Throwing again after hiatus: Safe ramp-up?

[JHern]

I just returned after a month in Japan, where I had not a single opportunity to throw a disc. I played a round of 18 yesterday, and noticed several things. I have not lost any distance, I'm still able to throw 380' on flat ground. While my body can still channel a lot of whip into my arm, my arm was instantly complaining. My elbow and wrist joints just felt a bit shocked by the experience. My arm wore down and after hole 9 or so my accuracy was degraded, even though I was still getting distance.

Clearly I need to hold back a bit, for my arm to re-develop the muscles and strength that it lost during the hiatus. What I wonder is whether anyone has any good procedures or time scales for ramping up again. If I can throw 380', what is a good distance to hold back to before moving back to full power? How long should I take?

[Lithicon]

I'd say two maybe three field sessions if even that will get your body back in tune. Can't ever go wrong with field practice. So, I'd say one or two of just practicing line shaping, then one for distance. The first will get your arm back in tune with the rest of your body, then get it ready for distance throws.

[Mark Ellis]

Unless you had injury problems before your layoff, I wouldn't worry much about starting again.

All of that stiffness and pain you feel is just a preview of what you will feel every day when you get old. So do what the old guys do: stretch before and ice after.

If you get serious pain then your body is talking to you. Listen.

[JHern]

All of that stiffness and pain you feel is just a preview of what you will feel every day when you get old. So do what the old guys do: stretch before and ice after.

Thanks for the outlook Mark, nice to know approaching the "Golden" years will be so pleasant!

If you get serious pain then your body is talking to you. Listen.

Nah, it isn't serious. Just the usual muscle and joint aches. I'm re-assured since my distance is still good, and after another round I don't seem to be developing any serious ailments. My accuracy has suffered, but like Lithicon says I probably just need to get out to a field a couple times to get my lines back.

I'm probably just being paranoid, but now that I'm starting to throw further, and enjoying it incredibly, I don't want to lose this capability owing to preventable injury.

[Lithicon]

Don't blame you, I changed my form recently and I'm suffering terribly from it. But, I'm hoping it pays off in the end. So I've been practicing a lot and my body has kind of been telling me to slow down. But, with a few tournaments coming up. I'm pushing myself to get through these issues.
I recently realized that pushing myself to fix it could be making the problem worse, lol. Mainly because I don't want to fatigue myself, or cause an injury due to strain and then ultimately not be able to compete at all. Rather compete with slightly less ability then before, than not compete at all, heh.

But, I think with field practice, getting the rust off your form will be easy enough on your body as long as you're not pushing it too hard. I'm sure you're in pretty decent physical health, so there shouldn't be much limiting you physically as long as you prepare your body before sessions properly. Just taking it easy over all working on line shaping should work the rust off and get your body back use to being manipulated this way. Just don't injure yourself pushing it too hard to start out and not be able to play for even longer! And, of course be sure and stretch to reduce risk of Injury.

[JHern]

Yeah, I'm taking it easy, but will continue to work through. I'm 37, maybe a tad past the "mere young punk" stage of existence in Mark Ellis' nomenclature. But in good physical condition, and no major joint problems. I see disc golf as a life sport, that I can play until I'm no longer able to get around at all. Hopefully that gives me at least 30+ years left of disc golf! But I know I have to take care of myself to make that happen.

Another thing that makes me think cautiously is tales of injury from guys like Blake, who knows a great deal about it all and still managed to end up with some permanent damage. There is also plenty of precedent for serious injuries from athletes in a variety of sports that involved throwing, such as baseball. Shame to see somebody blow their arm out (e.g., Eric Gagné, "En fin, il n'a pas gagné").

[Lithicon]

Yeah, I can't say I'm close to you in the age category so that's hard to say how much your body could take, lol. And, of course you're obviously not frail. But, yeah like you said. I've spoken with Blake about some injuries as I suffer from Carpal tunnel and we discussed some of his injuries as well. He seems to really do them right when he does injure something. As well as some people ending up with everlasting symptoms or what not. Which is why I was so curious about my wrist. I know it'll never "Heal" and I'll be plagued with it for life for the most part.

I was mainly worried about the short term effects that could lead to long term effects if I continued my quest for more distance. So being weary of long term injury is definitely something we all need to focus on and asking for advice is obviously the best way to go about it. If you don't know, ask! (Distances and power/snap requirements used here are examples and not fact.) I found this quite interesting though, as Blake and others have said that throwing something like 500' "CAN" be less stressful on your body than possibly throwing 400'. Cause, you can still have flaws in your form at all power levels. But, at 500' your body and throwing form is efficient enough that it shouldn't harm it's self in creating the power and snap needed to reach those distances. In other words simple mechanics at work, doing more work with the same amount, or less effort. Where as compared to throwing 400' for an example, you can still have major flaws in technique, but still be able to muscle it out there at times. Which leads to possible injury. But, you could be just as efficient at 400', that could just be your max distance and not feel any consequences for throwing those distances as long as your form is good.

As you said, this game can grace you into your age, so definitely want to keep ourselves in top shape for more than just DG as well.

[JHern]

My form has undergone recent major tweaks. And in the past several months I've gone from struggling around 300 ft to flirting with 400 ft...very rapid improvement, I seemed to have skipped a couple plateaus somehow. This followed re-dedicating myself to the right pec drill, and finding ways to get my body into better positions and generate more acceleration. I need to make a film of my throw to see exactly what has changed. My father took a single snap shot of me throwing just the other day and I liked what I saw: elbow pointed (stopped) at the target, lower arm extending, getting my hand around the front of the disc, weight forward, etc.. But I need a better video. Maybe some time this weekend.

[Lithicon]

Yeah, I am also wanting something visual I can look at with my form. Although, I won't have anything to compare it to. It should help still.