I've been playing regularly for about 3 years now and throw an accurate and consitant 250-270', with the occasional shot nearing 300'. I'm trying to get an additional 50 feet on my drive, and figure the "offseason" will be a good time to work on new technique. Any ideas or suggestions. I usually throw a beast, orc, or banshee, and really like the flight I get with those discs, so I don't want to switch plastic, I just want to work on my throw. Also, how can I improve on my anhyzer shot-it's the least consistent shot in my arsenal.

How are you currently throwing?

Release angles?
Backhand?
Sidearm?
Flat footed?
X-Step?

Re: "Improving distance during the "offseason""

That's what my son and I do - although I must say it seems to be working a lot better for him than it does for me.

I'd suggest going to a football or soccer field with at least 10 similar drivers. I like a football field because the markings help one estimate the distance easily and quickly. There is plenty of room to just let them rip, and one is not distracted by any target or fairway. Don't worry too much about accuracy now - you are working on distance. Ideally go with another person who can throw them back to you from the opposite direction and call out your best throws.

Read up on the technique(s) you intend to practice and go with a plan to try certain specific things. Throw 5 to 10 discs right in a row concentrating on the "feel" of what you are doing all the while making the minor adjustments you think might add a little distance. The field markings allow one to get immediate feedback on what is working and dial in one's technique much faster than on a course where other variables confuse the issue.

Take breaks after 10 throws or so to rest your arm (to eliminate fatigue as a major factor) and switch ends with your partner to practice throwing into different wind conditions.

Total time does not need to be more than a half hour (mainly due to the fatigue factor) once or twice a week.

hope this helps

slap a ton of midgets.....
it's all about the snap...
chad

How are you currently throwing?

Release angles?
Backhand?
Sidearm?
Flat footed?
X-Step?



I throw RHBH and started this year working on my X-Step. As I mentioned, I can't throw much of an anhyzer, but I throw fairly flat I think

Re: "Improving distance during the "offseason""

That's what my son and I do - although I must say it seems to be working a lot better for him than it does for me.

I'd suggest going to a football or soccer field with at least 10 similar drivers. I like a football field because the markings help one estimate the distance easily and quickly. There is plenty of room to just let them rip, and one is not distracted by any target or fairway. Don't worry too much about accuracy now - you are working on distance. Ideally go with another person who can throw them back to you from the opposite direction and call out your best throws.

Read up on the technique(s) you intend to practice and go with a plan to try certain specific things. Throw 5 to 10 discs right in a row concentrating on the "feel" of what you are doing all the while making the minor adjustments you think might add a little distance. The field markings allow one to get immediate feedback on what is working and dial in one's technique much faster than on a course where other variables confuse the issue.

Take breaks after 10 throws or so to rest your arm (to eliminate fatigue as a major factor) and switch ends with your partner to practice throwing into different wind conditions.

Total time does not need to be more than a half hour (mainly due to the fatigue factor) once or twice a week.

hope this helps



Thanks, that seems like a pretty good idea. I don't know of any football or soccer fields nearby that I can use, but a local school does have a huge (200yds x 200yds) field I could use that's fairly flat. I've been looking at those ball golf distance scopes at Radio Shack. Maybe I'll buy one and use that to guage distance. I just threw my new CFR Wraith today and already threw 324'!!! SO I guess now I'm going to have to start aiming for 350' and beyond!!!

focus on throwing accurate before worrying about the exact distance. A good way to do this in a field is just throw down a line(one used for football/soccer). Try throwing a variety of shots and placing them as close to the line as possible. hen you will learn how far you can throw controlled shots.

Brian,

what happens when you try to throw anhyzer that gives a bad result? aim? disc fades out too early? no power? something else?

My distance is similar to the original posters.
I recommend going to a nearby softball field.
Some have distances marked, if not, take out a tape measure & measure from home plate to center field. The one I go to is 300 feet to center so I can accurately judge my distance while trying to hit center field on every throw.
I still haven't thrown a "home run" this year, but with practice I think it will happen soon enough.

What I'm going to be doing during off-season (/winter) is hitting the weights. I'll be concentrating on strength training instead of mass building (low weight/high reps) but may throw in a heavy weight/low rep day once in a while.

