Better to develop opposite hand or opposite style?

[Discgolfer420]

I currently throw almost exclusively LHFH, it works well for me but I want to develop other parts of my game. My backhand driving is very inconsistent so I am considering developing a RHFH instead of continuing trying to "fix" my crap backhand. Curious what other think, work on my weak LHBH or try to develop a RHFH?

 

[Ricta]

I think that would depend on the person. Personally, my left half is completely retarded. I stick to my dominant hand and am currently trying to develop my RHFH.

 

[ninjalectual1]

When I had been playing for a few months, I slipped in a creek and broke a rib. I couldn't throw forehanded for 6 or 7 weeks, so I was forced to learn to throw backhand. It was the best thing that could have happened to my game! I am far better throwing primarily BH than I ever was relying on my FH. My advice is take a step backward in order to take several steps forward!

 

[ru4por]

I think that would depend on the person. Personally, my left half is completely retarded. I stick to my dominant hand and am currently trying to develop my RHFH.

Agreed, most people have little coordination with the off hand. But, the primary consideration should be that a LHBH and RHFH are two very different shots. Different angles, requiring different lines, and room. Seems like developing an arsenal of throws on one side would be a sound stategy before moving to the other hand.

 

[ejvogie]

While a RHFH and a LHBH finish in the same direction, their flights can be pretty different. Add whichever is easier for you, but don't completely give up on either. We have a guy locally that can throw BH and FH with both hands, it opens up SOOOO many different lines for him.

 

[Questatement]

I automatically hate that guy!

 

[punch]

It depends. I am right hand dominate but I throw LHBH. So throwing RHBH and RHFH came really easy. My LHBH is still better than RHBH but they are pretty close since the coordination from being right hand dominate is there. But my LHFH is horrible like maybe 60ft max horrible. I am working on it since I already have the other 3 options. So it really depends on how much you want to have a RHFH and how much time do you have. If you are left hand dominate throwing LHBH might come a little easier for you. But learning RHFH would be a good thing to learn also.

 

[BENFTS]

I happen to be very ambidextrous and I encourage everyone to use both hands. I learned how to throw at a young age which benefited me greatly when I hurt my right shoulder years ago. During a round of 18 holes it's not uncommon for me to throw LHBH, RHBH, RHFH, thumbers, and tomahawks with rather even disbursement. My suggestion would be to work on all types of throws with both hands and to keep at it till you see the progress you're after. A few of the videos on my YouTube show me throwing with both hands and the link is located below in my signature.

 

[bogeyfreetilinfinity]

whether its easier rh or lh, you definitely want to develop a backhand drive. start by playing catch with a lid, then learn to throw mids, then work on snapping all hell out of a driver and just make micro corrections from there.

 

[bbotte]

The hard part is not actually throwing with the other arm, it is making your body do the foot work and form opposite of which you normally throw. That was the hard part for me (the X step opposite of a right hand throw), now I don't think about it, I don't notice myself changing my footwork to throw with my left hand. I think it's easier to stick to one arm and learn forehand and backhand on that one arm.

 

[BENFTS]

The hard part is not actually throwing with the other arm, it is making your body do the foot work and form opposite of which you normally throw. That was the hard part for me (the X step opposite of a right hand throw), now I don't think about it, I don't notice myself changing my footwork to throw with my left hand. I think it's easier to stick to one arm and learn forehand and backhand on that one arm.

Agreed, the footwork is pretty tough to get right for a little bit.

 

[thunder3boy]

OP, why develop a forehand with your weak arm before learning to throw backhand with your good arm? Definitely work on your backhand first.

 

[paulw]

LHBH and RHFH are different? How? The disc has mphs and rpms the same, I'm relatively certain the disc isn't going to fly differently coming from a LHBH or RHFH given the same forces . . . right?

 

[Dan Ensor]

I've been working on my dominant forehand and non-dominant backhand for a while now. My forehand shots are better for upshots, and go awry less often. However, my backhand is cleaner when driving. Trying to go max D forehand usually ends up with lots of wrist roll, and a wounded duck.


Now ... non-dominant forehand ...

 

[blackcatsmith]

Both. Forehands are great for getting out of trouble, low skip shots, all sorts of potential there. Backhands are great for hyzer spikes, high straight putter shots, what have you... the list is endless. But there is no reason not to learn them all. They all have their distinct attributes and advantages.

 

[Dan Ensor]

Well, the reason not to learn all of them is that every throw you take left handed is one that you can't take right handed. I'll never develop my chicken-wing, because I feel my time would be spent better honing my backhand. Even though I might have more options available to me if I had a workable chicken-wing.

 

[Timeetyo]

I throw RHBH (~275) primarily with a (sorta) serviceable RHFH (~225) that is used when needed to get out of jail or when I am less likely to screw up a L>R line with FH than an anny shot BH. I wish I had a ~150 LHFH shot for getting out of jail as it would be super helpful.

For those who are saying to work on them all - if only there were that many hours in the day. In a perfect world I'd bring my RHFH up to par with my RHBH and get my LHFH to at least where my RHFH is now. But....there are only so many throws in the day I can get in and at the point I am at now I am more likely to save strokes by just focusing on the 2 styles (I spend ~75% of the non-putting time on BH and ~25% on FH/OH shots).

Now there may be a point where I plateau with RHBH and time would be better spent on RHFH and even adding that LHFH shot. As it is now though - I'm taking strokes off my games faster with the course I have set.

 

[1978]

Learn to throw every style both hand.

 

[ejvogie]

LHBH and RHFH are different? How? The disc has mphs and rpms the same, I'm relatively certain the disc isn't going to fly differently coming from a LHBH or RHFH given the same forces . . . right?

I can't explain scientifically, but the flight paths ARE different. It probably has something to do with most forehanders being torque monkeys.

 

[whentherainscome]

I can't explain scientifically, but the flight paths ARE different. It probably has something to do with most forehanders being torque monkeys.

I have the opposite problem, the foot work is good enough to generate some power, but my arm is just a noodle holding a disc. I get some decent D (compared to my friends trying their offhand shots), massive OAT and after about 3 throws so much blood has rushed into my hand that I have to stop.