Went to forehand- WOW

[PA_Disc]

So after throwing my new discs around for the last week or so, I was still having some issues throwing my new wraith. I was able to straighten it out considerably, but still had some issues getting the distance out of it. I've noticed quite a few guys throwing FH, so I said what the heck lets give it a shot. WOW! I could not believe how much easier it was to throw FH. My first throw FH I sailed it a bit high, but after that it was like throwing a laser. I easily added another 70'+ throwing the Wraith FH. I even got the disc to do that S-curve business. Im glad I gave it a shot.

[brokenfixed]

Yeah Im in the same boat, except I never really learned a good backhand so now Im practicing that more because I became too dependant on forehand.

[magictenor1]

I have never gotten the hang of the forehand. I think I give up too easily on it.

[soladeos]

only playing since april. im so bad at the backhand. i took to the forehand so easily, too easily i think. i too need more BH practice. just can't get the thing to fly level in the direction i want it to go with a FH throw.

[brokenfixed]

I had trouble teaching my wife and a couple of my buddies, all I told them was "skip a rock" just throw the disc like you'd skip a rock. And they all got it right away. My wife still has trouble because she wont throw anything but her buzz...haha. Anyway it might be a little low at first, dont even worry about height. But if you can get that movement down you'll be able to work on it.

[PA_Disc]

Yea I have not given up on throwing with the BH, I was just amazed how much easier it was to throw FH.

[Rbuzz9]

definitely a bonus to have a long forehand especially if it's accurate. i was on the path to getting a better BH - then realized my Forehand was ridiculous, especially with discs that are better for it ( fast & overstable) so i sort of gave up on the BH. Now i still want a better backhand and i'm practicing that more. But it's great to have the FH for consistent accurate long distance.

[PA_Disc]

definitely a bonus to have a long forehand especially if it's accurate. i was on the path to getting a better BH - then realized my Forehand was ridiculous, especially with discs that are better for it ( fast & overstable) so i sort of gave up on the BH. Now i still want a better backhand and i'm practicing that more. But it's great to have the FH for consistent accurate long distance.


Yea its crazy fast and way more accurate than my BH. I think my second throw FH I was over 310' maybe 320'. I was asking myself, "why didnt I try this before?"

[brokenfixed]

Its wierd cause I get a better feeling from nailing a nice forehand than I do from having a really nice backhand shot. Like I'll throw a backhand and be like "cool"...and then I'll sail a nice forehand 2 foot off the ground and be like "holy freaking christ"....haha

[Rbuzz9]

Yea I have not given up on throwing with the BH, I was just amazed how much easier it was to throw FH.

Yeah i was blown away at how far a Firebird or Desroyer goes when i first tried flicking them. I feel like i'm barely throwing them and get big distance. Like a 2nd baseman's throw to first goes just as far as a OF's throw to home

[PA_Disc]

Yeah i was blown away at how far a Firebird or Desroyer goes when i first tried flicking them. I feel like i'm barely throwing them and get big distance. Like a 2nd baseman's throw to first goes just as far as a OF's throw to home

Yea thats a good analogy. I dont understand the physics behind it, but I dont really care if I keep getting distance and accuracy. I can wind up and throw as hard as I can BH and the Wraith flys like a mid range. Open up my stance and give it a firm flick and it flies like a rocket????

[Rbuzz9]

Yea thats a good analogy. I dont understand the physics behind it, but I dont really care if I keep getting distance and accuracy. I can wind up and throw as hard as I can BH and the Wraith flys like a mid range. Open up my stance and give it a firm flick and it flies like a rocket????

apparently you get more snap or spin FH - and that combined with faster armspeed does the trick - i guess - i think there are articles explaining it

sort of seems counterintuitive because when you throw BH you're grabbing the rim and releasing it to spin, - you know you're releasing it with spin. but Forehand you do nothing more than push the inside of the rim towards your target as you're throwing forwards

[PA_Disc]

No doubt I get more snap from the FH. I just dont know how to generate that same snap BH. I guess the key is practice.

[garublador]

I'd guess it's a combination of more nose down and off axis torque, but I'm far from an expert. If it really was more spin and speed then most big arms would be able to throw farther forehand rather than backhand.

[DiscChainBasket18]

When I first started playing DG I was shown the backhand style. Try as I might, I could not get a disc to fly very far without a big, high fade left (RHBH). It was frustrating as hell because as a kid I threw a frisbee almost every day & was pretty good at it. I struggled for a few months & then one day I tried a side arm flick. Well, to my surprise the disc went long & straight & flat. I said to myself "I must be a side armer" which was cool because I could finally throw a disc with some accuracy & distance. But I noticed most (pro) pros only threw backhand. I was determined to learn the BH throw & with much research, trial & error, friends advice, DVD purchases, etc. I now have a pretty good backhand. I still use my sidearm shot a lot for right hand turn holes as I haven't quite consistantly mastered the BH flip. But since I have a sidearm shot available I think it makes me a more balanced disc golfer. I have since added the overhead tommy & thumber & am now attempting the oft maligned 'roller'.

