My quest to improve my casual playing to a better level

[g00p]

Disc golf driving technique video for May 2013.

I've been working on technique since Feb on and off, and have some improvement, but have plateaued.
Feb I had end of X step completely airborne... I should post just for some laughs. This was a better throw for me but I am definitely not getting a snap, and the disc is not flying straight, it's more a elevated distance throw.

How in the world can someone like nikko not do barely any run up and hit 300 ft plus where when I stand still I get much much less!?! I must definitely be missing that "hit".


I watched a few players play through yesterday and I could literally hear the whoosh of air as the disc left their hand.

Disc: Beast
Distance: 260ft (best throw of the set)
Landed: Landed a little past basket but this is not consistent
Flight path: very high, to the right a little and 60ft+ in height with final heavy fade at end to location of basket.

 

[g00p]

apologies for annoying music, but just felt like being corny and used canned youtube music...

 

[luma1]

Allright, as I am the only solid (around 950) player around here and try to get more people to play DG round my town, I want to try to fix some technical issues as I will have to be a teacher sooner or later. I do NOT have any experience, so maybe you rather wait for JR or any of those guys to be 100% sure...

Now, I think there are things to improve on everyones throw, some have more flaws and some have less. I always like to concentrate on two or max. three things one should work on. When I started playing a couple of months ago I also posted my video here and I had like 10 things to improve on which was not very helpful. Not saying they were crap, but at that time I didn't know what was a fundamental thing or not, so that made learning a little more difficult...

Basically, the two main things that I would say are:

First, you reach back a little too much around your body, rather try and go back in a straight line...You kinda look a little bit like my little brother, not THAT bad, but it reminded me of him.
see here - the one in the blue jacket: https://vimeo.com/64440432 - my throw is still very far from being perfect, but you might see the difference in the reach backs in the first few throws...if not, here is another video I made a few months ago... https://vimeo.com/61114806 (don't worry about the guy with the glasses in that one... )

The second thing that hekped me a lot is timing. I can't really see the flow of your throw in your video because of the slow-mo, but remember the acceleration doesn't need to be from your reach back on. You just want to get the disc forward along the line without turning your body too far forward, and the release it. When you practice again, try and really snap and "throw" the disc as late as possible. Remember you want to time the release of your three hinges (shoulder, elbow, wrist) as good as possible. 80% power with 100% timing will go much farther than 80 % timing with 150% power...

Allright...hopefully I will not get lynched by the "big guys" here, but those wo things would be my thoughts.... And as always, all information is subject to change.

 

[JR]

My computer is too busy to see videos now. I'll get back to this later. 60' high throw is way too much for 260' so you have nose up problems and will get huge improvements in distance once you get the apex down to 10-20'. Search this site for nose up for explanations of what you can do to drop the height of the throw.

 

[JR]

Search this site or Youtube for Climo mando minute where he explains the difference between your arcing throw vs a straight line throw. The straighter arm pull adds accuracy and consistency and if incorporate the pause (should be easy find an explanation on this site along with bracing of the plant step) it should become easier to get the elbow forward. Which helps not only keeping the disc moving in a straight line but also adding acceleration of the arm. Adding distance. If you do not brace the right leg to stop it from pivoting until around the time when the disc is at the right pec +- some depending on your power and speed your hip twist will suffer. Hip twisting creates more power through the lever of the arm so the faster you twist the snappier, faster, straighter and longer the drive will be.

 

[g00p]

Great recommendation. I worked on straight line pullback with turning only 90 degrees instead of 180. I hit 300 ft with my Anode putter, so I'd say that's an improvement!

Biggest issue I have to work on is stop strong arming, and focus on straight line on reachback to snap with nose down. Additionally, using the rotation of the hips, torso, and shoulder to primarily drive the arm movement.

 

[JR]

Ideally you need to drive hard with everything the arm too but stopping strong arming and seeing if a later acceleration gives more D is a good starting point. Some claim that they throw farther strong arming those guys are strong so they may be able to accelerate until the rip or past it not everyone can. Since training makes you better it is entirely possible that the acceleration point changes over time so rechecks should be done annually. For wide open distance turning back 180 or more degrees is needed and there is an obvious reduction in accuracy and consistency involved so different technique for different throws.

 

[g00p]

So far improvement!

1. Xstep is now just slow and precise, about setting up movement correctly. Will speed up down the road. Feel better than just doing standstill throwing as I'm also refining simplicity of the xstep, less shuffling.
2. Working on planting toes on rear leg to avoid hips opening up immediately, without "springing". Mainly tips from Will Schuster's driving video (very very helpful)
3. Working on actually touching disc to chest like Beato's pec drill before releasing


= Much more distance with less effort. I'm still not gaining a huge distance yet, but I'm seeing less effort for my higher end distance. In fact, birdied 2 holes recently, which is a definite improvement.

Next actions:
1. More torso rotation.
2. Figure out how to hold onto disc longer, as still releasing behind what I see the pros doing. Need more extension before it rips out.
3. Sidearm... I can't do this worth anything. I need to get better at basic approaches with it.


Main two goals for next few months:
1. Consistently able to hit 300 ft without excessive effort. Work on controlled 300 ft instead of going beyond for now.
2. Consistent release point. I still have issues with the release point being straight.

Any tips are welcome. thanks!

 

[JR]

A video would help but with sidearms stand still disc never reaching back to the side and just a quick flick of the elbow and wrist forward then stopping the wrist when the arm is almost fully extended should help with approaches when the stance is opened up so that your non throwing side is not pointing at the target. More like 60-70 degrees away from the target. And to show that this method works you'd better start under powered and with overstable discs then ramping up to full speed and when that doesn't flutter drop to straighter discs and if you get them to work understable discs and if the flip without wobble hyzer flips and you're set to reach back to the side and so forth until you can take steps and drive far.

 

[Stringbean]

And to show that this method works you'd better start under powered and with overstable discs then ramping up to full speed and when that doesn't flutter drop to straighter discs and if you get them to work understable discs and if the flip without wobble hyzer flips and you're set to reach back to the side and so forth until you can take steps and drive far.

That is good advice. I see a lot of people say that you should practice sidearm using understable discs from the start. This is a tough task because you need near perfect form to throw an understable disc without wobble. Asking someone to go from bad form to excellent form in one step is doomed for failure. They are more likely to get frustrated and quit.

Much better to start out fast and overstable and work your way slowly towards slow and understable.

 

[Stringbean]

And to show that this method works you'd better start under powered and with overstable discs then ramping up to full speed and when that doesn't flutter drop to straighter discs and if you get them to work understable discs and if the flip without wobble hyzer flips and you're set to reach back to the side and so forth until you can take steps and drive far.

That is good advice. I see a lot of people say that you should practice sidearm using understable discs from the start. This is a tough task because you need near perfect form to throw an understable disc without wobble. Asking someone to go from bad form to excellent form in one step is doomed for failure. They are more likely to get frustrated and quit.

Much better to start out fast and overstable and work your way slowly towards slow and understable.