I throw my tomahawk with a power grip. I've been using overstable discs like my Crush.....My DISCtance sucks!!! Any tips to getting it out further? Am I using the wrong discs? HELP!!!

Common now...I have 60 views with no suggestions.....I'm not looking for the perfect way to throw a Tom. but a few suggestions on how to do it better...Should I assume, that by the lack of responce that overstable discs is the correct disk for the overhand? Again.....HELP
!!!!

Sorry, I only throw thumbers.

You spelled "distance" wrong, too. ;)

Hi Bizzle,
i've been working on my thumber and tomahawk shots a little in the past few months and i have improved my distance some but i still max out around 250'-260' (which may suck by your standards) /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif. what kind of distance are you getting? I use star or champion firebirds for most of these shots but i will also use a teebird on some shots when i want it to roll a little quicker. the firebirds will go a little farther for me and i think you are on the right track with overstable plastic, but i'm not sure about crushes i don't have alot of experience with these discs, but i know you don't want a disc that's too fast or it will roll too quickly and you won't get much distance. my grip for the tomahawk shots i throw is a two finger grip with my index finger over my middle finger and this has worked for me. i'm not an expert on these shots by any means but i thought explaining what works for me might help you.
I just didn't wanna leave you hanging with no replys ;)
hope this helps

Gateway's Spirit is the best overhand disc by far. Comfortable rim and very overstable...My weenie arm could still get them out pretty far.

MC

Bryan,

In general, there are a few things you should do to maximize your distance on overhand shots (I've lumped tomahawks and thumbers into the group of "overhands" as both require similar throwing motions...only their grips differ). First, it can't be just an "arm swing". Get the entire body into it. Work on being fluid with your "run up" (crow hop, cross-over, whatever) plant with you left foot (forward)...if you're righthanded and keep you chest high. The "arm strike" must take place 1. after the left foot hits, 2. leading with the elbow (sort of like hammering a nail into a wall 7' up), and 3. finish high (out after the target). On this last part, don't worry, gravity will bring you back down...it always does! If you throw "over the top", your left plant foot should pretty much be in line with the target; if you throw more "sidearm", the plant foot should be more "out to the left". This enables a force vector to be generated from the ground (the point from which you can torque off of) - in a straight line - through to the disc. A key is to maximize the distance from the plant foot to the disc (at release). This can best be done via a high release. Other than that, work into it slowly (as most people's bodies / arms aren't really used to that motion / the stresses generated from such). Hope this helps a bit.

Karl

Throw it like a pitcher throws a baseball...

Sweet...thanks for the suggestions...I'll get out after work today and work out the kinks

crow hop...

I throw my tomahawk with a power grip. I've been using overstable discs like my Crush.....My DISCtance sucks!!! Any tips to getting it out further? Am I using the wrong discs? HELP!!!



Coming from a person who throws overhand shots, thumbers and tommies both, Like others have said, you essentialy need a more overstable disc. I throw overhand where most people throw rocs; anything out of my normal driver range gets the tommy, thumber, or the skip tommy. It helps to have some sort of baseball-like ability; I vary my release points depending on how far I am, how much headroom, and how much skip I want in play. I throw relatively light (167-172) for this shot for the most part.

A few biased suggesations:

Broke in CE firebird - longest Tommy throws I've had, period.
Star firebird
Monster
Max

You can make almost any neutral to overstable disc work. Even a leopard can work when released at the right angle.

Just have some fun and practice pancake shots for a while, then start throwing those pancake shots harder from further out.

Ye olde Skip Tommy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjBJZcwoY4U)

As far as grip, I use two fingers, index pointed towards the center of the disc, middle along the rim. I used to use index only, but two finger is giving me both accuracy and distance I didn't have with one finger. For thumbers, I keep my fist tight, with only my index finger straight for balance.

Discraft VENOM!!!! Throw the Venom, and watch your distance increase by at least 40'. A fresh 167 Venom works the best for me. I went from 300' to 340'+ chaging to the Venom.

