I'll try and be as brief and as possible and I understand its hard to help when you can't actually see me throw. Background is I've been playing about 8 years but only really taking it seriously for the past 2. Not until recently was I throwing newer plastics(Flash, Crush, Sidewinder, Starfire) so my distance was maxed at about 280ft. Well with some time in the football field and some new discs I have managed to work out to about 330ft average with occasionaly proper tug to about 375ft. I believe my problems began after coming off a menicus repair in my left knee(none plant) which I'm about 6 months removed from and doing well. I think during my rehab when I started to play I have altered my delivery where my plant leg is taking a huge brunt of the force I generate when I pull through. I have noticed as my distance increase my plant knee(or good knee as I call it) seems to be getting very stiff and slight swelling. Keep in mind by the next day its completely back to normal however its starting to take its toll. Prior to my injury I was very good about following through after the throw basically with my left leg swinging around and landing in front of me sometimes off the end of the teepad and even the occasional fall. My theory is since I hurt that knee I have taught myself to not follow through as much due to possible injury I might get from short tee pads on the local course. Last night at the football field I tried a couple of times to follow through strongly and the result was the disc would turn over pretty bad outta of my hand. I am either getting more power / snap from the added motion or I might even be pulling my pivot foot out during the release.

Finally my question is, do you all think that one technique is better than the other. Is a solid plant and good reach back matched up with small follow through better than a good swift follow through. I think physically I can do either, mentally I can learn it however I don't want to take step back overall to "relearn" the form. I will relearn it if it means that I can start working to break that magical 400ft mark.

I have read all the articles worked grip, worked on shoulder rotation, hips being stronger and all that but seems I have plateaued at this distance for now.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated and sorry for the long winded post.

I'm no expert, but I get the feeling most people will tell you to definitely follow through. I went through something similar (without the injury) where I wasn't following through all the way and when I would follow through I'd turn the discs over. After correcting some timing and wrist roll issues I'm finding that I'm throwing farther with less effort and less strain on my body.

I also found that if I lowered my center of gravity that I had much more control of where I landed when I follow through and have fewer harsh landings after I swing my leg around. I understand why you're concerned about following through, but I don't doubt that not following through will take it's toll and could lead to another injury.

the X factor you are missing is snap. maximum snap/rip force requires a strong finish THROUGH the rip and into the follow through. as for the turnover problems you were having when you finished stronger, it is likely one of two things:
1) you were throwing discs that are high speed understable and getting more power on them before (however, the crush and starfire should fly stable > 400').
2) you were getting off axis torque with the finish. remember it is also important how that finish occurs to stay consistent with the velocity/force vectors of the throw.
3) 1 and 2.

the knee pain you are getting is most likely a strained MCL caused by jamming your pivot foot and torquing your knee. basically, every time you do this you are stretching/tearing is slightly. an easy quick fix is to force yourself to plant with your toes pointing closer to say 45 degrees from the target vs. 90.

if your goal is to break 400' consistently, you may very well have to "relearn" your throw's timing and focal points.

the X factor you are missing is snap. maximum snap/rip force requires a strong finish THROUGH the rip and into the follow through. as for the turnover problems you were having when you finished stronger, it is likely one of two things:
1) you were throwing discs that are high speed understable and getting more power on them before (however, the crush and starfire should fly stable > 400').
2) you were getting off axis torque with the finish. remember it is also important how that finish occurs to stay consistent with the velocity/force vectors of the throw.
3) 1 and 2.

the knee pain you are getting is most likely a strained MCL caused by jamming your pivot foot and torquing your knee. basically, every time you do this you are stretching/tearing is slightly. an easy quick fix is to force yourself to plant with your toes pointing closer to say 45 degrees from the target vs. 90.

if your goal is to break 400' consistently, you may very well have to "relearn" your throw's timing and focal points.



Of the discs I throw that tend to go understable the most the flash and the sidewinder(both hi speed understable). The star fire and crush stay pretty flat to stable over their flight path for me. I am assuming Blake when you say 45 vs 90 you want my plant toe pointed more towards the target than I currently do. I agree with you about the need to probably relearn the timing of my throw because when I do follow through I feel out of time with things happening. I will try and go out to the field and slow things down and use a 3 step X - step and add in the follow through slowly till I get the timing down. I can stand to lose those 30 extra feet for a while if it means in the big picture my knee doesn't hurt and my distance picks up over time.

Thanks for the pointers.

I am assuming Blake when you say 45 vs 90 you want my plant toe pointed more towards the target than I currently do.



correct. what this does is forces the initial part of the hip turn before your foot hits the ground, as most knee strain occurs when you are turning with your foot pivoting on the ground.

hi um my dad said a "plant toe" is a toe that u plant. like a seed. what exactly IS a plant toe? i know my dad wuz lying

~melissa :confused:

hi um my dad said a "plant toe" is a toe that u plant. like a seed. what exactly IS a plant toe? i know my dad wuz lying

~melissa :confused:


never leave you computer on when little girls are around sorry guys

Dave :cool: