Re-working my throw...

[FredVegasDGC]

Since getting back in to DG my distance has been not as far. I was never a real power thrower but I could uncork one every now and then. A lot of it has to do with being out of practice but some of it is that being almost 50 I just can't take the stress & torque of throwing as hard as I used to.

So I had to try to throw smarter and not just harder.

I started with the DGA Disctorials and tried the beginners approach.



This is hole 1 at Pratt Park. With my old throw as hard as I could I would hit the edge of the road on the tee side leaving me about 75' to the pin. I practiced the new throw in the open field for about an hour. With a little head wind after just a few throws I was able to get it over the road with not as much force on my throw.



So I am encouraged that with some practice I should be able to increase my distance with out having to beat the hell out of my knees & shoulder.

 

[FredVegasDGC]

I messed up I should have posted this in the Technique & Strategy threads... If a mod want to move it that's fine with me.

 

[chrishysell]

That hole is an easy backhand roller

 

[Technohic]

You're pretty graceful for a big man. lol I'm not so much but it does look like you are getting decent distance for the effort.

 

[FredVegasDGC]

That hole is an easy backhand roller

I was never a good "roller" thrower. I can't even throw forehand anymore.

You're pretty graceful for a big man. lol I'm not so much but it does look like you are getting decent distance for the effort.

If I remember that hole was about 375 and was hitting the other side of the road about 75' out.

I've always been fairly balanced. I wasn't that big but I quit smoking cold turkey method and put on about 40 pounds and now I have to work it off.

The problem was my old throw just took too much power to generate any distance. My right knee and elbow was sore after 18.

I threw about 50 throws off the tee and I was tired but my knee & elbow was in good shape. It just didn't seem to take as mush effort to get a longer drive. I'm encouraged that as I become more acclimated to this new style my distance will increase even more.

My ultimate goal is to just be able to find a decent throw & distance with out tearing up my arm.

This getting old stuff sucks....

 

[JTacoma03]

That hole is an easy backhand roller

Hysell why you trolling so hardcore lately? bored?

 

[koogs]

I've seen players do a 360 spin before the throw, but you're the first one I've seen do a 360 after the throw. Decent distance though, farther than me with less effort.

 

[garublador]

I've seen players do a 360 spin before the throw, but you're the first one I've seen do a 360 after the throw.

I'll do them after a really steep hyzer every once in a while.

To the OP,

It looks like you're getting your goals accomplished. Great work! If you are getting more distance with less effort and less strain on your body then you're definitely doing more stuff right.

 

[Technohic]

I was never a good "roller" thrower. I can't even throw forehand anymore.



If I remember that hole was about 375 and was hitting the other side of the road about 75' out.

I've always been fairly balanced. I wasn't that big but I quit smoking cold turkey method and put on about 40 pounds and now I have to work it off.

The problem was my old throw just took too much power to generate any distance. My right knee and elbow was sore after 18.

I threw about 50 throws off the tee and I was tired but my knee & elbow was in good shape. It just didn't seem to take as mush effort to get a longer drive. I'm encouraged that as I become more acclimated to this new style my distance will increase even more.

My ultimate goal is to just be able to find a decent throw & distance with out tearing up my arm.

This getting old stuff sucks....

Yeah, I just quit smoking cold turkey a bit over 5 weeks ago. Got out disc golfing and felt the extra 15-20 pounds I already packed on. My next goal is to get in shape by just being generally healthier and more active. I just want to make sure the smoking thing is defeated.

Anyway; I like what you have done with your throw. I have been focusing more on accuracy lately than distance and saving my body some that way, but I am losing a little distance when I do it so every once in a while, I catch my self mid run just randomly deciding to try to throw hard and it never works out. lol

 

[ralbrecht]

Thanks for posting those vids. I'm still trying to find my game and they help a bunch. :thmbup:

 

[chrishysell]

Hysell why you trolling so hardcore lately? bored?

I was suggesting an easy method to reach that hole.

 

[CwAlbino]

Congratulations on both the distance and the no pain! Only thing I'll comment on is the 360 at the end. Most people follow through like that, but they follow through forward instead of letting themselves turn all the way around. I do it by "pushing" my left arm through as I come around. Here's a few videos of pros doing what I'm talking about

Nikko does it very noticeably


so does Gregg Barsby starting at 6:07


Another of Nikko

 

[GLong]

in that last vid he went off the front of the teepad. isn't that a foot fault?

 

[chrishysell]

in that last vid he went off the front of the teepad. isn't that a foot fault?

Nikko? That was on his follow through. It's not a foot fault unless the hole was under 10m.

 

[CwAlbino]

in that last vid he went off the front of the teepad. isn't that a foot fault?

Nikko? That was on his follow through. It's not a foot fault unless the hole was under 10m.

What Chris said. Sometimes it's actually really useful to only plant on the very corner of the pad to give yourself a better angle or line to the basket. One hole on my home course I only step on the very corner, the runup is in the dirt and I follow through off the pad. Allows me to throw straight at the basket rather than a long anhyzer.

As long as you release with your plant foot on the pad (and it's >10M long), all is well.

 

[Purpleplatypie]

Being smooth in your form i think is the best way to reduce stress. I had knee surgery a while back and was doing a no step drive. When i started that i was getting like 225 and it was painful, but about a week later i was a lot smoother and was throwing like 350 and hardly felt it (I realize that my knee was probably healing but my arm felt better too). Now when i go max d with a run up I'm looking at over 400. It's all about being smooth

 

[FredVegasDGC]

Thanks everyone for all the comments & help so far.

