I'm going to try and tame the length of this post, but it's not gonna happen... so here goes.
So I've noticed a phenomenon similar to the "moving around the disc" phenomenon (which I consider to be such because it is simply a product of good form). I came across a video not too long ago (sorry for no link, I cannot find it ATM), and the young gentleman was talking about quite a few key points about BH drive form. At one point he mentioned a "90 degree angle between your upper arm and your chest". I haven't found much more information out there regarding this, but I thought it was very interesting. For me, no matter how much technique I had learned (mostly from these forums and associated videos, as well as heavydisc.com info, which is awesome stuff), I could not seem to find consistent aiming accuracy. Sometimes early release, sometimes late release, rarely a straight release. It was mainly an issue with inconsistent timing with my shoulders / arms / torso. Too anxious with the arms and it came out early. Too anxious with the shoulders and I was way open releasing to the right (RHBH).
So I started developing this "90 degree theory" based on that one key point. You see, I also play ball golf, and there is this little "test" you can do where you can easily learn what the top of your backswing should look and feel like. Grip the club, bring the club shaft up on top of your back shoulder, straighten your lead arm (allowing the club to come up off your shoulder as a result), and twist your hips / torso back. Voila! That's where your backswing should be. This also exposes a VERY interesting fact, that although it is called a "backswing", your arms are really only moving up and down in sync with your twisting body (always keeping your arms connected to your upper body), and not actually "swinging" at all.
This all lead me to think about the disc golf throw in the same way with this "90 degree theory". Plant foot angled about 45 degrees away from target, which points the hips away from the target. Hold the disc in normal grip, make a 90 degree angle at elbow, also make 90 degree angle between upper arm and chest. Twist the torso back, now unbend the elbow. Bam. Ideal reachback. Where am I going with this? Follow me for a minute... Firstly, this exposed the same thing about the arm as did the ball golf exercise; the arm only really bends and straightens at the elbow (this is not including followthrough, only form up until the hit). Great, so now what? I attempted to work the phenomenon into my form, focusing ONLY on keeping my arm close to a 90 degree angle with my chest, and ONLY bending / unbending my arm at the elbow (this sounds rigid, but it really wasn't. I was not "forcing" my body into these positions, more just focusing my timing to ensure it). The result ends up being this series:
~ Elbow bent 90, arm 90 to chest (keeping it this way up until I start my reachback)
~ As I plant at a 45, twisting at the waist back away from the target, the upper arm maintains the 90 to the chest, while the elbow straightens in sync with the twist back (this can also be delayed, but more no that later... maybe...)
~ pull into the chest (back to the starting postion) by untwisting the hips / pulling the front shoulder forward in sync with bending the elbow back in, maintaining 90 between upper arm and chest (this brings the disc in close to create a tight rotation)
~ Keeping the 90 in place for arm / chest, extend the forearm out once elbow reaches its peak (more on this later as well, but this created that picture perfect release point that you see in the slow-mo videos of the pros. Releasing the disc while, you guessed it, the upper arm is at 90 degrees to the chest. This part blew my mind a bit too)
~ Follow through and forget everything you know about 90 degrees (basically allow the body to naturally finish so as to not put undue stress on your body)
The result? After some playing around with it, I was hitting some dead straight lines that I just wasn't able to do before. The same week I learned this technique and went out to the field and practiced it, I played a round with friends at a course we all hadn't played before. It was hands down my best round of disc golf I'd ever played. I live on the east coast, so we play ALL wooded courses, so accuracy is a must. My friends were calling me a machine because I was just hitting every line I needed. Even parking a few holes within 10' (which isn't all that common for me usually. This is only my 2nd year playing). I've never seen accuracy out of myself like this before.
I've said ALL of that not just to maybe share this technique with others in the hopes that I can help another up-and-comer get over the accuracy plateau, but also to reach out to the vets on this forum to get your insight on my findings. There are some lead up questions I have as well, but I will (hopefully) bring those up organically as this conversation progresses (I imagine the direction I think it'll go, and my followup questions should get covered eventually).
Thanks in advance for any feedback. I am CONSTANTLY working on my form (be it drives, upshots or putting). I do field work at least once a week, and play 1-2 times a week (if I didn't have responsibilities I swear you'd have to tear me away from the course). Oh and if you haven't noticed, I am infatuated with sports technique / body physics... though I am NO expert.
