Inconsistent release angles

[tapioh]

I did not do really field work on July or August, was mostly playing and practiced putting. There is now some output after the latest field session. I tried to pick up where I left and continue that staggered standstill throwing. You can see the result in the video.

I also recorded some short run up drives, which is how I normally throw off the tee on the course. I can manage a straight 270'-300' shot with an understable mid quite reliably with that kind of a throw. A little more power with a fairway driver causes a lot of unpredictability but can go up to 350' (or turn and burn).



I hope you find time to comment the form, maybe emphasis should be on the standstill shots. All help is greatly appreciated as always. Thanks.

 

[Brychanus]

I like some of what's going on in the front side but it still looks like you need to get some help on the rear side before the transition. Same in x-step. Have you been put through the Reverse Stride ringer yet? Reverse Stride is a revelation.



I will continue to preach it forward that standstills are the basis of learning good mechanics. I am working hard on my own x-step again but that still means at least 80% of my time is one leg and standstills to keep cleaning stuff up and get comfortable with bigger weight shifts. Pumping off front leg, reverse stride, practice forward stride at different stride lengths. The body needs to learn how to move regardless of which move it's making.

 

[sidewinder22]

Your rear leg is extending instead of sitting, note in rear camera view how your rear femur is angled \ instead of /. It's going to feel weird, like striding toward the right instead of left tee.

In the x-step your feet are too backwards and not really loading/coiling everything back up inside your rear foot.

 

[tapioh]

I will continue to preach it forward that standstills are the basis of learning good mechanics.

Absolutely. I just wanted to show after the break how I normally throw to demonstrate how it is going and maybe raising up some development areas.

Your rear leg is extending instead of sitting, note in rear camera view how your rear femur is angled \ instead of /. It's going to feel weird, like striding toward the right instead of left tee.

In the x-step your feet are too backwards and not really loading/coiling everything back up inside your rear foot.

Thanks, I had been wondering what's wrong with the rear leg/foot, but could not point it out. I have noticed that my rear foot is off the ground always prior to the release whereas better throwers do not have (usually). On top is me and SW22 throwing the staggered standstill shot and bottom is me and Kuoksa driving with some run up (he throws 2x farther than me).

Why do I do that? I think it is partially thinking that I have to push/spring the front leg to generate power and I also tense up the rear leg at the same time. Those rear views of my throws look very similar even though they feel quite different,

Btw. after the last time I was given feedback about rear hip being lower than front and all the other faults in the standstill windup. It seems better to me now, or what do you think?

 

[Brychanus]

The posture there at the end looks a little better, but I think you still need the sit+quick pogo back out action in that rear leg. You should feel like your assisted out of the squat like a spring, and then carry that action forward into the fall & plant. The posture will continue to improve with the right action.

I had a lot of trouble getting the legs sorted out - I went through phases where either the rear or the front leg would pump not at all, or too much, or in the wrong sequence etc. In the end I think it should feel more or less like an equal and opposite action with the caveat that the plant leg is dealing with more force since it's resisting the ground against your full weight accelerated by gravity.

 

[tapioh]

I should squat/sit deeper on my rear leg? And then 'bounce' to the plant?

 

[Brychanus]

1. Do Swivel Stairs. Notice that when you move from stair to stair that you'll move like you're about to sit in a chair. The depth of motion might be a separate issue or not.

2. It is possible that your leg lacks the fundamental pogo or spring-like action into and out of the sit into the plant. You might additionally try bouncing like this. I was missing this pogo action in my legs but it turns out a lot of players are. It's how your legs move into and out of the squat, but I had to exaggerate it vertically before I could make sure I was doing it in the swing more horizontally.

 

[tapioh]

Three sessions later I hope I have some improvement to show. Rear left action on the moment of release, I think it at least looks better. Though, it feels a bit weird, but easier to feel the brace that way. It is difficult to throw far with that stagger stance without the leg extension. It is hard to do the walk out followthrough without extending the rear leg. I think I have already that leg extension in my muscle memory, but have to work it out.

As for Brychanus' notion about the rear leg action on the backswing - I think I got how it should be done in that excellent video linked to the previous message, but can't really evaluate how it translates into my form. That football/basketball player defending form was a helpful parable. Keeping the weight on the balls of the feet is a simple cue I think helps.

 

[tapioh]

Now tried a couple of time reverse stride drills. It feels a good drill to do regularly. In video I have two different kind of shots, one with followthrough that stays behind the plant and in others I walk through the plant. In the last clip I have some griplock and lose balance somewhat.

Also some hammers for standard hammer stand stills and open to closed.

Both drills feel like helping with the weight shift and bracing. A lot of work to do with that. SW22's note about that I should sit onto the plant was a lightbulb - still have to grind it to the muscle memory.

 

[sidewinder22]

Backswing looking good, like Jen Allen!

Your reverse stride is too staggered and moving leftward, more closed. You want to reverse the stride more inside/open to the right tee. You want your knees to be closer inline with each other while the rear foot staggers back like battering ram/inside swing drill.

 

[tapioh]

A new try with reverse stride. How do you like them?

Can see that the feet are not yet 100% aligned with the target. With this less closed stance the front knee is not stacked with the ankle and from the rear view the shin is like \. Would that be a problem?

 

[sidewinder22]

Need a little more stagger from rear foot to load the backswing Inside the lead foot. You are too over your lead toes and you aren't getting much shoulder turn. Note how stacked my posture is and loaded/centered inside it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWasFdvnGio#t=6m5s

 

[tapioh]

More reverse stride drills, trying to address the issues pointed above. Those things fly relatively far, like 250' which is not much less than I could do with a similar amount of effort for a normal standstill throw.



Also some standstills. Did not like particularly much those. They are not full power shots. The front leg should stay bent from the knee through the followthrough/pivot, shouldn't it?

 

[tapioh]

Moar reverse strides, would love to get some feedback! Thanks!

 

[sidewinder22]

You are tipping over your front leg into the plant and planes get wonky. Your hips don't match your shoulders.

It looks like you retract your front leg/bending knee/hip just before planting, so you end up pushing over, instead of sticking your foot into the ground and posting up on front hip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DMwiBkvrkg