My journey to 450feet consistently. Help!

[podskiii]

Hi everyone!

I have played disc golf since the start of July and I've been hooked since. I want to improve my game, and distance which is my primary goal at the moment. I started throwing standstill at a beginner course, every holes range from 98feet-295feet. I have a total of 113 full rounds tracked, 65 rounds at this course.

I'm pretty happy with how am I throwing standstill, even though I probably have a lot of flaws in my standstill game. Now I'm lurking around at another course where distance is more important, and if I can't throw around 300 feet with some accuracy I won't have a lot of opportunities to make birdies.

I've been doing a lot of field practice at a soccer field close to my house. I've had days where I only throw putters and mid-ranges, and days where I throw faster stuff and I've measured most of my throws and calculated the average in a spreadsheet. I also throw most of my measured shots with a flat release. All of my throws are measured in Udisc and include skips. All of my shots are thrown with a power grip.

These are my averages:

Standstill averages in October:
Star Leopard 175g = 241.5 feet (33 throws)
Champion Teebird 175g= 243 feet (26 throws)
Star Valkyrie 170g= 262.5 feet (25 throws)
Star Destroyer 169g=252.6 feet (13 throws)

X-step averages in November:

Putters:
P-line P2 175g= 239.5 feet (16 throws)
DX Aviar 175g= 238 feet (8 throws)
R-pro Aviar 175g= 226.4 feet (13 throws)
XT Nova 169g= 225 feet (11 throws)
Westside Harp 173g= 230 feet (12 throws)

Midranges:
Star Roc3 180g= 246 feet (6 throws)
Champion Roc3 180g= 245.5 feet (6 throws)
DX Roc 180g= 277 feet (8 throws)

My DX Roc is beat up and flies insanely straight, I think the reason why I throw this one further is because it's fairly beat up. Some of these throws I've been releasing it on a hyzer to hyzer flip it.

Fairways and drivers:
There are some of my throws with the leopard that I threw with a hyzer to hyzer flip, not all of them is on a flat release. All the other disc are thrown on a flat release however.


Star Leopard 175g= 292 feet (16 throws)
Champion Teebird 175g= 272feet (22 throws)
Star Valkyrie 170g= 298 feet (27throws)
Fuzion Escape 171g= 279 feet (12 throws)
Star Orc 170g= 285 feet (20 throws)
Star Wraith 167g= 305 feet (11 throws)
Star Wraith 175g= 282 feet (10 throws)


I have some issues at the "new" course, especially where I try to bomb the disc. Some of the holes at the course is located with park and can be crowded at times.

Sometimes when I'm trying to throw a hyzer, it comes out with a anhyzer angle and it can be dangerous for people that are close. I think I might hold the disc too close to my body, that my body actually change the angle of the disc when I'm releasing it, I'm not sure about this however.


Issues that I think I have:

- I think my second step is too big (when I X-step), I'm not sure if this matters?
- When I plant my last step, it seem like my last step is more on this angle "/" instead of this angle"\".
- I think I might be pulling the disc to my body to early.
- It seem like there is no elbow involved in my throw.
- I also feel I'm struggling with a straight reachback and it doesn't seem straight when I'm pulling it to my body. I think it might be because of bad timing with pulling the disc and planting my last step?

I have recorded myself from the side and from behind. These are not recorded at the same time and I'm not throwing the same discs.

Some clips:



First throw is a Teebird, I threw this one 302 feet, second one is a Valkyrie that I threw 334 feet and the last one is also a Valkyrie that I threw 374 feet. Remember this include skip in a soccer field with astroturf and tailwind.



First throw is a Harp, as you can see this actually comes out with a little anhyzer even though I tried throwing it flat. Second one is also harp.


I appreciate all the feedback I can get, I just want to become become good


Love this game

 

[podskiii]

Doesn't seem like the link I posted works so I will try again. I hope I don't spam down my thread. Hope this work.

https://youtu.be/cbDe2HPjjE8

TB, Valkyrie, Valkyrie.

https://youtu.be/RFofvRm2_8g

Westside Harp and Westside Harp.

