Disc Golf Tips and Technique: Driving with Dan Beato (Video)

[Timko]

I have a question about accelerating from the front pec and this seems like the best place for this question. I just spent a couple of hours re-reading many of the technique threads and this is still a point of confusion for me.

When accelerating from the front pec should it feel like I am trying to
(A) Treat my elbow like a stationary pivot point and whip my forearm (with disc attached) around this point, or
(B) Pull the disc as hard as I can directly at the target?

In some threads it sounds more like (A) is what I should be picturing and in others (like the snap 2009 thread) it sounds like (B) is what I should be picturing. (A) would seem to have much more potential in terms of leverage, and (B) would seem to accomplish more in terms of coiling and uncoiling of the wrist. I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out how to get my shoulder to pause (thanks to Dan for recently bringing this to my attention, and Blake for having brought it to my attention in the fall) and I'm trying to get a consistent mental picture in my head for what I am trying to do with the disc from the front pec onward.

What about a normal drive one with a reach back. What are you trying to do once the disc is around the right pec? I too feel like (A) is being talked about but is this right and if so when should this happen compared to (B). I can see how one would do either or some of each. Wouldn't one pause the elbow to start the chop which would make the elbow more of a pivot point. At this point should one pull the disc toward the target?

you should always pull the disc toward the target.

that being said, the regular reach back throws (considering you have already mastered the disc position in the power zone), throwing hard at the end indicates you are accelerating through that power zone, but trying to add a reach back the important key is to gradually do it. work on it and it will sink in your brain that "no matter how short or long my reachback is, i will always hit this position because thats when i know i have to throw hard."

Blake and I talked about this last night. I feel I get from left pec to right pec and excelerate decently, but when I try to reach back any farther, I end up not getting the disc into the left pec position to pull and pivot (so I'm releasing it left with some extension but no pivot from my elbow). He told me to just slow it down, and keep slowing it down. Focus on getting into the left pec position.

[Steady 26542]

Dan, where did your wrist extension youtube video go? I went to watch it and it said it was pulled.

[masterbeato]

Dan: why does it have to be A or B, and not A and B?

technically A can be canceled out because your elbow is already near maximum bend, which is pretty much all you have to worry about since A & B are technically fused together so A can be canceled out unless it helps to think of it in a more confusing way. when you are throwing as hard as you can from that point, that is all that really matters because you will be pulling through with your forearm around your elbow which will be at maximum bend when you are pulling through just that little bit. i would not worry about that too much because you are already at the crucial position that you are not getting to in your regular drives and developing the snap required.

that puts it in your memory status that "ok throw as hard as i can but i have to get to that point first, this is what i do" and then bam. get down the feel for it first, letting the wrist open and throwing hard only at that point of ejection that the drill trains you for.

i threw about an avg. of 600 throws a day for 8 days to even get the feel for it down and then like 10 minutes of 1 on 1 with Blake afterwards to finally hit it for the first time. that is a lot of work and a lot of throwing and i think i built a mental toughness of some high degree through all of it.

[masterbeato]

Dan, where did your wrist extension youtube video go? I went to watch it and it said it was pulled.

??? i shall check it out and get it back on for ya.

[masterbeato]

http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b6/Staplesbubble/?action=view&current=DGtechnique002.flv&newest=1

here is that wrist extension link

[JR]

No joy. 404 not found was the error code.

[jubuttib]

Works for me.

[JR]

Same error code but the video worked.

[patdabunny]

Ok. I'm just not getting something about all this. I've regressed somewhat, going from 375' to 340'. I think that it may be two things--my timing and my grip. I use a modified power grip, with my ring finger stacked on my pinky (for more pressure at the "end" of my hand, as before, I'd have a lot of premature releases...). So, I tried a power grip with the tips, not the pads, on the rim. I could feel the discs ripping out of my hand with MUCH more speed and force than before. However, I was having nose up problems (I was still trying to keep my wrist down in handshake position). What is the best grip for longer-fingered players? (I also have a history of nerve problems, leading to a weakened grip pressure, so this may also be a factor.)

