A Quick Thought on The Power Pocket

[Bradley Walker]

If you really, really want to see something that will improve your power and accuracy, I believe you need to work on "feeling" the power pocket is left of your target. I believe that the "feeling" of the correct power pocket is one where you pull straight and then into the elbow lead it changes to "feeling" that your lower arm now points decidedly left of the target. It will, in fact, be straight (even though it is quite possible if you watch McBeth you will see a moment where his elbow for a split second points left) but as you enter the portion of the pull where the disc is passing the center of the chest, the lower arm will "feel" like it is pointing 45 degrees left of the target, and in that moment try to maintain that more for a moment... This keeps the shoulders closed longer and allows the elbow lead to develop.

For me, it also makes me feel like I throw around my lead hip joint much better, and I do not get jammed. I feel this might be because the elbow lead is going around so nicely and not trying to pull into myself, which is what most people do, and their pocket collapses and "rounds". They feel they need to "get out of the way" when they don't. I can do this and with a "play catch" level of effort and throw a Wizard nearly 300 feet (nearly) with a one step and stack them one on top of the other.

PS: The ejection is so much more consistent also, and you can really get hold of the rim and not worry at all about "grip locking", which essentially a rightward pointing power pocket that never developed rotationally. So, you can throw more aggressively with more power and still be very accurate.

Bradley

[deyo7]

Originally Posted by Bradley Walker

If you really, really want to see something that will improve your power and accuracy, I believe you need to work on "feeling" the power pocket is left of your target. I believe that the "feeling" of the correct power pocket is one where you pull straight and then into the elbow lead it changes to "feeling" that your lower arm now points decidedly left of the target. It will, in fact, be straight (even though it is quite possible if you watch McBeth you will see a moment where his elbow for a split second points left) but as you enter the portion of the pull where the disc is passing the center of the chest, the lower arm will "feel" like it is pointing 45 degrees left of the target, and in that moment try to maintain that more for a moment... This keeps the shoulders closed longer and allows the elbow lead to develop.

For me, it also makes me feel like I throw around my lead hip joint much better, and I do not get jammed. I feel this might be because the elbow lead is going around so nicely and not trying to pull into myself, which is what most people do, and their pocket collapses and "rounds". They feel they need to "get out of the way" when they don't. I can do this and with a "play catch" level of effort and throw a Wizard nearly 300 feet (nearly) with a one step and stack them one on top of the other.

PS: The ejection is so much more consistent also, and you can really get hold of the rim and not worry at all about "grip locking", which essentially a rightward pointing power pocket that never developed rotationally. So, you can throw more aggressively with more power and still be very accurate.

Bradley

When you say "your lower arm now points decidedly left of the target." Do you mean if you're lower arm were a gun, Your fist would be the stock end and the bullet would shoot out your elbow 45 degrees left of target?

[Bradley Walker]

Yes. But the disc does not shoot out of your elbow And it is a "feel" I doubt you would want to be at 45 degrees left, and it happens in an instant.

[UhhNegative]

Aren't you just describing an inside-out swing path? If you pause the big throwers at the release point, the disc is basically as far away from the body as possible with the elbow almost all the way extended.

[Bradley Walker]

Originally Posted by UhhNegative

Aren't you just describing an inside-out swing path? If you pause the big throwers at the release point, the disc is basically as far away from the body as possible with the elbow almost all the way extended.

I suppose that would be it, but it is only a feel of inside to out (and it is as you described) and it is only from the tuck to the ejection. The pull is not inside to out. It feel like a reverse capital P to me.

[Countchunkula]

Never thought about it that way before.

Glad to see you posting over here Bradley. I was a long time lurker over at DGR and learned a ton from your posts. Actually applying that knowledge to my throw (and not reverting to a hybrid of new and old form); it a whole nother challenge.

[Bradley Walker]

Originally Posted by Countchunkula

Never thought about it that way before.

Glad to see you posting over here Bradley. I was a long time lurker over at DGR and learned a ton from your posts. Actually applying that knowledge to my throw (and not reverting to a hybrid of new and old form); it a whole nother challenge.

Focus on the lower arm as I described. Work from the lower arm backward to the rest of the body will follow your arm angles and fix many of the problems themselves. Start with catch speed and a stack of putters. Don't be afraid to REALLY point that lower arm left leaving the tuck... keeping the shoulder closed and lower arm left go together.

PS: You may find that you really need to get that thumb wrapped around the rim to hold on as the outward force from the center of the exit spin is going to go through the roof.

[Putt for D'oh]

Originally Posted by Bradley Walker

Focus on the lower arm as I described. Work from the lower arm backward to the rest of the body will follow your arm angles and fix many of the problems themselves. Start with catch speed and a stack of putters. Don't be afraid to REALLY point that lower arm left leaving the tuck... keeping the shoulder closed and lower arm left go together.

Just a clarification, then you are focusing on aiming with the lower-arm/elbow and the shoulder will stay closed rather than try and aim with the shoulder and I guess just "keep the shoulder closed". With this idea aim the lower arm left the shoulder stays closed because what else would it do?

[Bradley Walker]

Originally Posted by Putt for D'oh

Just a clarification, then you are focusing on aiming with the lower-arm/elbow and the shoulder will stay closed rather than try and aim with the shoulder and I guess just "keep the shoulder closed". With this idea aim the lower arm left the shoulder stays closed because what else would it do?

I am hoping that you will feel that one leads to the other

[Bradley Walker]

Originally Posted by Putt for D'oh

With this idea aim the lower arm left the shoulder stays closed because what else would it do?

Exactly.