Brah-Brah-Bracing

[HyzerUniBomber]

Flah Flah Flunky

I chatted a bit with Chris L (CLard) about this feeling. I have been finding and losing the brace into recoil especially as I try to juice up the power. I have been seeing some great results in terms of power as I focused on squashing my thighs together during the brace.

Most recent attempt:


Throwing putters on hyzers:


I've been seeing quite a bit of conversation about difficulty with putters powered up. For me, the key is that you have to be 100% dead on with the release - so that there's zero wobble or flutter out of the hand. Following through on the angle that you're throwing on is the best way to kill off flutter. Aligning your wrist nice and flat with the disc so that it flies smooth right out of your hand helps a ton - and putting the power in the right places as well.

Back to the brace. The best thing I can describe is: there's a split second where my hips feel like they're bowing towards the target - then they're constrained by their natural locking points - and then there's a recoil back or sometimes left depending on how well I nail it.

I sometimes feel like a complete shift into the brace that absorbs my full momentum would allow me to stay balanced upon my plant foot - only opening the heal to release torque from my upper body following through. That is specific to hyzer shots.

Anhyzer shots like in the first video, at 0:48 - my weight is coming around differently so that I'm going to come forward. That drive was right around 450' with a teebird.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

I also want to point out how important the x-step direction is in terms of power. I had been, for a very long time, lining my x-step up as if I was throwing anhyzer (R to L) for all my shots. SW22 pointed this out at some point, way back and I don't think it clicked. Hyzers should move you from (L to R) to some degree - so that you are moving along the line of trajectory as opposed to throwing on a different trajectory than your momentum is moving.

Amazing that it took this long to make that change.

 

[01guin]

I also want to point out how important the x-step direction is in terms of power. I had been, for a very long time, lining my x-step up as if I was throwing anhyzer (R to L) for all my shots. SW22 pointed this out at some point, way back and I don't think it clicked. Hyzers should move you from (L to R) to some degree - so that you are moving along the line of trajectory as opposed to throwing on a different trajectory than your momentum is moving.

Amazing that it took this long to make that change.

Can you elaborate on that?

 

[Ender175]

Basically you want to come out of the x step with your front foot left of your back foot (relative to the direction of throw) this helps keep your momentum moving in a straight line and it closes your shoulders some so you can put more of your back into your throw.

 

[Pbmercil]

Can you elaborate on that?

Basically; a. RHBH hyzer x step should start at the back right of the tee box and finish at the front left. Anhyzer is the opposite. This is more of a general guideline then a hard and fast rule. As you progress in learning how to manipulate angles off the tee box it won't hold up all the time, but it's good to keep in mind and a helpful reminder to keep your stance closed.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Can you elaborate on that?

http://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=115966&page=2

Great diagrams on that page from CLard and SlowPlastic. MAC PAINT SUCKERS.

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Basically; a. RHBH hyzer x step should start at the back right of the tee box and finish at the front left. Anhyzer is the opposite. This is more of a general guideline then a hard and fast rule. As you progress in learning how to manipulate angles off the tee box it won't hold up all the time, but it's good to keep in mind and a helpful reminder to keep your stance closed.

Opposite.

RHBH Hyzer - goes from back left to front right.

RHBH Anhzyer - goes from back right to front left.

Think about how you see tourny footage of guys on the far right side of the teebox to throw rollers (extreme annie).

 

[Ender175]

Regardless of the line you take across the tee box, the final foot placement should be left of that line(rhbh) . Lizotte demonstrates it pretty clearly in his most recent distance clinic vid on youtube (too lazy to find and link, sorry)

 

[HyzerUniBomber]

Regardless of the line you take across the tee box, the final foot placement should be left of that line(rhbh) .

Right, I'm not saying "don't be closed".

Be closed.

I'm saying - direct your step in the direction you're throwing.

 

[Pbmercil]

Opposite.

RHBH Hyzer - goes from back left to front right.

RHBH Anhzyer - goes from back right to front left.

Think about how you see tourny footage of guys on the far right side of the teebox to throw rollers (extreme annie).

ACK. My bad, I was totally wrong. It seemed off when I was typing it. I confused myself because I throw a lot of tight woods golf that makes you take ton of different lines that don't hold up to the rule.

I think a slightly better way to put it is that you go back left to front right for any shot you want to start its flight on the left side out of your hand. You go back left to front right for any shot you want to start its flight on the right side out of your hand. The disc angle at release can be anywhere.

 

[slowplastic]

Yeah this stuff is so key. I noticed in your best looking shots (looking at balance during/after throw) you brace into your heel, rotate on axis through the heel, then shift onto your toes afterwards. On a couple that look a little more squirrely (again you throw farther than me, so just pointing it out), you shift immediately to your brace foot toes and step out. For example the throw at 0:32 of the first vid, where your upper body keeps coming through and your weight shifts onto your toes, and you have to step out of it. I'm bringing it up because I'm noticing how crucial this difference feels, for balance and setting in a firm axis to unload my shoulder from.

