Is it possible that I'm using the wrong hand?

[Peot]

I've been playing for quite some time throwing LHBH, as the footwork feels much more natural to me- almost like hitting a baseball. I am, however, right-handed in everything else. I throw thumbers and tomahawks with my right hand, and I have been doing the secret technique drills and feel much more response from my right hand than from my left.

I believe I may be of the small subset of the population that is right-handed and left-footed. I have been wrestling for a number of years, and have always been a left leg lead. If this is the case, which is the way I "should" go?

[gretagun]

It sounds to me like you should go right-handed, but I don't come from as much of a sports background as others on here do. I'm right handed, but I have always been left leg dominant, but I do bat right handed. A lot of this game has to do with what feels comfortable for you. If you are throwing thumbers and tomahawks with your right hand, and the drills feel better right handed, than I would give that a shot. In your situation it seems like you might be able to throw with either hand, and that can definitely be an advantage, so don't overlook that either.

[Mark Ellis]

I've been playing for quite some time throwing LHBH, as the footwork feels much more natural to me- almost like hitting a baseball. I am, however, right-handed in everything else. I throw thumbers and tomahawks with my right hand, and I have been doing the secret technique drills and feel much more response from my right hand than from my left.

I believe I may be of the small subset of the population that is right-handed and left-footed. I have been wrestling for a number of years, and have always been a left leg lead. If this is the case, which is the way I "should" go?

Well, it depends. Are you right eye or left eye dominant? Are you right brain or left brain dominant?

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. There are lots of players who "switch hit", sometimes with just individual shots, sometimes with their whole games.

It is difficult to spend enough time to master every shot with both hands. The key is to master shots. Not just become minimally competent but to become good (or if your skill set allows, then maybe even great). So don't set your sights at being the best ambidextrous player, instead try to be the best player you can be. Since you are a veteran player, you know which shots you throw best which way. Focus on each individual shot and throw it the best way you do, even if you are best throwing backhand lefty and overhead righty.

If you were a new player then my advice would be different. Then I would say to spend enough time trying everything until clear strengths emerged, then switch to focusing on those shots which hold the most promise.

I have a buddy who throws with both hands and every shot ( backhand, forehand, overheads) but none of them especially well. I also have a friend who throws backhand for every shot except he has a really good lefty forehand upshot. And I have another friend who drives and upshoots lefty but putts and overheads righty. The later two friends are better players than the first friend because they have focused on developing individual skills, not necessarily because they have better overall athletic potential.

In the "off-season" ( there really is no off-season but the biggest tournament happen mostly in the summer) I spend more time practicing rarely relied upon shots or techniques. A couple days ago I played a whole round throwing backhand drives off the tee (I am forehand dominant). I play a lot of roller games in the fall, too. During the prime season I practice mostly on primary shots.

[MR. WICK]

Just keep working on what FEELS the most comfortable. So much of this game is feel.

I'm in the same situation you are. LHBH, right hand putt/overhand/flick. I'm working on the righty backhand as well. My form is pretty clean with it but I don't get a whole lot of distance yet. I'm naturally right handed, and the baseball analogy is right on. That's where it comes from for me. I have always been a right handed power hitter in baseball and it just feels natural to be facing left foot forward. Right foot forward in a lot of sports is "left handed" or "goofy". I never really understood why so many "right handed" players face right foot forward in disc golf. That feels just backwards to me, so I go with what is comfortable. Consider it an advantage to be able to use both of your hands.

[Peot]

I've been playing for quite some time throwing LHBH, as the footwork feels much more natural to me- almost like hitting a baseball. I am, however, right-handed in everything else. I throw thumbers and tomahawks with my right hand, and I have been doing the secret technique drills and feel much more response from my right hand than from my left.

I believe I may be of the small subset of the population that is right-handed and left-footed. I have been wrestling for a number of years, and have always been a left leg lead. If this is the case, which is the way I "should" go?