Yeah, I just quit smoking cold turkey a bit over 5 weeks ago. Got out disc golfing and felt the extra 15-20 pounds I already packed on. My next goal is to get in shape by just being generally healthier and more active. I just want to make sure the smoking thing is defeated.

Anyway; I like what you have done with your throw. I have been focusing more on accuracy lately than distance and saving my body some that way, but I am losing a little distance when I do it so every once in a while, I catch my self mid run just randomly deciding to try to throw hard and it never works out. lol

I'm at 6 months now after about 2 1/2 packs a day. So keep it up. The hardest time was the first month when evey time I drove past a 7-11 I wanted to pull in and buy a pack.

The eating healthy has been a requirement now. Last April I was diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic. (I was a hard core Dr Pepper addict) My A1c was 14, glucose was over 400, cholesterol over 600 my doc said technically I should be dead.

I started walking about 3 miles a day and in less than 6 months I got all those numbers down below the safe line and lost about 60 pounds in the process. Then I decided to quit the cigarettes over the winter months and gained back about 40 pounds fast. When you gain weight over time you don't notice it but when it's fast I feel totally bloated now.

So that's why I started DG again. It's a lot of walking and climbing hills and more fun than just walking. I can always tell when my glucose levels get low when I play because I get real irritated at every bad shot.

But the not playing for 8 years really got my body out of shape. My accuracy is still there but having to throw so hard really beat me up so I had to figure out something.

The funny thing is I posted the video on utube so I could link it here and my videos rarely get any comments on them and already I got this comment...

"Alright buddy, You are like me . . . tubby. There is no need in doing the 360 turn around after release. The only way to get your arm speed up (Apart from losing weight) is to bend at the back / hips, lowering your release point. You will definitely need to follow through but without the 360 at the end. I am not sure if both throws were meant to have the same release point, but they didn't. This is because of your crazy follow through. Finish low, explosive, controlled, and consistent.

Also, try not facing your target sideways, try facing it head on and do the "x-step" This change will give your pull back momentum, and allow your arm to go further back than expected. the further the pull back, the better the potential is for higher arm speed. higher speed = longer drives! If your shoulders line up with the target at the third step into the "x-step" you will be much more consistent. Work on finishing there and not starting there. If you start there you will lose power."

 

[garublador]

The eating healthy has been a requirement now. Last April I was diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic. (I was a hard core Dr Pepper addict) My A1c was 14, glucose was over 400, cholesterol over 600 my doc said technically I should be dead.

I started walking about 3 miles a day and in less than 6 months I got all those numbers down below the safe line and lost about 60 pounds in the process.

I'm getting to the age where I have to worry about those numbers and all I have to say is "Holy crap!" Getting those numbers fixed and losing that weight that fast is quite an accomplishment! I had to make some changes to get my numbers back in line and it is amazing what just a few lifestyle changes can do to your health. Keep it up!

Also, while I don't have direct experience, my wife did have gestational diabetes in her third trimester (this last Dec-Feb) and was able to manage it all through diet. That means that I was on pretty much the same diet during that time. I'm sure it helped me get my numbers in check and I felt great, too. She's over the diabetes but we've incorporated some of the changes into our lives (but are able to cheat once in a while now, too) and we've really liked the results.

Also, try not facing your target sideways, try facing it head on and do the "x-step" This change will give your pull back momentum, and allow your arm to go further back than expected. the further the pull back, the better the potential is for higher arm speed. higher speed = longer drives! If your shoulders line up with the target at the third step into the "x-step" you will be much more consistent. Work on finishing there and not starting there. If you start there you will lose power."

I'm not sure I agree with this advice. Starting with your throwing shoulder pointing at the target is a great way to increase the accuracy of the initial trajectory of the disc. I'd also avoid worrying about "arm speed." That thought is what leads to strong arming, which is what you're successfully working to get away from. What's important is late acceleration. You don't need to really pull much or use muscles until the disc is at your right pec. Up to that point you're just guiding the disc, not pulling it. It looks like that's part of what you've already incorporated and one of the reasons people are saying your throw looks "smooth."

I'll also second CwAlbino's advice on the follow through. I'm guessing as you lose more weight and get more comfortable with your throw it will get easier to do, too. The fact that you're following through enough to make it so you feel you have to spin is probably good. It means you're accelerating through the hit rather than up to the hit, which is a really common problem. It's just a matter of gaining control of your body and getting familiar with the timing well enough to not have to accelerate as long as you are.

 

[medicinalfunk]

that was a very smooth looking throw man, congrats on getting a pain-free game dialed down

 

[FredVegasDGC]

I played 18 today at Pratt Park. I used the new style of throwing. Except for a few off throws I did throw farther, I had 3 legit birdie shots when usually I only have 1.

At the end of the 18 I felt pretty good. I'm still a little tired but my right knee is not aching and my arm feels like I could play another 18.

I'm really encouraged that if I can refine this 3 step throw and get the proper form down I can increase my distance some with out all the bad side effects of throwing too hard.

So to all the guys that have been giving me some pointers I've tried a lot of them to see if I could tweak my throw some and thanks for the ideas. Maybe this weekend I'll make another video of my throw now that I have some reps with it.