The "Incomplete" Secret Technique

[josser]

I just spent some time working on just drills #1 and #3. After watching the video I realized that one of my problems was that I was trying to do these drills with my elbow close to my side instead of out in front of me like in Blake's video. Once I switched to my elbow out in front of me I noticed the disc was whipping around a lot quicker at the pounding point.

I feel like I am closer than yesterday, but still don't quite have it. There is definately a great difference in the feel between trying to close my wrist too early and trying to close it around the correct time.

I am left with a quick clarification question.

The quick snap around of the disc at the bottom should feel VERY strong even though your arm is basically relaxed.

Aren't I supposed to be gripping hard and closing my wrist at that point? Do you just mean that the rest of my arm is basically relaxed?

 

[Taotefling1]

Basically, this is an easy method to a 250'+ OAT-free sidearm ...

Thanks much to Blake, Beato, Bradley et al for the knowledge being shared here. And thanks to USAnarchy, too, for his posts recapping what he learned from Blake and addt'l input. I read USAnarchy's post on Friday (before he added Blake's edits) and did some practice time Friday and Saturday. I didn't catch lightning in a bottle yet (realizing I need a lot more practice time) but would appreciate input on a couple noob questions.

1. My stash of discs is made up mainly of Wizards, Sharks, and Sabres. I've also seen a lot of posts suggesting guys practice and learn how to get the most of their putters. Are any of these discs better/worse for practicing the FH hammer throw? Say should I try to get this down with a Wizard before moving up to a longer disc?

2. For the "250'+ OAT-free sidearm," would that be with a fairway driver or something similar? Are the distance drivers generally supposed to be used by guys getting over 250'?

3. I've got cr@ppy inconsistency with the lines I throw. Working on the FH, about a third of throws went straight, a third started left and continued turning that way, and a third climbed high to the right, stalled, and crashed (nose up, right?). At my best, I was getting a little over 200' with my Sabres. Any suggestions on the type of flight should I be looking for with this drill? Should I try to consistently try for one type of flight (e.g., anhyzer? flat? something else?) before learning to hit different lines?

thanks much!

 

[Blake_T1]

I feel like I am closer than yesterday, but still don't quite have it. There is definately a great difference in the feel between trying to close my wrist too early and trying to close it around the correct time.

that's where the fake grip comes in. it trains you to time it. if you don't have it down revert to drills 1 and 2.

Aren't I supposed to be gripping hard and closing my wrist at that point? Do you just mean that the rest of my arm is basically relaxed?

check out youtube for drills on how to throw a jab in boxing. and work more with the fake grip. your grip has to tighten the closer you get to the rip but this should happen fairly naturally.

1. My stash of discs is made up mainly of Wizards, Sharks, and Sabres. I've also seen a lot of posts suggesting guys practice and learn how to get the most of their putters. Are any of these discs better/worse for practicing the FH hammer throw? Say should I try to get this down with a Wizard before moving up to a longer disc?

try it with anything/everything. it's so different from how most people throw sidearm that it opens up lots of possibilities for you to explore.

2. For the "250'+ OAT-free sidearm," would that be with a fairway driver or something similar? Are the distance drivers generally supposed to be used by guys getting over 250'?

see previous reply.

3. I've got cr@ppy inconsistency with the lines I throw. Working on the FH, about a third of throws went straight, a third started left and continued turning that way, and a third climbed high to the right, stalled, and crashed (nose up, right?). At my best, I was getting a little over 200' with my Sabres. Any suggestions on the type of flight should I be looking for with this drill? Should I try to consistently try for one type of flight (e.g., anhyzer? flat? something else?) before learning to hit different lines?

mix it up but focus at times. e.g. 20 flat throws. 20 hyzer throws. 20 anhyzer throws, etc.

you are better off getting comfortable with all shots and not just 1, but if you just throw at random it won't benefit you either.

when you flipped em left you snapped it early. when they skied right you didn't snap em early enough. focus on the hammer pound and not on throwing it.

 

[HuntingtonHyzer]

Will give a better review tomorrow but would just like to say that using the hammer pound, I went from a wobbly 150 ft. forehand to a solid 275 controlled forehand in less than a day.

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

Blake, I really have to thank you for the tip on how to aim using the "Pound The Hammer" motion.

NO KIDDING when I say that I have shot 2 of the most consistent rounds in my life over the past two days with my Accuracy being dead on.

I have been practicing a course for a tournament next Sunday, and so far, on Saturday, I almost aced 3 holes and had 7 birdies, and then today I almost aced 2 different holes with one hitting the side of the basket, and with 7 birdies.

Anytime that my shots were not on line or on target, I did not get the "Feel" of "Pounding The Hammer".

P.S. "Pounding The Hammer" works really well for jump putts too!


On a side note, so far the few people that I have explained the concepts too have been just astounded at the sheer simplicity. One of the guys is a roofer, so he took to this like a fish to water. He went from no sidearm to 300 feet easy. Only reason they didnt go further is that he was almost throwing them right into the ground. Once i got him centered over is left foot on his final plant he was putting wraiths out 350. Dumb ass went on to ace his first sidearm hole today. I dont have a sidearm ace yet

I also got him throwing his backhand out almost 400 but he kept locking out his hips so everything was hyzering. Its going to take him doing some reps of planting his foot a little more on line so he can get his hips clear enough to open.

But your right, I can get them half hitting the backhand pretty good but I cant seem to tie that final bits together.

But thanks again for the accuracy bit. That right there is pure gold son!

