Offseason Improvement Thread

[TonLocVT]

Looking good. Rear foot angle is good 110-135 degrees is what I typically shoot for, it depends on how much backswing you want to open or close up. 90 degrees IMO is way too restricted for anything other than upshots or really short drives or unless you are physically pigeon toed like KJUSA.

Try to keep the stick level, yours tends to go up or down.

Hard to tell if your rear knee is fully extended/locked out, or maintaining some flex.

It changes between the two. Should it maintain some flex? I've been trying to straighten it out a bit, because of previous observations, but could easily have over-corrected if some flex is still advantageous.

Either way, once I get the pole holding steady, I suppose the next prescription is to do this over and over again until it's muscle memory, then try to replicate with a disc?

 

[sidewinder22]

When the rear foot pushes/plantar flexes the rear knee should also flex.

Correct.

 

[TonLocVT]

It's been getting dark earlier and earlier up here in Vermont. It's been a struggle to record form work in the garage as, even with maybe an hour of light when home, there certainly isn't enough to satisfy my iPhone.

After running some extension cables, I managed to figure it out while also having some great lighting effect.

Below is a check-in slow motion video. I think I'm still struggling with the rear leg when I actually throw the disc? Maybe my reach back is too high? What else do you see? Thanks for all the help on this.

Phantom bow load:


Slow motion check-in 1:


Check-in 2:

 

[sidewinder22]

Note how your right hip is extended, so your shoulder slides out like I talk about here. Need more forward tilted battering ram or shoveling posture swinging the shoulder over the hip and knee and foot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlyD1ynQrh4#t=3m26s

I think your hinge is more in your ankle or shoulder, instead of the thigh as Aimee demonstrates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um5cS9u_Y0w&t=4m32s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuvujcEMLxs#t=1m25s

 

[TonLocVT]

Note how your right hip is extended, so your shoulder slides out like I talk about here. Need more forward tilted battering ram or shoveling posture swinging the shoulder over the hip and knee and foot.

Glad to be making progress. I did some work in my basement with a broom and felt really silly. But definitely a good exercise in feeling the weight transfer needed.

A little backstory, I worked for a driving range as a teenager and put a lot of effort into hitting golf balls as far as possible. So, it makes sense that I need to work out drills into shifting my weight off my back foot in a backhand throw, as it's almost a reverse golf swing.

Anyway… here's what I've been able to put together in 5 minutes….

 

[Hampejo]

So, it makes sense that I need to work out drills into shifting my weight off my back foot in a backhand throw, as it's almost a reverse golf swing.

I would disagree. It's pretty much the same as a golf swing.

 

[TonLocVT]

I would disagree. It's pretty much the same as a golf swing.

If you're right handed, in golf you shift weight from right foot to left foot. In disc golf, you shift from your left foot to your right.

 

[bryantlikes]

So, it makes sense that I need to work out drills into shifting my weight off my back foot in a backhand throw, as it's almost a reverse golf swing.

It is an opposite hand golf swing (left handed if you're a righty). Try it out.

 

[Hampejo]

If you're right handed, in golf you shift weight from right foot to left foot. In disc golf, you shift from your left foot to your right.

I was referring to the getting off the back foot part, but I now I understand what you meant with reverse.

 

[sidewinder22]

Anyway… here's what I've been able to put together in 5 minutes….

Way too horizontal swing plane. You would never swing a battering ram like that, think more golf plane or shoveling snow/dirt. Your hands are spread way too far apart.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134415

 

[ray1970]

Forgive my bad photo editing. I know my lines are a little off.

Seems like in the pictures and videos you have a bit of leaning back and forth at the waist. I'm definitely not an expert but keeping your torso and spine in a more vertical position throughout the motion and your shoulders more parallel to the ground should smooth things out a bit.

I tried to draw a red line from the center of your head and straight inline with your spine. You can see the guy on the right is nearly vertical and perpendicular to the ground in both positions and your line is pretty far from plumb.

 

[sidewinder22]

Forgive my bad photo editing. I know my lines are a little off.

Seems like in the pictures and videos you have a bit of leaning back and forth at the waist. I'm definitely not an expert but keeping your torso and spine in a more vertical position throughout the motion and your shoulders more parallel to the ground should smooth things out a bit.

I tried to draw a red line from the center of your head and straight inline with your spine. You can see the guy on the right is nearly vertical and perpendicular to the ground in both positions and your line is pretty far from plumb.

I agree with the hit position, I'm standing up on the front leg while Tonloc is more jackknifed.

