Question about grip...

[Bart]

I am brand new here, but have read all of the technique articles on the website. The articles have been great for my game, but my drives have plateaued right at 300 feet--thrown on a football field of course.

My question spurs from me practicing my drives today. I was driving like normal, but I threw one drive that was noticeably different. I threw about 75 feet further then before and now I am trying to figure out how I did it. I am pretty sure the reason I threw farther was related to grip. I normally throw with what I think is a forked grip. It is a power grip but my ring finger is pressed on top of my pinky.

When I throw with this grip, it almost feels like my rip point is actually my pinky and ring finger, when I know it is supposed to be my index finger. However, I am getting most pressure on the rim from my ring and pinky. When I threw my long drive it, it seemed like I gripped the disc a little differently. For some reason, I really felt the rip point off of my index finger and I felt more "forward" on the disc for some reason (if that makes sense). I got a lot more snap and it was a beauty of a drive. Anyway, any suggestions to how I can do it again? Or should I be looking some place else besides grip for the added distance. Sorry this is long, but I am looking forward to some suggestions.

[Blake_T]

finish the throw with your wrist open.

the way you are throwing you aren't transferring snap to the disc, it's all getting lost during the lock release.

[Bart]

What exactly does it look like to finish with the wrist open? So, it is probably not a grip problem then?

[Bart]

What exactly does it look like to finish with the wrist open?

anybody???

[Blake_T]

wrist closed = cocking your wrist.

wrist open = opposite of that, top of the hand bent towards the outside of the forearm.

[Bart]

Thanks for the reply. I do cock my wrists alot. I am going to practice tomorrow and see if I can be good about finishing with my wrist open. I will let you know what happens.

[Blake_T]

good luck with it. it takes some working with timing to get it down.

the extension just has to be slight, but that really is the way to transfer max snap accurately.

[Bart]

Well, I finally got to practice and was conscience of finishing with my wrist open. I really didn't feel anything different and so I am still plateaued at about 300-320 feet.

I took some advice and started throwing my putter (soft Wizard) and ROC because everyone says throwing these discs will reveal your weaknesses. I got a lot of flutter from both and both seemed to turn over and dive into the ground quickly. So, maybe something else is wrong.

I have got to bust through this plateau. I know I should be able to throw 350' at least.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice on this board, I look forward to more discussion.

[lacrimosa]

I'm not sure if this applies to you or not, but it might be something you'd want to work on.

A couple months ago, I spent a whole week playing with just my wizard (putter). Before that, I could barely throw it 100' before it cut to the right and rolled (lots of flutter too). This was because I started out throwing avengers and flicks and other way overstabe stuff that I had to yank with a ton of anhyzer to go straight. After that week, I was able to throw wizards around 250', with much smoother form (which transferred over to my drivers, albeit with a different grip).

My first priority with the putter was just to get rid of the flutter. I would basically just throw short hyzers (as that was what I had trouble with) over and over, very slowy and smoothly, until the form and the body motions required to throw the shots became 'second nature'. I also made sure to keep my wrist down and follow through into the imaginary 'plane' formed by the disc - ie. my follow through would go slightly higher on a hyzer than it would on a line drive (basically the stuff that's mentioned in the articles on this site.) Every motion involved in the throw I made sure to be aware of (at both the 'gut' and intellectual level), so that if something went wrong I'd be able to isolate it and work on it. Bad form habits can be hard to break, since your body likes to stick to the motions it's used to. This changes with enough repition though.

Once I was able to throw them smoothly and had the basic motions down I was able to concentate on varying the force of the throw. This is where practicing the motions slowly really paid off, as it allowed me to isolate and focus on varying the wrist motion at the hit without having to worry about all the different motions leading up to the hit - they were basically second nature by then.

When you can throw a putter smoothly and with an awareness of how different motions (ie wrist roll under/over) affect its flight, you'll be able to transfer this new form to your drivers for much greater consistancy and distance.

[Pagan]

Well put! My wife should read that. She still thinks I'm nuts for practicing with my putter and reccomending it to newer players.

Pagan

[Blake_T]

the dive and flutter is related to off-axis torque. i agree that wrist down is necessary, as is weight forward with this (weight back uses a late release instead of wrist extension).

chances are your timing is off with the wrist extension (happening too early) which would explain the off axis torque.

i agree with the practicing with putters on hyzer lines to get the extension timing down.

the good sign is that you are throwing just as far.

[Bart]

Wow, thanks for the quick replies. I will continue to bust out the putters in practice and see what happens. Thanks for the advice and especially the routines with the putter. I will provide an update after a few practices.

[Bart]

So, the last week or so I have been doing a lot of field work with my mid-ranges and putters. I have been really conscious of wrist roll and not strong-arming the disc creating off-axis torque.

I decided to take out the drivers yesterday and see if I could get rid of the flutter. What I found is a much, much, smoother throw with a lot less need to power the discs with my arm. Now, I am throwing a good 20-25 feet further with no flutter and my discs are actually acting like they are supposed to.

It is amazing the difference in my drive now as far as power goes. What really clicked was when I learned to only accelerate at the very last minute of my throw. It is kind of like taking a slow backswing in ball golf.

Well, I just thought I would share some success. Thanks for all your help Blake and everyone else...Now, if I can just get to 400 and quit missing 30' putts (j/k)

[Bart]

Thought I would write another update since I have been working with my putters/midranges for a while now.

I am really noticing an accuracy increase with my putters and midranges. Short holes with lots of trees that were giving me lots of trouble have now become much easier. I made my first ace the other day on a hole that required a simple straight 200 foot putter shot! So, the field work with the putters/midranges is really paying off yall (sorry, I am from the south).

[Pagan]

Thought I would write another update since I have been working with my putters/midranges for a while now.

I am really noticing an accuracy increase with my putters and midranges. Short holes with lots of trees that were giving me lots of trouble have now become much easier. I made my first ace the other day on a hole that required a simple straight 200 foot putter shot! So, the field work with the putters/midranges is really paying off yall (sorry, I am from the south).

Congrats on the ace, increased distances, and better accuracy. (See the putter practice DID help).

Pagan