Plateau at 320

[TheOtherGuay]

I recently got more serious about disc golf and started doing field work. I'm an old ultimate player and have been struggling to break some bad habits and consistently break 320 feet on my drives. I notice that my left leg doesn't come around as much as other footage I've seen. I figure I must be too weight back, but how to fix it, and what else is wrong, I'd love to hear about. http://youtu.be/UGrL7tUzO8A

 

[TheOtherGuay]

 

[TheOtherGuay]

Think maybe people were having trouble viewing that. Does this one work?

 

[JR]

Such an uneven ground exaggerates the too heavy landing of the right foot in the final step. Having so much sole on the ground creates too much friction delaying the pivot too long and twisting the ankle dangerously. It will injure you most likely at some point in the long run at least if not sooner.

You reach back lower than the release is which is good for getting putters high enough to go far but it kills distance with drivers. The faster the disc is the less it can handle the front higher than the rear attitude which throwing with a rising vector promotes.

You can turn your back on the target for a longer reach back for more power. It is easier to achieve with feet pointing away from the target in the first two steps.

 

[TheOtherGuay]

Great, thanks! Will try a higher reach back and lighter final step. Have some questions about the rest.

Feet pointing away from the target during the first two steps?? How do you do that and generate forward momentum? Are you hopping backward? Are you turned with your back to the target more before the run up? I guess I'm not sure which are the first two steps. Here I take four, first one with my left the second with my right across my body. Are those the two you mean?

I feel like I'm having trouble holding onto the disc through the release, and getting my elbow out, which might not be obvious in the video. Would you still recommend trying a further reach back?

Not sure I understand that bit about too much sole on the ground delaying the pivot. Do you mean the disc pivot or the body pivot. Seems to make more sense as the body pivot, but want to be sure I understand the mechanics.

Thanks again, can't wait to try these out!

 

[JR]

The standard way of describing steps assumes an x step that has 3 steps named the first step (right leg rhbh), x step and plant step. So in that video the second and the third steps would be the ones that have the heels pointed at the target and the toes away from the target. You get speed from the steps and as long as the knees are bent you can easily push more speed with those steps. You cvan easily walk or run backward. You start facing the target with the first step or run up if you have it.

I meant that the ball of the foot should be airborne in the heel pivot. The whole sole must not be on the ground or you it stresses the leg chancing injury.

The grip needs to be secured first before adding more power so a longer reach back and a snappier throw with the elbow further toward the target may be wasted. So do you pinch the disc up and down with the index finger and the tumb while also squeezing the disc into the palm with the fingers that are under the disc? Have you tried moving the disc toward the center in small increments if pushing down with the thumb or the tip of the thumb does not help?

 

[TheOtherGuay]

Wow! Tried some of this out. I think I only got part of the way to heels facing the target, and I think I could probably bring my arm up some more too. I can feel a major increase in power, and I haven't really felt like the disc was coming out too early. First session testing it and my drives already go a good 40 ft further, on average! Thanks!

 

[JR]

Cool! Congratulations!

 

[JHern]

Throw with your body, not your arm...

 

[TheOtherGuay]

Had a feeling I was strong arming. I understand that that is not helping me. Can you suggest what I should do to fix it?

 

[JR]

Good players vary hugely in where to start accelerating the arm. The stronger and faster you are the earlier you can pull. But a major difference comes from arm muscle stiffness. The stiffer you are the slower the the arm moves. So try relaxing the arm by raising it and totally relaxing it and shaking it and yawning. That should make the arm closer to looseness of waking up. There is a difference in when to accelerate in a career of a developing player if you start lacking speed and power. The earlier you accelerate and can maintain acceleration until the disc starts to pivot the more distance you will get. A good measure for best current acceleration point is when you get the best distance with least compromised form. Of lesser importance to most seems to be the rate of acceleration of acceleration. Not everyone at least feels like they can vary the acceleration rate of acceleration. Many feel like they are either off or on in arm accelerating. It does not hurt to test how things are for you.

The more you brace the final step the more you can stay loose while getting the elbow forward for good efficiency of the snap. Which gets wasted if you come in at less speed than you could generate while maintaining form thus efficiency. It is a tall order to come in hard to elbow forward and maintain timing and form. Field practice and lots of repetitions are necessary for most.

 

[PMantle1]

Throw with your body, not your arm...

I still can't do this when trying for max distance.