I have been experimenting with a new putting style after being way too inconsistent for my tastes. I spent a lot of time watching Nikko, Feldberg and Shusterick. All of them are very good putters and do things very similarly, but with their own unique take. The frusterating thing is that none of them do a "great" job of explaining their technique from top to bottom. Mostly because they are all trying to get at the same thing, but each explains it differently. Even Feldberg with his 45 minute video throws so much at you that by the time you begin to practice, there is just way too many swing thoughts going through your head.
So after several sessions of trying to imitate each one of these guys individually, I decided to take the elements that are consistent about each of them and use them in the context of my own form that feels most comfortable...that is probably the thing to stress. You should do each of the following, but still make it your own.
1.) Angle of the putt. 90% of straight-on putts (i.e. putts where you don't have an object between you and the basket) are most successfully thrown on a hyzer line. I'm not exactly sure why this is, but it seems like the disc just wants to dive into the basket this way.
Don't fight it. When you try to "flick" the putt or get the disc to hit the chains flat, there is a tendency to get too wristy and this can spray the disc left and right. This just adds another variable to try to control.
2.) Let you lower body generate the power. When you are push putting there is very little power being generated from you arm and wrist. Most of it is coming from your legs. All the pros who use the push putting method push their body forward from their legs. When your arm and wrist become involved that is when you spray the disc left and right.
3.) Balance. You want to maintain (ideally) perfect balance when you putt. When you push your body forward using you legs, your upper body pushes forward as your trail leg comes up behind you to keep from falling forward. Feldberg talks about Climo in his video and how his calf muscles are huge. This is because he is so good about maintaining balance. You can't be falling forward, left or right as you release your disc. First, because it will push the disc in different directions. Second, because falling forward over your marker disc is a foul. Your upper body needs to be in sync with your lower body. As you reach out and lean forward, your trail leg must come up and counter balance you at the same time in unison. THis may or may not be helpful, but I picture my body as a teapot.
4.) Reach/Extend with your arm. This is so important. When the disc leaves your hand you need to be reaching as far foward as you can with falling over. You almost need to over exaggerate this feeling. This does two things for you. (1) It pushes you arm up. "Painting the pole" as Feldberg refers to it. In Nikko's video he echos this sentiment in different words. He says it "gives your disc a chance to go in. If you watch video on the pros, when they miss they are often not extending." This kind of goes hand-in-hand with the hyzer disc angle thing. When the disc crashes the chains it is coming down and left (or down and right if you are a lefty). (2) It springs your fingers. In addition to your lower body, your fingers should be the only other part of your body you are using to generate speed/momentum on the disc. From a distance it can seem like the pros are flicking their wrist as they release, when in reality the disc is merely springing from their fingers.
I am far from a pro, but these are the similarities I have found from the great putters I've been watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31WBwNtbQIQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_RCws799LQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_7RPOmSSsU
