ZJ9000 throws some drives

[zj1002]

So Avery, Nate, and Val did a clinic at Disc Nation during the players cup festivities in Austin last week. Got some good pointers from Avery about weight shift, but it wasn't anything ground breaking that I had never heard before. This was the first time I had ever seen a "bigger" arm in person and there really aren't any other technique junkies like me in Austin to learn from.

I was lucky enough to finally have ZAM(Leopard) on hand to film my throw after the clinic. This is the first time I have ever seen good videos of my form. Past videos have been from rounds. I think I see a few minor adjustments, but most of it seems to be pretty decent.



I don't like my form in the first throw. I definitely over extend myself pretty far and start pulling way too soon. It doesn't look as effortless as the last 2 throws

[Monocacy]

Interesting – you look at the target on the run-up, but your head is turned completely away when you release the disc. I don’t think I have seen that before. Is that just for distance throws, and if so, what distances or circumstances would cause you to look at the target during your release?

Nothing else to add – you throw waaaay farther than me – but thanks for posting the video. It looks like you get a ton of power into your throws.

[zj1002]

Yeah most of that was full power and I use body positioning to aim on those. On the run up I try to focus/visualize the line and once I start the pull I was focused solely on the throw and letting my body position do the aiming. The field I am throwing in is 630ft with 2 trees in the entire thing. I don't really have to focus on throwing around targets out there. I throw a ton farther when I aim where to throw. If I was just focused on throwing as far as possible, the throws would be very forced and not very far.

And yeah my head stays behind. ZAM had a good chuckle about when he first saw it. I think I do it because I am trying to keep my shoulders from turning too fast and as a result my head stays in that position

[Leopard]

And yeah my head stays behind. ZAM had a good chuckle about when he first saw it.

pssh "when i first"... dude there are three people in my office laughing at that right now

(we watched it properly, with Cat Attacking in another tab)

[JR]

You are scooping in the arm motion by having the arm go high in the reach back, low near the body and rising to the rip. That may hurt nose down angle and with so much variation in the arm height and disc nose angle in the arm pull, you will have a shorter time window to rip into the right direction with a good nose angle.

The left leg could at least theoretically kick harder front and right beyond the right side of the right leg to counter the back reaction force of arm motion. Can't tell if you would distance, but at least it would be added insurance of getting turned enough toward the target from varying ground conditions.

[zj1002]

yep. I have been trying to keep that back arm down. I first saw myself doing it in a picture a few months ago. I never knew I did it. I think it explains why I get some unwanted nose up flights. When I come into the right pec, my forearm seems to break downward more than forward. Need to keep the shoulders level

agree on the left leg as well. I really don't actively kick/push off. it just sort of happens

[JR]

It should be an active kick or the other method of keeping the feet on the ground until beyond the rip.

[zj1002]

Yeah, well it was cool to finally see my entire throw from the side. I can see what I need to fix and most of it was stuff I already knew was an issue. I knew my shoulders were off plane and leg kick weren't right. Those throws are actually in reverse order of when they occurred. My form seemed to break down towards the end

[JR]

Let me guess, you were trying to rip it to get the most D with the last one, because you weren't satisfied with the first two. That is a good way the break the form.

[zj1002]

yep, but I was actually satisfied with the first two and every throw before them. I smashed a 525ft Star Xcalibur over ZAM's head on a flat line. ZAM can tell you most of my stuff was not that far off from Avery. You can see the picture on Disc Nation's facebook. In that one I dip as well. I know that it was a habit I developed when I first started. I threw a lot of hyzer flips and that allowed me to create leverage to turn them up flat/over. I focused the last 2 days on keeping the shoulders on the same plane and have put up back to back 990ish rounds in minis. The drives came out flatter and my anhyzer lines were pure and not stalling. Threw a couple 375ft QMS shots which I had been struggling with. only think keeping me back from consistently playing 1000 rated golf is the putting game.

[Trey133]

I'm right there with you brother. Days where I put good I'm 1010... Days where I am feeling shaky on anything 15 out I'm looking fighting for 980s.

[Steady 26542]

ZJ, nice form! To me, it looks like the disc is a bit further away from your body when it hits the rt pec. Maybe it's just the angle the vid was taken at.

Well done!

[zj1002]

yeah I think that was because my arm was breaking downward when it came into the right pec. That is a problem I have been working with for a while. I physically lose power when I throw purely flat like you see with Avery. I get more power and control when I drive right below the pec line. The problem with this method is that my shoulders can get wonky.



this picture was taken by ZAM. I think it is an Xcal that went about 500ft(took the hair right off his bald head). I drive my back shoulder pretty hard through the throw.

I have gotten to the point where I don't really care if my form is perfect or not. When I pull flat like Avery my back gets stiff, so I can't do that long term. I can drive a disc far enough on controlled lines to compete. The only thing holding me back is the lack of competitive experience.

[dgdave]

I physically lose power when I throw purely flat like you see with Avery.I get more power and control when I drive right below the pec line. The problem with this method is that my shoulders can get wonky.

Same thing here. I really fucked up my throw for a couple months trying to throw like Avery

[dgdave]

Well, I come across my pecs, but start out below my waist