Stokley gives some validation to a one finger forehand

[crdiscgolf79]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XFNpXi4Xmo


Glad to see this.

 

[Al Dente]

Other benefits of the one finger grip, not mentioned by Mr. Stokely, is that I am less likely to roll my wrist during the release, and I find it easier to release the disc on a hyzer angle. I have adopted a split finger grip on short approach shots as I'm unable to get a clean release with a single finger at low speeds.

 

[SuperWookie]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XFNpXi4Xmo


Glad to see this.

I've been using a 1 finger FH grip for about a year now on shorter shots of around 200ish or less, and it usually works MUCH better than any version of the two finger grip. It just comes out so clean and easy. But as Scott mentions, it's much harder to get a good snap from just one finger and power/distance becomes a problem. But I think it works great for little touch flick FH's of around 200 or less and especially FH approaches.

I'm now trying to find the best way to throw FH for distance with two fingers and still struggling. But I've been watching all of Scotts FH videos the last few weeks, and just saw that great video from Ulibarri. Both him and Scott REALLY make the point that SPIN is what is the MOST important part of getting more distance and accuracy on a FH throw. Like HUB says with protecting the magic of keeping your hand on the outside of the disc as long as possible, I think the key to long accurate FH's is about getting and keeping as much spin on the disc at all costs. Every other motion or movement you add HAS to keep the spin rate high, or it's all for naught. They both go over that a lot. So it must be super important. Now if I could just DO IT, haha

 

[rgrrbt]

But I think it works great for little touch flick FH's of around 200 or less and especially FH approaches.

This! I use a modified one-finger fan grip with my index finger being the "one finger" and my middle and ring fingers spread out to balance the flight plate. I have had more throw-ins from ~100ft lately than I ever did back hand. I do find that I return to back hand if I am within ~75ft, as it is difficult to provide enough flick spin at that range without sailing long.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

So, Stokley says it's OK to give it the finger sometimes.

 

[chevis]

when i power down my sidearm, i use the 1 finger grip

 

[biscoe]

I threw 2 finger for years with decent success (made it to MPO back in the 90's without really having a backhand at that point). A couple of years ago I got a lab puppy and now most of my disc throwing practice seems to be with a Supersonic. One finger works way better with that so I wound up switching my golf grip to one finger as well. Release is definitely cleaner for me and I am throwing almost as far now at 55 as i was when I was in my 20's.

 

[BillFleming]

I'm now trying to find the best way to throw FH for distance with two fingers and still struggling.

I've been mainly forehand and had to try different things for distance and accuracy. I finally settled on my middle finger being straight along the rim and my index finger being bent. I place my middle finger first with the pad against the rim and then I bend my index finger at about 90 degrees and place the tip against the rim. For the other two fingers, I found that I have to keep them off the disc; so they are curled up into my palm. If I have the disc resting on my other two fingers at all, the disc ends up on a hyzer.

Also, try different throws. I used my GoPro and found that when I threw poorly, I was using the pendulum style (see Scott Stokely's videos on forehands). When I did the windmill, my throws were the most consistent. But I had to do an abbreviated windmill...it is almost straight back (I know Scott says straight back is wrong....but Eagle and others have a straight back forehand and are long and accurate - I think it's Adam Hammes that pushes his disc forward and then straight back).

So my suggestion is to try different things until you find out what works for you.

 

[timothy42b]

I think the key to long accurate FH's is about getting and keeping as much spin on the disc at all costs. Every other motion or movement you add HAS to keep the spin rate high, or it's all for naught.

I can't watch the video, youtube is blocked here, I'll check it later. But two thoughts:

If you can throw far with one finger, then power is over rated.

I won't disagree that trying to put spin on makes your throw work better, everybody does say that. Well, except for one S&T guy. But I don't see any possibility that it's actually the rotational speed of the disc. That just doesn't make any sense.