 

[sidewinder22]

Yeah you are trying to throw from wide immoveable horsestance instead of quick athletic stance. You end up throwing your upper body over top your lower body, need to lead/leverage your hips ahead of your shoulders.

Start with these and Door Frame Drills:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zByUYQnVdY&t=155s

 

[sidewinder22]

Doesn't seem like the link I posted works so I will try again. I hope I don't spam down my thread. Hope this work.

"https://youtu.be/ cbDe2HPjjE8

TB, Valkyrie, Valkyrie.

https://youtu.be/ RFofvRm2_8g

Westside Harp and Westside Harp.

I FIFY. You only should put the bold part in the youtube tags, you can hit the quote button on your first post to see what I did.

 

[Twmccoy]

I was stuck at 400' for a long while. A recent grip change brought immediate gains and my last field practice session I was touching 450' with several different drivers.

Its basically a 2 finger power grip, but instead of putting the rim of the disc in my palm I'm putting it right where my fingers meet my palm. I'm also putting my thumb right over the other two fingers on top of the disc, not to the side.

The grip itself isn't ridiculously comfortable, but the disc comes screaming out with serious authority and I was immediately throwing further more consistently.


450' takes legit work! You'll have to practice throwing a lot and build technique and muscle memory. I'd recommend practicing with a wide variety of drivers from about speed 9 to 14. Learn how to throw everything. Throw flippy discs and overstable ones. Know exactly what a certain mold is capable of. When your technique is good you'll be surprised how far even speed 9 stuff will fly.

If you want to hit 450' sooner rather than later, try something like a Shryke. Its among the longest driver molds I've ever thrown and is surprisingly user friendly. Easy to throw far consistently.

 

[podskiii]

Yeah you are trying to throw from wide immoveable horsestance instead of quick athletic stance. You end up throwing your upper body over top your lower body, need to lead/leverage your hips ahead of your shoulders.

Start with these and Door Frame Drills:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zByUYQnVdY&t=155s

Thanks man, I definitely see an error here. My second step in my three step run-up is not setting me up in a proper position to attack the final step. I will go back to throwing standstill for a bit and work on my footwork before I try to implement it in my X-step routine. This seem like a good thing to do at home. I will post a new a clip when I feel satisfied or if there is something I don't understand.

 

[podskiii]

Hi again, I've been going back to throwing standstill and I feel fairly "ok" about my form. I've been driving with a lot of putters from the tee instead of midranges, and a lot of midranges instead of fairways. I have also been throwing more slower stuff and more understable stuff in general to hyzer flip. I want to start doing run-ups again when I feel good enough about my standstill technique. I've been trying to lead with my hips as sidewinder suggested. I recorded some footage from today, I didn't throw very well, I probably tried to hard.

I appreciate feedback, please give it to me

https://youtu.be/S1HKj64jwf8

 

[sidewinder22]

You are swinging downward over the top from high reachback and releasing the disc nose up - otherwise it would only go about 20' in front of into the ground. You should feel more like you are picking up somebody off the ground at the top of your backswing and swinging slightly upward for any kind of distance throw with the nose down. Your rear arm also needs to get in tight to your body like a figure skater that wants to rotate faster.

See Door Frame Drill Part 2.

 

[podskiii]

Thanks for the quick reply, this actually clears a few questions that I had. I will try to incorporate this into my field session today and record some footage.

 

[podskiii]

I watched the door frame drill three times, and decided to go out and throw a bit before I was running out of daylight. I tried throwing all of my shots on a slight hyzer and tried throwing around 60%-70% of my maximum power. I tried tucking my left arm close to my body, and even have it in my pants, it felt a little bit weird and almost as I lost some of my balance. I guess I will get used to it over time so I will stick with it. I'm going away for work tomorrow so will focus on drills, I can't really throw while I'm there. I felt I did a better job when it comes to not having a downward motion when I recorded from the side. Anyways here it is, it's a youtube clip and framebyframe for slowmotion.

Sideview:

https://youtu.be/U6jyw_S-ykE
http://www.watchframebyframe.com/watch/yt/U6jyw_S-ykE/13.830961#.Wh2UKUYnhJU.link


Backview:
https://youtu.be/DwGqPzI9B-k
http://www.watchframebyframe.com/watch/yt/DwGqPzI9B-k/9.939092#.Wh2Uids0lqY.link

Appreciate the feedback, this forum is great!

