Standstill Shots as a Strategy for Accuracy

[spinachd]

Backhand

Over the years one of the most common and most accurate shots in my bag is a standstill 180 DX Roc. Lately, I've expanded to throwing standstills with drivers too, particularly a very beat up Pro Katana. It will really flip up and go far but still hit tight gaps.

Obviously a run up adds a lot of potential variability to a pull. Eliminating it or shortening it and getting the needed distance from less stability can make a big difference. Possibly a useful tip for people that miss gaps, particularly those who tend to pull it right (RHBH).

Forehand

I'm RHBH dominant but I can throw serviceable flicks from a standstill. But only from a standstill. If I run up I have much more tendency to turn it over and burn it. I should mention I throw one finger flicks which I think minimizes the natural tendency to turn the wrist over. Possibly useful tips for those that can't throw forehand at all.

 

[slowplastic]

For BH I like standstill as a way of powering down shots, for me it's roughly 10% loss in distance at the same effort feel. So I can throw shorter shots with better feel or a fuller swing. But I can occasionally get more left/right misses actually. I think because you are doing a backswing then redirecting yourself into the forward swing, so sometimes I can over rotate myself or something like that. Compared to an X-step, even a slow one, where I keep going in line toward my aim line and my body stays aligned to that more consistently. It's easier to maintain that direction overall, than introduce it from the backswing forward.

 

[RFrance]

There are ten holes on my home course that I always throw a standstill shot, eight BH and two FH. They range in distance from about 130 to 450 with most about 260. I've found the better accuracy with a standstill works for me since they are tunnel shots right off the tee; gaps to hit; or a tight anny shot.

 

[dr.chainslove]

Standstill shots and discing down are two things that have greatly aided my game in the past several years. It's all about minimizing the moving parts for me. Getting good at standstills really improved my accuracy for fairway/non-tee shots (especially on hillsides, bad footing, etc). I no longer have to worry about a foot fault or uneven surfaces down the fairway. I also now minimize some of the wild shanks I used to get with a run-up gone awry. The least amount of things I'm thinking/worrying about during my throw, the better.

I'm 100% with ya on FH. I think FH shots don't require much of a run-up anyway so I've completely eliminated it. It's really helped me focus on angle control and follow through. However, my FH game is more of a utility where I'm usually happy to get 275ft on a flex or hyzer.

I'll do standstill BH for most shots under 300ft. For reference, my average BH max distance with a proper x-step is about 375ft (adjusted to 430ft for internet distance).

I think everyone, especially noobs, should really focus on learning how to throw longer standstill shots.

 

[1-UP]

I've been throwing nothing but standstills or 1-steps while trying to get form down. Can get a reliable 300-330' and can sometimes bomb it out 350-380.

I debate all the time if I need to start getting the run-up to break 400. Always so many skills to master in this game!

 

[roggenb3]

I try to preach the gospel of the standstill to the people I play with, but they never listen.

 

[B The V]

I played for two years, failing miserably to gain distance. I took an entire year to just throw standstill and increased my distance. I feel that if you learn stand still from the get go it is easier to work back to a run up. Starting with a run up just adds more moving parts to learn bad habits on and if you learn how to throw decently far with a stand still when you do learn a proper run up it will be easier to master.
I use stand still quite often and I agree that it helps with hitting that small gap. I also throw drivers from a standstill when I need a bit more accuracy and don't mind sacrificing distance to do it. I wish I had started my disc golf career throwing only from a stand still.

 

[roggenb3]

I think every new player needs to have that moment when they realize their run up doesn't add any distance, and costs accuracy.

I get the value of the rhythm of a run up, but don't use it as a crutch; you can feel the rhythm with a standstill with a bit of practice.

 

[ArnoldCThomas]

I think every new player needs to have that moment when they realize their run up doesn't add any distance, and costs accuracy.

I get the value of the rhythm of a run up, but don't use it as a crutch; you can feel the rhythm with a standstill with a bit of practice.

This is a quite good advice. It's pity what newbies don't know about it

 

[Meillo]

Newbies start with run-ups and fast disc and have to learn the hard way that it would have been much better to start with stand-stills and slow discs. Well ... maybe that's just normal.


If you throw with run-ups you need to be able to throw from stand-stills as well, if the footing is too bad. Thus you actually need to learn two techniques, whereas, if you drive with stands-stills, you only need to get one (also simpler) motion under control. And all you miss out is a bit of distance ... in most cases only distance *potential* ... on long holes with open fairways.

X-step should not be the first thing, people teach new players. It should be seen as an advanced technique, that will add to your game, after you've got the basic stuff under control.

 

[TheBeardedFatGuy]

I'm in my early 50s and have a bum ankle that sprains if I look at it crosseyed, so I don't mess around with a run-up. I do think it's important, however, to clarify what is meant by 'stand still' - it's more about weight shift from the back to the plant leg, so you're not just planting your feet and throwing. Watching players who do not use a run up makes it clear what at least one benefit to the x-step is - it keeps you in motion. A lot of guys who stand and throw will start pausing on their reach back, usually to verify that they have their line, position, grip etc. correct before they throw. I find that, while doing this can improve accuracy, it kills power. X-step or not, the reach back should rebound and start moving forward immediately without ever freezing in position. This can hurt accuracy I'm sure, but it definitely increases distance over pausing.