Anybody trying to throw a tomahawk I suggest making sure your shoulder can handle it. I think that is one of the biggest reason my shoulder is pretty much shot, and am worried about having to go under the knife after BG ams. But if you have good technique and it doesn't hurt. I have had my best luck out of a 167g flick. I have found the most accurate and comfortable grip for me being two fingers on the inside of the rim and two resting on the rim itself. I also really have to suggest that even if someone has a good shoulder, you limit how many times you use it. I will not deny the usefullness of it and found myself using it all of the time, downhill shots, over a tree shot, aproach shots, drives of around 200'-225', tight fairways, and especially if I ended up in the woods and needed to chop out, but I wish I would have used it a lot less now.

I used the thumber quite a bit for about a year, getting about 320 ft. max out of it.

Playing a winter round in Michigan, I warmed up backhand and sidearm, but didn't warm up my shoulder. Midway through the round I threw a hard thumber and tore my rotator cuff.

The rehab took about 6 months and the shoulder is now about 80% of what it was. At some point I may go under the knife for it.

I wouldn't recommend throwing overhand with full power and I would recommend warming up the shoulder to avoid injury.

Yeah......hurting my shoulder is DEFINATELY a concern, as I am ambidex. and throw backhand lefty..but I am a righty in baseball, so, needless to say, my overhand throws are righty. I am usually NOT warmed up enough with my right in a tourney for the overhand. I think that I need to come up with some techniques for warming up my right during a tourney if I know I need a tomahawk, like the Snow Farm course in Round Top TX

Take a bigger than average golf towel hold it by one corner and do your overhand motion with it. The towel will create air drag which will warm up your shoulder and not put undo strain on the joint. Use for the backhand motion as well.

Serve a bucket of tennis balls to warm up. Start out very gently (but concentrate on the SNAP at the top) & work your way up to the full crush. Your overhands will be butta & so will your shoulder!

And, oh, BTW, a 150g gummy Champion Banshee (pinpoint accuracy) and a 150g gummy Champion Firebird (BOMB distance) are the tools for the job.

I tend to throw several overhand shots in a round and picked up the long towel warm up routine from Schweb. I feel that it has really helped me warm up my arm for both overhand and backhand shots. Firebirds are the way to go for me, one lighter side and one heavier side.

Before I ruined my shoulder I was getting good distance out of a Firebird FL, and an Orc that was more overstable than usual.

I tend to throw several overhand shots in a round and picked up the long towel warm up routine from Schweb. I feel that it has really helped me warm up my arm for both overhand and backhand shots. Firebirds are the way to go for me, one lighter side and one heavier side.



I would like to hear more about the long towel warm up ... what is it?

I tend to throw several overhand shots in a round and picked up the long towel warm up routine from Schweb. I feel that it has really helped me warm up my arm for both overhand and backhand shots. Firebirds are the way to go for me, one lighter side and one heavier side.



Firebirds and Preds. work well, but a Venom will give you extra "D" for sure. I have witnessed many people switch and add 40'+

Champion Monster is THE tommahawk disc.

Take a bigger than average golf towel hold it by one corner and do your overhand motion with it. The towel will create air drag which will warm up your shoulder and not put undo strain on the joint. Use for the backhand motion as well.



Great idea!! I'll start doing that!!

Makes me think that I should design something similar with weights on the end to build up arm strength...although you would have to be VERY careful not to follow through and let the weights hit the "twins" :o

This thread is making my shoulder sore ... guess I forgot to warm up. :p

I tend to throw several overhand shots in a round and picked up the long towel warm up routine from Schweb. I feel that it has really helped me warm up my arm for both overhand and backhand shots. Firebirds are the way to go for me, one lighter side and one heavier side.



Firebirds and Preds. work well, but a Venom will give you extra "D" for sure. I have witnessed many people switch and add 40'+

I don't throw tommies, but I throw a good share of thumbers. I started getting much better D when I went to lighter discs. In my experience, a 150g Flick and a 160g Reaper are two very nice discs for overhand shots with distance.

nanook

I'm kind of surprised by all of the disc suggestions here... am I the only person that uses a Max Champ Eagle for pinpoint 220-270 thumbers? It holds such a predictable line that I can't imagine touching anything else.

