i've really been trying to get my sidearm nailed these last couple of months. i've gotten to the point i can sidearm a plethora of discs (from putters to understable midrange to overstable drivers) in their various circumstances. i can get my drivers in the 300' range and feel like there's more to come with practice, too.

before my recent success i was talking to people on the course to figure out some pointers on throwing good sidearm shots. i feel like i never recieved a good explanation... they all just kind of did it and didn't really know a breakdown of why their form worked for them. here's some of the styles i noticed that worked: one person used a lot of arm swing, released it nipple high, and was super smooth (just like throwing a ball or something). another person that comes to mind kept his elbow glued to his ribs and started with his arm as far back as that would allow him and made a motion like he was spanking some booty or something like that with a stomach high release. a friend of mine i play a lot with keeps his disc up almost like he's looking down it, his elbow is high when he sets up... he rotates his shoulders, drops his elbow, and rotates his wrist when he releases it, about shoulder height. they can all throw it probably close to 350' and it comes out of their hands looking nice.

my own style is closest to the booty spanker. i keep my elbow glued to my ribs and really do all the work with my shoulders rotating and my wrist flicking while keeping my release about stomach high. i've figured out that i need to start sideways to my target with my feet in line with it, when standing still. when i run up i sort of skip... starting with my front foot stepping then shuffling my back foot up to my front foot and then stepping again with my front foot slightly out to the side to help me open my shoulders square to the target right before i release.

i can't find any instructional articles on proper sidearm technique... just "technique repair" stuff on discgolfreview.com. i really want to read about a solid breakdown of proper sidearm throwing form(s). i'm guessing there's at least 2 or 3 ways that are equally good when it comes to throwing sidearm... i was just wondering how people on here do it or if anyone can give me a more specific breakdown of some of the techniques that work well. being a lefty, i want to have a top notch sidearm someday!

I can tell you about sidearm, but first I need to know if you have a good sidearm with a regular frisbee. Did you play a lot of ultimate or even "throw and catch" with sidearm? If so, you can switch to golf plastic really easy, just throw from up higher. Instead of throwing from below your waist like with frisbees, you throw exactly the same way but from around nipple level.

That's if you are a man, if you are a woman I don't want to say nipple level cause that's not nice to say to women.

"Nipple to nipple*

you know, i played ultimate in high school which is where i originally started learning a lefty sidearm (funny enough, a righty sidearm felt very natural to me in those days, i think because i've always thrown a ball right handed and the uncoiling from shoulder to finger is the same). lefty sidearm felt akward to me but i thought i should learn it, so i did eventually.
my distance shots with a sidearm (with a golf disc) seem it involve more shoulders and speed so i'm guessing i would be turning an ultimate disc over like crazy if using that motion.
if i throw an ultimate disc focusing more on wrist, i suppose i could throw it like i do my understable discs or aviar and get it to fly far and proper.

Ok I thought I could help you but this is way too much details and I can't figure it out.

"Nipple to nipple*



you don't want to throw a forehand "nipple to nipple" you sound like you throw them like i do, keeping your elbow in. I release mine about shin high when doing for distance and waist high for finesse shots. sounds weird but it works. Oh, and be sure to emphasize keeping the nose down

there was an article in dgwn on sidearm throws that helped me out quite a bit, before reading the article I was throwing around 285 max using one finger, once I started using 2 fingers I added about 70 ft farther on average maxing at about 400 ft. I have hit 470 once throwing downhill, On the snap you want to release your hand as if you are sifting water. Sounds like your footwork is ok, as long as you are rotating your hips it should be enough to generate the necessary power, I hope this helps. Good luck.

I did a google search for some articles on this, here's the first few I found:

1. Scott Stokely's article on not having elbow at body (http://www.scottstokely.com/ask_scott.htm)
2. Good article on the grip and snap of sidearm. (http://www.odsa.com/mdga/side.htm)

Here is a link to a chart that explains the basic grips and illustrates the fundamentals of the forehand/sidearm drive.
Forehand Driver Chart (http://www.innovadiscs.com/downloads/ForehandDriveChart.pdf) It is a PDF.

From link #2:
For those who don't know Conrad, he is a very good Pro golfer. He can Throw a Classic Roc further sidearm than most of us can throw a Cyclone back hand, and roll a Stingray sidearm forever!

