Starting from "scratch"

[Crosseyed0811]

So I've been out of playing for a few months now, what with ridiculous heats (and my personal intolerance/dislike of that) and with getting hitched and honeymooning it up.

Looking to start throwing again here in the next few weeks and hoping that I've taken enough time away that I can get a fresh start on my throw. Have never quite "gotten" it. I know I throw with arm strength mostly and I cant stop it. I've done all the drills and such but none of it translates to throwing a disc for me. In fact I think the right peck drill stuff compounded my issues of strong arming it. I've been watching some videos and such and seeing throws like Nate Doss and Will Schusterick I can almost conceptualize the arm whip vs. the arm throw...

However I think I want to start from scratch with my disc selection as well. What are some tips you guys may have with what to throw to start out with and such? Go back to just throwing putters or what? I really want to get better, and I feel like I've been stuck in place for quite a while now...

[Itchy]

I used understable fairway drivers and putters to pick out flaws in my form. Actually I used understable fairway drivers so much that they've kind of made up the bulk of my bag which hurts on windy days. After that it's just read the form topics every day and go to the field to practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with rounds over the weekends.

I'm a noodle arm, but I don't think I was ever really trying to strong arm it. I baby stepped my way up to snap. Oh, and the grip I was using sucked before I found this;
http://discgolfreview.com/resources/articles/gripittoripit.shtml#seam
and
http://discgolfreview.com/resources/articles/gripittoripit.shtml#snap

[Crosseyed0811]

I used understable fairway drivers and putters to pick out flaws in my form. Actually I used understable fairway drivers so much that they've kind of made up the bulk of my bag which hurts on windy days. After that it's just read the form topics every day and go to the field to practice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with rounds over the weekends.

I'm a noodle arm, but I don't think I was ever really trying to strong arm it. I baby stepped my way up to snap. Oh, and the grip I was using sucked before I found this;
http://discgolfreview.com/resources/articles/gripittoripit.shtml#seam
and
http://discgolfreview.com/resources/articles/gripittoripit.shtml#snap

Thanks for the tips, any suggestions for fav understable driver to start out with? My putters are going to be aviars or darts, those are pretty set for me lol

[Frank Delicious]

You play the Blazer this past weekend Crosseyed?

Anyway it is pretty hard to start arm whipping vs strong arming a disc because if you've been strong arming the whole time you don't really know what a good arm whip feels like. The best way to really learn the difference is get a local pro to help you out in a field for a few days, you are pretty close to charlotte and could probably persuade MJ, Keatts or even an up and comer like paul priest (whiz on here) to help you.

[Crosseyed0811]

Negative on the Blazer, the Rock Hill club is playing Boyd Hill again tonight but I won't be in attendance... that course does evil things to me when I'm playing well, having not played in a few months it might drive me to quitting My biggest problem is being able to commit time to meet up with someone, becuase I rarely know what I have going on and even when I do it can change quickly.

added: Oh, and yes, I know that the "Feel" is what I'm missing... In the past I've KNOWN I was strong arming... Can feel that I'm strong arming... but have no idea how else to throw the disc, even with all the reading and working on technique I've done with this site and lots of youtube vids. I THINK I may have stumbled upon it on a random throw once or twice and thought what was THAT...? but never been able to pin it down and use it.. I know I don't get much spin on my discs, I watch the top guys and how the flight of their disc looks, and for the first part of the flight it looks the same. Then I can literally SEE where my disc would have started fading and heading to the ground and their disc seems to "catch" and keep flying... frustrating stuff, but I'm determined to not give up...

[Frank Delicious]

Can you relax your arm and grip until right before the hit?

[Crosseyed0811]

I try to, not making any promises though... One of those things thats hard to be sure if you're really doing what people are saying you should be doing.

[Frank Delicious]

well keep as relaxed as possible until the hit. like super relaxed. Like the Dude. Be the Dude.

[Itchy]

I use a star TL on almost every hole, unless the wind really makes me pick up another disc. I can anney it to the ground, hyzer it to the ground, fly it straight. I can't make it backwards S and it wont fight the wind very well.

To feel that whip, try standing straight up and keeping your arms down at your side. Relax your arms and twist your torso left and right slowly and let your arms naturally rise up. You'll feel your shoulder kind of lead your arm (and hand at the end of it) to where it should go. Hopefully that'll help you know how it feels and you can slowly work up to it in a field somewhere.


Grip the disc in the seam of your hand, cock your wrist all the way down and 1/4 power whip that arm around and let the disc rip out of your hand. You should feel it after a few tries and then you just have to work up to full power.

[keltik]

if you're ever up around Greenville/Spartanburg hit me up. I can show you some stuff about how to throw far. I just can't teach you how to be a good player.

[JR]

It is standard practice to sniff after scratching. Once you've smelled the coffee "beans" you might have an idea where to go. This time i'd do field practice stand stills starting the disc 4" short of the arm being pointed straight at the target and strong arming from there concentrating always on getting the arm follow through as far as your flexibility allows. Once you whip the follow through as far as you can add two more inches to the arm pull length. Rinse and repeat and try to see where the distance drops. If it does not drop from a full reach back you've got a lot of power. If you then do a normal throw and still don't lose in D strong arming may not be bad for you in the short term. If you get the best D by reaching back fully and not yanking in the beginning you are making progress. Then it is also a matter of slowly conditioning your nervous system and muscle cells for more explosive power generation. That will take years and is slow going. It is a good investment, because you will gain each year from it.

[Crosseyed0811]

Thanks for all the tips guys, and Keltik I'm actually from Union so my folks are back up that way, may try to take you up on that one day, just never know when that might actually be.

Any other disc suggestions other than a TL? If I'm starting over I want to make sure I'm doing things that will really help me rather than hitting the course with a 175 Champ Boss, a Drone and a 10m Brick... Which yeah I'm not dumb, I'm not really gonna take a set like that out, but suggested 1-4 discs to help me get a feel for things the right way?

[Trey133]

Bring a comet out to the course.

In addition, bring a DX Leopard, and a putter of your choice.

[Crosseyed0811]

Bring a comet out to the course.

In addition, bring a DX Leopard, and a putter of your choice.

I suspected the Comet would be suggested. Never thrown one personally. Does plastic matter there?

[keltik]

with the comet not really. Dome is more of a factor.