[sidewinding]

Like a 2nd baseman's throw to first goes just as far as a OF's throw to home

I hate to be the A-hole but that just does'nt sound right. As my dad would say "I think you may have your balls twisted on that one".

[iDisc]

are you a newer player?

i started out throwing FH because i got 250 feet with no skill or practice. after practicing my BH i can throw it much farther and with much more control. i now only use fh shots for going right around an obstacle

[Rbuzz9]

I hate to be the A-hole but that just does'nt sound right. As my dad would say "I think you may have your balls twisted on that one".

a sidearm flick is basically shortarming it - you dont see too many 2nd basemen just gunning it over to 1st on the avg play

[discinvan]

I am a RHBH thrower. When I started playing DG back in May I would throw every driver off every TEE. I could never get any consistancy off a FH shot. When I play in the local league one of guys throw an outragous FH that goes forever. I have been practiceing and when I do get a good flick it flys much farther than my BH. As a beginner it is much easier to get that extra spin needed for distance with a forehand. I also see a lot of females using the forehand.

[PA_Disc]

I am a RHBH thrower... I also see a lot of females using the forehand.

You calling me a chick? :mad: :D

I am gonna get out again tonight to mess around with the new discs. I am going to try and improve the FH and work on the BH as well. I would really like to be able to throw the discs all BH and use the FH as necessary. When I would use the flick, the distance drivers and some fairway drivers would still fade left, but the middies would really anhyzer nicely. I am gonna mess with that some more as well.

[treethacker]

Had to switch to the FH after the BH starting tearing up my knees.
My distance is just a little bit further than my BH drives (we're working on that:))but my accuracy seems to be a whole lot better.
I like the "skip a rock" idea,sounds about right.

[discinvan]

You calling me a chick? :mad: :D

.

:p maybe I am :D

Not really; my point was that I see people that have slower speed use FH throws to get some extra distance.

[qheaton]

are you a newer player?

i started out throwing FH because i got 250 feet with no skill or practice. after practicing my BH i can throw it much farther and with much more control. i now only use fh shots for going right around an obstacle

I did the same thing. I have to say that I still think a FH will get more speed and distance because of the physics of the hand movement. I've just started playing since May, and I started out with a FH that was so impressive over my BH. But, now that I've learned how to throw a decent BH and play with that almost all the time, my forehand is awful. No control and I can't throw flat.

I guess I just need more practice.

[Lewis]

I can't speak for everyone, but I get more spin from my forehand than from my backhand because my wrist is much more active with a forehanded motion. I suppose that's why Ultimate players call it the "flick." I still don't throw it as far forehanded, though, since I can generate greater launch speed with my backhand. This may sound strange, but discs that are long and stable for my backhanded throw are shorter but unpredictably understable for my forehanded throw. I guess that just means my forehand needs more practice. :)

[treethacker]

Still not getting much more distance on my fh than my bh .
I am kinda getting the feeling that you have to have really really strong arms to get any real distance (300 ft,a feat I am beginning to believe I will never see).I think this idea of a certain snap of the wrist or a certain twist of the body to get the distance only happens if you have very strong arm strength to begin with.
Beginning to think that 230' is about all I will get. I quit watching the people who can throw it 300 plus feet cause it made me sick:(

[Lewis]

It's not really about strength. You don't have to be muscular to throw it 300 feet. After all, the disc only weighs a few ounces. It's really about speed, which comes from coordination more than from strength. You want your arm to be like a whip: the increasing acceleration continues through the release. The faster your arm is moving at the moment of release, the faster the disc will be moving. It's explosive, but not really all that muscular.

[treethacker]

mmm...well maybe I have no coordination:(

[Lewis]

My forehand sucks too. But that's okay. It's still a fun game. :)

[discflinger]

Had to switch to the FH after the BH starting tearing up my knees.
My distance is just a little bit further than my BH drives (we're working on that:))but my accuracy seems to be a whole lot better.
I like the "skip a rock" idea,sounds about right.

Great, so now you're gonna start working on destroying that elbow? But seriously, try pointing straight at your line in your follow through.