 

[sidewinder22]

1. Your feet are inline to each other or open. Need to close your stance so rear toes inline to front heel or further to the right side of tee pad from front heel.

2. You are still pushing off the rear foot during the swing - this is way too late and pushes your spine over top your front leg and lined up on rear leg instead of front leg. Need to get off the rear foot to shift into the plant and maintain dynamic balance and posture upright. Note how my rear knee has kicked in targetward, so there is no weight on the rear foot and my spine is upright dynamically on the front leg only.

3. You are trying to spin too fast and look ahead to the target and not paying attention to the disc in your hand and what you are doing to it at the point of contact. Note how I'm aiming with my body and watching my disc the entire swing.

 

[podskiii]

Thanks again for your reply, this was a lot, it was expected however. I have now watched all the videos by Shawn Clements you posted, I probably have to watch them dozen of times before it sticks. I can't wait to try this out when I get home again. Just to verify a few things:

1. I'm not sure what an open stance or a closed stance is, I'm not English unfortunately. I think I have an idea however, and I can see the difference between you and me. Just to verify, my feets should be lined up more like this, this is also true for anhyzer, hyzer and flat releases as well right?

If I drew a line at the soccer field where I was practicing, both of my toes from both feets was lined up on the same line which is a mistake.


2. I'm not sure I understand this. I did watch a few slowmotion videos on youtube from Eagle Mcmahon and Paul Mcbeth.

From the screenshot, I can tell that Eagle "lifts" his back foot and now shift his weight over to his right foot. This is completely different from I'm doing, my back foot lifts itself after I have thrown the disc. Probably because I have too much weight on it? Do you intentionally "lifts" your rear foot or will this happen naturally when your kick your knee targetward?

3. Thanks for pointing this out, this is something I've been overlooking for sure. It might be because I'm scared of losing my disc when I'm playing by myself? Hopefully this will be an easy fix with some field practice.

 

[sidewinder22]

1. Correct, also your line should match your throwing line so your picture is for a straight shot, while a hyzer the line should be more \ and anhyzer should be more / to match to your trajectory.

2. Might be a language thing but "lift" is different than "push". You should push your weight forward from the left foot to the right foot before you start swinging to the target. Lifting is more of a tipping over which isn't shifting or pushing. The foot will automatically come off the ground as your weight goes forward and drag forward weightless.




3. You have to trust yourself. If your feet are setup correctly you should always end up throwing close enough to your trajectory line even if you were blindfolded.

 

[podskiii]

Hi again, I'm back with a new form check video. I haven't posted anything recently because I have gotten a few friends who would rather play vs doing field work. I've been playing a decent amount lately and have been able to shave off a lot of points on my scorecards. I hope and believe my form is better, I'm still mostly throwing standstill and I only use a run-up on holes where I feel I can bomb the disc.


I was going to do some field work on a soccer field, however it was occupied when I got there and decided to throw a few Rocs and some Leopards in a tunnel. It was hard to record and it was snowing, this had me standing in front of the teepad instead of in the middle. I'm not super happy with my shots, I feel I might be trying a bit too hard during my shots. I also feel that I didn't get a proper follow through (this part has not been a issue lately). This might be because I'm pushing of my rear foot to late?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0MLcsoa4U-0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFbsiQnYjf4

 

[Icarus]

Podskiii,

I think you are hugging yourself when you throw - your arm collapses inwards on the throw, and your throw is from the left pec, not the right pec. It looks like your arm is getting left behind, so to speak, on the throw. You are rotating your hips/shoulders, but don't look to be accelerating your arm enough to stay with the throw.

Just a suggestion: hold the disc up to your right pec (disc hitting between the sternum and the nipple), parallel to the ground. Make sure your hand is 180 degrees to your chest. Your elbow should be fairly far out from your body. Feel this position. Now move the disc (same angle to the ground and same chest/hand angle) to hit right on your left nipple. This is about where you are throwing.

