Ok this is going to be rough...but I'm ready

[FB6Ryan]

A little background on myself, I play DG as a hobby maybe once or twice a weekend and mostly only in the summer. With that being said I have been playing for about two years and am in real need of a form critique. I have watched numerous videos online about the proper way to drive and have tried to make changes, but after much practice this year I am still lucky to hit 225', average only about 150'.

I can tell some very obvious flaws even after watching myself in these videos, but I need the help of those far more advanced to really improve. Maybe even some suggestions about discs to try. I have a couple of really beat in DX TeeBirds which I throw pretty frequently as my main drivers along side my DX Eagle. I won't touch anything faster than a speed 9, simply because I know that my form and arm speed really do not compliment high speed drivers and they would prove more detrimental than helpful.

I can honestly say this is one of the most uncomfortable things I have ever done, I hate being recorded, but lets get to it: In both vids I don't know if it matter or not, but I am throwing a slightly beat Innova DX Eagle (171g) which is my straightest flying and farthest throwing disc for me.

Throw 1 is on a 245' hole and somehow it happened to land 10' from the basket, must have had a slight headwind...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dS8ya5YJn18

Throw 2 is a 365' hole, it managed to do what I believe is a "anhyzer flex" and made it to just over about 175' with this throw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGjhpdBC_cs

Please DGCR, help me throw better.

Also sorry if I don't reply immediately I work odd hours and don't get a chance to get online let alone DG very regularly.

 

[BirdieMachine]

A few things, first of all it looks like your arm is way too tight and you are rounding severely. You want to keep the disc on a straight line to the target. Your elbow never bends and the disc never gets close to your right pec. I would also suspect you are letting go of the disc instead of having it rip out. The harder it rips out the more distance you will get.

So what I would do is work on keeping the disc on a straight line to the target, stay loose and slow, pull it in close to your chest. Finally pinch down hard at the hit point.

 

[FB6Ryan]

A few things, first of all it looks like your arm is way too tight and you are rounding severely. You want to keep the disc on a straight line to the target. Your elbow never bends and the disc never gets close to your right pec. I would also suspect you are letting go of the disc instead of having it rip out. The harder it rips out the more distance you will get.

So what I would do is work on keeping the disc on a straight line to the target, stay loose and slow, pull it in close to your chest. Finally pinch down hard at the hit point.

Yeah I noticed after watching the videos myself I am rounding very badly. I am going to give the excuse that I suffer from severe lower back pain from a minor case of scoliosis and that doesn't help. Pretty poor excuse isn't it?...I am hoping through working on my form to help eliminate or at least lessen the amount of back pain I have after playing a round.

Should I be more over my disc when I throw? ie. Am I standing up too straight right now? I know my head is almost looking up, which I think is a bad habit I have learn due to the fact that I play alone so I am trying to track the disc. But I noticed especially in Throw 1 that I was almost looking at the basket before I even started the actual throw. I'm sure that contributes heavily to my rounding.

You are correct in assuming I am letting go and not letting it rip, grip is a constant struggle for me, even on something as simple as putting. Good catch! So I will definitely work on that! I'm sorry for the stupid question, but what do you mean by "slow"? Is it one of those "Practice slow for fast results" kind of things, to really focus and refine that part of the throw. Or are you saying I literally need to slow down and keep it slowed down?

Also one thing I have never been sure of is what in the world should my left arm and hand be doing the whole time I am driving? Or does it not matter?

Thank you for your time and advice!

 

[sidewinder22]

I agree with BM rounding and never getting the elbow forward. Maintaining your posture and rotating on the front leg should ease the strain on your back. Slow down, as in walk or even better learn from a standstill throw. Your rear arm needs to get in tight to your body to speed up rotation and get your weight forward. Your head should not be turning to face the target way ahead of the disc, you should be leading from the hips/ground up.

Read/watch the following thread/vids:
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13291

 

[FB6Ryan]

I agree with BM rounding and never getting the elbow forward. Maintaining your posture and rotating on the front leg should ease the strain on your back. Slow down, as in walk or even better learn from a standstill throw. Your rear arm needs to get in tight to your body to speed up rotation and get your weight forward. Your head should not be turning to face the target way ahead of the disc, you should be leading from the hips/ground up.

Read/watch the following thread/vids:
https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13291

Sorry for the late reply, just wanted to say thank you for the links and tips. Hopefully I can get a good foundation practicing with them this winter mostly indoors so in spring I can really hit the course with a new approach to the game. I honestly can say I never knew any techniques from ball golf transferred over into disc golf...guess it kind of makes sense!

 

[sidewinder22]

It's basically just a one handed golf or baseball swing with a more closed stance and bent elbow to release the power straight outward.

 

[FB6Ryan]

So I was looking around a little online about "rounding" and stumbled across this video, it is pretty much what the "Closed Shoulder Snap Drill" video you linked is about, right? You know, keeping the disc on a straight line as doing the pull through to prevent rounding? Do you think making a set up like this would prove useful to use indoors during the winter when the course is too covered in snow to disc, to help build muscle memory? Along with your videos about posture, which I have watched well over 20 times . Or would it be considered more of a gimmick which will have absolutely no effect once the "training wheels" are taking off at the course?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hjonbKLVUg

 

[Consult20]

So I was looking around a little online about "rounding" and stumbled across this video, it is pretty much what the "Closed Shoulder Snap Drill" video you linked is about, right? You know, keeping the disc on a straight line as doing the pull through to prevent rounding? Do you think making a set up like this would prove useful to use indoors during the winter when the course is too covered in snow to disc, to help build muscle memory? Along with your videos about posture, which I have watched well over 20 times . Or would it be considered more of a gimmick which will have absolutely no effect once the "training wheels" are taking off at the course?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hjonbKLVUg

I like it, ok well maybe something other than a tp roll, like a small piece of pvc. But yeah, good find. :thmbup:

 

[FB6Ryan]

I like it, ok well maybe something other than a tp roll, like a small piece of pvc. But yeah, good find. :thmbup:

Yeah at the beginning of the video he mentions using a straw and clothesline. I like the PVC idea for durability purposes, didn't even think about that! If I decide to make this I have lots of smaller diameter PVC pipe I can use! Thanks for the idea.

 

[sidewinder22]

So I was looking around a little online about "rounding" and stumbled across this video, it is pretty much what the "Closed Shoulder Snap Drill" video you linked is about, right? You know, keeping the disc on a straight line as doing the pull through to prevent rounding? Do you think making a set up like this would prove useful to use indoors during the winter when the course is too covered in snow to disc, to help build muscle memory? Along with your videos about posture, which I have watched well over 20 times . Or would it be considered more of a gimmick which will have absolutely no effect once the "training wheels" are taking off at the course?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hjonbKLVUg

I'd say Richard's rounding vid is more of a one time conceptional thing to swing into the power pocket from reachback, than a worthwhile repeatable drill or exercise. While it will help fix rounding, ultimately you swing on arcs.

The Closed Shoulder drill works the hit, the part after swinging into the power pocket.

 

[Consult20]

Right, the way he has his string/disc setup in the video is great for muscle memory practice into the power pocket. With some slight mods it could be better and allow completion of the throw on a somewhat straight line, as shown in the closed shoulder snap drill video (but no worries about a bad release flying off to the right, over the fence into the neighbor's yard).