Power Grip and Snap

[steezo]

Just wanted to pass along a tip for someone that might not be able to understand the mystic art of snap. You have to have a powerful grip to get the snap. The best way to have a powerful grip, forearm, and tendon bounce is to apply the most direct pressure of your hand/grip into a direct and small area of the disc. So...heres the tip. Make a fist, just like if you were going to punch something. This should feel strong and powerful. Then place the disc inside your fist, like you were grabing a steering wheel at a 3 o'clock position. Now you are ready to angle the disc in your hand(down,left,right etc). You should be able to taco the disc slightly with a powerful grip. Now when you throw, only your hand is tight, strong and powerful where as the rest of your body/arm is light, quick and fluid.

[redspexxx]

would there be any way you could post pictures of this grip so we can compare?

[Blake_T]

power grip version 1
http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources ... ipit.shtml

[steezo]

It is basicaly the same grip but by making a fist, you can feel the strength and power needed to accomplish the snap. Once you realize how to produce snap through a powerful grip, you can modify it to your own liking. This is just a tip to help you feel what it should feel like (a strong-powerful grip)

[bigs348]

I've just recently noticed that my grip is not the typical power grip. I use a three-finger power grip (because I don't ever like having my pinky on the disc), but I have the pads of my fingers on the inside of the flight plate, not on the rim. This is the way I've been throwing for a long time and the only grip that I really feel comfortable with, aside from putting. I feel much more accurate with this grip (almost like a 80% power/20% fan grip) but could I be gaining more power with a firmer grip having my fingers on the inside of the rim? Even with my mids, I have the pads of my fingers on the flight plate, and only with my putter do I use a traditional power grip (three finger) because of the depth of the disc. Maybe I'm not quite getting the rip and snap that I should/could...

[Blake_T]

the grip you are describing is sacrificing significant distance potential.

[bigs348]

I think I'll have to mess around with my grip for sure. I always thought I was doing a pretty standard power grip until I noticed on the site that the pads of the fingers were on the rim, not the inside of the flight plate. I've always thought I should get more distance with my technique and my power, but have had a hard time really getting the disc to rip out of my hand. The snap is there but I think I let the disc slide more than rip. I'm a former discus, hammer, and shotput thrower, and timing, footwork, angles, and explosive quickness have come very naturally to me with disc. I'm also 6'5" 275 lbs. and have been pretty frustrated with my plateaus. Maybe it was all grip?

Blake, you think it'd be okay for me to leave my pinky off the disc as long as my other three fingers are on the rim? Whenever I involve my pinky in my grip, it changes the orientation of the disc in my hand and messes with my release angles.

I'm hoping that a little work with this could be a significant breakthrough for me. On average, my golf D with a TL is about 360 and my Wraiths just shy of 400, although I've gotten my DX Wraith out to about 450 with a tailwind during a tourney. I wonder what a little rip at my release might do. I guess I'll have to figure out some accuracy, too, as the disc just feels very strange in my hand with my fingers up on the rim.

[Blake_T]

a lot of it is grip related.

you think it'd be okay for me to leave my pinky off the disc as long as my other three fingers are on the rim?

no, because 99% of people that "have" to throw with their pinkey off the rim do so because they don't grip wrist down.

the pinkey is an important finger as it's really related to a lot of the touch you get on the disc, especially on putts.

my advice is to learn to throw with it on, and then decide whether or not to take it off after.

[bigs348]

So I'm just sitting here with a disc, and alternating between grips.

My regular three-finger grip with the pads of my fingers more on the flight plate, and a four-finger power grip with my wrist down. Just sitting here and holding the disc, the power grip feels seriously ten-times more powerful. My grip is solid, and with my wrist down my forearm is feeling really strong. I cannot wait to hit the field tomorrow...

[Blake_T]

it is stronger.

the thing that tends to happen is having people's wrists/hands cramp up when going wrist down and their solution is to not use it and to drop a finger off.

[bigs348]

I can foresee my wrist/forearm cramping up if i was to hold it in that position too long. But I find that to be a testament to just how strong the grip really is.

One question, with this grip my index finger feels like it has the weakest grip of all my fingers. Since my index finger is the rip point, and my other fingers are the lock point, is that normal?

It did take some playing around with it to get the disc into the seam of my hand, have my wrist down, and still have the disc line up with my forearm. Now it feels pretty natural though -- I'm trying to hold a disc as much as possible and try and get used to the grip before I hit the course.

[Tim H]

I remember from my Karate days learning how to make a fist. Try making a fist as tight as you can with your pinkie extended. Not very good probably. Now, make a fist with the pinkie as tight as you can. Feel the difference. That's why you want that pinkie on the disc.

[bigs348]

I understand what you're saying, and I agree. But when I don't have my pinky on the disc I'm still making a fist, my pinky is just on my hand, not the disc, but my fingers are still in the same position. I'm starting to get used to all 4 fingers though and I like the feel of a strong grip.

[Blake_T]

One question, with this grip my index finger feels like it has the weakest grip of all my fingers. Since my index finger is the rip point, and my other fingers are the lock point, is that normal?

sort of... like, the mechanics of it say that the middle and ring fingers will be stronger, but you want to focus the pressure with the index more than the other fingers. if you have a good acceleration/finish you will feel when it needs to be strongest.

It did take some playing around with it to get the disc into the seam of my hand, have my wrist down, and still have the disc line up with my forearm.

if the disc is aligned correctly, you will NEED wrist down to get the disc parallel to the forearm.

[Weebl]

Bigs, I'm 6'5" as well, and my problem with grip was the same thing with the pinky. The way I solved this was take my 3 lock point fingers (pinky, ring, middle) hold them together and put them on the inside of the rim; while keeping your 3 fingers on the rim shift your hand forward so it rests in the seam of your hand (my pinky ends up being 3/4" away from the crease between my palm/forearm), not too much as to feel strain in your fingers though (they will be lined up like this /// for me roughly 45 degrees off of the axis the disc produces) now curl the index finger and get that finger pad on the rim directly opposing the pad on your palm below your index finger (same pad that is above the edge in blake's picture) now point your thumb as directly inward as possible (strive for the center of the disc, but dont go beyond strain). This is the only version of the power grip that works for me, I've never been able to compare grips in detail with anyone as my hands are larger than anyone I've met who disc golfs (I can palm a large diameter Roc...). I'm assuming you have larger hands as well, so hopefully this little tutorial will help.