 

[matchu]

it works great Blake! What with a five to ten minute phone call? I don't throw many forehands but the exercise works hammer in what you know. hee hee get the reference? It is nice to get to the hit without effort or heavy concentration. I threw further and much more consistent on some of the worst tee boxes ever. I had the knowledge of what to do, it has been on this here website for years, but the drill makes it second nature.

but.... I tried to explain this to someone and sometimes you cant fix what doesn't accept it is broken. I had an engineer explain that you can build it idiot proof, they'll just build a better idiot. (humans are strange)

 

[josser]

The quick snap around of the disc at the bottom should feel VERY strong even though your arm is basically relaxed. The quick snap around of the disc at the bottom should feel VERY strong even though your arm is basically relaxed.

Aren't I supposed to be gripping hard and closing my wrist at that point? Do you just mean that the rest of my arm is basically relaxed?

check out youtube for drills on how to throw a jab in boxing. and work more with the fake grip. your grip has to tighten the closer you get to the rip but this should happen fairly naturally.

I watched videos for close to half an hour and nobody talked about your arm being relaxed.

I avoided the expert village videos completely since I know the quality of the disc golf videos on there! There were a couple of the videos (which seemed like the better ones) that emphasized that the jab was coming from the shoulder and not from the elbow. I can see how this is a "relaxed arm" sort of idea. I'm still not translating this very well to pounding the hammer, however...

I tried to do a few hammer pounds with my arm intentionally tensed as much as possible. Wow this kills everything: timing, power. I get, from doing this, the idea that the arm is basically relaxed.

 

[racer93]

I don't know if it's just me or my arm being tensed (it doesn't feel like it) but I can't get the "recoil" like you do in the vids, blake. Has that been a problem with others? Is it that I"m strongarming it?

 

[Segovia1]

After working for a bit on these after playing with Dan a few weeks ago I'm already seeing some substantial improvements. I managed to get a p-pd out to 460-480' with a slight tailwind yesterday on a 20-25' apex. Accuracy is definitely also improving quite a bit. Great stuff Blake!

 

[Taotefling1]

Blake - Thanks much for your reply to my post. Appreciate your input. Was really surprised with the speed that you (assume it's you in the videos) were moving, but I was able to get pretty close when I tried to keep up.

I don't know if it's just me or my arm being tensed (it doesn't feel like it) but I can't get the "recoil" like you do in the vids, blake. Has that been a problem with others? Is it that I"m strongarming it?

FWIW, I'm not getting the recoil either. At least not yet.

 

[masterbeato]

your not getting the recoil because your not accelerating. i notice that when i do sidearm.

fluid, and snap like your muscles tighten up at the very end after your loose coming down. like when you get a random muscle twitch.

 

[rusch_bag]

Something is popping in my thumb when I try to do this and it hurts. I fail.

 

[matchu]

your not getting the recoil because your not accelerating. i notice that when i do sidearm.

fluid, and snap like your muscles tighten up at the very end after your loose coming down. like when you get a random muscle twitch.

I have random muscle twitch down! call it epilepsy hee hee haa haa

 

[Taotefling1]

your not getting the recoil because your not accelerating. i notice that when i do sidearm.

fluid, and snap like your muscles tighten up at the very end after your loose coming down. like when you get a random muscle twitch.

Dan - Thanks much for the input. I was trying this some more tonight and looking over some addt'l instructions that Blake has given out, and I think my main problem was pounding the hammer too far left of my body. After I moved the target just slightly left of my body, I started getting recoil. Will keep working on this. Thanks again.

 

[Blake_T1]

for the recoil feeling...

try throwing a right jab (punch) towards an imaginary target with a tense fist, wrist and forearm.

now try it this way... relax your arm, let your wrist relax and don't clench a fist. in a fluid motion move your relaxed arm/hand/wrist towards the imaginary target. when you reach the target "snap" into a fist and swiftly pull back to your starting point.

all of this stuff (disc golf, hammering, and punching) requires you have a defined stopping point. you need the stopping point to trigger the levers, accelerate, and deliver force. it is only by working around said stopping point that the recoil happens.

 

[Blake_T1]

and yah, it was me in the videos.

 

[goalkeeper19]

had a little bit of a breakthrough last night with mid-range practice. I usually can only throw putters 240-250, and last night I got several out to 300'. Also my Roc shots usually dead-end at 280-300, and last night I had one throw that flew over a 7' fence (by 5 feet) that was 300' away! I'm starting to feel the hammer, and all of the throws that I felt the hammer on went dead straight with very little fade. I'm going to get out again tonight and try to replicate that feeling some more with the midranges before I try drivers.

If I'm getting the feeling down with putters/midranges, what difference should I expect when transitioning to fairway/distance drivers?

 

[bcsst26]

had a little bit of a breakthrough last night with mid-range practice. I usually can only throw putters 240-250, and last night I got several out to 300'. Also my Roc shots usually dead-end at 280-300, and last night I had one throw that flew over a 7' fence (by 5 feet) that was 300' away! I'm starting to feel the hammer, and all of the throws that I felt the hammer on went dead straight with very little fade. I'm going to get out again tonight and try to replicate that feeling some more with the midranges before I try drivers.

If I'm getting the feeling down with putters/midranges, what difference should I expect when transitioning to fairway/distance drivers?

I would say start with the fairway drivers. You will get a better grip on them. Also keep in mind that when you go to the "drivers" don't forget to relax and don't try to throw far. Sometimes I think it is more of a mental game when one goes from mids to drivers. Anyways when going to the drivers try to get the same feel as you did with the mids.

 

[sidewinder22]

Can someone youtube the vids? I can't unzip the file on my mac.

 

[TheLastBoyScout]

Can someone youtube the vids? I can't unzip the file on my mac.

I can do you one better:

Use a program freely availalbe called Stuffit.

Info:
http://www.stuffit.com/mac/expander/
Download:
http://www.stuffit.com/mac/expander/download.html

Have fun unzipping on your Mac.