Hitting it half way, Discovering another plateau

[Blake_T1]

My wrist clenching seems to have been caused by trying to pull into the power zone too early.

this is a matter of timing being the over-riding factor in all of this. timing > positions.

 

[VictorB]

I think I have finally started to figure out how to get a full hit on a drive.

About 2 weeks ago, I started working on adding a 5th step in my run up (2 steps, then a standard X-Step). At first, it felt just like the disc was falling out and I wasn't getting my full reach back that I do in a shorter run up. My distance was still about the same (hitting 390-400' 8/10 throws with a surge) but it just felt like there was a lot of potential being wasted.

Fast forward to last weekend - I was able to put the fast acceleration on the hit with long reach back into the 5 step run up. It feels like I'm using a lot less power to throw while feeling like my last 20% of my throwing motion is lightning fast. My distance AND accuracy have gone through the roof as well. I'm hitting 375' with stalkers on command with a ton more control than what I've felt in the past, and actually was putting long drives (400'+) where I wanted to. I still haven't figured out the right lines to throw a big D driver on, but with the distances that I've gained using my fairway drivers I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I did manage to park a 390' hole 3 drives in a row in warm ups (predator, surge, stalker) so I'm fairly certain that there is something good going on there.

I need to get more field work in with just my drivers, but I feel like I made a huge discovery and the ceiling just went up for my max D potential. Hopefully I can get some vids up by this weekend for critique and analysis - if I was doing it perfectly, I'd be throwing over 500', right?

 

[peppermack]

So I have been really reading this thread the last couple of days and the late acceleration and wrist snap right at the end has made a world of difference. Today doing field work I was really concentrating on a controlled slow pull, and then hitting it right as the wrist was starting to open. I made a huge difference. My average drive is usually right around 400' +- 20'. I was hitting 450-480' on every clean drive (80% of the throws). I boomed one out to 510. This is only like the 4th time I have ever hit one over 500'. My drives have sucked this spring so far after the long winter layoff. I watched a bunch of Bruce Lee stuff last night, and for some reason it really cemented the idea in my head. Hopefully this new Distance Potential carriers over! Although one thing I have learned that a great long throw can be undone with a really crappy upshot. Might as well have thrown 50' shorter and had a decent upshot and made a par or birdie, rather than a great drive, horrid up shot, long putt for birdie or par, and then two putting it for a bogie

 

[Blake_T1]

congrats. you made the big jump.

going beyond 480' takes some time and line work, but being able to do that on a line drive is flat out killing it.

consistency will be difficult to build but keep working at it.

 

[peppermack]

Ya, I really am hoping this was not a one day flash in the pan. 50% of them were in the 450'-460' range, 30% in the 420'-450', 10% in the 460-480' range, and 10% in the 480+. I was flipping up Pro Wraiths and they were only going right like 5-10' and then slowly working their way back with a gentle fade. I did have a couple of throws that I grip locked or seriously OATed and they went on huge crazy anny lines and never came back. I swear though, that even at this distance the boss that I was throwing still had very little rightward movement. Maybe it is the altitude, but man, I thought it was supposed to has some high speed turn.

 

[racer93]

So I have been really reading this thread the last couple of days and the late acceleration and wrist snap right at the end has made a world of difference. Today doing field work I was really concentrating on a controlled slow pull, and then hitting it right as the wrist was starting to open. I made a huge difference. My average drive is usually right around 400' +- 20'. I was hitting 450-480' on every clean drive (80% of the throws). I boomed one out to 510. This is only like the 4th time I have ever hit one over 500'. My drives have sucked this spring so far after the long winter layoff. I watched a bunch of Bruce Lee stuff last night, and for some reason it really cemented the idea in my head. Hopefully this new Distance Potential carriers over! Although one thing I have learned that a great long throw can be undone with a really crappy upshot. Might as well have thrown 50' shorter and had a decent upshot and made a par or birdie, rather than a great drive, horrid up shot, long putt for birdie or par, and then two putting it for a bogie

Any videos of your drives? I'd like to see your form...

 

[peppermack]

Sadly I have no Video camera, I will have to track someone down who does. It would be scary to see myself though. I am sure my form looks like crap.

 

[jubuttib]

You're throwing over 400' pretty consistently, how bad can it be?

 

[black udder]

You're throwing over 400' pretty consistently, how bad can it be?

That's what I'm sayin'!

 

[masterbeato]

killer dude!

 

[emiller3]

this is a matter of timing being the over-riding factor in all of this. timing > positions.

This seems to have been your mantra as of late, and it's true. Looking at positions and slow motion video has helped me build a foundation and visualize where I need to be in each part of my throw, but actually generating more power in my throw has required experimentation with timing. I took a look at two videos of myself recently, one where I snapped the heck out of the towel and one where I got an extremely slow woosh. I was shocked to see that there were no discernable differences in my form between the throws.

 

[peppermack]

I think I was a little sore and tired today, I did not try as many throws today but was not able to get the same feeling and distance today. I was really stiff, and not getting a good 1" punch feeling right at the end. have to wait a couple of days till it is nice out and see if I can get it back.

 

[Bradley Walker]

In my initial efforts I tend to believe that the determining factor is the timing of the grip tension. No more arm or elbow speed is required (at least my case).

The grip must go from loose and surupy to completely wrenched down with the entire wrist locked straight like an anvil. The wrist angles are created naturally by simply changing the grip tension, and determining the end position of the wrist that is needed at the hit.

It is counter intuitive to wrench down on the disc as it starts to leave you hand. The natural response is to let it leave your hand, in that way you ensure the accuracy of the shot.

Sadly, the next level of power comes from doing exactly that.

 

[JHern]

I feel like I can get this wrenching grip just before release, but the result is mostly just a loud plastic popping of the disc out of my fingers. I get higher rotation, but I don't feel like it is adding velocity to the throw at all. What am I doing wrong? Is this just bad timing?

 

[Bradley Walker]

I feel like I can get this wrenching grip just before release, but the result is mostly just a loud plastic popping of the disc out of my fingers. I get higher rotation, but I don't feel like it is adding velocity to the throw at all. What am I doing wrong? Is this just bad timing?

To be honest... I have no idea. Those questions are very open ended.

Achieving snap is mysterious.

Obviously, there has to be an acceleration in the first place. Blake was talking about "hitting half" which implied the arm speed and acceleration was already there in the first, these elements would only benefit someone who already has some basic level of arm speed and acceleration.

Like I said before, start with your putting stroke. If you cannot start there and see some kind of explosive speed increase, then working on your full throw is a complete waste of time.

 

[VictorB]

so, it's been a few days since I've really had a breakthrough about throwing distance shots, and I'm really noticing that my drives are coming out of my hand with A LOT more speed that even just a week ago.

When I really get on a disc now, it feels like I'm not throwing nearly as hard as I used to, but speed from the hand and accuracy are way up, which (I think) means that I'm not strong arming the disc at all anymore. People who I play with a lot have noticed the same things as well.

Should make for an interesting year! I'm setting my goal for accurate distance at 425' and max D of 450' before the end of the summer for sure.