So i have always thrown backhand and am currently trying to learn how to throw sidearm. I read the article on it on discgolfreview and it didn't help that much. Really It wouldn't be to bad if i didn't always turn it over within 20 feet of where i throw it. I can throw it fine at really short distances. within 30 feet but then my backhand usually works better.

I seem to be the opposite. i drive sidearm, but i use backhand for most approach shots.

to sidearm, i stick to the one finger under the rim grip, and its basically all in the wrist. try practicing throwing very slowly, but snap your wrist just as hard. i can throw probably 100' without even moving my arm. its really all in the snap.

if your turning discs, it also could be the discs your using, so u may want to try something more stable. i find sidearm more powerfull for me, and i am able to turn discs i dont even come close to backhand.

however, if its your technique thats bad, which is most likely the case, overstable discs may give u the illusion of throwing good, when all they do is correct your mistakes. just stick to stable drivers, and work on that snap.

One thing that causes lots of problems with a sidearm throw is getting the nose down too much. Try throwing with the nose up more. It may feel akward at first but it's something that's worth experimenting with.

I have never been the best sidearm thrower, but it has become alot better in the last 2-3 months. I have been using a rhyno and a roc for my sidearm. This really helped to show me what I was doing wrong. When I picked up a driver and threw it sidearm on Saturday, they were going twice the distance that they used to.

My sidearm is good for 300 and accurate, but 300 is the max so I can't do the long D holes with it, and within 75 feet it's not accurate because it skips past the pin or whatever and backhand is more accurate for those shots.

So, within 75 feet and over 300, backhand is better. Also, I use sidarm if it's a tight tunnel shot because I get better accuracy through tight gaps. On open holes I always use backhand.

Up steep hills if it's a long hole, I never use sidearm because it hurts my shoulder. Uphill I always use backhand, unless it's under 200 then I flick it. Downhill I can go either way. Sometimes I can flick 400 feet+ if it's big downhill action. Like hole 12 at Hyzer Creek I can flick 50 feet past the 400 foot rock without even trying hard. That's 450 feet with a downhill drop of about 60 feet. And that's with very little effort, it's like tossing a paper airplane, it's so easy. That same distance off the same hole with a backhand requires lots of gruntage.

Sidearm is easier, it takes much less energy, so if I feel lazy or tired I just flick it.

Then there's the whole right / left thing. That goes without saying. If the hole goes to the right and is less than 300 feet, I just flick it with the greatest of ease. I never bothered to learn how to turn over a backhand, I just use a sidearm it's more accurate than a backhand turnover for me.

The coolest thing about sidearm is you can show off with it because so many people have no flick at all, they say "How do you DO that?????"

sounds like you are overtorqueing it. Try not to throw it so hard or use a more stable disc. Body mechanics are a major part of this throw as well.

thanks everyone for the advice.

just go flick in a field......thats how i learned....and i dont want to sound like i have a big head......but i feel like im one of the best flickers in my town.....dont start to aim at first because you will get disapointed easially.....just flick in an open field until you get the swing of it and then start to aim

yep...go pratice in a field. Then play a few rounds with nothing but flicks or play two shots on each hole....one missionary and one flick.

Sidearm is great for getting out of trouble or approaches where your footing is in question.

i started out throwing sidearm just for approaches... on my course there's plenty of trees and bushes in the way to force you to when you're trying to scramble. one thing i believe is that you can reach around a bush or tree much easier with a sidearm than with a backhand... sometimes i opt for the sidearm anhyzer vs. the backhand hyzer to get to the same spot when in these situations.

so there's some reasons to use it, imo.

how i learned to drive sidearm was all about going into a field and figuring out how to run up comfortably into a sidearm... i sort of skip rather than step, personally. the other thing was figuring out how to get my hips involved so they really turned hard... about 90 degrees. this is what added a lot of D for me. when i first started getting it i was just focusing on turning my hips, keeping my elbow fairly tucked in, and flicking my wrist at the end... no arm swing. since i've gotten that down i use a little more arm swing now... but still not too much... and i keep my arm out more.

learn to sidearm all your discs too! some people just learn overstable stuff and become very limited in their lines. i think if you can learn to throw understable stuff sidearm, you'll also be able to throw overstable stuff... i don't think the opposite is true.

it's a very learnable shot. and underrated as far as i can tell. not enough people know the sidearm.

actually my best sidearm disc is my sidewinder. I can only get it about 100 feet right now but im working on distance

one thing ive just begun to notice is dont try to poverpower the discs. its easy to get carried away and throw it hard like a baseball, but its hard to get good results this way. start out with controll.

its good that your learning with the sidewinder. you could also give your midranges a try. thats how i learned. they are a little forgiving and you can get away with throwing them lightly. when i tarted throwing sidearm my best disc was an MRV. if yu have any understable mids i suggest giving them a shot.

and remember, controll your power. all the dsics need is a small flick.. you dont need a big arm to make a disc go far.

My learning went the opposite way. I started by powering over-stable discs. After a year or two, I now have enough smoothness that I can throw less stable discs farther. The big thing for me is remembering that it's all in the snap.

On an average day, I can flick a Quarter K about 400' with decent accuracy. I throw nearly all my tee shots sidearm, using midranges (Squall, Wasp, Element-x) 90% of the time.

The only way to learn a really good sidearm is to commit yourself totally to the shot. Play every shot (except putts) of every round sidearm for a while. Don't use your backhand at all, ever. No matter how ridiculously inappropriate the flick may seem for a given situation, try to make it work.

The other part of the equation is focus. Really concentrate on what you're doing. Analyze every shot. What went wrong? What went right? Did you snap it well, but release too soon? Etc., etc., etc.

In order to commit yourself to this learning process, you have to put score out of your mind. Making good throws should be your only goal. It's just like learning backhand, only easier.

A very important thing that helped me to get a better side arm was to keep my elbow tucked into my ribs, before this I couldn't throw more than 100 feet without flutter. It was so bad that I threw lefty for a good while before a friend helped me with my stroke. The other important thing to remember is you arm speed can not exceed your snap, meaning snap first, arm speed second. Like some other people said, throw it softer at first and you'll be suprised how far it goes. Good luck.

So i have always thrown backhand and am currently trying to learn how to throw sidearm. I read the article on it on discgolfreview and it didn't help that much. Really It wouldn't be to bad if i didn't always turn it over within 20 feet of where i throw it. I can throw it fine at really short distances. within 30 feet but then my backhand usually works better.

It sounds like you are rotating your wrist on your throw. Try finishing the throw with the palm up, facing the sky.

A very important thing that helped me to get a better side arm was to keep my elbow tucked into my ribs, before this I couldn't throw more than 100 feet without flutter. (...) The other important thing to remember is you arm speed can not exceed your snap, meaning snap first, arm speed second.

Best advice so far. Pick up an Ultra-Star, it'll really show the flaws in your technique.