Also, I just can't seem to get timing down. When I do the power zone technique (working backwards), standing stll is a good result. Can hear the snap and can get 250' with a mid. It's when the reachback is added that I want to accelerate immediately and not gradually. Is there a mental technique that helps you to slow the inital pull through then gradually increase until you reach the power zone? I feel that this is my other problem. My mid range and short range game is about as good as it's going to get, but my driving distance just sucks. I am accurate, but even a Teebird is too overstable for me, most times! Yick!


Daniel

[MrScoopa]

I'd read the breaking 300' thread. Even though you already are. It talks about the timing in depth.

Start rotating hips, guide disc to right pec area, then explode from there.

[masterbeato]

Ok. I'm just not getting something about all this. I've regressed somewhat, going from 375' to 340'. I think that it may be two things--my timing and my grip. I use a modified power grip, with my ring finger stacked on my pinky (for more pressure at the "end" of my hand, as before, I'd have a lot of premature releases...). So, I tried a power grip with the tips, not the pads, on the rim. I could feel the discs ripping out of my hand with MUCH more speed and force than before. However, I was having nose up problems (I was still trying to keep my wrist down in handshake position). What is the best grip for longer-fingered players? (I also have a history of nerve problems, leading to a weakened grip pressure, so this may also be a factor.)

Also, I just can't seem to get timing down. When I do the power zone technique (working backwards), standing stll is a good result. Can hear the snap and can get 250' with a mid. It's when the reachback is added that I want to accelerate immediately and not gradually. Is there a mental technique that helps you to slow the inital pull through then gradually increase until you reach the power zone? I feel that this is my other problem. My mid range and short range game is about as good as it's going to get, but my driving distance just sucks. I am accurate, but even a Teebird is too overstable for me, most times! Yick!


Daniel

you just have to keep practicing the right pec drill until you are able to hit that position on a regular throw. you are more than likely slipping, and ripping it from the first knuckle of the index finger instead of on the pad, or your ripping from the middle finger which causes amazing amounts of nose up and a power decrease.

when you are adding a reachback you probably have not practiced the drill long enough to sustain hitting that position, and/or not coming in tight to your body which also causes nose up. you could also be accelerating to early, and then decelerating entering/pulling through the power zone.

[patdabunny]

you just have to keep practicing the right pec drill until you are able to hit that position on a regular throw. you are more than likely slipping, and ripping it from the first knuckle of the index finger instead of on the pad, or your ripping from the middle finger which causes amazing amounts of nose up and a power decrease.

I think you're right on with the slip of my grip. I feel that this is happening, but have no way of changing it. Should I look at using a power grip? Some other grip? What advice have you, master?

when you are adding a reachback you probably have not practiced the drill long enough to sustain hitting that position, and/or not coming in tight to your body which also causes nose up. you could also be accelerating to early, and then decelerating entering/pulling through the power zone.

I do think I'm accelerating too early. After watching your and other's videos about hip vs shoulder power, I'm going to try and consciously use the hips to pull the arm to the right pec and then use the arm to go from there. I was impressed by how that felt just doing it in my living room. Cool. The tight to the body thing can be rectified pretty easily once I get everything else corrected!

[MrScoopa]

my plan this summer was to make a new video, go over everything again and touch up on it and create some new things to explain that i have wanted to do that Blake has taught me, and do it with a good quality camera, and put it on a bunch of DVD's and have Charlie at Gotta Go Gotta Throw sell them so people can have a good copy for their home TV.

nice quality!

Pre-order? All that sounds like it would be expensive to get going! Especially if you are buying the camera. You seem like an upstanding guy, and at any rate we all know what you look like!

[masterbeato]

hopefully i can buy the camera.....i have tons and tons of DVD-R's already and all i have to do is use all of them, and if they sell out and i have no more i can use the money to keep buying them.

yeah i know what you mean there them DVD-R's can get really spendy. custom stamp too.

[masterbeato]

@drledford93,

i would not change your grip unless your fingers are not in the right place.

what should be happening with a power grip is that as long as your index finger pad is firmly tucked on the rim, and all of the other fingers have supporting joints, while holding it firmly, there should not be a problem.