Looks can be deceiving though, hard to see the side bend of the spine and shoulder tilt in the backswing. I don't think that vertical spine and horizontal shoulders are the best swing thoughts or cues, it tends to mess things up.

Note how the broom end(purple) swings around behind the handle end, while my battering ram swings back with the ram end(purple) still in front of the butt/handle end. The swing of the ram is very different here.

Tonloc is trying to swing his shoulders too horizontal which causes him to tip over and swing around himself.

I'm trying to swing my shoulders on a more tilted or vertical swing plane, so it's much easier to stay braced inside the rear leg while the spine side bends and shoulders tilt and coil/load the backswing.

 

[TonLocVT]

Way too horizontal swing plane. You would never swing a battering ram like that, think more golf plane or shoveling snow/dirt. Your hands are spread way too far apart.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134415

Wow, yeah, this makes a lot of sense. I always felt way more power if my swing place was way lower than 90 degrees perpendicular to the ground, but actively avoided it because I always assumed this results in a hyzer release (along with rotating the wrist).

 

[TonLocVT]

I agree with the hit position, I'm standing up on the front leg while Tonloc is more jackknifed.

Looks can be deceiving though, hard to see the side bend of the spine and shoulder tilt in the backswing. I don't think that vertical spine and horizontal shoulders are the best swing thoughts or cues, it tends to mess things up.

Note how the broom end(purple) swings around behind the handle end, while my battering ram swings back with the ram end(purple) still in front of the butt/handle end. The swing of the ram is very different here.

Tonloc is trying to swing his shoulders too horizontal which causes him to tip over and swing around himself.

I'm trying to swing my shoulders on a more tilted or vertical swing plane, so it's much easier to stay braced inside the rear leg while the spine side bends and shoulders tilt and coil/load the backswing.

Ok, I'm working on adjusting my swing plane. In the video below, about halfway through, I start trying to initiate the forward movement of the pipe with the butt dropping. All while also keeping my nose over my toes. I think I'm doing it close to correct. I feel myself wanting to work in an elbow hit, but checking in to see if that would make sense, along with other observations.

Thanks everyone for the help, observations, and discussion.

 

[TonLocVT]

Just a form check in and asking for help. I think I'm struggling with a horse stance still. Wondering if I'm taking too large of steps?

I think my swing plane is improving, but now something looks wrong at release that I don't really understand. I'm worried that my scoliosis affects the release plane, thus this weird final angle my body is in during the follow through.

Any help continues to be appreciated.

 

[TonLocVT]

Just a form check in and asking for help. I think I'm struggling with a horse stance still. Wondering if I'm taking too large of steps?

I think my swing plane is improving, but now something looks wrong at release that I don't really understand. I'm worried that my scoliosis affects the release plane, thus this weird final angle my body is in during the follow through.

Any help continues to be appreciated.

Video didn't work.

 

[sidewinder22]

Work on your swing from standstill. Extra steps are not helping. Your disc is all over the place up by your left shoulder and then going downward sharply.

Note how Simon's disc stays swinging slightly below his nipples and the elbow is pointed more upward, also note his left elbow is next to his hip.

If there is a nail on the wall, how would you hammer it?

 

[TonLocVT]

Work on your swing from standstill. Extra steps are not helping. Your disc is all over the place up by your left shoulder and then going downward sharply.

Note how Simon's disc stays swinging slightly below his nipples and the elbow is pointed more upward, also note his left elbow is next to his hip.

If there is a nail on the wall, how would you hammer it?

Thanks! So I'm checking to make sure I understand the physics of this correctly…

The 2 purposes of "leading with your elbow" is to:

• pull your center of mass closer to your body, allowing you to increase your rotational acceleration during the disc acceleration

• it allows you to leverage the hinge of your elbow and fling the disc out towards the target, giving it an extra level of acceleration and rotation

Are these things combined are what players refer to as the power pocket? Is there something I'm missing?

I spent a bit of time working on the drills mentioned above this weekend. I find recording from the rear to be much more insightful. Here is the result:

 

[bryantlikes]

I spent a bit of time working on the drills mentioned above this weekend.

Two suggestions for the hammer throw.

1. Watch these hammer toss videos. Hammers are slightly different.




2. Please don't do this drill in front of windows or anything else that is breakable. If you're doing the drill correctly there is a good chance it you won't be able to hold onto the hammer.

 

[sidewinder22]

Yeah, be careful swinging inside. Swing slow and effortless. Try some super slow motion swings and feel the tension in the wrist. Your grip looks really choked up on the handle, move it down to the end.