Well, it depends. Are you right eye or left eye dominant? Are you right brain or left brain dominant?

Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses. There are lots of players who "switch hit", sometimes with just individual shots, sometimes with their whole games.

It is difficult to spend enough time to master every shot with both hands. The key is to master shots. Not just become minimally competent but to become good (or if your skill set allows, then maybe even great). So don't set your sights at being the best ambidextrous player, instead try to be the best player you can be. Since you are a veteran player, you know which shots you throw best which way. Focus on each individual shot and throw it the best way you do, even if you are best throwing backhand lefty and overhead righty.

If you were a new player then my advice would be different. Then I would say to spend enough time trying everything until clear strengths emerged, then switch to focusing on those shots which hold the most promise.

"Quite some time" was definitely not the right choice of words. I played for the first time about a year ago, and have only really been playing since around March. As for eye-dominance, I have an astigmatism in my left eye, and though I wear my glasses while playing, my right eye is certainly the dominant one.

One of the things that gives me the impression that I might be using the "wrong" arm is that I've been practicing driving for a long time and not getting much better. I can throw a Buzzz in the mid-high 200's but can't throw a Leopard or Stalker much farther. I'm aware that I'm somewhat new to the game, but I am a pretty serious athlete in a division 1 sport, so I feel as though the sheer amount of training I have done should let me drive much farther.

[JR]

I'd also pay attention to looseness of the muscles not just a general feeling of what comes natural. Familiarity develops slower and a preference thing and a learning curve. Muscle looseness and maximum range of motion is a more reliable quick diagnosis. Usually the loosest throws are smoothest, longest and most accurate and repeatable. That would be the form to hone farther to see if you hit any limits to advancement.

Stalkers and Leos aren't terribly much longer than Buzzzes. They may fall within a few dozen of feet of another for a 400' thrower and even closer for shorter throwers. You should try a speed 9 driver to see if you can get a similar boost in D over Leo/Stalker than they are over Buzzz. Preferably low fade like a Valkyrie so that it too spends a long time gliding best meaning flat flight. Roadrunner could work too. A speed 10 Beast would be about the top of usability i imagine. Unless you wanna throw hyzers then a Monarch if you get a good one could work. I got lucky many haven't. And they are punishing discs so i'd try other options first.

[Redisculous]

The answer to your question is yes. You are throwing with the wrong hand. Your reason being that the footwork feels more natural. If I weren't posting from my phone I would take the time to do a proper quote but, iirc Blake says that foot work is only responsible for something like 20% of your overall distance. The choice seems clear to me but really it just comes down to whether or not you are willing to put up with the frustration of learning to throw all over again.

[Thatdirtykid]

They are both right or wrong. I would take both right. If you are naturally ambidextrous take the time and learn backhand both.

[koz]

I was a "righty" thrower, new to the sport so in the beginning i was using the wrong disc's, form wasnt the greatest, my driving on a good day was around 270..........Well had tennis elbow surgery on my "R elbow" so i switched to my left hand and after going out about 8-10 times iam throwing about the same distance.This is my first summer playing but its just like switch-hitting it can be done it just takes practice!

elitex xpress-176
esp buzz-174
esp meteor-174
esp avenger ss-176

These disc's are working great for me learning lefty!!!

[Peot]

So now that the weather is finally conducive to throwing, the answer to this question turned out to be a resounding "yes." I've had a hard time getting really good distance for a while throwing LHBH, and after 3-4 rounds of practice my distance is way farther throwing RHBH. Obviously the consistency isn't there yet, but I've been playing a lot of putter-only rounds with both hands and have improved dramatically already.

[Star Shark]

My brother does everything right handed except throw a frisbee. He says the left handed throw lines up more with his baseball swing.

[Peot]

I guess that was my rationale, but I've been ambidextrous in lots of things since I was a little kid. It certainly won't hurt to have both options.