"Snap" and Power

[SirRaph]

So I've been working on my driving power for a while now. I've gotten to the point where I can get an audible *snap* on the hit about 1/3 of the time. About 1/10 of the time, I get a *snap* that's super loud, it's actually really satisfying.

My question is this: how much correlation is there between snap and distance? I get about 25-50 ft more distance when I get a good *snap* out of the hit, but it's not like I'm breaking the 400ft barrier consistently.

Or more importantly, if I am getting good snap, yet still not really getting the big distance, what is something that I could be lacking?

I use the Climo fork grip, and throwing Wraiths, Orcs, PDs and Beasts in the field.

 

[xJFK]

i don't think snap refers to the sound.. but more the wrist action that generates the disc speed. the loudness of the sound is just for show.

 

[garublador]

The snap we're talking about isn't the noise. You can get big snap with or without the noise and you can get very little snap with or without the noise.

Getting good snap will always mean more distance assuming you give the disc enough height (it's hard to tell with a really low throw). What we, or I at least, mean by "snap" is a timing element that allows you to transfer a lot more energy to the disc. Because part of that timing element is a small wrist movement, some power is added, but mostly it's allowing you to get all of that energy from the various levers (shoulders, upper arm and forearm) transferred to the disc. So rather than just getting the linear speed of your hand, you get a huge moment from combining all of those levers at the right time.

If you feel a tingly, painful feeling after that snap sound then it's what we call a "slip" and it's robbing you of power. That's usually what you get when the sound you hear is from your fingers pulling off the disc. If the sound it coming from your fingers slapping your hand it's probably just from your wrist orientation.

 

[SirRaph]

It only began happening when I started gripping harder at the hit. The snap I'm hearing, I believe, is my fingers hitting each other after the disc rips out. I feel like this gives more spin to the disc, as it seems to float longer, and also seems to turn a disc up/over more. However, I can't help but think that it's robbing the disc of some speed.

 

[Moseley]

It only began happening when I started gripping harder at the hit. The snap I'm hearing, I believe, is my fingers hitting each other after the disc rips out. I feel like this gives more spin to the disc, as it seems to float longer, and also seems to turn a disc up/over more. However, I can't help but think that it's robbing the disc of some speed.

I think this ^^^ is why a lot of people give up searching for snap; when you feel it the first times it tends to be on throws where your arm-speed is pretty low. So you feel the tug from the disk and watch it fly beautifully. Next throw you try to add some arm speed and loose a lot of snap - but your throw goes just as far, and you loose confidence in your prior experience.
You can't grip the disc too hard (that is; you can be too tense, but in the instance the disc rips out a tighter grip yields more distance)

If you could just keep focusing on that feeling, and slooooooowly add speed, I think that would be the process that would ultimately turn out to give the quickest improvement. Takes more self-dicipline than most of us has, though :|

 

[Grant Grove]

I'm not sure but you might be hearing your finger departing contact with the disk. If you have enough energy built up in your release it may be flexing the edge of the disk upon departure. I have found that when my body angle is exact for the arm to be nearly straight when I reach maximum speed, the disk pops off my finger tips. I usually will have a pretty firm thumb pressure as well. I have heard other players drives snap on release of the disk. Just a thought

 

[SirRaph]

I'm not sure but you might be hearing your finger departing contact with the disk. If you have enough energy built up in your release it may be flexing the edge of the disk upon departure. I have found that when my body angle is exact for the arm to be nearly straight when I reach maximum speed, the disk pops off my finger tips. I usually will have a pretty firm thumb pressure as well. I have heard other players drives snap on release of the disk. Just a thought

It's either that, or my fingers snapping together after the disc rips out. Whichever it is, it's the same sound as another local guy gets that throw's 550'+. But mine max out at around 400'

 

[jubuttib]

Yes, and others throwing the same distance get no audible snap and some people throwing 200 feet get a really loud audible snap. Doesn't tell you anything.