Release problem, disc wants go right on a rhbh throw

[nukepower]

Every time I get to a narrow tunnel shot, whether I X-step or 3 step, no matter what distance or fairway driver I use, I end up shanking the disc or slightly throwing the disc right. I do not have a trouble with throwing it flat, or throwing it level, but just throwing it right. I throw my distance and fairway drivers around 300' and most of the time, the discs that i throw right are gripped with a power grip. I feel like its an issue with my hand grip release and my stepping approach, but does anyone have any basic advice on how to throw dead straight, and not release it right (at least with the arm or grip release)?

 

[notroman]

Get a video of yourself throwing a tunnel shot and focus on hitting the line as you always do. That would help.

What I found a lot of people do when faced with demanding lines is aim too hard and forget to use their lower body during the throw. They focus so much on looking at the target that they just jam their hips which stops the linear weight transfer and causes the upper body to just go around and unwind. For some people it causes early releases left for others it causes pulls to the right. You might be doing that, you might not be. One way to tell is to see what your feet are doing after the throw. Where is your back leg going? Videos definitely help to troubleshoot.

 

[nukepower]

Seems legit to me, I certainly feel like I get locked up when throwing a narrow shot, and do not have the power that I normally do, as well as throw it right. Ill bet it is in my hip/leg movement as well as my grip. I think a video and practice will help for sure.

 

[notroman]

Yeah, just make sure to trust your throw. Align yourself properly and make sure to use your whole body to throw as if you were throwing an open field shot. If you try very hard to make something happen you're just getting in the way of yourself.

 

[nukepower]

That makes sense.

When throwing a shot for accuracy, or in other words, to throw a disc dead straight ahead of you, is there a specific way to hold the disc right before you pull back and then release? I kind of point my elbow about 30-40 degrees to the right of my target thus letting my disc almost touch my chest, then pull back and then try to release a bit earlier than a straight up heavy distance shot. Also, is there anything I need to remember when pulling through my body to keep the disc flying straight ahead (position of my arm, elbow, hips, ect)?

Or is all of this just a "go out and practice practice practice" till I get it right?

Thanks again!

 

[slowplastic]

When throwing a shot for accuracy, or in other words, to throw a disc dead straight ahead of you, is there a specific way to hold the disc right before you pull back and then release?

You should always be aiming at a spot, even in open field shots. There should be a direction, a height, an apex, everything. So yes it's just practice. But every shot should be aimed, even wide open bombs are supposed to go somewhere.

Muscle memory should kick in, you know how your stance is aligned. A straight pull through will give you a straight throw, since the disc can only go straight out (rather than a rounding throw).

Really to me it's just being used to where your body alignment puts the disc. Then when there is a tunnel or gap, line up, know where to throw, and do it like normal. Hopefully it makes it through. Don't hold back, throw it like you do on an open field practice, because you're used to aiming those too (even if at an imaginary gap).

 

[storyboy]

If your a RHBH thrower I think you will find that your right shoulder will dictate were your disc will go. Try to aim with your shoulder.

 

[nukepower]

thanks everyone, this should help a bunch.

 

[notroman]

If your a RHBH thrower I think you will find that your right shoulder will dictate were your disc will go. Try to aim with your shoulder.

That's a good point, I can see someone being so focused on keeping eyes on the target that their upper body is open to the target during the run up, causing shoulders to align more to the right than normal.

 

[Boneman]

I have this problem on occasion, and I know it comes from a lack of confidence in my shot. Sometimes this leads to griplock, which causes me to release the disc late like I'm afraid to let it go. Other times, I release it early, as a subconscious overreaction to my tendency to let it go late.

What I find helps to avoid this (when I can remember to do it) is to open up my hips on release, like I would with a full power shot. It feels more natural and confident, and seems to work most of the time.

 

[nukepower]

What I find helps to avoid this (when I can remember to do it) is to open up my hips on release, like I would with a full power shot. It feels more natural and confident, and seems to work most of the time.

What do you mean by "open the hips?" Do you mean to rotate the hips more instead of keeping them still?

 

[Boneman]

What do you mean by "open the hips?" Do you mean to rotate the hips more instead of keeping them still?

Exactly. Now keep in mind that I'm a noob to this sport so I'll leave it to others to say whether I'm out to lunch on this. But I know it works for me, insofar as I end up facing square to the target at point of release. It's just more of a slower and relaxed opening up as compared to a full power shot, but its essentially the same mechanic and it feels "right", as compared to what you were describing, which is also what I have a tendency to do.

 

[notroman]

What do you mean by "open the hips?" Do you mean to rotate the hips more instead of keeping them still?

Pretty much, yeah. You want them square with your target at your release. Here are some pictures of me throwing showing the good and the bad.

Here is me really trying to hit a specific line on a hole. I was aiming so much I wasn't allowing my body to do what it needs to just throw the disc. You can see that my hips are pointed somewhere to the left and are in total disconnect with the upper body. Needless to say this disc yanked to the right into the tree right of the fairway.

And here is what a throw should look like at the release. Chest over the plant foot, hips squared with the target, etc.

Basically the open shots are no different from the wooded shots. You just have to put in the practice to dial in the accuracy but when you're actually executing the shots you just have to trust your throw and not interfere with your body's ability to throw by forcing something.

 

[TOB3RT]

As many people have pointed out problems, which I cant do, I'll just give you a suggestion when my backhand doesn't work well. I tomahawk.

Tomahawk is definitely my best shot. I can throw 230~260 with it and it lands exactly where I want it. Works great on tunnel shots, even with low overhead.

 

[roflsocks]

When throwing a shot for accuracy, or in other words, to throw a disc dead straight ahead of you, is there a specific way to hold the disc right before you pull back and then release?

Anything you do before you start your pull back is going to come down to preference. You'll need to aim your body where you want the disc to go, square yourself up so you're positioned on that line, and then begin the process of your throw. You mentioned that you aimed your elbow significantly off to the right, it's possible your body is pointing that direction also. Square your shoulders up to the target, and aim with that. You can hold your arm out straight to help aim your shoulders, as you can look down your arm for some extra help aiming.

Besides that, if you're having accuracy issues, a common cause is rounding. Meaning when you do your reach back, the disc ends up behind your body, such that it would be impossible to pull it in a straight line to the release point, because your body is in your way. The easiest way to tell for sure though, is to film yourself from behind. You should be able to see the disc move back, to the end of the reach back, and then you pull forward to release, and the disc should never be behind your body.

 

[Questatement]

See your line from start to finish then pick a disc sized window about 10-15' off the front of the tee pad and hit/thread it. Forget what's beyond that window if that's what's interferring with your mind.

Pick a disc that hits the centermost part of the gap then heads where you want after that.

 

[nukepower]

this is excellent info, it seems I need to pick a target a few feet in front of me for a reference on where to throw/release the disc, and I need to make sure I follow through on every shot, and I should video myself making throws like that for practice. I also need to have my chest over my planted foot when I release. and, don't be afraid to tomahawk!! Man, someone needs to write a simplified checklist on all this stuff, so many tutorials and pages of how to throw, but I think this thread has a ton of awesome info.

 

[Stankyjahnke]

I have this problem sometimes when I try to overpower a drive. I've noticed that I over rotate my shoulders and open up too much. So when I release my shoulder is already right of my target. I should say on my pull through. I often bump my other shoulder when this happens.