Long Reach Back/Folded Shoulder

[RobD]

Below are a couple of pics from a recent distance contest i was in. I threw a beat Echo* max weight wraith 414' uphill in the semis and had a 409' line drive with a less beat max weight echo* wraith to take third in finals.(Divisional, equivalent of AM1) It was a weekend event and everyone was beat, Im hitting 430-440 field d with wraiths/destroyers and recently excals all max weight.

Can you guys let me know if this is good or bad, the first pic is what I would call the apex of my reach back. Point where I am as far from my body as I will get. I didnt see anyone else that was turned this far from the shot or had that long of a reachback. This shot was a max weight beat excal that hyzered out early.

Here, this is what I consider folded shoulder. Im not sure ive seen anyone else that throws folded shoulder, this was my best drive in the finals and was arrow straight and basically smashed the painted "400" on the uphill.

 

[JR]

I hope your speed was high enough to accomodate the longer plant step with the raising of the leg from the hip joint toward the target.

Does the folded shoulder go neutral and the elbow forward before you chop the elbow straight?

 

[RobD]

In short, I doubt its fast enough, I was told my arm is significantly slower then the two guys I was up against. What I'm told is that my discs have a high cruising speed and the everything pre release is smooth and fluid. Honestly I don't have anyone nearby that's a step beyond me so I'm always guessing. I had myself pegged at a medium snap based on what I'm told. I'm pretty sure I can convince a friend to take some video, as I honestly have no clue where my shoulder ends up in regards to body position. Ill scour the snapshots and see if I can come up with something useful till I can get video. Thanks for the quick feedback. Any drills to raise my armspeed would be money.

 

[JR]

Not so much a drill, but everyone should first try to maximize short term potential in snap getting a full pivot holding on to the disc until at least 4.30 o'clock, when 12 o'clock is the front of the disc. After that a field session with known measurements of the field is needed to determine at which point and how hard you should accelerate the arm for your best D.

Like you i have no idea, where your shoulder ends up. Similarly i can't really say much about the arm speed and possible help for that, before i see a video. Waiting to get one done you could put weights on a disc and throw it and do some cable work mimicking throwing. Caution you can easily ruin your tendons for life, if you don't warm up and start at very low power with the wrist. Getting out of neutral position with cable work can quickly cause problems. And the trouble with tendons is that you mostly don't feel, that you've already broken it. Until it swells up tomorrow. Or is shit for life. I know, i've had surgery and i didn't push through that much pain to wreck myself. So check yourself before you wrec.... err. overtrain yourself. That is why everyone must start with low power, few reps and a single set and over time add each starting with adding reps, then power and only after weeks of giving the arm time to adjust to the added stress of training adding more reps. Too much of a good thing is a very bad thing. So be careful and all of your training is at your own risk. I'm not liable for anything. Even added D.