cruzduck's drives - take 2

[cruz duck]

So I have spent the last two days trying to slow down my initial arm pull. The first day I think I had good success and I actually got my putter drives out over 200 feet (was 150-180). However I still kind of feel that it is too fast. So the second day, I slowed it down some more. Initially, my putter drives dropped to about 140-150 feet. By the end of the session I had it back up to 160-170 feet.

Note that I know that I still have to work on getting the disc closer to my chest, footwork, chopping the elbow and a number of other things, but right now, I am just trying to get a slower arm pull.

Below is a video of my drives by the end of day 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLg9DJmykco

The first throw is an example of the faster throws on the first day. The following 5 throws are the slower throws of the second day. So I would like to know if the arm pull in the first throw is still too fast? Is the arm pull on last 5 throws better? Too fast, too slow? Am I kidding myself, are they all too fast?

As an aside, I discovered that to slow down the arm pull, I had to slow down the hip and shoulder rotation. I found that I was rotating my hips and shoulders so fast that it was pulling my arm too fast. Maybe everyone else already knows this, but it was a discovery for me.

Ugh - I just took another look at the video. Am I pulling before my front foot is planted?

[bcsst26]

Have you worked on the right pec drill yet? You have slowed things down which is good. But you are missing the acceleration at the end. You should be moving the fastest just as the disc is ripping out. The idea of the right pec drill is to teach you to accelerate. Right now it looks like you are moving the same speed the whole time. Practice the right pec drill or if that doesn't feel right at first use your slow arm motion then as the disc gets near your right pec accelerate. That is something you are missing right now and will help your distance increase right away.

[cruz duck]

I tried the right pec drill a bit a few months ago. It felt really awkward. Maybe I should try it for a few days to see if it becomes more natural. It should probably be the next thing I work on.

Thanks for the reply

[bcsst26]

It does feel weird at first. I would say try it for a while. If not just use a small reach back and when the disc gets to your right pec area then accelerate. This might feel more natural.

[black udder]

The problem isn't a fast pull, it's that you're pulling from the back of the reachback.

You want to guide the disc into your chest and then once it's there, pull out really fast. The disc gets into your chest and moving via your hip, torso and shoulder rotation.

The simplest way to understand that is with the right pec drill because you just pull 100% right from the get go.

If it feels better, try putting the disc into the right pec position, then do an x-step and shoulder turn and throw. Basically, it's your same old throwing motions, you just start with the disc ready to fire. By doing this, you can't pull too fast because you want to pull 100% from the start. From that position, you should be increasing your arm speed after the disc is gone, too (the whole karate punch through the wood, not into it).

If you stop your elbow briefly while it's pointed at the target, then it will catapult the disc out even faster and with more power. It's all part of leveraging form instead of trying to muscle a disc.

[cruz duck]

Thanks for the reply bu.

I am now doubly convinced that I need to work on the right pec drill next.

I have been avoiding that drill because I found it awkward. However sometimes you learn the most by starting with something that is uncomfortable. Or to put it the other way, you rarely learn much when things are comfortable and easy.