So I've noticed a phenomenon similar to the "moving around the disc" phenomenon (which I consider to be such because it is simply a product of good form). I came across a video not too long ago (sorry for no link, I cannot find it ATM), and the young gentleman was talking about quite a few key points about BH drive form. At one point he mentioned a "90 degree angle between your upper arm and your chest". I haven't found much more information out there regarding this, but I thought it was very interesting. For me, no matter how much technique I had learned (mostly from these forums and associated videos, as well as heavydisc.com info, which is awesome stuff), I could not seem to find consistent aiming accuracy. Sometimes early release, sometimes late release, rarely a straight release. It was mainly an issue with inconsistent timing with my shoulders / arms / torso. Too anxious with the arms and it came out early. Too anxious with the shoulders and I was way open releasing to the right (RHBH).
So I started developing this "90 degree theory" based on that one key point. You see, I also play ball golf, and there is this little "test" you can do where you can easily learn what the top of your backswing should look and feel like. Grip the club, bring the club shaft up on top of your back shoulder, straighten your lead arm (allowing the club to come up off your shoulder as a result), and twist your hips / torso back. Voila! That's where your backswing should be. This also exposes a VERY interesting fact, that although it is called a "backswing", your arms are really only moving up and down in sync with your twisting body (always keeping your arms connected to your upper body), and not actually "swinging" at all.
This all lead me to think about the disc golf throw in the same way with this "90 degree theory". Plant foot angled about 45 degrees away from target, which points the hips away from the target. Hold the disc in normal grip, make a 90 degree angle at elbow, also make 90 degree angle between upper arm and chest. Twist the torso back, now unbend the elbow. Bam. Ideal reachback. Where am I going with this? Follow me for a minute... Firstly, this exposed the same thing about the arm as did the ball golf exercise; the arm only really bends and straightens at the elbow (this is not including followthrough, only form up until the hit). Great, so now what? I attempted to work the phenomenon into my form, focusing ONLY on keeping my arm close to a 90 degree angle with my chest, and ONLY bending / unbending my arm at the elbow (this sounds rigid, but it really wasn't. I was not "forcing" my body into these positions, more just focusing my timing to ensure it). The result ends up being this series:
~ Elbow bent 90, arm 90 to chest (keeping it this way up until I start my reachback)
~ As I plant at a 45, twisting at the waist back away from the target, the upper arm maintains the 90 to the chest, while the elbow straightens in sync with the twist back (this can also be delayed, but more no that later... maybe...)
~ pull into the chest (back to the starting postion) by untwisting the hips / pulling the front shoulder forward in sync with bending the elbow back in, maintaining 90 between upper arm and chest (this brings the disc in close to create a tight rotation)
~ Keeping the 90 in place for arm / chest, extend the forearm out once elbow reaches its peak (more on this later as well, but this created that picture perfect release point that you see in the slow-mo videos of the pros. Releasing the disc while, you guessed it, the upper arm is at 90 degrees to the chest. This part blew my mind a bit too)
~ Follow through and forget everything you know about 90 degrees (basically allow the body to naturally finish so as to not put undue stress on your body)
The result? After some playing around with it, I was hitting some dead straight lines that I just wasn't able to do before. The same week I learned this technique and went out to the field and practiced it, I played a round with friends at a course we all hadn't played before. It was hands down my best round of disc golf I'd ever played. I live on the east coast, so we play ALL wooded courses, so accuracy is a must. My friends were calling me a machine because I was just hitting every line I needed. Even parking a few holes within 10' (which isn't all that common for me usually. This is only my 2nd year playing). I've never seen accuracy out of myself like this before.
I've said ALL of that not just to maybe share this technique with others in the hopes that I can help another up-and-comer get over the accuracy plateau, but also to reach out to the vets on this forum to get your insight on my findings. There are some lead up questions I have as well, but I will (hopefully) bring those up organically as this conversation progresses (I imagine the direction I think it'll go, and my followup questions should get covered eventually).
Thanks in advance for any feedback. I am CONSTANTLY working on my form (be it drives, upshots or putting). I do field work at least once a week, and play 1-2 times a week (if I didn't have responsibilities I swear you'd have to tear me away from the course). Oh and if you haven't noticed, I am infatuated with sports technique / body physics... though I am NO expert.