When throwing, try to bring that elbow forward on the throw. I find it easiest to do this if I concentrate on keeping my hand on the opposite side of the disc from my chest all of the way through the throw. Or you could imagine elbowing someone you don't like next to you.

 

[podskiii]

Podskiii,

I think you are hugging yourself when you throw - your arm collapses inwards on the throw, and your throw is from the left pec, not the right pec. It looks like your arm is getting left behind, so to speak, on the throw. You are rotating your hips/shoulders, but don't look to be accelerating your arm enough to stay with the throw.

Just a suggestion: hold the disc up to your right pec (disc hitting between the sternum and the nipple), parallel to the ground. Make sure your hand is 180 degrees to your chest. Your elbow should be fairly far out from your body. Feel this position. Now move the disc (same angle to the ground and same chest/hand angle) to hit right on your left nipple. This is about where you are throwing.

When throwing, try to bring that elbow forward on the throw. I find it easiest to do this if I concentrate on keeping my hand on the opposite side of the disc from my chest all of the way through the throw. Or you could imagine elbowing someone you don't like next to you.

I think you might be correct about not having my elbow involved in my throw. This is something that I've been wondering about in the past, I've never really felt my elbow being involved in my throws. I kinda knew about this, but at that point I had bigger fish to fry. Is there any video about this I can study? I'm more of of a visual learner. I will try to make another recording so we can verify my issues, my last recording was definitely not optimal. Thanks

 

[slowplastic]

See if anything in here clicks. You are definitely pushing your upper body ahead/overtop in your throws.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127477

Also you can try the crush the can drills, if you push your weight over the top then this drill makes it obvious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfgqNj_VhjI

When throwing standstill shots, especially in slippery conditions, don't set up at the end of the teepad. It's so easy to roll your ankle with just the slightest mistake.

 

[podskiii]

See if anything in here clicks. You are definitely pushing your upper body ahead/overtop in your throws.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127477

Also you can try the crush the can drills, if you push your weight over the top then this drill makes it obvious. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfgqNj_VhjI

When throwing standstill shots, especially in slippery conditions, don't set up at the end of the teepad. It's so easy to roll your ankle with just the slightest mistake.

Thanks, I'm just wondering if I should be focusing on "Crush the can" or focus getting my elbow more involved in my throws? I know that I have a lot of flaws in my form, but can't do everything at once. What do you guys recommend? I also recorded more footage, not the best footage, but I tried to angle it a little bit better so maybe it's easier to see my flaws. This was recorded to take a better look at how my elbow is angled, or if I'm hugging myself.

In hindsight I should probably record in front of myself. Anyways I tried to make a quick recording because of the the snow. It will rain a fair bit during the weekend, so I was hoping to do a few drills and try to change my form. Please suggest drills or what I should be trying to fix first.

I really appreciate suggestions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu1nfpQCNK0

 

[slowplastic]

They are linked. I find that my elbow collapses the worst if I push my body ahead early. So essentially you are pushing your upper body overtop of your front leg, ahead of the throw. Your arm is very disconnected at the shoulder, so when your torso goes ahead early the arm hangs back, and that's what causes the upper arm to collapse.

Working on Crush the Can and some of the other drills will help you stay balanced on the plant leg, so you are less likely to throw your torso ahead of the throw.

I would also look at the Dingle Arm video below...do this with something short and heavy like a hammer or wrench. Somewhere safe obviously. This will help you keep your arm connected to the torso during the backswing, and give you some weight feedback near the hit point when the object wants to start to swing and change direction. Try to feel leverage during this direction change. Right now you are using your shoulder to reach back with the disc, rather than "loading" back with your whole body in a flowing motion.

 

[sidewinder22]

Yeah you are hugging yourself and looks like are gripping the disc/pulling it from the 11-12 o'clock(12 is target), instead your grip should be more on the opposite side of the disc from your chest so it's more like 8-9 o'clock on the disc as it comes forward across your center with elbow bent and leading with closed shoulder. You want to grip the disc and toss it more like a hammer and throwing the opposite side of the disc(nose/head) from your grip.

https://www.dgcoursereview.com/dgr/...&t=13291&sid=730243aa7e8dd6a1fefa23b11429ebfa