(Stokely says as the disc flies the spin rate slows down, and that's why they tail off left at the end, so if you spin them harder they fly farther. I was at his clinic when he talked about it. And when he threw one out of sight. But he's got to be wrong. As forward speed declines, the remaining spin is what makes them fade left for RHBH.)

 

[timothy42b]

Ah. I watched the video and tried this in the backyard. He's right, there is much more range of motion with a one finger grip. I've been using straight middle finger on the rim, bent index finger behind, and there's instantly more wrist flexibility. There's more strength if I just use the middle finger, but there's more range of motion if I just use the index finger.

Then I watched Eagle's sidearm clinic, and I think I noticed something. He has crazy joint flexibility anyway, both wrist and shoulder, but between that and his hip alignment, I think he's throwing the outside of the disc. I always figured with sidearm you had to throw the inside, so you needed more snap to get spin, but now i think it can be the other way around maybe.

 

[Nick Pacific]

I'm now trying to find the best way to throw FH for distance with two fingers and still struggling. But I've been watching all of Scotts FH videos the last few weeks, and just saw that great video from Ulibarri. Both him and Scott REALLY make the point that SPIN is what is the MOST important part of getting more distance and accuracy on a FH throw. Like HUB says with protecting the magic of keeping your hand on the outside of the disc as long as possible, I think the key to long accurate FH's is about getting and keeping as much spin on the disc at all costs. Every other motion or movement you add HAS to keep the spin rate high, or it's all for naught. They both go over that a lot. So it must be super important. Now if I could just DO IT, haha

Keep at it. A lot of it is simply developing the strength in the ligaments and tendons of the fingers, hand and forearm, and the only way to do that is years of practice. A few things that have helped me is using really flat discs. Yes you want to learn with understable and stable plastic, but I also think that a flat disc is more forgiving with release errors. As you improve you can slowly work in more domey discs like putters and whatnot.

Also remember that the forehand is a forward facing shot, like a baseball throw. VERY similar to a shortstop throwing a sidearm towards first base. Yes you bend and twist at the waist, but your shoulders do end up at least somewhat facing the target when you release.

 

[Nick Pacific]

Also remember that the forehand is a forward facing shot, like a baseball throw. VERY similar to a shortstop throwing a sidearm towards first base. Yes you bend and twist at the waist, but your shoulders do end up at least somewhat facing the target when you release.

 

[NOStheBOSS]

I have been using 2 finger for 100+ and 1 finger for under 100 for a while now. much more angle control and touch with 1 finger. obviously no power. easier to throw catch discs with 1 finger as well.

 

[timothy42b]

I had the chance to get to the soccer field and throw a few 1 finger shots.

by carefully getting the wrist flexed back as far as I could, and actually trying to increase the flex a little during the throw, I got a couple of throws to come out pure. I wasn't trying to throw really hard, but just get them out spinning and not wobbling. They went around 150 feet.

These were pure beyond what I thought a disc could do. There was no wobble at all, less than a good backhand for sure, not even a blur. Wish I could repeat that. It was a few out of a larger number!

 

[SuperWookie]

When I was recently watching some coverage of the IdleWild open, I noticed one of the better FH throwers in the country, Andrew Marwede, uses a 1 finger FH grip! And he's a VERY good FH player. And can throw far. So it just goes to show, it doesn't really matter what kind of grip you have, as long as it feels good to you, AND performs well.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Andy has some big ole hands too (as does Stokely)... grip is crazy variable.

 

[timothy42b]

I've been working on a two finger, but a somewhat different grip than I had been doing, on some advice I got from a member here.

But I got to thinking. A forehand is thrown off the fingers - the fingers push against the rim the whole time. When your hand is totally flexed, your finger is almost on the outside of the inside of the disc, but it doesn't really push until the disc starts to open up (didn't want to use the word pivot.) I don't think there can ever be a time when the disc rips out of a finger.

On a backhand the disc rips forward off your finger, which must mean your finger is pulling back against the direction the disc is moving, which means you must be removing power from the disc. You never do that for forehand, so maybe that's why forehand doesn't look like it takes as much effort.