Better to develop opposite hand or opposite style?

[mm1315]

It honestly depends on you and the courses you play at. If you are only going to work on one definitely backhand, but eventually if you have the coordination both will be a great asset. This is true especially if you play wooded courses and get stuck in weird spots. Also in general BH is for distance and FH for accuracy for me.

 

[razorsmith.com]

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

I argue this with a friend quite a bit. He feels same as you in that scientifically they are different. They're not. The disc does not know if you are righty or lefty, FH or BH. how you throw them makes them different. I create more speed BH and more snap FH. So I tend to throw a bit farther BH and flip stable discs with a FH(torque monkey???). if I compare how a disc flies from me to you, the disc does not fly differently, we throw differently.

Back to OP, commit to learn both with one hand or commit to throw all with either hand. I (RHBH) tried LHBH for fun and sucked at it. Then I broke a finger on RH. 3 months of LHBH and it started to come around. A year later and I throw LHBH about 85% distance of RHBH but the accuracy is there. And I throw stable or flippy with either hand. I still throw 95% righty but having the LH is always a good conversation starter and fun to beat the friends with the off hand. Happy throwing.

Darren

 

[Halcón]

I had a lot of fun today throwing all FH. Before today, my FH was mostly used for getting out of trouble. I maybe only threw it once a round, if that. I was amazed at the difficulty of some of the holes when thrown FH, since they favor a RHBH line. Several of the holes that I always par were bogeys today.

The most difficult thing for me to get a hang of today was the angle of the throw. Annys were torqued too much, and hyzers were too hyzered. Being forced to throw completely new lines did wonders for my game, and I can't wait to try it again to hone my skills.

If anyone was thinking about throwing opposite style rounds, I highly recommend it.

 

[OJnBasquits]

Develope both arms, masseuse notice muscle definition

 

[IHearChains]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet in this thread is fatigue/soreness.

I can't get out and play every day due to schedule constraints, so if I'm in a 2-day tourney I can get sore or run out of gas toward the end. Having both BH and FH drives, including understable hyzer-flips with both types, allows me to spread fatigue around instead of focusing it on one muscle group. That has allowed me to outlast better players on a few occasions.

 

[ajbova]

Switching hands

I am right handed, my mom is left handed. She taught me how to do many things with the opposite hand. I would say I am somewhat ambidextrous with many things.

I dislocated my right shoulder in high school many many years ago. Every now and then it will pop out of socket and will hurt for a few days. Needless to say, there have been a few times where I have tried to play left handed because it hurts to move my right arm. I am awful left handed but it was fun to learn the game from a beginner perspective again with the opposite hand; motion, throws, flight lines of discs, putting. Haven't tried this in a few years, maybe should give it another go. Would still probably be able to beat my fiance!

 

[blackcatsmith]

A left handed back hand throw for right hand dominant people is actually very similar in technique to a right handed person swinging a club or a bat as far as the lower body is concerned. Practicing and playing rounds with my off arm(yes due to injury) greatly improved my understanding of the proper mechanics to throwing a solid backhand. Now just to be able to execute successfully on a consistent basis is the challenge(on any shot from either hand). I do think that regardless of their like finishes, a LHBH and RHFH are two different shots and IMO it's worth it to learn both... it's just fun.

 

[hellbound]

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

Im left handed and I can tell you that there is a big difference in lhbh and rhfh and visversa. Many times I can't get the same angle as a rhbh with a flick shot due to the offset of the body. Anyone that says they are the same needs to come over to the darkside.

As for learning them all. do what is confortable. I can throw a putter right handed to about 120 feet. (goal of 200) Does it make me a better player yes and no. I could use it in a round if im in complete trouble but there is always another line that could do better.

 

[wolfmandragon]

I argue this with a friend quite a bit. He feels same as you in that scientifically they are different. They're not. The disc does not know if you are righty or lefty, FH or BH. how you throw them makes them different.

Darren

Well, yes and no. Even pros tend to have less(lots) spin with a forehand shot. So while the rotation is the same, the stabilization vs the speed of flight is not the same. Therefore the flight path is different even with the same release vector.

End tangent.

Learn your weak hand if you can. I throw predominately RHBH. For upshots I do better with RHFH but if I need to power it up, I am more consistent with LHBH. This tells me that my footwork is better backhand...period. I find it easier to MIRROR my moves than to switch HOW I move.

 

[Timeetyo]

Well, yes and no. Even pros tend to have less(lots) spin with a forehand shot. So while the rotation is the same, the stabilization vs the speed of flight is not the same. Therefore the flight path is different even with the same release vector.

This. Although a disc doesn't care if it was thrown LHBH or RHFH in terms of how it flies - what does matter is that there are differing amounts of spin, release speed, angle, nose angle, etc. on a FH vs a backhand shot.

 

[ejvogie]

Case and point...

Try throwing a disc with a LHFH flex shot, and then duplicate the exact same line with a RHBH.

 

[Stardoggy]

Learn the backhand. That is all.

 

[Shamis]

Using the other hand is a good way to balance out the muscles and not be all crooked. But learning the alternate style with your dominant hand is probably a more efficient way to get better.