Overhand shots

[aceaddiction10]

I played in a tourney this past weekend realized that I was missing a throwing style in my game, "the overhand shot." I went out to the field and tried it today after watching some videos on youtube. Some were floppy and nothing went past about 125 ft. I know it takes practice, but I really haven't a clue if I'm even doing it right. I used a Discraft Force. Thats all I had with me, but I do have a Flick, Destroyer and a Firebird to use as well. Does anyone have any suggestions??? Technique, form, disc selection....any advice would definitely help!!!

 

[SteezeOG]

That Flick and Firebird will make nice OH discs. I really like the XxX from Lat64 as my OH distance disc. Kind of funny cause backhand it's really slow and not much distance but overhand you can throw it hard and it takes a long time for it to start it's turn. I try to work on my thumbers and tomahawks each round they are nice to have. My favorite is that 150ft approach shot where I have no choice but to go high and crash through with an overhand. I'm really liking the Blizzard Boss I picked up for that.

My max distance is about 300 ft with the OH. Not great but longer than almost every other person I play with. My top focus on getting max d with the OH shot is the plane/angle I release on. Usually about 1'oclock. I try to get a lot of wrist snap and the launch angle in relation to the sky is about 45 degrees.

Almost forgot.....just like the forehand and back hand throw you must follow through. Must. If you don't you'll just launch it high but not far. I have a baseball background so maybe it's hard to understand but just picture yourself in center field trying to throw home. If you keep that form and release at a good angle you should be fine.

 

[craftsman]

Use the hip to explode.
Follow through.
Overstable takes the longest to flip, ideally giving it the most d potential, but i find a control driver like an eagle or avenger to be the best mix of d and line shaping.

From what you listed the fb will probally do you best.

 

[aceaddiction10]

Use the hip to explode.
Follow through.
Overstable takes the longest to flip, ideally giving it the most d potential, but i find a control driver like an eagle or avenger to be the best mix of d and line shaping.

From what you listed the fb will probally do you best.

I have many other discs, but it seemed like overstable was what should be used according to videos and other people that I talk to. Do you recommend any other discs besides the 4 that I mentioned earlier?

 

[GLong]

by OH do you mean tomahawk or thumber?

when learning any kind of new shot, try starting out with slower more neutral discs. My OH tops out a little over 200' but i can tomahawk a putter out to 100-120' with good accuracy, on some courses that shot can save you a few strokes per round.

 

[birdman101]

understable discs should flip faster, which results in a little less D, but less left to right movement which can be helpful in some spots.

Overstable flip slow resulting in more D, but require more left to right movement

 

[SteezeOG]

Remember to practice it a lot before expecting it for a competitive round. In my experience heavy winds and overhand shots don't work well together but your results may very. I just know around here if you expose the flightplate to a crosswind it doesn't matter how good your form was or how far you throw, you're looking at trouble.

 

[pfpro]

I primarily throw thumbers (to the chagrin of the accomplished BH throwers I play with). When I got a firebird, it changed my life. Make sure that you get a premium plastic one as it will get beat. You need to practice with different discs and different release angels so you can shape your shots. My home course is slightly biased towards a LHBH thrower, so I throw the thumber on the straight and dogleg left holes (I cannot throw FH for the life of me). I primarily throw the firebird for distance shots, but I also throw a beast and valk, depending on how quick I want the turn. Initially, I was using the firebird on a hole that has a very late 90 degree dogleg right, but as my skill grew, I found I was getting to far with the firebird and needed to use the beast to try to park it. Also, if I am throwing up and over to get out of trouble, and need to sit down quickly at the basket, I usually thrown the valk because the firebird takes longest to turn over. I have heard good things about the xxx, but have not had the pleasure of throwing one yet.

You can practice by throwing at 50% power and getting the smooth OH flight path (up, swoop, dive). When thrown correctly, it's real purdy! For distance I release at 12 o clock at a 45. Other favorites are 2 o clock to really get the anhyzer effect, or throwing at 12 o clock at head height, which usually gives you a nice left to right skip at the end (I throw this at a 190' long wooded tunnel whee the basket is on the right side of the tunnel).

Also, make sure you warm your arm up beforee you throw "max" power OH, or you will tear your shoulder up. I am playing consistently enough that I don't "throw my arm out", but it I take few weeks off, I have to take some warm-up throws so I don't blow it out.