[dobbins66]

I've been playing for 4 years and about 95% FH off the tee, other 5% is primarily thumbers with an occasional BH on holes under 175ft. I can reach 350 ft easily with my forehand and 275+ with thumbers but only about 175 (consistently) with my backhand. I played some softball and the forehand/overhand throws seem natural and after 4 years I haven't had any pain issues. Just need to practice the BH because I know the problem is lack of form(footwork, grip, release), I just never get any practice time. Wish I'd picked up the game before turning 40! There are various FH grips and I've use two of them, I used to stack index & pointer finger in the rim but now throw with just one finger (pointer) laying in the rim of the disc. Accuracy & distance both improved when I went to this. I know others who throw with various two-finger grips that get good distance, so there is no right or wrong just figuring out what works for you. If I could only putt from 25'-30' !!!

[discflinger]

I, also, use one finger and manage about 350'. RHBH normally, though.

[treethacker]

I have found that I get alot more distance when I throw the disc fh if I just wedge the disc between my thumb and forefinger and not put my forefinger inside the rim but leave it curled up so that the disc rest on it and my thumb rest on top. I have got about 20 more feet this way.
I am thinking that I could get even more distance if I did put my forefinger in the inner rim but the problem with that is that I end up have my finger "grap" the rim when I try to throw. Any sugestions on how to change that?

[brokenfixed]

When I first started thowing forehand I had just one finger on the inside rim, but I noticed the rim was getting hung up a bit on the side of my index finger like youre describing. I was actually getting a bit of a blood blister from it. So then I switched to the 2 finger grip and it changed. I guess because one finger controls the inside rim and the other finger is meant to guide the flight plate just over the finger.

[dark12]

I definitely agree that it is good to have a FH throw in your bag of tricks, but relying on one or the other all the time isn't such a good idea.

[austinirish]

After trying a RHFH with it, I now have a favorite driver. That sucker flew and didn't stop. I would max 300 ft with some of the lesser discs on a rhbh. But with a rhfh excaliber throw, I was able to nearl ace a 350 foot hole.
:eek:

[ERicJ]

After trying a RHFH with it, I now have a favorite driver. That sucker flew and didn't stop. I would max 300 ft with some of the lesser discs on a rhbh. But with a rhfh excaliber throw, I was able to nearl ace a 350 foot hole.Sweet. Looking forward to the competition! :D

ERic

[Riley]

I have just throwing forehand and I am loving it. I always have trouble turning a disc over to the right (I am a rhbh). Now with this new flick shot I have its great!!

[valkyriefb11]

This weekend was the first time I actually used forehand in play ... it worked very well. I dont think I'll use it all the time, but its always helpful to have a few different throws in your bag.

[skottyb]

Just remember to stretch a lot before you throw forehand, if not it will eventually catch up with you and you are going to be feeling some pain. Take out a good five minutes and do any arm/hand stretches you can, should be some good information about this online.

[swarren1977]

Just remember to stretch a lot before you throw forehand, if not it will eventually catch up with you and you are going to be feeling some pain. Take out a good five minutes and do any arm/hand stretches you can, should be some good information about this online.

Always a good idea before doing any athletic activity, but especially true when preparing to do some forehand drives.

[leathercash]

I'm not sure how it is where you guys are,but I get a lot of spaz from guys who throw back hand BECAUSE I flick. For whatever reason,maybe it's just because of my build but I get hella distance just flicking. I get ZERO accuarcy up close for damn sure,but I can really push it out there pretty good when my flick is on.

[discflinger]

Are you a baseball player?(not to say you aren't a dger)

[leathercash]

^ Yeah I did pitch in high school,and I still play hockey,it's just the way my arm works. Its way more efficient for me to throw for than back. Whenever I do thrown BH my shoulder kills me.

[swarren1977]

I love to flick. It’s how I got introduced to the sport. I'm struggling to get my RHBH game up to speed but there’s just something about the flick. I can drop some serious long bombs when I'm on. For some reason I haven't been able to duplicate this success with my backhand. It’s frustrating at times, but nice knowing that when it does finally come together (my RHBH) it’s going to be a wicked nasty game I bring to the table with both a backhand and a killer flick.

[JHern]

I've been struggling with getting rid of my strong-arm backhand, and in the meantime I've gone back to forehand dominant and really accomplishing a lot with it. I'm getting closer than ever to acing some really tough holes, and getting a lot more birdies since I can get controlled distance again...

...I also throw a Star Wraith for FH shots, it is 164g, so a little bit lighter. Wonderful disc, I can make this do anything. I almost aced the 580 ft downhill at DeLaveaga a week ago with it.

[solomon.trenton]

i throw LHBH most of the time and realized that i can make the fly as if im throwing RHBH by throwing forearm. it is amazing.