Critique these two drives please

[Toomes]

I finally got a friend of mine to take some video of a couple of my drives. It's a pretty crappy camera, but it's good enough for youtube I guess. I've been maxing out in the 380-400 range for a while now. Trying to figure out what I need to do to get off this plateau.

168g SOLF - Side view

175 Star Leopard - Back View

[Star Shark]

I don't have much to say on this one besides one point. You are one of the many people who post clips on here where your throw is full speed the whole way through. Start slower and accelerate smoothly into it.

[Toomes]

I've been trying to work on my acceleration lately, but I think your right. I feel like I'm getting some acceleration through the hit, but when I watch these drives it looks like I am starting too fast and maxing out my potential acceleration.

[black udder]

You're also getting your shoulders around too early, so the disc is still beside/behind you when it comes out instead of out in front of you. You need to sync up your shoulder rotation with your arm pull so that your arm gets out in front of you further. If you look at MB's video, you're the guy releasing early and if you release later like he shows, you should end up with more distance.

At the distance you're getting, I think most of what is left for you to do is improve your timing.

[Bradley Walker]

Take what you have.

Hit it harder.

[Blink]

Nice throws, when you get to that distance I think the best thing you can do is work on getting your swing as smooth as you can.

[Toomes]

Take what you have.

Hit it harder.

You make it sound so easy, haha.

You're also getting your shoulders around too early, so the disc is still beside/behind you when it comes out instead of out in front of you. You need to sync up your shoulder rotation with your arm pull so that your arm gets out in front of you further. If you look at MB's video, you're the guy releasing early and if you release later like he shows, you should end up with more distance.

I've been watching MB's video a lot lately and I think your right. My body seems very resistant to releasing in front of my body because it feels like I'm going to grip lock the disc or just release right.

[black udder]

Take what you have.

Hit it harder.

You make it sound so easy, haha.

You're also getting your shoulders around too early, so the disc is still beside/behind you when it comes out instead of out in front of you. You need to sync up your shoulder rotation with your arm pull so that your arm gets out in front of you further. If you look at MB's video, you're the guy releasing early and if you release later like he shows, you should end up with more distance.

I've been watching MB's video a lot lately and I think your right. My body seems very resistant to releasing in front of my body because it feels like I'm going to grip lock the disc or just release right.

If you get your chest over your plant leg, then it's really hard to have that bad grip lock. What you end up with is a shot that looks like a grip lock, but isn't because it's in the right direction. I think Blake had said at one point that you want that grip lock feel. That's when you're getting max potential.

[Toomes]

I just remember there was a photo taken of me at a tourney in October that shows where I release seen here. I'm definitely not releasing in front with my shoulders squared up to the target. It's very easy to see when comparing this photo to the photo of John E posted elsewhere on this forum.

[black udder]

Look how vertical you are, also. You could stand to be a little more over the disc as well (chest over plant leg).

[Bradley Walker]

You need to get your elbow out in front of your shoulder. Try swinging your elbow wider to to the left, and at the same time tuck the disc into your right pec.

You cannot hit it any harder with your shoulder now because it results in a pull to the right.

I think Blake calls this being late with the elbow. The pull has to serve to cock the elbow as described by MB in his video. This allows you open the shoulders later and with more speed without throwing a pull to the right.

I believe this would explain why you think you will grip lock to the right.

[JR]

If you get your chest over your plant leg, then it's really hard to have that bad grip lock. What you end up with is a shot that looks like a grip lock, but isn't because it's in the right direction. I think Blake had said at one point that you want that grip lock feel. That's when you're getting max potential.

Dave McCormack wrote that you want to have so tight a grip that it's only very little less tight than a grip lock.

That's the best mix between power transfer to the disc and remaining accurate with the release part of aiming.

[Toomes]

You need to get your elbow out in front of your shoulder. Try swinging your elbow wider to to the left, and at the same time tuck the disc into your right pec.

You cannot hit it any harder with your shoulder now because it results in a pull to the right.

I think Blake calls this being late with the elbow. The pull has to serve to cock the elbow as described by MB in his video. This allows you open the shoulders later and with more speed without throwing a pull to the right.

I believe this would explain why you think you will grip lock to the right.

Thanks for this explanation. Makes much more sense after reading this. I'll get back in the field and try it. Unfortunately I over did the field work last week and now my knee is hurting. I've got to give it a rest, since I'm playing at Tupelo Bay (one of the best tourneys of the year) this upcoming weekend.