Reid's Journey to Backhand Mastery

[UhhNegative]

Tried out some feldy pump type x-step throws today on the course. First time really ever trying anything more than a one-step right handed. And wow, that pre-swing pump really helps you feel how to time the turnback. I think it's just feeling the weight of the swing more that helps the timing. I had some of my furthest throws with a putter so far and didn't even sacrifice much accuracy.

 

[UhhNegative]

Crazy how a more formal round can mess with your mental game. Played for my first time since I switched to right handed in a doubles league. Was spraying shots 10x worse than usual. But then I got more comfortable and actually won two CTPs. My best shot felt like my arm was a rubber band being powered by my turning torso. A 320' downhill shot with a flip up mako3. Very loose except for the grip. Going to keep searching for that feeling.

 

[UhhNegative]

Went out to the field today to keep working on the x-step swing. I got a few videos. I was mostly just working on feeling the rhythm/weight of the swing. Things were feeling better, but the rear foot and offhand are still the same. When I do think about getting my off-hand in I get a lot more speed. I need to dedicate entire field sessions to each of those issues. Anyway, still pretty happy about how things are moving along.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KLvbt7v9u8pJeMSX7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/6v2sjxUpBXsWS9Gk8

https://photos.app.goo.gl/s8hgD7pHbDXdLA4j7

 

[slowplastic]

You're moving/manipulating the hammer where you want it to be. Try doing the dingle arm thing where you use your feet up to hips to swing your arm back and forth like a pendulum. On the X-step you should pump the hammer forward and then move around at its pace...it will likely feel much slower than you are used to. You should essentially never feel the full weight of the hammer, it's doing its own thing and you're moving when it doesn't need to be given any more input.

It's like if you're bowling, since that has a very heavy object...you don't pull the ball back, hold it at the backswing, and then at some point start swinging it toward the lane from that position. You'd give it a bit of movement from forward position to help it then swing back, and after it starts swinging forward again you'll add to the momentum when it feels right.

 

[UhhNegative]

So I was looking at my old left handed videos, and it seems I was actually getting off my rear foot decently... I think. Besides the other things I was doing wrong, is the rear leg kind of doing what it was supposed to do then? (besides not turning the hips earlier in the throw)

 

[sidewinder22]

Close to it, except striding right to much.

 

[UhhNegative]

Finally got some more throwing in today after the hurricane is mostly through. Still making a lot of the same mistakes. I think I look good through the hop but as soon as my front leg comes down the horror show begins. The balance is going to be hard to develop right handed. Even so, maybe going back to one leg drill would be good? I'm not sure if I'm helping or hurting by trying the hop/x-step.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UPdk5PBVhxMDrhAn7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/S6anNTDFnSa7JRgu6


I did notice the two last shots on the behind video felt a little better, like the disc was heavier in the hand. The only difference I can see was that I was more upright and I guess that countered the shot a little better because I'm not staying braced or closed it seems and my torso is falling left and forward mostly. Still gotta fix that stupid rear leg extension and off arm. When I try and bring my off arm in, I lose my balance completely, which basically just means I'm not balanced to begin with and have to compensate with my off-arm. I am coming off the heel a little less, but it's still the general extension that's still wrong. It feels like I don't extend then I lose my weight around the left side but that's probably just a symptom of doing something else wrong. Anyway, most of these shots were right around 225'-260' with a pile-o-rocs. Gonna keep trying.

 

[sidewinder22]

Finally got some more throwing in today after the hurricane is mostly through. Still making a lot of the same mistakes. I think I look good through the hop but as soon as my front leg comes down the horror show begins. The balance is going to be hard to develop right handed. Even so, maybe going back to one leg drill would be good? I'm not sure if I'm helping or hurting by trying the hop/x-step.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UPdk5PBVhxMDrhAn7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/S6anNTDFnSa7JRgu6


I did notice the two last shots on the behind video felt a little better, like the disc was heavier in the hand. The only difference I can see was that I was more upright and I guess that countered the shot a little better because I'm not staying braced or closed it seems and my torso is falling left and forward mostly. Still gotta fix that stupid rear leg extension and off arm. When I try and bring my off arm in, I lose my balance completely, which basically just means I'm not balanced to begin with and have to compensate with my off-arm. I am coming off the heel a little less, but it's still the general extension that's still wrong. It feels like I don't extend then I lose my weight around the left side but that's probably just a symptom of doing something else wrong. Anyway, most of these shots were right around 225'-260' with a pile-o-rocs. Gonna keep trying.

Before I read your comments I was going to say those last two shot from behind looked like your best form. Looks funny how your feet disappear into the grass. Still looks like you are pushing off the rear heel with just knee extension instead of pushing off the instep with plantar flexion.

In side view on the practice swings you aren't getting on the front leg fully, or off the rear leg fully. Need to flex your foot muscle to push onto the front side more. One Leg Drill and just practice addressing your shot fully on the front leg and then stepping back.

