I've been playing for about 6 years and have never developed either overhand style. I'm sick of my buddies having that option and not me. So, I want to start practicing both a thumber and a tomahawk. Should I use a more overstable disc like a firebird, or an understable one like a 150 class boss, or something else??

Also, I am 37 y.o. and the only time I ever tried an overhand seemed to hurt my shoulder, I have no medical probs though. Thoughts?

thnks

You can reduce shoulder strain by throwing the disc more like a football than a baseball.
Keep the disc close to your ear until the elbow is pointing at the target and then pull down through the elbow.

I could be wrong, but I have found a more overstable disc works better for my tomahawks and an understable disc works better for thumbers.

and you definitely should warm up and do some good rotating motions with your arm prior to throwing either shot IMO to avoid injury.

I could be wrong, but I have found a more overstable disc works better for my tomahawks and an understable disc works better for thumbers.

and you definitely should warm up and do some good rotating motions with your arm prior to throwing either shot IMO to avoid injury.

You are right on both fronts.

I think I partially tore my bicep throwing thumbers and tomahawks last year and I have become much more conservative in my use of these shots. I used to throw overhand shots about 90% of the time and now it's more like 2% of the time. Maybe once a round if that.

I used to be a pitcher in baseball and I could throw pretty fast so it just made sense to me to throw overhand. I just always used a super beat DX Eagle for both shots but thumbers made up the vast majority of my overhand shots.

Pitching gave me pain in my shoulder after a while but I've never experienced shoulder pain with overhand shots. My pain is located on the inside of my elbow (opposite my wenis, if you will) probably about two inches towards my shoulder.

EVERY time I throw an overhand shot now I stretch my bicep for at least 30 seconds and try to work my arm around to every possible angle to loosen up the ligaments. These stretches will help.

http://www.fitness.cornell.edu/eod/images/bicep_stretch_bi_end_b.gif

http://www.scottishsport.co.uk/squash/images/stretch/Dave5.jpg

http://www.concept2.co.uk/guide/images/training_guide_v2-17_2.jpg

Be careful throwing that thumber, we already had a player break his arm.

thank you all, sounds like some great advice.

Keep in mind a more stable disc thrown Tomahawk takes longer to flip over threw the whole flight, better for distance if you want a slow roll (takes more snap to get it to roll all the way) Less Stable will flip quicker good for shorter up and over spikes. Thumber I find they flip quick with a more stable driver,firebird,whippet as the less stable Valkyrie,Teebird glides more with a Thumber. Hope this helps. Go to a field and throw your whole bag both ways.

i think that the thumber delivers less stress on the arm than the tomahawk since your arm can be farther out. as for disc choice, try a 150 flick so that you can get the best of both worlds.

i can deliver dead accuracy with the 150 flick when i thumb it however i have not been able to develope the tomahawk with any disc.
the tomahawk seems to require a stronger two finger grip wich creates a lot of pressure and pain on my hands. no pain in either throw in the shoulder or elbow. i.m 42 years ancient.

i can deliver dead accuracy with the 150 flick when i thumb it however i have not been able to develope the tomahawk with any disc.
the tomahawk seems to require a stronger two finger grip wich creates a lot of pressure and pain on my hands. no pain in either throw in the shoulder or elbow. i.m 42 years ancient.

Try a monarch. The key to a Tomahawk (pancake) it an understable disc. Since the disc comes out of your hand at a different angle you'll want something that flips faster (the opposite of a Thumber which you want to flip slowly for max distance). I like the Monarch because it is understable and fast.

I throw a thumber accurately 300' and less accurately 320', however, I cannot throw a tomahawk more than 220'. I think its just in the arm swing or not.

I used to cause pain in my shoulder and arm when I attempted thumbers. I have found that there are several things that can prevent this after warming up and stretching. I make sure to follow through, have a long motion and avoid "snapping" my elbow when i throw. I still have to be VERY careful and only use thumbers and only out to about 200'.

champion whippet-x