Learning the X-Step

[healage]

Hey guys -- I've been playing for about 4 years but haven't added significant distance to my drive in about 3 years. Probably because I don't X-Step. The first video consists of three short drives. Two run-up, one standstill. The second consists of 6 drives. The first is my normal drive, the last 5 are all my attempt at the X-step.

My short game is awesome and I've won some tournaments in Advanced, but I need to improve my drive to really get to the next level. Thanks in advance for any advice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNGcipi09Ck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOOyUxAKYik

 

[charris414]

Healy-Monster!!!!

I can definitely attest to Sean's skills ... he definitely outplays me with his accuracy, short game and consistent putting.

Sean - we've played enough rounds together for me to say that I've always thought your form prevented you from accelerating through the "hit." You've played with Cuts and Stevie enough to know how they really drive their hips through the "hit." It looks like you don't really do that.

As an aside ... Sean has in turn played enough rounds with me to (I hope) acknowledge the fact that I use the X-step, get my hips and shoulders turned away from the fairway, and along with a long reach back, get solid 350-370' golf distance. I really should get a video up here ...

 

[ssjfewp]

You've played with Cuts and Stevie enough to know how they really drive their hips through the "hit." It looks like you don't really do that.

As an aside ... Sean has in turn played enough rounds with me to (I hope) acknowledge the fact that I use the X-step, get my hips and shoulders turned away from the fairway, and along with a long reach back, get solid 350-370' golf distance. I really should get a video up here ...

I hate to agree with Smolin (ever) but I agree with his assessment. Also, one of the drives where you did an x-step seemed to force your weight forward more so than with a cro-hop which can keep weight back and result in nose up. It's tough to tell how close you're bringing the disc to your chest when driving. Perhaps a video from a different angle would help.

As an aside...I've played enough rounds with smolbag to acknowledge that he does use the x-step and gets distances of 370' and beyond. Exactly what direction the disc is heading in can sometimes be a mystery...even to him

 

[black udder]

The x-step isn't bad, but you're not using your lower body. Basically, doing the same thing as your normal drive, but doing an x-step. You need to pivot the hips closed and then force them open and have that be the start of your throw, not the pulling of your arm when you throw.You're a little upright at the hit and not accelerating late. You do have a good foot pivot though.

I can't be sure, but you might have some swoop in your pull through, but it doesn't seem to be sending your discs nose up.

Only thing I can say for sure is that messing with your form will hose your skill level for awhile, so make sure you really want to do it. I don't know what kind of distance you're getting or how you think it'll make you compete better... just my 2 cents.

 

[charris414]

Tyrant ... I must say ... you've nailed me down perfectly ... you are you?

 

[ssjfewp]

Tyrant ... I must say ... you've nailed me down perfectly ... you are you?

Indeed I am.

Healy- is Stevie still giving lessons? You have a pretty good resource at your disposal. I'd gladly pay for a group lesson if we can make it worth his while and while he's not on tour. To keep from totally poaching your attempt at improving with this thread, I will echo what black udder said about working on accelerating later in your pull. Consider using a towel and focusing on the late acceleration while warming up. Then, take it to the field. It's helped me.

 

[charris414]

excuse me ... WHO are you???

 

[PhattD]

excuse me ... WHO are you???

He is Leto Atreides II
God Emperor of Dune
I thought it was obvious :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[healage]

The x-step isn't bad, but you're not using your lower body. Basically, doing the same thing as your normal drive, but doing an x-step. You need to pivot the hips closed and then force them open and have that be the start of your throw, not the pulling of your arm when you throw.You're a little upright at the hit and not accelerating late. You do have a good foot pivot though..

Thank you! I never really knew how little I used my lower body until you mentioned that -- something to work on this weekend

Healy- is Stevie still giving lessons? You have a pretty good resource at your disposal. I'd gladly pay for a group lesson if we can make it worth his while and while he's not on tour. To keep from totally poaching your attempt at improving with this thread, I will echo what black udder said about working on accelerating later in your pull. Consider using a towel and focusing on the late acceleration while warming up. Then, take it to the field. It's helped me.

I am planning on working with Steve soon and have in the past. He's taught me a ton about disc angle, angle of release, straight pull-back etc. Before going out with him again though I kind of wanted to do some research and see myself throw.
I have never analyzed my drive before by watching a video and its really helping to have a visualization of what I'm doing wrong. I've known to a certain extent what I was doing wrong, but seeing it is a completely different thing.

 

[birdie]

excuse me ... WHO are you???

He is Leto Atreides II
God Emperor of Dune
I thought it was obvious :lol: :lol: :lol:

nerd alert :wink:

 

[charris414]

ahhh ...

 

[ssjfewp]

fear is the mind killer...

 

[healage]

my thread has been smolined

 

[charris414]

that's what I'm here for biatch!!! :wink:

seriously, what else did you expect???

OK, ok, seriously ... work on turning your hips away from the target, and the rest should follow.

 

[healage]

that's what I'm here for biatch!!! :wink:

seriously, what else did you expect???

OK, ok, seriously ... work on turning your hips away from the target, and the rest should follow.

Haha thanks man

 

[JR]

Don't know if you were intentionally trying to anny for s-curves for max D which is fine on open holes. But at the tight part of Warwick that ain't gonna cut it. You need to start from the center rear of the tee going to a bit right of the center or even the right front corner of the tee for hyzer flips or pure hyzers. Or even starting from rear left. For hyzers the plant should be at or to the right of the line you are running on. For annies to the left like you are doing now. Annies can and sometimes should be released with a bit backward leaning and flat shots upright or slightly forward weight shifted. But hyzers need plenty of leaning forward from the waist and having the right knee bent so that even with the legs moved forward your torso is going forward of upright. Like your left leg got stuck on something and you're tripping on your face. The heart should be over the right knee in back to front direction and teh chin over the right foot. Contrary to what was said before here you do get the discs too high sometimes and that's at least in part due to not being able to keep the wrist down enough with so upright a posture.

To add to using your hips comments it is great that you do move your hips from standing upright to being twisted a little at the reach back and twisting to the right of neutral at the release. I say release because you aren't hitting really. Try swinging your arm as fast as you can from the right pec without a disc in your hand. notice how much faster it goes than your arm does in your throws. That kind of ful speed acceleration is what you need for maximum power generation and clean releases. Power generation as in speed and spin of the disc.

Hitting with the arm ain't as effective either without kicking harder with the left leg and pivoting faster and really yanking with the hips to the right. Those muscles group_S_ are stronger than the arm and spinning like a figure skater doing a pirouette generates a lot more forward velocity and spin on the disc which retards fade and the onset of the height loss of the disc. Resulting in totally different distance range and opening up new flight shaping lines especially at your current max D. With repeatability and accuracy eventually. That is exactly what you're looking for and need in order to continuously being at the top in advanced or moving to open. Hyzer flipping with heart over the knee will also drop the front of the disc lower which for a limited height band allows the disc to dive forward without fading which can also increase D dramatically if you can get the disc high enough without it diving into ground too early. If that happens hopefully you can get the same nose down angle on higher throws. And maintaining speed to not stall out. For that situation a slower and less fading disc like less than max weight Leopards or broken in Cylones/Gazelles etc. might work better than faster discs. YMMV based on speed vs spin generation ability and the absolute speed and spin. Getting the disc high and diving forward is the most difficult shot to master.

Rollers are good at Warwick on some of the long open holes at least when the grass ain't tall. If it ever is there.