 

[412Disc]

try the xXx

 

[RastaFish]

Also, make sure you warm your arm up beforee you throw "max" power OH, or you will tear your shoulder up.

^^^This is so important it needs to be quoted^^^

Without going into details, lets just say I know this from painful experience.

 

[The Last DJ]

I'll suggest a Firebird for driving and a Shark for approach shots. Until you get the disc to fly the way you want to, keep these throws pretty close to the basket. You can back up as you see fit. I feel as though overhand shots put alot of strain on the arm, so I use them sparingly when driving. Good luck!

 

[sloppydisc]

You can also experiment with different arm angles to get more or less side to side movement. I sometimes throw 3/4 or almost sidearm thumbers to hit certain lines. It's not a distance shot, but when your forehand is as bad as mine it comes in handy.

Firebird is good if you have one. XXX is also solid. Pick one disc and learn it like you would any other disc. Then you'll be consistent, and be able to drop it pretty much wherever you want.

 

[craftsman]

I have many other discs, but it seemed like overstable was what should be used according to videos and other people that I talk to. Do you recommend any other discs besides the 4 that I mentioned earlier?

What other drivers that arent wide rimmed do you have?

 

[Pwingles]

like stated before, OS flips slower and needs more room left to right when going for D.

Less OS discs will flip faster, valk flips faster than eagle flips faster than banshee flips faster tham FB and so on.

Lots of uses once you learn to range them and use different amounts of power and after awhile youll start to see the lines instead of throwing and praying (although this is how i roll lol)

 

[Rugball]

Lots of uses once you learn to range them and use different amounts of power and after awhile youll start to see the lines instead of throwing and praying (although this is how i roll lol)

Still in the "throw and hope" phase, but I've tried a tomahawk throw on several occasions when I needed to clear a tree and get the disc to flop onto it's topside. One hole last week, although wide open, sits on a downslope running away from your approach. I tried a normal throw and of course the disc ran down the hill well past it. Tried the OH with a river and it flopped onto it's top and slid right up to the post from about 100ft out.

I haven't tried to get any real distance out of either OH styles, but there's times it can bail you out. More stuff I still need to practice.

 

[Smigles]

All this talk about what disc to use, as if that matters...

What matters is technique.

I am no expert, but here are some very nice shots of Ville doing overheads. You know he was the master till his shoulder stopped him from doing overheads. He was parking anything inside 450 with his stupid crazy overheads !

Note how high up his hand is at the release, and how early he releases. The disc leaves his hand almost before his hand passed his head. Note how his arm swings trough the shot, almost like with a "normal" backhand. Note his wrist action. Try to copy what he is doing ^^



To see what level of overhead he had, watch this ( craziest overhead ever at 0:35 in the intro and then again somewhere during the round, dont know which of the 4 vids, just watch em )

 

[Dan Ensor]

It's more about the technique, yes. Disc does matter, though. I like the Flick the best. It goes farther for me than any other disc; tomahawk or thumber. The low profile and overstability is what I credit the added distance to. I also like the shallow rim; it hurts my thumb less on thumbers.

Throw every disc you come across overhand. They all fly fine, and they all take different lines; all of which can be utilized.

 

[sloppydisc]

Question??

All this talk about what disc to use, as if that matters...

What matters is technique.

I am no expert, but here are some very nice shots of Ville doing overheads. You know he was the master till his shoulder stopped him from doing overheads. He was parking anything inside 450 with his stupid crazy overheads !

Note how high up his hand is at the release, and how early he releases. The disc leaves his hand almost before his hand passed his head. Note how his arm swings trough the shot, almost like with a "normal" backhand. Note his wrist action. Try to copy what he is doing ^^



To see what level of overhead he had, watch this ( craziest overhead ever at 0:35 in the intro and then again somewhere during the round, dont know which of the 4 vids, just watch em )

Should we be emulating the technique of a player that damaged his shoulder throwing?? I am certainly no pro or an athletic trainer, but if he hurt his shoulder bad enough to stop throwing overhand, his technique may have been the problem. A 450' thumber is no good if it puts you in a sling.

 

[superdrive]

JR from DGR knows better, but if I remember correctly his injuries have nothing to do with DG. Ville's form is one of the bests, if not the best IMHO.

Also, he has background in javelin... was it 80m?

 

[sloppydisc]

OK. I do like the emphasis he puts on the wrist and disc rotation as he releases. When I am having a good day with thumbers I can feel a nice tight grip, and the the wrist action is noticeable.