First video critique - Footwork and transferring power

[Fightingthetide]

Not my best form, but here is one of my drives from #12 at Renaissance Park. This is with a seasoned 173 Star Destroyer that resembles a Destruclan, but not entirely. I'm throwing up to 400' on a good day. This throw in particular is probably 325' to 350' (I didn't measure it exactly).

I've been playing seriously for a little more than a year. One of the biggest things I am focusing on is removing any extra movement from my form, but I know I need to work on using my footwork to transfer power correctly.

Go easy and don't give me a dissertation. I'd like to keep it simple so I can focus on one or two major form improvements.

[MDP]

Your plant step looks like it's too short. You're shoulder/hip rotation is rushed, but that could be caused by the short plant step.

To help with the weight transfer you can try getting lower (bending you knees) especially during your x-step.

The last thing is just focusing on getting the disc out in front of your right shoulder (the pocket) before your hips/shoulders come through...but that's really the end goal. See if working on your steps and weight shift will help things line up.

[seabas22]

Relax and smooth it out... you are strong arming it with no elbow extension at the rip and pulling early before the plant foot lands, work on developing snap with putters and mids from a standstill. Your throw is too rotational focused, rather than throwing the disc's weight down the line at the target. It may also help to use a lower reachback to a high finish just like starting the lawn mower, as you aren't loading your shoulder properly.

As far as the footwork...it's flat footed with the balance over the heels as you are leaning back, and the x-step looks rather long. After getting the snap part, work on being lighter on your feet so your heels aren't down. The lawn mower reachback should also help get your balance on your toes more.

[JR]

Your plant step landed in an anny position. The first step was way longer than the shortish but ok for that speed plant step. You want to reverse that so that you go slow and short with the first step and accelerate with the longer plant step. The plant step length needs to vary with different speeds so that with added speed the step length increases. In order to get a proper follow through (you were fine) you need to really push _fast_ not hard in the x step with the left leg to gain acceleration and speed to need the length of the final step you had. Or even a bit longer.

[CatPredator]

Like JR and Seabas22 said, your timing is all off resulting in strong arming and no snap. Throwing from a standstill can help, but it looks like you haven't grasped the concept of the shoulder pause or felt the loading of the tension in the "power pocket".

On footwork; you're flat footed and moving essentially the same speed through out your shot. Your body is moving too fast as the beginning, preventing you from getting the disc into the power pocket and into a really athletic position to launch the disc, but too slow at the end, preventing you from really getting explosive whip action with your forearm at the hit.

Modifying your footwork can be tough. You're dealing with a lot of big muscle groups that require a lot of energy and focus to operate. You need to be feeling fresh and rested.

[Craig Smolin]

I'd say to angle yourself at a 30-45 degree angle to the front of the tee pad
__
\

This will make it easier for you to turn your hips away from your intended line.

This fall I made a major adjustment in my reach back line ... this line is roughly the angle of my body:

\
\

My right foot is at the top left corner. Extend your arm straight back from that point NOT in a straight line along your body. This simple change has made a huge difference for me.

[Aaron_D]

Timing and acceleration arent where they need to be. Acceleration should be easier to fix....start slower, end faster. But your timing....I cant imagine a 350' throw from that form much less 400. But hey Ive been wrong before. Your pull starts too early, and there is no loading of the hips or shoulders. Also, your weight transfer is off to the right and behind your plant foot. Lean your chest forward more and get that weight forward!

[Whiz]

Two more videos of the OP (Tyler) for everyone to check out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw66oDoe6WI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDtXfmgW2As

[JR]

Still the first step is too long and the final step could be longer. Try to keep the tip of the left toe on the ground until the disc has left. Try to get the elbow almost as far as it can go toward the target before you start to turn the chest from pointing to 90 degrees to the left of the target. And straightening the elbow.

[Craig Smolin]

watch that second video over again ... see where you reach back to? extend a straight line forward from it and that's your target ... NOT where your eyes are looking. That's why that throw ended up going off to the left.

Since we're looking towards the target, if you move your reach point to the viewer's left (your right as the thrower) you're going to get your arm lined up with your target much more easily.

Watch some pros, and you'll see that all of them do this to some degree, with very few exceptions. Reaching back along a parallel line to your chest SEEMS like it should be correct form, but in reality it sets you up for either a very early release or a very late release. This is what I meant by by my own form correction.

[Fightingthetide]

Thanks Whiz.

On the second video Whiz posted, I wasn't so focused on aim with that shot, but yeah, I see where my extension basically set me up to go OB. I'm going to try and compile some of what is being said here and work on slowing down my form, etc.

The other day I think I was starting to feel more of a hit when I slowed my form down, took a shorter first step and longer second step, and focused on accelerating through the pull and hit.

Thanks for the help! I'll try to post more video soon to follow up.

[Fightingthetide]

Another video, taken today. Same hole as the first video. I'm trying to not stand up so straight, trying to take advantage of my lanky arms, and trying to implement a few things from the first round of critiques. I think I am getting the disc closer to the power pocket, compared to the last video.

All shots had headwind...some more than others. First two throws are line-shaping, not distance. Distances on 3 and 4 were near 325', but I've gone further when headwinds were not a factor.

What can I improve?

[seabas22]

Still same issues...you are not in an athletic position during the x-step or throw with flat footwork. Your balance is off with head and shoulders are behind your heels and it wouldn't be hard for someone to knock you over backwards. Get your head and shoulders balanced over the balls of your feet. Try to not let your left heel touch the ground and use a lower reachback. Have you ever started a mower or played tug-o-war?

[JR]

If you wanna utilize your arms as levers you gotta get 'em turning. From twisting the hips to the right of neutral prior to the rip and the same goes for the shoulders. As it is you're whipping the arm around you from the shoulder socket and turning with the legs. That's two out of four major power areas. If you don't count the elbow and wrist plus disc pivot from _a sharply retarded arm speed_ late in the throw to make the disc pivot. Unfortunately you're missing out there too.

[Fightingthetide]

Good stuff. If only you guys lived here and could actually show me what you are talking about. Is there a good video that shows proper form in regular speed and slow-motion?

I think what's hard about changing my form, especially with getting a lower reachback, is that when I was being taught how to throw, my friend had me hold the disc at my pec and snap it forward from there. I figure that's how most people learn, but it helped me from throwing the disc to to the moon. How do you get a lower reachback and not throw too high? And yeah, I used to start an old push mower all the time when I was a kid.

And with balance - what do you mean by "not in an athletic positon"? Let's start with these things (heels touching the ground, shoulder and head positions) if you think it would be most helpful.