Moved: Advice on form and technique for beginners

[REDFIVE]

www.kenclimo.com

Play like this. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hM8m7RBWgMQ

Be smooth, large full motion, practice in the field, play with people better than you. I was really luck to have a pro be willing to teach me when I started. find one, tag along, ask questions.

Disc golf is a game of lines find your line and put the disc in flight on that line. Start with your disc on that line bring it straight back on the same line you want to release it on and bring it forward on this line releasing and following through straight through that line. Straight back straight forward. Your run up must also move your body in a straight path. A drill to keep your disc on a straight line is to stand facing a wall about a foot away holding a disc. Reach back along the wall keeping the disc close to your chest on the same line as the wall and come through on the same line while standing still. Slowly at first until you can get a full swing on a straight line with a clean follow through, with a clean follow through, with a clean follow through.

Putt with the same idea, pick your line and start your swing(or push) on a line to put the disc on that line. Straight back straight forward and pop the disc off your hand aiming through the basket. Keep you weight back.

Record yourself and compare to other videos you see.

Have fun at all times, stay positive, accept the outcome before it happens.

My book comes out in a month.

[Chef]

Red: Thanks for the video.

I am having trouble with a lot of things.... still trying to get to know my discs, compasating when throwing, driving is hard and I am not sure I have a god technique, and putting. I know it is all practice but what I DO NOT want to do is practice, practice, practice with the wrong form. I want to be taught the correct form and then go from there.

I hope that makes since.

[zippyboy]

Correct form. Hmm. Much like anything in any given sport, I'm not sure there is a "correct form." Look at the NBA. Free throw shooting, particularly. Ever notice how many different forms of shooting free throws there are? Same with driving a golf ball, hitting a 90 mph fastball, throwing a 90 mph fastball, etc. Due to the major differences in body type, I don't think there is a "correct form" for driving, or putting a disc. As someone said earlier, there is a lot of trial and error, and a lot of just finding what works for you. I have changed my driving style multiple times in the two years I have been playing, and I know I will change it again. Same with putting. What works for Sam, may not work for J-Man. Ol' Bob throws one way, OTH Bob throws another. We all have different attributes (arm speed, arm length, body mass, muscle mass, etc.) that will impact the type of throw which will work best. Practice different types of drives (pulling straight through, arcing out, etc.), and see which one yields the best results for you.

See you at some point this weekend, bro.

[Trozzle!!!]

Like J Man said earlier, come down to the Hobbit Huck and you can learn alot. You may not learn much during the 1 disc round, but stick around for doubles and you will have at least 3 other people on your card who you can watch and learn from. But, like Zippy said, everyone has different styles of throwing that works for them. If you really want to learn, watch different people, learn different styles of throwing, practice, and find out what works best for you.

[Chef]

Zippy: Yea, you are right. I would say, however, there are certain things that 3 point shoots have like the snap, etc. When I drive, I FEEL that I am driving rightd but without someone with experiance watching me and correcting me, it makes it hard. Disc golf, like so many other things like cooking or playing football, etc, everyone is as different as they are individually. Knowing what works for one doesnt always work for another, being exposed to a lot of different methods will really help me develop my style. Without being exposed to other styles and critques, I am just shooting in the wind (no punn intended!).

[Sean Phillips]

My opinion, there are bad habits. It's smart thinking in the beginning to try to limit those bad habits. I try to help out the locals at my course (Rockwood) as much as I can. It's hard to figure out what to give tips on if I haven't seen you throw. But, pay close attention to grip, do a little research on the different grips and try them all. Like stated before, straight back straight forward. One that I'm always preaching at Rockwood is learn to throw straight, don't throw hyzer bombs every time. Learn how to throw a putter and mid-range. Good luck, have fun!

[Ol' Bob]

Watch for involuntarily rotating your forearm during shots. Think of your wrist as a hinge with a kingpin. Go through your motions slowly and repeatedly to see the angle of the kingpin when you "uncoil." If you're skying it, you are probably snapping it out of the horizontal plane at the last instant. Be as aware as possible of the tip of the whip as it snaps.

Make your stroke straight, like you were pulling the rope on an outboard motor. Move the disc only in the direction you want it to go. If your stroke is a swoop or a curve, you are wasting energy and compromising accuracy.

Understand that all kinds of dynamics change when you add or reduce the power and speed of your stroke. The harder you pull, the harder you'll grip, though the ratio between strength of pull to strength of grip may not be linear. All I can say about this is, "know thy self."

Every disc has its variations in lift, shape, and grippiness. Each variation in a disc can affect how and when it will release. All I can say about this is, "know thy disc."

Give it ten thousand or so reps and you'll have it dialed right in.

[Sean Phillips]

I like the kingpin example. Good one Ol' Bob

[cefire]

I'd have to agree that there is no "perfect" form as far as driving is concerned, but I do feel that there are similar components that make up good technique. I also don't think that trial and error alone will lead someone to good technique and may often create a lot of bad habits that become harder to correct over time. Trial and error is even tougher because a lot of initial positive long-term changes will result in a period of adjustment where you lose distance or accuracy before an increase in skill can be observed.

Body types are definitely different, but there is a ton of similarities among those who throw accurately/far.

[Ol' Bob]

It's a tough one, but be ready to be willing to blow up your form to try changes. Know that your scores will suffer inconsistencies each time you do this, but how else will you be able to judge if the changes are for the better or not?

I see a lot of newbies while guiding folks on our course. There are the few that seem to have it from the git-go naturally. Then there's the rest of us. A percentage of people want to figure it out for themselves and be left alone to try. Some listen and attempt understand what I'm talking about. Others have so many issues that I don't know where to start, or how far to go in correcting them. It can be easy to overload someone with details on form.