 

[Leonidas187]

I tried doing the run up x-step last year. This year in april I had a health scare that put me in a position of taking out the run up x-step, and like most of you guy's have said, it improved my accuracy as well as having as much distance wise as when I run up and x-step. Have been doing the run up x-step again and I've been thinking about going back to stand still again just due to the accuracy thing as well as the fact that I've got a lower back problem developing and I didn't have as much of that when I was stand stilling. I'm going to start working on it again this week.

 

[TheBeardedFatGuy]

Have been doing the run up x-step again and I've been thinking about going back to stand still again just due to the accuracy thing as well as the fact that I've got a lower back problem developing and I didn't have as much of that when I was stand stilling.

Follow through is critical to not straining your back and, unfortunately, becomes less automatic when using a standing throw. The x-step creates momentum that gets partly converted into rotation of the hips and upper body, which helps with follow through. For a standing drive you have to really focus on the weight shift and rotating follow through or you risk wrenching your low back.

It also helps a lot to make sure your off shoulder is mirroring the throwing shoulder, coming fully forward towards the target as the throwing shoulder goes back for the reach back. Doing this winds the upper body spring, ensuring a smoother unwinding rotation that helps both distance and follow through.

 

[ArnoldCThomas]

Should agree

 

[DoWork]

I think every new player needs to have that moment when they realize their run up doesn't add any distance, and costs accuracy.

I get the value of the rhythm of a run up, but don't use it as a crutch; you can feel the rhythm with a standstill with a bit of practice.

Wait, what?

Maybe before you're truly comfortable with your X-step but once it's really locked in the run up/step is a HUGE force multiplier. I remember before I got cozy with my steps yeah I could say that but no way now.

I am x stepping unless the footing is compromised or it's a short throw. I do believe in standstills for approach or accuracy but when I need distance it's absolutely through using an x step.

 

[biscoe]

I try to preach the gospel of the standstill to the people I play with, but they never listen.

I have one buddy i have been preaching it to for 25 years and he still won't do it. Consequently i beat him most every time we play even though he has a good bit more talent than I do. Hopefully he never learns, it's nice to have that extra $5 all the time.

 

[Meillo]

Maybe before you're truly comfortable with your X-step but once it's really locked in the run up/step is a HUGE force multiplier.

What distance difference do you talk about?

 

[DoWork]

What distance difference do you talk about?

This is my second full summer playing, my first year really feeling good in my x-step. Beginning of the summer I was sussing it out and stuck in that 300-325 range and I can now hyzerflip to 400-425 regularly, with a few reaching 450. I'm still opening up and really dialing finer form issues but it's been a huge advantage for me in finding a way to feel natural alignment and body position through the steps. I can still rip a standstill, but can't access real distance without a little song & dance.

That's not to say being comfortable in a standstill isn't an accuracy advantage, because I believe it is. I'm a spin putter so standstills are a big comfort zone for me but when I need to boom one out there I'm running up unless the footing is complete garbage.

 

[roggenb3]

Wait, what?

Maybe before you're truly comfortable with your X-step but once it's really locked in the run up/step is a HUGE force multiplier. I remember before I got cozy with my steps yeah I could say that but no way now.

I am x stepping unless the footing is compromised or it's a short throw. I do believe in standstills for approach or accuracy but when I need distance it's absolutely through using an x step.

For most people (i.e. 99% of disc golfers) that can't throw 400'+, a run up usually doesn't add more than 30' or so, at a huge cost to accuracy.

Yes, the better you get, the more useful and advantageous a run up is, hence why all pros use one. But for sub 900 players, usually a run up is getting them like an extra 20', at a huge cost to accuracy. Many times it is actually costing distance because their form on it is so bad.

This is my second full summer playing, my first year really feeling good in my x-step. Beginning of the summer I was sussing it out and stuck in that 300-325 range and I can now hyzerflip to 400-425 regularly, with a few reaching 450. I'm still opening up and really dialing finer form issues but it's been a huge advantage for me in finding a way to feel natural alignment and body position through the steps. I can still rip a standstill, but can't access real distance without a little song & dance.

That's not to say being comfortable in a standstill isn't an accuracy advantage, because I believe it is. I'm a spin putter so standstills are a big comfort zone for me but when I need to boom one out there I'm running up unless the footing is complete garbage.

Sure, when you need 450' go for it. But my point is that when you can standstill, it is usually the better option. If you need 275', are you still using a full run up and x step? Because you shouldn't. With 450' of power you should be able to easily standstill (or 1 step) a mid.

 

[DoWork]

For most people (i.e. 99% of disc golfers) that can't throw 400'+, a run up usually doesn't add more than 30' or so, at a huge cost to accuracy.

Yes, the better you get, the more useful and advantageous a run up is, hence why all pros use one. But for sub 900 players, usually a run up is getting them like an extra 20', at a huge cost to accuracy. Many times it is actually costing distance because their form on it is so bad.



Sure, when you need 450' go for it. But my point is that when you can standstill, it is usually the better option. If you need 275', are you still using a full run up and x step? Because you shouldn't. With 450' of power you should be able to easily standstill (or 1 step) a mid.

I wasn't disagreeing with you that standstills give a greater accuracy at the cost of a little bit of distance.

"Run up" also is kind of a misleading name for what I personally do, as I often take a very small, slow and controlled x step when I don't need a ton of distance. It's really just a body alignment movement type exercise for me, and not necessarily a full run up for a real bomber.

I guess I'm trying to differentiate between an x step which is simply to align the body and a "full run up" in the way you're thinking. They are very different IMO, and everybody can benefit from really concentrating on how they rotate and load their core, shoulders and align their arms WITHOUT the full speed run movement. It's helped me tremendously.