Throwing little farther with soccer shoes?

[komulele]

Hello all fellow disc golfers!

I just have a short question. Is it weird(should I keep doing it?) that I feel I can brace a lot better and thus throw farther with soccer shoes that have like quarter inch "spikes", I dont know the real word for them. It little weird to throw with them from a hard surface but in the woods or sand turf, you can really brace well and I feel like instant exit velocity boost. I know that my brace with normal shoes occasionally "leaks" and I dont get up on my plant foot properly, and that happens because I get greedy and try to take too long plant foot step. Is using soccer shoes now smart? Or is it detrimental and I should practice with normal shoes?

I dont have a video because my form has changed so much in the last few weeks that none of the existing videos that I have are really good in this sense. Also I read this forum so much that I have learned from others what I need to in my form, but this soccer shoe thing interests me.
For benchmark, I am comfortable driving about 330'' with putters and this seasons longest throws push 500''. 78'' wingspan and 8 years in the game.


Ok I found very old video of me throwing with soccer shoes on the course: (My run-up is WAY slower nowadays...)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EpLtDMg_nk


PS. I call them soccer shoes because this I believe is an American forum. In my heart they are football shoes..

 

[azplaya25]

I'd be worried about those spikes grabbing the turf and torquing your knee

 

[DiscGolfCraig]

Whatever works for your game is the way to go.

 

[bsammons]

Yeah I'm with az, the heel pivots during/after the throw to keep lateral strain off of your knee. You shouldn't be leaking much, or really any, power without cleats (former soccer player here, that's the name ) I'd like to hear what you feel the brace as, if it's a clean brace with clean form then you shouldn't be losing power by slipping. Unnecessary foot torque and slippage is usually a byproduct of slamming into your knee

 

[komulele]

Yeah I'm with az, the heel pivots during/after the throw to keep lateral strain off of your knee. You shouldn't be leaking much, or really any, power without cleats (former soccer player here, that's the name ) I'd like to hear what you feel the brace as, if it's a clean brace with clean form then you shouldn't be losing power by slipping. Unnecessary foot torque and slippage is usually a byproduct of slamming into your knee

Yeah you are right, throwing with cleats just kinda helped my form because I take a too long last step and therefore I have hard time getting on top of my plant. Cleats helped but for now I'm just gonna shorten the step. Thanks! My idea of clean brace is starting to get kinda KJ Nybo-esque, I prefer that even after releasing the disc, my plant foot would not turn/pivot that much. A little bit yeah but my throws just feel more powerful when there is a lot of friction between my shoe and the teepad. 95% form thing now that I have ruminated for a while. Ps. I played soccer too I am just lazy language learner hehe.
Cheers!

 

[komulele]

I'd be worried about those spikes grabbing the turf and torquing your knee

Yeah this is something to take into consideration. For now I haven't had any pain in my knee (21 y.o so not very telling yet) but sometimes watching my own slow-mo distance drivers I feel like my body is getting beat in real good. I'll probably just focus on clean form now and try to be patient.
Cheers!

 

[Dcinmd]

I remember that one time I forgot my shoes for doubles and the only thing available was someone's golfing shoes.

Those tiny spikes provided a ton of tractions and at least for a day gave me a footing boost. Luckily the club was kind enough to allow me to tee from the side of the concrete pads that day.

Otherwise all of the advantages would have gone straight downhill if I had to tee from the concrete.

 

[drk_evns]

I prefer that even after releasing the disc, my plant foot would not turn/pivot that much. A little bit yeah but my throws just feel more powerful when there is a lot of friction between my shoe and the teepad.

Cleats are a bad idea. Your foot should be pivoting. Don't try and stop that.

 

[BogeyNoMore]

I'd be worried about cleats impeding rotation (pivot) when throwing for distance, and the resulting stress on joints.

I could see wearing them being beneficial in slippery conditions.

That said, I've done alright with quality hikers on wet, muddy, slippery conditions. Still think the limited pivot from clears would be more detrimental than the increased traction is worth.

 

[komulele]

Cleats are a bad idea. Your foot should be pivoting. Don't try and stop that.

Got it. Just out of interest, what do you think about the likes of KJ Nybo and so who don't pivot at all? I'm wondering if KJ thinks he can get more power that way or what do you think it is?

 

[sidewinder22]

Got it. Just out of interest, what do you think about the likes of KJ Nybo and so who don't pivot at all? I'm wondering if KJ thinks he can get more power that way or what do you think it is?

The pivot happens from the momentum of the swing pulling on your foot. KJ has one of the slowest x-steps, so he doesn't bring that much momentum into it and therefore doesn't pivot much.

For max power, you don't want your foot to spin during the throw, only after release. Thomas Gilbert talks about this in his form breakdown vid. If you plant your foot more than 90 degrees from your trajectory you will likely need to have the foot start to pivot before release so you don't tear something.

 

[desmondeby]

I wouldn't use shoes with cleats because if you do, your foot can't rotate as good after you release.

 

[flatflip]

If you are talking about turf shoes (e.g. adidas mundial team), my experience is one of recurrent turf toe. You want stiffer soles if you are going to have that much grip.

 

[drk_evns]

Got it. Just out of interest, what do you think about the likes of KJ Nybo and so who don't pivot at all? I'm wondering if KJ thinks he can get more power that way or what do you think it is?

Like SW22 mentioned, KJ brings almost no momentum into his x-step. He's super slow, controlled, and very efficient. The opposite of James Conrad. So he doesn't have much energy left in his body once he has transferred it to the disc. Even then, I don't think you can say he doesn't pivot. His foot has less leftover momentum "pulling" on it, but it almost always shifts or turns towards the line.



^^ It's certainly minimized, but there is a small pivot followed by a big one in the follow-through.

I think if cleats were going to add power, it'd be from pushing off the instep from the x-step with increased grip confidence, but I don't ever think about that unless it's wet on the teepad.

For max power, you don't want your foot to spin during the throw, only after release. Thomas Gilbert talks about this in his form breakdown vid. If you plant your foot more than 90 degrees from your trajectory you will likely need to have the foot start to pivot before release so you don't tear something.

I've noticed the front toe almost points at/follows the disc as it leaves the hand and heads along the trajectory.