdieMachine]

The bolded part is what I struggle with. I have breakthroughs and get all excited and then the next day I am fluttering discs into the ground.

I will break stuff if I lose this breakthrough after 25 years!!! I was Forehanding understable discs too, super clean and smooth. Never have I done that, like where the eff did you come from? lol.

Seriously though, I can feel it now that it will be there. Like I felt it the other day on a shorter throw then I took it out for longer range today and still had it. I just need to remember it isn't about force, just smooth.

 

[esc1]

The bolded part is what I struggle with. I have breakthroughs and get all excited and then the next day I am fluttering discs into the ground.

Haha, I feel you man. I can get a line drive FH working in field practice sometimes over 250ft about 5 ft off the ground and then the next day I'm back to turning stuff over. :doh:

 

[Kevdude82]

I've been starting to develop my sidearm throw recently, too. Can't hit 300' yet with it, but can do 225-250 pretty consistently. What I find that works for me pretty well, is I turn my hips & body first, leaving the arm behind it, and that tension that gets built up from the body turning away from the arm becomes like a stretched rubber band, and then I use that tension to sling my arm & the disc forward, snapping the wrist at the end like a whip crack, finishing palm up.

 

[m1shootr]

Yeah, I think a lot of my problem is trying to put too much behind it. With a backhand, I can use my full body's strength to rip into a throw. I need to concentrate on the fulcrum of my shoulders/arm more and less on laying my whole body out. I'm much like you, I'm in my 14th year of playing and have never put time into a sidearm besides approach shots. I always use understable discs on a turnover, but plenty of times that simply won't work. I want that Big Jerm straight for 300' then fades out right!

Doesn't help that I'm in my 30s now and strength/aches are a real deal. A consistent sidearm might save me some pain and give me more stamina.

Meh, we'll see. Here's to hopin'!

Wait til' you get into your 60's.

 

[hook_nuts]

I can flick a fh 400' on a golf line from a stand still. However I don't like pulling back as far as Ricky. Too much can go wrong for me, Ricky doesn't have that struggle. The key to consistency for me is to really jam my thumb down on the flight plate to keep a tight grip and control the angle. Also sometimes need to make sure to angle the nose down.

 

[T_Mac]

However I don't like pulling back as far as Ricky. Too much can go wrong for me, Ricky doesn't have that struggle.

Same thing happens to me. I don't throw as far as you (I average 350ish) but yeah the full reach back throws the whole thing off for me. Maybe it's because I started out with a FH and change is hard but throwing as low as possible (I've scraped my lead knee on the teepad before), keeping my elbow bent at 90 degrees and close to my body works for me. The major key, I think to learning forehand, is like the OP said keep the palm up. Can't really go wrong if you do this. Then just like anything, practice, practice.

 

[Skwirly]

When I first started playing I couldn't throw backhand to save my life, and sidearm was all I really had to work with. I can honestly say that the same principles that most people stress about learning backhand; like slow and smooth, rotation from the ground up to generate power, keeping your arm close to your body and pulling straight across your body; work for learning sidearm too.
I took about a year off after putting a lot of work into my backhand, when I started playing again my backhand was still solid if not better and my sidearm had gotten all out of whack. As soon as I focused on slowing down and being smooth, everything else fell back into place. Now I've used that experience to help improve my backhand.
I find that the most difficult difference to master between the two shots is the footwork and the snap.

 

[Mocheez]

I felt motivated by this thread to start working on my sidearm again. I was throwing during my lunch break today and one simple thing gave me an extra 50 feet... I just had to take a longer final step. I was previously taking quick and small steps which obviously limited my momentum and weight transfer.

 

[RFrance]

One of the takeaways and successes I had from the DFP thread http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121557&highlight=dfp on backhand was the using a looser grip which is helping me to get more distance. So this week I thought I would try the same thing for the forehand. It has improved my FH throw tremendously. Is that the "trick" for forehand, holding the disc instead of actually gripping it tight? The disc now just flies out smoothly and accurately whereas before it was all over the place. Also, there is less pain in the shoulder when throwing.

 

[cdunlapb12]

Everything I've ever heard or read says hold the disc tight. I think Wysocki says it in his Infinite Discs clinic.

 

[Mocheez]

hook-nuts said the same thing in this thread.

 

[RFrance]

It looks like the progression I'll need to make on my grip then, is from looser to tighter.