Take a bigger than average golf towel hold it by one corner and do your overhand motion with it. The towel will create air drag which will warm up your shoulder and not put undo strain on the joint. Use for the backhand motion as well.



Few messages up.....

For a guy who playes lefty except for my tom...the towel technique works pretty well....I have tried it for the last week....Good call on that!

no problem.....anytime

I'm kind of surprised by all of the disc suggestions here... am I the only person that uses a Max Champ Eagle for pinpoint 220-270 thumbers? It holds such a predictable line that I can't imagine touching anything else.



Back when I had some Innova plastic in my bag my go to thumber disc was a 174 CE Eagle and as far as im concerned when its comes to accurate 300 and in thumbers the CE Eagle cant be beat!!! Next in line of course if you want a little more distance and a little less accuracy is the Firebrid...........Thats just my 2 cents

I know throw Z Trackers and Z Flicks for my thumber discs and they are working quite nicely!!! :D:D:D

I throw the venom as well, and it definitely added distance over what I was throwing (mainly Z-pred's).... However, I found another disc that outdistances them all... but can't be used for pinpoint accuracy at shorter distances.... The Z-Xtreme! I can throw a new Venom around 320 consistently but can get a Z-Xtreme out to around 350. I haven't tried an X-Xtreme but assume you would get similar increases in distance.

I know this a "throwing technique" forum and I only talked about disc selection... but I'm telling you that if you want maximum distance the Z-Xtreme is the best disc I've found.

FirebiZZle my niZZle

I throw the venom as well, and it definitely added distance over what I was throwing (mainly Z-pred's).... However, I found another disc that outdistances them all... but can't be used for pinpoint accuracy at shorter distances.... The Z-Xtreme! I can throw a new Venom around 320 consistently but can get a Z-Xtreme out to around 350. I haven't tried an X-Xtreme but assume you would get similar increases in distance.

I know this a "throwing technique" forum and I only talked about disc selection... but I'm telling you that if you want maximum distance the Z-Xtreme is the best disc I've found.



Disc selection depends on what you want out of the shot. A thumber is going to turn harder right and pancake out. A tommie is going to fly pretty straight and land on its edge.
I have tried many discs for overhand and different situations. I choose Venom for Tommie and Pred. for thumber, occasionally will pull out the Z-extreme for tough outs.

A thumber is only going to go hard right, if you throw it low and hard.

A thumber is only going to go hard right, if you throw it low and hard.



Do you get more distance from a thumber or tommie?

I dont throw tomahawks but maybe 3 times per year, bad for the elbow. My thumber goes between 325 and 350.

I dont throw tomahawks but maybe 3 times per year, bad for the elbow. My thumber goes between 325 and 350.



Are you saying the Tomahawk hurts your elbow but the thumber doesn't? I have had just the opposite. I can throw the Tomahawk all day without pain, but let me throw a couple of thumbers and my elbow feels like it is going to fall out. :confused: Maybe I'm not throwing the thumber right, help a bro out here.

The thumber works well with a 3/4 release and seems to be a little less stressful. The 3/4 relase will also make it hook to the right more (for righties)...

I wrap my index finger around the rim. I think that takes alot of pressure of the certain tendons that give alot of peeps problems, cause most people throw a thumber without their index finger wrapped around the rim.

Explain "wrapped around the rim," please?

Explain "wrapped around the rim," please?



Yes ... please explain

the first digit of your index finger curled around the edge of the flight plate, like you were pulling the trigger of a gun.

www.discgolfreview.com/resources/analysis/brianschweberger2.shtm (http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/analysis/brianschweberger2.shtm)

The link didn't work for me, but that's how I throw a thumber, too. Between that and my thumb hooked in the rim, my grip is super tight and allows for a lot of power.

I edited that link check it now.

Need to add and "l" to the end of the link (shtml).

the first digit of your index finger curled around the edge of the flight plate, like you were pulling the trigger of a gun.

www.discgolfreview.com/resources/analysis/brianschweberger2.shtml (http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/analysis/brianschweberger2.shtm)



Thanks, I'll try that grip and see if it makes any difference in the way my elbow feels.

Like this:

Schweb's Thumber (http://www.discgolfreview.com/resources/analysis/brianschweberger2.shtml)