 

[UhhNegative]

Before I read your comments I was going to say those last two shot from behind looked like your best form. Looks funny how your feet disappear into the grass. Still looks like you are pushing off the rear heel with just knee extension instead of pushing off the instep with plantar flexion.

In side view on the practice swings you aren't getting on the front leg fully, or off the rear leg fully. Need to flex your foot muscle to push onto the front side more. One Leg Drill and just practice addressing your shot fully on the front leg and then stepping back.

Thanks, was my assessment correct in that I was simply more upright/balanced in those shots? That's the only thing I could really see. I keep wanting to send my body with the disc instead of anchoring my body to allow the disc to whip out. Those are always my best feeling shots when I feel like I am actually moving less, but the arms whips more.

Yeah I didn't pick the best part of the field. Definitely a good bit of standing water and my shoes were soaked through entirely, but hey, it wasn't raining and that was an improvement.

 

[sidewinder22]

Thanks, was my assessment correct in that I was simply more upright/balanced in those shots? That's the only thing I could really see. I keep wanting to send my body with the disc instead of anchoring my body to allow the disc to whip out. Those are always my best feeling shots when I feel like I am actually moving less, but the arms whips more.

Yeah I didn't pick the best part of the field. Definitely a good bit of standing water and my shoes were soaked through entirely, but hey, it wasn't raining and that was an improvement.

Yep, tight compact spiral weight shift. Big turn and whip!

 

[UhhNegative]

Got a little more throwing in today. Was getting similar if not a little more distance with a little less effort. Didn't get any video though.

Couple of things, been developing more of a callous right past the first knuckle of my index finger. I throw 90% fan grip now (which I could never do left handed) Is this typically where the pinch should be? I realize everyone's grip is different though.

And I realized that since my left leg is pidgeon toed, I probably need to be angling in the rear foot a little more towards my body/the target so that my knee isn't so rear facing? I tried that today and it felt like I could get off the toes instead of heel but I'm not sure because I didn't have video.

 

[sidewinder22]

I have a little callus just above yours on the tip. I actually open up the hand to release while the thumb pushes forward, it does not rip out, at least not on purpose. Rip is just drag, there is no forward momentum that can be generated from it. Wider rim discs especially heavier weight and certain plastics tend to get stuck on my finger more and sometimes will get blood blisters when that happens as the disc ends up wrapping around my finger and pinches it.

You should feel like your rear knee can swivel your hip forward out of the backswing from the foot pivoting heel up from the toes... at least that's what I feel. Easier to feel this one leg drill with your rear toes just providing balance with the heel up and thigh/knee are hanging straight below the hip/pelvis like a wet towel. You should feel the weight of your rear leg hanging below the hip.

The hips should set the angles of your feet. Shuffle your feet around setting up, feel it out getting ready to brace for recoil. You will see me doing that shuffling the feet against the recoil of the hit.

 

[UhhNegative]

Ok, I know this is a disc golf forum, but with all the Sean Clement video's I've watched, I felt like going out to have some fun today and hit some balls. I had lessons when I was in like middle school but I really haven't played since then, maybe I've been to the range one time in the last 10 years. It was so much fun! And I can still hit a driver 200+! I had a few go even further past the 200 yard mark but I am terrible at judging distances. Either way it was fun. And of course I took some video.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mjGL7c1WEGmTk5AR6

 

[UhhNegative]

And a 7 iron which was hitting at the 150 yard mark or a little past on good shots:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/rtsv28zjsfqnj9Xp9

At first I was swinging way too hard, then when I just thought about being slow and effortless on the back swing and smooth through the downswing they were going a lot further. "Toss and fall"

I have a tendency to leave the club face open so I was getting a lot of fades, but did manage to hit a draw by the end.

 

[slowplastic]

I used to golf somewhat often until I was like 14, after that I've been to the range like a dozen times. You're so right about it being WAY slower than you think, the leverage just takes care of itself. Last summer I went with a friend who golfs all the time so he could give me a tip after every swing, so that combined with all the disc golf work had me at 170 with a 7 iron I think, but I couldn't hit a driver straight even once so good job!

If you go out again, I think if you do the butt wipe on the backswing so your rear hip kind of pushes targetwards/stays firm, and then leverage off the instep after the drop you'll get even more.

It's pretty incredible after not playing for so long and from the videos/disc golf you could hit that consistently.

 

[UhhNegative]

I used to golf somewhat often until I was like 14, after that I've been to the range like a dozen times. You're so right about it being WAY slower than you think, the leverage just takes care of itself. Last summer I went with a friend who golfs all the time so he could give me a tip after every swing, so that combined with all the disc golf work had me at 170 with a 7 iron I think, but I couldn't hit a driver straight even once so good job!

