My Technique (Please Critique)

[Lakewoodhillsdgleague]

I have been playing disc golf for about a year now and I have become very consistent and accurate off the tee. However I have seemed to have maxed out at 330' and no matter what I try I cannot seem to get any more distance. I get great snap but I don't seem to have the glide at the end of the flight pattern that the guys with bigger arms have. Please let me know what you see. Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wTGl__sNmQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gcAN-up6s8

[CJ1998]

I'll be the first to comment, I guess.

Only thing I can really say is to get more shoulder into the throw. Your reach back isn't very far, so you could go a little farther if it's comfortable for you. More shoulder rotation should help you to get some more D. When you start to add it, though, be prepared to start pulling right. It will be an issue until you get the timing worked out.

For me, and I'm no expert, I found that really focusing on the weight shifting (leaning into the throw) and delaying the acceleration of the disc really helped me to get more D. I'm still very inconsistent with that, but I was surprising myself the other day. I pushed a champ Teebird past 400 for the first time.

[geoloseth]

From what I can tell your very neutral in your stance. Work on really pushing off of your back leg to get your weight over your plant foot. Also emphasize the disc coming into/across your chest and then hitting from there. That should get you some more distance. The extra glide will come from the extra D. Also, your rotation seems to be happening all at the same time. Try working on getting your hips going before your torso before your shoulders before your arm. Your arm speed looks good so if you are hitting it properly your arm should almost catch up to your shoulder right at the hit.

[JR]

Try seeing what happens when you shortten your plan step 3". Also in the first throw videoed from behind concentrate on seeing the distance of the disc from your chest. It really robs you of snap and spin on the disc leading to not getting the fade of the pros having the discs fade out earlier than them. For that kind of form light Eagle X or even easier Leopards or broken in Gazelles could work for lesser fade. Not necessarily for longer D but close to your max but on a straight line. Always useful

More power and snap can be had from hip explosion. Try standing with sneakers with flat soles on grass. Without a disc make a throwing motion by leaning back and pushing off hard with your left leg and shifting weight forward so that your heart is over your right knee at the would be release. Concentrate on twisting your hips right as fast as you can. If you don't pivot with the feet moving to the right in the follow through by pointing feet at least 30 degrees right of the target you're losing in rotational power against others and you're definitely not utilizing your hips enough. Considering you have some shoulder rotation power. Then doing the same exercise try concentrating on the quickness of shoulder rotation. See if you can get more rotational speed from hips and shoulders. That should help a lot.

Getting the disc close to your chest is the most important thing to fix first.

[SkaBob]

You've got like...no reach back. You will get more power with more reach back.

Also, your throwing motion is throwing the disc upward (not just that it's nose-up, it is, but you're throwing it like I'd throw up a hill).

I think before worrying about modifying your plant step or weight shifts and such, you should fix those two things.

[black udder]

The snap you hear is the disc coming out, but you're not getting great snap. The disc is coming out too far away from your chest.

I'd use more hip power too, you are pulling from the back and not accelerating through the hit as well as you could.

As others have said, reach back further. You should be able to get some more distance by keeping the disc closer to your chest with the kind of throw you have now. Add some more hip torque and you should be able to throw the same distance you do now (or more) and not be a distance shot.

For your distance drives, you'll want more reach back and to get that snap better.

If you take a disc and curl it up all the way into your arm, hold your arm up like you're going to throw it, that's where you want it before it comes out. Try that slowly and you should start to get an idea of what "snap" is, then you just need to work on getting it to happen all the time.

[Beetard]

The snap you hear is the disc coming out, but you're not getting great snap. .

Tru dat. You're gripping tightly and therefore your fingers are snapping together.
Snap is the wrist flinging open just before the rip and is about the most concentrated source of acceleration you can produce. I saw no wrist movement in your throw. Loosen your grip so your wrist is free to whip forward. With your armspeed, that should put you up to 400.

Try it right now sitting at your computer. reach your arm out a little and act like you're trying to backhand slap a fly that is buzzing around to the right of you.
You externally rotated your arm at the elbow a little and your hand wagged back toward you then snapped forward, right? Make a clenched fist and try it. Your wrist won't "snap" at all will it? Thinking you have to grip real hard is the biggest snap inhibitor.

Man, now I wanna go out and practice.

[Lakewoodhillsdgleague]

Thanks guys,

The reason I don't have a big reach back is that I have shoulder problems and when I have reached back further in the past, I throw my shoulder out of socket (no joke, my humorous sits on the edge of the cup of my shoulder joint instead of in it, caused by 15 years of pitching). However I will try and turn my shoulders farther as well as work on the real snap. I appreciate it guys!

However, keep em coming if you have more....

[geoloseth]

I liked my old reach back but I tweaked my shoulder a while ago so I've had to resort to turning my back to the target. Big improvement. It allowys for a more natural pull through because your arm is already pointing directly away from the target.

[SkaBob]

Thanks guys,

The reason I don't have a big reach back is that I have shoulder problems and when I have reached back further in the past, I throw my shoulder out of socket (no joke, my humorous sits on the edge of the cup of my shoulder joint instead of in it, caused by 15 years of pitching). However I will try and turn my shoulders farther as well as work on the real snap. I appreciate it guys!

However, keep em coming if you have more....

Can you turn to reach back more from your waist?

[Lakewoodhillsdgleague]

I'll give it a try. Just finished the MN State Champs so I have some time to work on things.