A bit of a question for getting momentum into the brace though: Should you be focused on pushing the weight forward/rear hip and thigh forward, or just let a smooth motion happen and focus on the flow of the throw? For example I found I was throwing best when I was thinking about the Door Frame Drill type stuff, where my plant foot's heel dropping gets my momentum forward and stretches out my upper body to begin that motion. My rear foot/thigh/hip naturally would come forward and I'd get into the brace and recoil.

I think tried to "improve" on this by pushing my rear hip forward like I would to generate power for a big baseball swing, so instead focusing on the shift forward rather than a weight transfer feeling...I know it sounds like the same thing but in my head the focus is different (front foot falling down into plant vs. rear side pushing forward). It resulted in me not throwing as well as the session before, and having so much impact that my brace leg's hip muscles were so sore that I haven't thrown for the last week. Obviously I did something improper and I know to not attack it the same way, but I'm just wondering how crucial is a big push from behind vs. just trying to have a smooth step, for power potential? Will the weight transfer happen enough if you just focus on that front plant foot dropping in...or to really get the upper levels of power do you have to slam that back hip forward?

 

[coupe]

I think a slightly better way to put it is that you go back left to front right for any shot you want to start its flight on the left side out of your hand. You go back left to front right for any shot you want to start its flight on the right side out of your hand.

Strike Two. Care to go for a third?

 

[sidewinder22]

Yeah that anhyzer was the only time your chin was up and out of the way your shoulder. You are leading your rotation with your head too much and in your hyzer throws leaning slightly back and burying your chin into your shoulder. You can turn much further back and freer keeping your chin up above your shoulder, and centering your head to get your weight more forward. You starting your pull with the elbow too much instead of swinging from the shoulder.

 

[Pbmercil]

Strike Two. Care to go for a third?

Nope. I give up

 

[sidewinder22]

A bit of a question for getting momentum into the brace though: Should you be focused on pushing the weight forward/rear hip and thigh forward, or just let a smooth motion happen and focus on the flow of the throw? For example I found I was throwing best when I was thinking about the Door Frame Drill type stuff, where my plant foot's heel dropping gets my momentum forward and stretches out my upper body to begin that motion. My rear foot/thigh/hip naturally would come forward and I'd get into the brace and recoil.

I think tried to "improve" on this by pushing my rear hip forward like I would to generate power for a big baseball swing, so instead focusing on the shift forward rather than a weight transfer feeling...I know it sounds like the same thing but in my head the focus is different (front foot falling down into plant vs. rear side pushing forward). It resulted in me not throwing as well as the session before, and having so much impact that my brace leg's hip muscles were so sore that I haven't thrown for the last week. Obviously I did something improper and I know to not attack it the same way, but I'm just wondering how crucial is a big push from behind vs. just trying to have a smooth step, for power potential? Will the weight transfer happen enough if you just focus on that front plant foot dropping in...or to really get the upper levels of power do you have to slam that back hip forward?

Your weight will transfer just maintaining your dynamic balance. It kind of depends on your width of stance and speed. Your push from the rear foot should be done before you are fully braced, so it's assisting "the fall" on the heel or crushing the can. If you are trying push after bracing you will jam up your lower back. If your stance is narrow/feet together drill in a standstill you can push through the brace without jamming up because you are centered on both feet, but once your feet are wider than your shoulders, you want to be done pushing before full brace/balance on the front foot.

 

[slowplastic]

Thanks, that makes sense for why the feeling works in baseball as well, while seeming different in my head. I know what you mean by assisting the fall feeling. I'll try to concentrate on a smooth forward balance and the brace, seems like that lets things fall into place and ends up with having the weight transfer. Got to take it one step at a time and actually zero in on this version of my form before I try to "fix" it even more.

 

[PWaggoner]

So two days ago I was crushing discs and then next day I try and go out to make a vid for review. It was awful. Same with yesterday. Anyway I realized the right side of my body was sore. I'm talking foot (even toes), back of my leg, hip, right side of my back and shoulder blade.

I know SS22 you'll say not to overdo field practice for mad D, I hadn't planned on it I just wanted to get a vid really bad to progress. I've been working drills and form for like a year since the last time I had a review and really think I've got it a lot better.

But does bracing good make you sore at first?

Edit. Also the bottom muscles of my arm and my hand. I literally couldn't grip the disc and kept having slips/ nose up noob hyzers.

 

[sidewinder22]

Muscle soreness is not unusual, especially if you haven't used those muscles. Joint pain is bad. Grip issue sounds like you are too tight too early and just fatigued yourself, but also could be related to swing arc.

 

[PWaggoner]

I think I was just tight in the grip because I was sore. I'm taking a break from drivers for a couple days and heal up. Going to start doing stretching and yoga to increase flexibility and balance.

I think my newest breakthrough came from not putting my chin down. And not turning my hips back much more then 90 degrees during the backswing.

Should I be pushing my butt out? I ask because seems like it's suggested in some other activities for helping with balance. And balance seems important in bracing.

 

[sidewinder22]

Should I be pushing my butt out? I ask because seems like it's suggested in some other activities for helping with balance. And balance seems important in bracing.

You should be in a dynamic athletic position to squat weight over your head/shoulders, so your butt leads/counters/anchors the weight of your head and swing.