If you go out again, I think if you do the butt wipe on the backswing so your rear hip kind of pushes targetwards/stays firm, and then leverage off the instep after the drop you'll get even more.

It's pretty incredible after not playing for so long and from the videos/disc golf you could hit that consistently.

I wouldn't say I was hitting consistently. You didn't see the first 30 balls I hit . But it's pretty amazing what learning at a young age can do and how it can cement in your mind. The body and mind are so much more pliable then. Now it's like teaching an old dog new tricks trying to learn how to throw a disc in my 20s.

The driver definitely is the hardest for me but at the same time, the most fun. If you ever get a chance to play at a TopGolf it's pretty fun.

Yeah I'm probably not using much weight shift at all here. More like a one leg drill than anything. I definitely want to go out again, I've got to practice to eventually beat my old man one day. He's in his 60s and shoots in the 70s on good days! Can never beat the old man.

 

[slowplastic]

I've heard Topgolf is fun, I'd like to give that a try for sure.

Well 70's is pretty crazy good...ha not going to beat him without playing several times weekly that's for sure. But just being able to have a few shots you're proud of on the round and maybe out driving him is possible...

I agree with the young age thing, if you learn the fundamentals early then you never forget them.

 

[UhhNegative]

I've heard Topgolf is fun, I'd like to give that a try for sure.

Well 70's is pretty crazy good...ha not going to beat him without playing several times weekly that's for sure. But just being able to have a few shots you're proud of on the round and maybe out driving him is possible...

I agree with the young age thing, if you learn the fundamentals early then you never forget them.

He's been golfing longer than I've been alive and his mental game is on point!

More disc golf related I got these two 170g beauties in recently. My favorite mold, at least when I was throwing left handed. And they were out of stock FOREVER until recently. Not sure if I can handle them right handed yet. I've literally never thrown anything above speed 7 right handed yet!

 

[UhhNegative]

I've obviously had a lot of free time recently and focused solely on figuring some of this stuff out before I start my new job. And I want to put some thoughts down here.

The more I read and think about things, I'm coming to the conclusion that this is more bloody simple than I ever thought. Going out to hit golf balls really hammered that home for me. I hadn't really thought about or played golf in forever, so my head wasn't clouded with position based swing thoughts, just merely throwing the club toward the target through the ball. Granted, I would need a ton of practice to get a consistent good swing and better balance, but the fact that I was able to make solid contact somewhat consistently showed me that I already "know" how to do it just because I'm a human. Our brains are so good at "tasks" and the more we think about "oh I need my elbow here" or "oh my hips should be turning like this" the more it distracts our brain from simply focusing on the task. That's what Sean Clement teaches and it's fantastic.

It's incredibly liberating and makes a swing more effortless and confident.

I do think the disc golf swing is more difficult than a golf swing though because gravity helps a little bit less with the timing and that also explains why I've had some of my best distance with hyzer shots and a forward pump because those are the shots where gravity does assist with the timing. My brain already knows how to accelerate an object using gravity, I just need to get out of its way!

And in terms of a disc golf throw, I think a lot of us are thinking we really need to spin or turn or otherwise "force" the shot, when we should really be just focused on the task of slinging our arms out towards the target using our body/stance as the aim. It's no more complicated than that but takes a lot of practice to nail consistently.

 

[deyo7]

I've obviously had a lot of free time recently and focused solely on figuring some of this stuff out before I start my new job. And I want to put some thoughts down here.

The more I read and think about things, I'm coming to the conclusion that this is more bloody simple than I ever thought. Going out to hit golf balls really hammered that home for me. I hadn't really thought about or played golf in forever, so my head wasn't clouded with position based swing thoughts, just merely throwing the club toward the target through the ball. Granted, I would need a ton of practice to get a consistent good swing and better balance, but the fact that I was able to make solid contact somewhat consistently showed me that I already "know" how to do it just because I'm a human. Our brains are so good at "tasks" and the more we think about "oh I need my elbow here" or "oh my hips should be turning like this" the more it distracts our brain from simply focusing on the task. That's what Sean Clement teaches and it's fantastic.

It's incredibly liberating and makes a swing more effortless and confident.

I do think the disc golf swing is more difficult than a golf swing though because gravity helps a little bit less with the timing and that also explains why I've had some of my best distance with hyzer shots and a forward pump because those are the shots where gravity does assist with the timing. My brain already knows how to accelerate an object using gravity, I just need to get out of its way!

And in terms of a disc golf throw, I think a lot of us are thinking we really need to spin or turn or otherwise "force" the shot, when we should really be just focused on the task of slinging our arms out towards the target using our body/stance as the aim. It's no more complicated than that but takes a lot of practice to nail consistently.

I agree totally. Ever since I tried the forward pump hammer swing and focused on longer lever rather than arm angles etc. it's been so much simpler. Takes practice for sure but it's not that complicated anymore. Thanks to the school of SW.