I've read that most people rip with their index finger. But I've developed a major callous on my middle finger because that's actually my rip point.

I've been playing about a year and a half and throw around 380-390 with alot of spin, but I feel like there's something holding back my further progress. I'm a small guy (5'7" 120 lbs) so that might be it, but I was curious about the rip finger as well.

Any real advantages to the index finger over middle? How is this something I can improve?

Right now I use my own version of the power grip where my the balls of my fingers press into the rim right at the base of the vertical shoulder on the disc.

you being 5ft7 and 120 shouldn't effect your ability to throw far..
look at Steve Brinster and Jake Azato.. 2 dudes that' aren't the tallest but both can throw in the 600ft range.. and probably average about 450.
It's all technique.
I have changed my grip because i think i was gripping "over" the disc too much.. and now i also have developed a callus on my middle finger. Dont' know what to tellyou about that..
If you have good arm speed and lots of spin then you just need to get your timing down a bit more and you should break 400 eventually.. when i started playing I "learned" how to put spin on the disc and all the sudden i was driving over 400.. that lasted fora bout a month. I havne't been able to get back to there conistently since then and i've been playing for almost 2 years now. :(

-"I Suck" Scott

My throw is modeled almost exactly after Brinster's... i throw 450+ and my callus is also on my middle finger...

I used to be like that, but am now finally getting those callouses on my index finger tips. I don't know if the index is a better rip finger than the middle finger, but if you are gripping the disc so that it should be ripping off your index finger, but is coming off your middle finger more so instead, then it could be creating some off-axis torque that is robbing you of distance. discgolfreview.com explains about rip points and pressure, but doesn't really answer your question posted here. If you haven't looked at the instructional article on grip there, I suggest you do and that might help some.

If you wanna try seeing if you ripping off the index finger gives you better results, you can try using a fork grip where the ring and middle finger are stacked on the pinky as a lock point and the index finger is a rip point. That way there are only two fingers touching the disc, making it almost certain that it will rip off the index finger.

My throw is modeled almost exactly after Brinster's... i throw 450+ and my callus is also on my middle finger...



Maybe that's because you grip your disc with only two fingers...

Well me LIving in westmilford and Steve also living there.. He's the reason i got into the game...
I try not to throw just like steve, but i like his short/NO x-up and the rest of this throw..
I started getting poked fun at for throwing very similar and i thought i was one of the only ones that did.
I don't really do a Bounce or jump, but i have a very short xup because i have barely any pullback or need time for my pullback..
The only thing i'm having trouble with right now is just getting a nice clean release..
I'm having some issues with accuracy that i'lll be working out tomorrow hopefully(my 3rd day out in a row! already doubled the amount i've been out so far this year)

-"I suck" Scott

I throw golf shots in the 400-450 range. I also have a small callus on the right side of the tip of my middle finger. I don't think it hinders anything on my throw.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless the callus gets too big where it affects your release(happened to me before). Using the middle finger more/less is not what is hindering your distance. If you're throwing 380 don't worry about distance, it will come in time.

It's not the callous itself that I was wondering about- I was just using that to demonstrate that my rip finger actually is the middle one (I made no concious decisions about my grip so I figured index would happen naturally). Thanks for the help guys

based on the correspondance i have had with Dave D. on the subject...

if your rip is on the middle finger rather than the index finger, it is easier to get more nose down if you remove the index finger from the inner rim.

as for advantages of index finger rip vs. middle finger rip... if you use a 4-fingered grip... there is more potential strength/rip force with an index finger grip since more pressure can be applied onto the rim into the seam of the hand (following the logic of 4 > 3).

I have two thick calluses, one on my index and the other on my middle finger. I throw 450+