What exactly do you focus on when throwing?

[Nasty Nate]

I've been reading through this thread and getting a better idea of what I should be doing. Great stuff, everyone :hfive:. Looks like I just have to practice a lot and slowly bring all the pieces together. I have noticed that over-thinking my shot always makes me screw up. You must be zen to disc golf .

I feel like it all starts with footwork, so I'll be paying close attention to what my feets are doing and then working up from there. I don't think I've been properly engaging my lower body, and of course everything else could use some work! One problem I have is that I don't like looking backwards for my reach back. I know some people do almost a complete 180 when they throw, but I hate turning around so much when I drive. It discombobulates me. That being said, my reach back isn't huge, but I still turn "enough", I guess. I just don't try to look behind me when I throw.

 

[F. Howl]

Slow run up....clenched butt cheeks (to take the strain off my lower back).

 

[PBokor]

The previous posters have covered practice components comprehensively. :thmbup:

I'll just add that when I am throwing for record, I strive to keep my head completely out of the picture during execution. I use the A.C.E method (Assess, Choose, Execute) from the All Things Disc Golf blog. Saved me a bunch of throws immediately.

https://allthingsdiscgolf.com/want-improve-game-think-c-e-every-hole/

 

[lyleoross]

If you grew up playing baseball, you don't think about any mechanics when you are playing catch, you just throw the ball to the person. Your focus is on your aim, if anything at all.

Ideally, this is where you will get to with a disc in your hand. You've made the shot so many times that you just focus on hitting your line.

If you find yourself wondering "how do I throw to there with that line?", then it's just a matter of practicing that type of shot when you aren't in a competitive round.

This is spot on except none of us as smart enough to learn to throw a disc before we learned to over think things.

 

[Nasty Nate]

Slow run up....clenched butt cheeks (to take the strain off my lower back).

So THAT'S what I've been missing . I'll make sure to be puckered next time!

 

[F. Howl]

So THAT'S what I've been missing . I'll make sure to be puckered next time!

I think it will really improve your form...and impress/intimidate the rest of your card.

https://media.tenor.co/images/8559ad2fe73b0bb65fbebe1f9f0978ce/tenor.gif

 

[filobedo]

Unicorns and Rainbows

 

[Toro71]

clenched butt cheeks

Mee Yowwwww....


Someone who I forgot to quote talked about trying to consciously think your way through an athletic motion, and how it can screw it up. This is true for me.

I think of it as, my body is dumb, so to teach it something new, it takes repetition i.e. field work.

When I'm on the tee, I try to have my last conscious thought happen before my runup starts, and that though is about where I want to plant my pivot foot.

If my dumb body has learned its lesson(s), the rest will follow from there without my brain getting in the way.

 

[F. Howl]

^^^yup, work out the kinks during practice. If you feel you're struggling in a certain area, focus on that. In the moment, just envision where you want your disc to go.

If you like self help books...this is a classic.

 

[DiscFifty]

"What exactly do you focus on when throwing?"

Drive: A 60ft circle around the basket. If I can't see the basket, I visualize something on the fairway to represent where I want the disc to stop at.

Approach: A 20 ft circle around the basket. (For an easy 10ft putt..hopefully.)

Putting: Typically a chain just to the right of the center pole.

 

[Mr. Butlertron]

Fatigue and poor balance are usually the biggest factors of bad throwing for myself. Resetting with a slower throwing motion, slightly bent knees, and controled breathing helps me clean up my form.

 

[Dan Ensor]

Exactly one thing.

In a scoring round, that one thing is always the line.

When I'm practicing, it varies. A lot of the time, I'm focusing on self-awareness so I can come up with a thing to focus on that will improve my form. Some times, I'm focusing on throwing every shot the same to learn my discs. If I have a form improvement goal, I'll have only one and focus solely on it. If my single item of focus starts making my shots worse, I'll go back to focusing on the line.

 

[BrotherDave]

Not hitting that $*%&#( tree.

 

[Rockwell]

This is spot on except none of us as smart enough to learn to throw a disc before we learned to over think things.

Do you think this is one component of why people who have started playing as children (usually alongside parent(s)) have risen to the top of our game? (Doss, Avery and Val Jenkins, Paige Pierce, Lizotte, Orum, etc. all started as children)(Many more including McBeth and Wysocki began in early teens)

I've often thought this plays a big role in distance throwing, using your whole body and disc-muscle development. (Lizotte, Gurthie, Wiggins Jr. all started as children)

I don't think it's a matter of just more hours logged, but rather that the throwing motion becomes natural, innate, easy.

 

[Nasty Nate]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Not hitting that $*%&#( tree.

That's always when I hit that effing tree!

Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate all of your insight. There's a lot of great stuff here. Hopefully the weather will clear up soon and I'll get a chance to practice!

 

[sidewinder22]

:thmbup: I appreciate it! I have been trying to slow down my run up in order to bring things together. Sidewinder, I haven't heard the hammer analogy before. I'm trying to imagine how to rip a hammer . Do you curl your wrist?

Snap 2009:
http://web.archive.org/web/20160408...&t=13291&sid=2ea389973b2f0bb71d61618cc3635d51

I don't actively curl the wrist - it just happens as you lead with the elbow and change the acceleration of your lower arm and the wrist lags behind/back/closes/bends/curls, I actually resist it somewhat to load tension like a spring. Tighter spring can load and unload more force. The wrist only needs to move an inch or two.

 

[rhatton1]

In practice, whatever I'm focusing on form wise.

In casual rounds the line I'm hitting.

In tournaments it goes more like this:

Hmm, wonder how i'm scoring, no, sh%t, stop thinking about the score. Ohh look a bird, no focus da*n it, heey, what did that guy just whisper? Hatton, for gods sake, focus.

Right, yeh, that's the line, good good, yep let's go, hmm, i wonder if I'm near 30 seconds yet. WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU INEPT FOOL? FOCUSSSSS! Da*n, yep, switch on, hang on is this the right disc? Am i holding it right? Does it normally feel like this? How do i grip it again? I aced this hole once, that was cool, don't think I threw this disc though did i? Oh look a winds kicking up. Did I remember to tell everyone at players meeting about the specific OB rule on 10? Bugger, that's going to cause problems. FOCCCCCCCUUUUSSSS! Yep, yep back on it. I better park this, my puttings been rubbish today, STOP IT, why think that? you idiot, you're such a fool, this is why you're always rubbish in tournaments, Idiot. Oh no, I must be near 30 seconds now. (5 seconds has elapsed since stepping up to the Teepad) huh, never noticed that branch before, Argh, Throw it.

Crash.

Who put the stupid tree there?

 

[davetherocketguy]

I aim for trees. On purpose. Try to pick out a spot on the tree where I'll hit it. This usually means I will miss it almost all the time.

 

[Stardoggy]

I aim for trees. On purpose. Try to pick out a spot on the tree where I'll hit it. This usually means I will miss it almost all the time.

So very true. I usually pick a tree as my aiming point, especially if I'm putting hyzer or anhyzer on the shot. If I hit that tree, then my stupid disc (not my fault, of course) didn't fly like it should.

 

[eegor]

Unless I'm doing something that needs to be corrected, I only think of two things.

#1 Relax and stay loose. Tension causes mistakes.

#2 I draw an imaginary line on the teebox or through the mark of my lie. I know what this disc will do, so I only need to hit the line.

If I stay true to these things, I usually have a good round.

Get your form down in the field. Have a good time on the course.