ChrisWoj Form Thread - Eliminate my skip?

[ChrisWoj]

Alright, may as well put myself out there. I've been aware of the fact that I need to cut the skip out of my approach for a long time, so what's the best drill for getting rid of the damn thing?

Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mubIjbjMvDI

This is about 80-90% power, slight hyzer rising release. Imagining Cass Benton hole #16 uphill drive as I throw.

Anything else aside from the shot that appears to be an issue?

[oldmandiscer]

You do a lot of good things but a couple things I notice right away. You're turning back too early (before the x step) which could be a potential power loss and the reach back is a bit too high which could cause some nose up.

I would try looking at the target till your left foot hits the ground on the x step and simply reach back lower overall. I don't see why a hop or skip is bad IMO, it's just turning back too early. Overall nice positions and form.

[timothy42b]

I don't know enough about form to comment but I have a suggestion about your tee pad.

Rather than a carpet, you might consider the rubber matt called a horse stall matt, available at any farm supply store. Mine is 4x6 feet by 3/4 inch thick, weighs about 100 pounds, The top is smooth and the bottom has little rubber circles that make it stick to the ground and not slip.

[ChrisWoj]

Originally Posted by timothy42b

I don't know enough about form to comment but I have a suggestion about your tee pad.

Rather than a carpet, you might consider the rubber matt called a horse stall matt, available at any farm supply store. Mine is 4x6 feet by 3/4 inch thick, weighs about 100 pounds, The top is smooth and the bottom has little rubber circles that make it stick to the ground and not slip.

I'll look into the cost! I just drag that down from my porch when the ground is wet, to avoid throwing from the dirt.

[ChrisWoj]

Originally Posted by oldmandiscer

You do a lot of good things but a couple things I notice right away. You're turning back too early (before the x step) which could be a potential power loss and the reach back is a bit too high which could cause some nose up.

I would try looking at the target till your left foot hits the ground on the x step and simply reach back lower overall. I don't see why a hop or skip is bad IMO, it's just turning back too early. Overall nice positions and form.

Are you referring to me setting my arm? I think you're on to something with the high reach back I didn't like that on viewing the video either. But on the reach back - would you agree that I don't extend at the shoulder until simultaneous with the left foot hitting? I try to get the arm into position early, but I'm not sure I really move into the actual extension until I set the foot.

[oldmandiscer]

Originally Posted by ChrisWoj

Are you referring to me setting my arm? I think you're on to something with the high reach back I didn't like that on viewing the video either. But on the reach back - would you agree that I don't extend at the shoulder until simultaneous with the left foot hitting? I try to get the arm into position early, but I'm not sure I really move into the actual extension until I set the foot.

If you see where the shoulders and disc is when the left foot initially hits (X-step) it's much further forward (towards the target) and the shoulders are fairly square still to the hips and feet and only starts to rotate back after the X-step. I did notice your disc starting forward a bit early as well which could be part of the overall timing of turning the shoulders back early.

[ChrisWoj]

Originally Posted by oldmandiscer

If you see where the shoulders and disc is when the left foot initially hits (X-step) it's much further forward (towards the target) and the shoulders are fairly square still to the hips and feet and only starts to rotate back after the X-step. I did notice your disc starting forward a bit early as well which could be part of the overall timing of turning the shoulders back early.

Gotcha. Definitely see what you're saying with that example.

[sidewinder22]

1. Keep your eyes/shoulder on the target until you are about to plant. Balance centered /forward moving into x-step. Your front heel is striding very high as you turn back early and end up leaning away, and then your front foot is coming into plant too downward instead of gliding forward just above ground with sudden drop into plant, note how Johne looks like he standing upright in 2 and turns everything back into rear leg striding forward into plant from there. Your front side goes from closed to opening up. Your front foot is kicking high on the ball/can. Should feel front foot stride/swing more underneath you into plant.

2. Keep left elbow tucked in backswing, you let it fly out/chicken wing behind your back like you are trying to add shoulder rotation with it which is counter productive and not good for the back. Need to use your hips to turn your shoulders in backswing on rear leg.

[ChrisWoj]

Originally Posted by sidewinder22

1. Keep your eyes/shoulder on the target until you are about to plant. Balance centered /forward moving into x-step. Your front heel is striding very high as you turn back early and end up leaning away, and then your front foot is coming into plant too downward instead of gliding forward just above ground with sudden drop into plant, note how Johne looks like he standing upright in 2 and turns everything back into rear leg striding forward into plant from there. Your front side goes from closed to opening up. Your front foot is kicking high on the ball/can. Should feel front foot stride/swing more underneath you into plant.

2. Keep left elbow tucked in backswing, you let it fly out/chicken wing behind your back like you are trying to add shoulder rotation with it which is counter productive and not good for the back. Need to use your hips to turn your shoulders in backswing on rear leg.

FINALLY. A use other than beersbee for those PVC pipes in my garage!

The responses from oldman and yourself have been enlightening - I really didn't recognize the reach back problem primarily because I felt like I was setting my arm in place but *not* reaching back until the the foot was set. I always felt like it was the extension at the shoulder that mattered. And it does... but the timing is being thrown off badly by the way I'm setting the disc.

Now as I go back to another video of mine I can really see the difference/problem with timing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv5lqiZanok
I still have the problems with the off-arm in this video of my throwing standstill, but throwing standstill seems to be forcing me to 'delay' my reachback to the proper point in a way because the drive foot never comes off the ground in the first place.

I had spent this summer/fall assuming that my drop off in maximum distance (best field work distance had been 580s for years, regularly topped out in 520s-530s this year) was the result of physical fitness issues: loss of grip strength because (until August) I hadn't done any hang/forearm exercises in a few years as well as some loss of explosive leg strength from lack of speed work in a few years, compounded by reaching my mid-30s. CLEARLY I need to clean up more in my form than I'd thought.