Now THAT I'd like to see! :p ;)

Sidearm is all about the release and the stability of the disc. If you are throwing more stable plastic then it's best to release from higher up around you nipple, slightly nose down and hold-on longer + more follow through. If you are throwing less stable plastic then you can start lower, around the knee to waist area and release with a hyzer angle. Much more of a feel shot and can be flipped easily or turn into a roller if you are going for "D" and hold on. I personally like to have my elbow close to my body but not touching it. It will be less wear & tear on you elbow over time if your arm is in closer and you use more wrist snap, but it really comes down to preference on a lot of sidearm technique. Also this info. mostly pertains to drivers for me because I don't really flick putters/mids very much. Mostly CE Valks, Z-XS, Champ Orcs, etc...For sidearm to be effective you just have to be consistent so stick with what works for you.

thanks everybody for posting the usefull articles and your own advice.

it's exactly the kind of stuff i'm looking for. and clearly there's a few theories that work (stokely says don't keep your elbow in, conrad damon said keep it in). i liked the conrad damon article a lot! very well written!! the cartoony chart ala innova that discette posted rocks, too.
i think the main thing i need to work on is how i flick it. conrad says it's not like throwing a ball, where your fingers end up moving towards the elbow.... rather, a snap that supinates your wrist (turns it upwards like your scooping some water, bending and rotating it simultaniously)
anyways, i'm off to give my new knowledge a test in the field.
thanks

ha,
speaking of scooping up water, i scoop ice cream at my work (at a cafe/ice cream shop). time to only scoop with my left (throwing) arm as i usually scoop right handed... look out world!

I've been contemplating the sidearm/forehand throw a lot lately and would appreciate input on the following question:

If you are an accurate sidearm thrower, or you regularly see an accurate sidearm thrower, are they releasing out in front of them, to the side, or where?

Background: The assumption I am mulling is that "one of the benefits of a sidearm is keeping the eye on the line and releasing in front of you." I can release at the side and throw a servicable forearm, but I don't get the 'accuracy advantage' of releasing in front of me with that release. Conversely, I can release out in front of me and hit lines pretty well, but I tend to flip the disc more often.

Olse got the forehand in my game right in the middle of the Waco Charity Open...Thanks Mikey this shot has proved to be invalueable to my game. My release hits in front of me. When I do decide to use it I simplify it as much as I can. Stand upright (not like a tree though), Level nose,1 step on my line (in the box), and never taking my eyes off the desiered line but not trying to aim at it, release out in front of me, and most important of all, I use Firebirds or Z-xtremes I never use anything that has a chance of flipping. I don't generate anywhere near the power with a forehand that I do with a backhand. If I want some annie I put the annie on it.

Make sure that you don't use your entire arm...your elbow should stop at your hip and only the forearm continuing on to finish the throw. No run up.

With this "stand and deliver" forearm I have been able to deliver a whippet over 400' (402' at MD States distance comp.)

I disagree with WVOmorningwood about keeping your elbow at your hip. For me, this decreases speed and distance when throwing sidearm. It is good to keep your elbow tucked in when throwing, but as you release you will want to extend your arm straight and follow through. I guess different forms work for different people, but I am much more accurate when extending my arm out - also it will cause a lot less wear and tear on your elbow.

i think WVOmorningwood meant stop it at your hip as in... the hit happens at the point your arm is passing by your hip... not keep your elbow in and glued to your hip.

since originally posting this thread i've gotten much better at sidearms...

there are definitely some different sidearm techniques out there, though. i personally use very little arm swing... keep my elbow half way out and do it all with the hips and wrist, just a little arm swing. i don't fear the run up either... i can throw much farther running into a sidearm... but i can't sidearm a whippet 402' either (kudos to that!). a 325' sidearm, however, i can do easily these days! taken many strokes off my game :)
i also sidearm all my drivers... flippy stuff, overstable stuff... anything! i disagree with the "only sidearm overstable stuff" theory a lot of folks have out there. i hyzer flip many a sidearm and feel this is where i get the best D and accuracy.

I side arm all of my drives and long approaches, and i usually dont use backhand outside of 150'. i prefer very slightly overstable discs because i dont have to worry about them turning when i throw them too hard, but i also have some understable discs like my MRV that i just give a slight hyzer and they will flatten out and fly forever. but it really dosent matter any more than it matters back hand. if anything forehand throws delay any understable roll because of all the spin it creates.

now i do a small run up, but its mainly so i stay consistent in my form. it really dosent serve any other purpose. when i wind up to throw, i get my arm out bent like 90* at the elbow almost like a baseball pitcher would wind up. then i rotate mainly my shoulder untill my elbow reaches my hip. at that point i keep my arm somewhat stuck to my side and the forearm and wrist take over the snap. and when i follow through my arm rests across my torso almost like my arm is in a sling.

thats worked well for me and to those ive showed, but i can only throw in the low 300's at max, so im not sure if its the best form. when i throw longer approaches i skip the whole wind up part, and i keep my arm near my side the whole time. the wind up just gives me a that extra power for long drives.

The main difference between throwing forehand with the elbow in or with your arm extended is with the arm extended you can get more of your body into the throw. That's why a pitcher throws the way he does. A lot of power can be generated from the legs, hips and shoulders rolling through a throw. It's hard to get a lot of hip or shoulder rotation with your elbow at your side.