Dear technique gurus,

[wolfobert]

I need some something to work on. Like so many, I'm stuck in the strong-arming plateau (300-350 feet). I've read most of the material here and on DGR, and while I've had the occasional epiphany, I still only throw maybe 30 feet farther than 3 years ago (with really horrible form). Somehow, I fear that I won't get this snap business anytime soon, but perhaps I can improve my body positions a bit?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKI1fIaqaH0

The throws in the video are 300-330ish, which is what I expect to throw on most throws.

Any pointers? Thanks in advance.

Yours truly
wolfobert

 

[sidewinder22]

You turn around before getting on your plant leg and pivoting on it and maintaining balance through finish.

 

[Chainsgoching]

Really stoked to try out this "crush the can" technique once the snow is gone. :thmbup:

 

[clard]

What sw said. You need to plant and go in to the hit more closed. It also doesn't seem like you are really getting much out of your back leg. Pushing off of the back toes and bringing that back knee in/under you will get your hips moving and that's where the real power is.

 

[wolfobert]

What sw said. You need to plant and go in to the hit more closed. It also doesn't seem like you are really getting much out of your back leg. Pushing off of the back toes and bringing that back knee in/under you will get your hips moving and that's where the real power is.

By closed, you mean the alignment of my hips (or toe-to-toe-line) to the target line, right? Somehow, I always thought I turn my hips back too far away from the target (too closed?). So I should actually turn away even more? Or is just the timing of the turn that's off?

Anyway, thanks for the tips, everyone. Will try to focus on my footwork more (this is actually something I neglected a bit so far).

 

[horsethief]

In addition to what SW said I would add: To me, it looks like you're just trying to accelerate as fast as possible from your maximum reach-back -- and also some rounding.

Watch this section of this video (thanks SW for making this):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlyD1ynQrh4&t=3m33s

I want you to do that up against the wall just like SW, feel how you have to push back against the wall in order to apply force to the wall. Then, when you go to a field, from your reachback, do the crush the can drill, to get your brace going + creating your initial momentum. From there once you have some momentum, pound the wall just like in the video (right now the disc is slipping out of your hand before you even get to this position). Don't try to do some super hulk pounding either -- just try to relax, go slow and smooth, get a feel for it.

 

[clard]

By closed, you mean the alignment of my hips (or toe-to-toe-line) to the target line, right? Somehow, I always thought I turn my hips back too far away from the target (too closed?). So I should actually turn away even more? Or is just the timing of the turn that's off?

Anyway, thanks for the tips, everyone. Will try to focus on my footwork more (this is actually something I neglected a bit so far).

To clarify, I'm not saying you should turn them back more or less. I meant that your hips and chest or very open on release of the disc rather than bracing and keeping your body more closed so that your arm whips out. There has to be some hesitation of the shoulders to allow the arm to whip out from the right pec position, and bracing closed is how you get that to happen. This is the primary thing I'm working on in my form right now, actually. It's huge for accuracy and feeling the hit. If you don't get the shoulder hesitation that lets the arm whip out then you are probably rotating through the hit instead of letting it happen.

 

[wolfobert]

To clarify, I'm not saying you should turn them back more or less. I meant that your hips and chest or very open on release of the disc rather than bracing and keeping your body more closed so that your arm whips out. There has to be some hesitation of the shoulders to allow the arm to whip out from the right pec position, and bracing closed is how you get that to happen. This is the primary thing I'm working on in my form right now, actually. It's huge for accuracy and feeling the hit. If you don't get the shoulder hesitation that lets the arm whip out then you are probably rotating through the hit instead of letting it happen.

I really do have a problem to naturally (without tricepts) get my arm to whip out, hopefully I can get something out of the drills you guys suggested (did not have any cans to crush, but will try to do so until the weekend). Thanks again, everyone.

Just to clarify, since this might be a huge misconception on my part, am I not supposed to actively rotate through the hit (using hip and shoulder rotation)? With a slight delay at the right pec position to get the arm to whip out? I always thought this is the late acceleration everyone is talking about. Is the hit supposed to be passive, using the momentum built up to that point?

 

[sidewinder22]

I really do have a problem to naturally (without tricepts) get my arm to whip out, hopefully I can get something out of the drills you guys suggested (did not have any cans to crush, but will try to do so until the weekend). Thanks again, everyone.

Just to clarify, since this might be a huge misconception on my part, am I not supposed to actively rotate through the hit (using hip and shoulder rotation)? With a slight delay at the right pec position to get the arm to whip out? I always thought this is the late acceleration everyone is talking about. Is the hit supposed to be passive, using the momentum built up to that point?

You do need to use some muscle added to momentum. At the hit everything is tense, just like you would be punching someone/thing, because it hits back. It's hard to explain the hip/shoulder rotation because everything happens in a split second and there seems to be variance between styles. At the hit, I'd say I'm using more shoulder abduction than rotation, the rotation is more about getting out of the way. My hip is more or less just pivoting from momentum since my rear foot has left the ground already.

 

[clard]

I really do have a problem to naturally (without tricepts) get my arm to whip out, hopefully I can get something out of the drills you guys suggested (did not have any cans to crush, but will try to do so until the weekend). Thanks again, everyone.

Just to clarify, since this might be a huge misconception on my part, am I not supposed to actively rotate through the hit (using hip and shoulder rotation)? With a slight delay at the right pec position to get the arm to whip out? I always thought this is the late acceleration everyone is talking about. Is the hit supposed to be passive, using the momentum built up to that point?

What sw said. You do actively rotate through BUT the timing is the critical part of this. Bracing closed is what causes the delay. While you should be tense at the hit, I think that getting a feel for the hit is easiest if you are super smooth and loose and really minimize what your arm is doing. Once you get a feel for it, and see how much magic the hit can do even without engaging your arm/shoulders very much then you will be able to add them back in and preserve that feeling. While you are trying to find the hit stay loose and slow and smooth.

 

[slowplastic]

In addition to all of these responses, I just want to bring up that you are throwing nose up. Play around with your grip a bit and try to find something that fixes these issues. I can see the flight plate of your disc during the flight, and also the flight path isn't as penetrating as it would be with a more nose down trajectory. This will definitely help add some distance, especially when combined with the other advice.