Release Focal Point

[Majicmarkr]

What do you look at and where is your head facing when you release?

Apologizes if this question has already been asked.

 

[slowplastic]

I have no idea. I'm not really using my eyes when I release, but remembering the height/angle I intend to throw through. Definitely not searching for the target ahead of me or looking behind me consciously though. Head is kind of moving with the swing. I know this isn't a specific answer, but my point is I'm not trying to look.

 

[Chaz58]

I have no idea. I'm not really using my eyes when I release, but remembering the height/angle I intend to throw through. Definitely not searching for the target ahead of me or looking behind me consciously though. Head is kind of moving with the swing. I know this isn't a specific answer, but my point is I'm not trying to look.

^^
I kind of look at this as being "spatial awareness". I like to walk to the front of the tee pad and quickly look over the line I want/need to play the hole and take a quick glimpse around for any obstacles like trees etc. Keeping that in mind I then proceed to drive as slowplastic states above, letting my head come around as I make my throw and follow through. Will Schusterick has good vid on YouTube demonstrating this.

 

[sidewinder22]

Looking at my thumb pointing to apex. Before that looking at thumb pointed away from apex.

 

[Casey 1988]

I have to end with hand pointed at basket, so I end just before release looking at basket or where I want the disc to end up. I can't do a follow though with arm so that is how I throw. If I follow through with the disc it hooks in my ringers under the rim even after I release the disc so it goes off 45-50 degrees from where I wanted the disc to go. I do not know why I do this but I can't do the extra arm throw after disc is supposed to leave my hand. I still get good distance or did when I was playing more prior to 2009. Now I still get distance but it is not as far but it is more accurate then in 2000's because I have slowed down my X Step.

 

[lines]

Go to a big open field and start throwing.
Take your eyes out of the equation and try to feel the release point. Let your head follow what your upper body is doing. In other words, don't fight the natural movement.
Watch some vids on YouTube slowed down to 25-50%. You will see how the flow should go.

 

[UhhNegative]

If regular golf is any indication of how successful players think: your mind should always be focused on the target. Both in golf and disc golf you can't actually look at the target as you swing (except forehand/overhand) so you have to just visualize the target. Now of course your swing mechanics and timing need to be good to actually hit the target, but the focus should be on the target and specific. Not like "oh I'm aiming at the gap" it's more like "I'm aiming at the middle of that tree in the distance 300' past the gap". Think exactly of the line you want to hit. A lot of these concepts are captured in Golf is not a Game of Perfect by Bob Rotella who has coached a lot of the top golf pros.

 

[DiscFifty]

I take the Paul McBeth approach... the closer to the basket, the more I'm looking at it when I throw, to the point of looking directly at the basket on shorter approach shots during the entire throw.

 

[joecoin]

I take the Paul McBeth approach... the closer to the basket, the more I'm looking at it when I throw, to the point of looking directly at the basket on shorter approach shots during the entire throw.

That sums it up for me, except I close my eyes when putting. Don't want to see how badly I miss.

 

[ThrowBot]

Forehand, you can look straight at the desired release line throughout the run-up and throw.

Backhand, you can't. Actually might hurt your neck if you tried.

In both cases, proper footwork will get you on the correct line. It's weird to realize that you don't need to look at a backhand line when you're throwing it. I try to set up my steps in reverse order from the release point; trace it backwards to get the right alignment.

 

[Putt for D'oh]

For a full reachback standstill or X-step I pump my elbow forward pointing it at my target/point in space /line then as I reach back I'm looking at the disc the rest of the way and picturing the disc still on the line and plane of flight I just pointed my elbow. So a high hyzer over trees? Point my elbow at the apex of the flight over the trees and move the disc back along that line on the plane it needs to be on or a tunnel shot whatever then I'm looking at the disc and picturing the target in my mind all the way through the throw I'm trying to look at the disc and whip my thumb to point at the target line I was imagining.
But then for partial reachback approaches or putts I look at the basket or gap the whole time.

 

[VinnietheAceHole]

I look at what ever is right in front of my face during the swing.
When I reach back I am looking past my back foot.
I let my body and left shoulder turn my head towards my target.
My accuracy really comes from lining me feet up correctly on the pad instead of looking at my target while I throw.
I'll add in, the closer to the target, the less reach back I use and the less I look away from the target.
If I am 100' and in I might look at the target more because I am not rotating as far away from it.

(All for backhand throws.)
Forehand you can get away with looking at your target.