Women who are new are the biggest challenge for me. Some don't want a man to tell them anything. Many are so selfconscious they quit almost immediately, and that's too bad. There are many women who can outdrive me and I wish they could see those women work a driver and get their inputs.

[Jet]

Originally Posted by Ol' Bob

Women who are new are the biggest challenge for me. Some don't want a man to tell them anything. Many are so selfconscious they quit almost immediately, and that's too bad. There are many women who can outdrive me and I wish they could see those women work a driver and get their inputs.

You can only help people who want help. Seeing other women throw far convinced me that I could learn to get distance. Guys tend to give too much help. A person can only work on one new thing at a time.

If I see something that will make a huge difference for a thrower, I'll tell them, "I see something that will make a huge difference in your throwing. Would you like to know?" Or I'll say, "once you learn how to release the disc flatter, you are going to get so much more distance."

[DexterHawk]

I disagree with the idea that there is no right way... Of course there are variations, but the players who are at the top of our sport all generally have the same form... Putting is a little different but again, all of them putt on a pretty direct line with pretty stable putters and push putt inside of 15'...
There are some tricks to throwing a disc far... you can throw a disc far without good form, it's true, but it is way easier with the good form. Scrawny guys like me need to get our power from snap. I probably can't do more than 10 push ups in a row, but I would wager that I can throw a disc just about as far as anyone who uses this forum... I made a study of good form and talked to (and continue to talk to) a lot of pros about form.
One of the big traps in this game is latching on to "your style". Refusing to ask for help because you want to go your own way. Me and Nate and Ben talk constantly about what we are working on and who's form we admire and are trying to imitate. Sure Nate's putt and my putt are a little different, but I have definitely learned some stuff from him and he has definitely learned stuff from me. To be successful in this game you need to get an always improving model... Always trying to tweak stuff... never satisfied with good enough... And as far as I'm concerned that's the funnest part.

[Chef]

I just want to learn technique and for someone who can watch me and tell me what i am doing wrong because, to be frank, I feel like I am doing everything right.

[Chef]

A couple questions.....

how do you create the snap? People say it is like snapping a towel.... maybe I snap towels differently then others.

Also, when do you release the disc? Is it when your arm is extended?

[REDFIVE]

I think "snap" is just a quick release that produces spin. You want to produce spin not so much a snap. There are some players that you can hear there release as a snap. I am not one of them so producing snap to me is something different. You want to produce the spin without much arm curl but with a wrist bend. Try to keep your arm straight on your reach back but wrap the disc in with your wrist, NOT YOUR ELBOW. The release of the wrist will create spin, or snap.

[REDFIVE]

Release comes with experience. Just release before you start your follow through. That answer is dumb but I am not sure how to explain release.
It comes with time the more comfortable you get with your discs the easier it will become. I was taught to have the disc release itself, don't let go of it let it come out of your hand while still applying preasure. This will also create spin, or snap. Not sure if I answered but just be patient and learn as you go.

[DexterHawk]

My advice about release is don't!
Okay that sounds weird but bear with me... Basically the best advice i've heard is your grip should be at it absolute tightest at your point of release and the momentum of your "pull" should rip the disc from your hand.
One thing that I worked on with Buck a lot was the idea that in your throw you should be relaxed right up until the very last second to try to transfer the most possible spin to the disk.
Spin is what makes a disc glide and ride the air... giving it it's aerodynamic characteristics.

[Ol' Bob]

I just want everyone to have the best possible disc golf experience. For lots of people, winning is the motivation. I can't do anything about that. My motivation is in improving, or even just trying to improve. I can't lose because I'm not worried about winning. This is the best sport I've found to satisfy my motivations. My improvements have taken a very long time. My setbacks have been sudden. My best score was over two years ago, before I perminently injured myself with one bad form mistake. I have been forced to do more with less, and my scores are getting close to what they were. I just hope I can keep doing this for a long time more.

[Chef]

I went out and practiced driving this evening. This time, I did a straight pull back and forward. I loosed up a the pull back and then gripped hard and fast toward the release. Distance, I thought improved. I did shoot some in the air (hyzer I think they are called). I think I just need to release a little earlier.

[Micah]

If you can make it to the hobbit huck I would be glad to work with you. For starters I can give you a few pointers that will help you a great deal in the long run. Assuming you are driving around 300 feet max use an understable disc as your distance driver. If you don't have one I will bring you a couple at the huck if you can make it. Think valk, sidewinder, road runner or surge ss. You also need a teebird I I will bring you one of those as well. When you drive hold the disc in you primary hand with your body 90 degrees to your target, turn your lead shoulder 15-35 degrees past 90 with your disc straightened in line with your target. At this point you should be able to draw a line from your wrist to your elbow to your should to your target that is perfectly straight. When you pull your disc forward it should start with your hips rotating towards the target from 90 (opening up), should be followed by you shoulder pulling and then your elbow. Your disc should travel directly across your pectorals, this will feel weird but it is correct. Keep your disc as close as possible to your body this will force you to generate snap assuming you are doing what I have said to this point. You will have to learn when to release the disc based upon feel. It will generally be about 0-10 degrees before the target. After release your arm should follow through until it is all the way behind your body. I will talk with you about grip and wrist position (which are vitally important) as well as you walk or run up at another time. If you can make it tomorrow we can go over wrist and finger placement in person this would be by far the easiest way to learn. My name is Micah I will show up around 10:00-10:30.