Plus, answer Blakes question. He's full of great info. :)

Weight training really doesn't do anything unless you have absolutely no muscles at all. And I mean none. Since I assume you are a human being who has lived on this earth for some time, you have enough muscles to throw a golf disc a very long way. It's 100% technique.

imo, exercises building grip strength and others that work fast twitch muscles in the legs and arms will aid more than flat out weight training. i find a good number of golfers that have very little explosion in their legs that may benefit from some plyometric exercises, often as simple as jumping rope like a boxer training footwork.

working things that require flexibility, balance, and coordination/timing will likely reap the most positive benefits in terms of actual throw power. conditioning is important for fatigue/injury. also, maintaining good muscle balance is as important if not more important than all of those for keeping your body feeling good.

Brian, if you are already driving 324 and you are in the masters division, please quit practicing distance now.

Brian,

what happens when you try to throw anhyzer that gives a bad result? aim? disc fades out too early? no power? something else?



Well I either put too much on it and it goes way right (I'm RHBH), sometimes even just hitting the ground 50 feet in front of me and skidding off, or it goes too high. Basically, I can't intentionally throw anhyzer more than maybe 50% of the time. I have the most distance when I throw flat and let it hyzer off, but then I'm always left of the hole. I want to get the anhyzer to keep it fairly straight (and I assume it will improve distance), but I can't seem to get it right. The best thing I've learned to help is to move from the back right corner of the tee to the front left, thus making my arm lift higher giving more of an anhyzer throw. But that's difficult for me when I'm in the fairway with no teebox to help.

might want to try focusing on getting more weight forward when throwing anhyzer.

sounds like your annie problems are related to the trajectory and nose angle...

i say also try getting your momentum going in a way that will make your weight finish coming back towards the right. snap it at the apex of this motion... weight moving towards the outer edge of the tee width during run up, snap at balance, to finishing back towards the middle of the tee width. i hope that makes some sense...

One of the things that helped my annie game was getting a cleaner throw. I was getting a lot of off axis torque on my throw and was getting the disc to flip out of the hand. The problem was that it's too hard to predict just how much it was going to flip so some dove right, some came out. I recommend moving down to midranges (like a dx roc or element) and putters in your drilling. They don't mask bad technique as well as stable drivers. Learn to throw those straight without flipping and annies will come easier. Your distance will also benefit from your improved technique. Also see Blake T's articles on discgolfreveiw.com (http://discgolfreview.com) they are the best resources.

To throw an anhyzer
have a lower finish than would throwing a hyzer shot and follow through all the way
also find a disc you can throw flat and have anyhyzer

i went out this week to work on what i learned at usdgc. Unfortunatley my right leg decided not to work with the rest of my body and i tore my meniscus and now i done for the year. :( :( I hope to be back for Azela fest.

Ouch

no good travis.

hope it gets well soon and rehab goes well.

I am going to purchase the total gym.

Comes highly Recommended. Strength training and conditioning. /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

Don't play much during the offseason, and don't work on your game. This system added 50' to my drive this spring. I can't wait to not practice this winter, so that I will be throwing over 500' this coming spring!

Make the trip out to California. We play year around. :D

best way to improve in the off season is to not take the season off. That's my plan ... keep playing and stay sharp while everyone else rusts up a bit.

I play year around here in CO. It's not quite as comfortable to play, especially up here in the mountains where I live ... but I do it anyway. Putting practice in the yard everyday (or almost anyway), and I get on the course as often as possible. Road trips to the lower elevations and warmer weather help. And I throw drives in the parks when ever I can, and occasionally I will take a basket with me and set it up for mids and putts.
Even throwing once a week in a park will keep your form intact, and most likely your distance will improve.

Winter is a great time to work on the basic mechanics. Since the cold makes everything a bit tougher you will concentrate more on pure form than on D. Footing and grip are really affected by the cold and the snow. Concentrate on your timing, pull through and follow through.

Sitting in a Hot tub ,with a cold drink !!!! /msgboard/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

CROSSTRAIN!
cardio/legstrength/balance
http://www.biglines.com/./photos/blpic36534.jpg
visualize fairways/deep breathing...
http://www.biglines.com/./photos/blpic36243.jpg
SNAP... pull the trigger and fly like the disc
http://www.biglines.com/./photos/blpic36535.jpg
this drive kinda hyzered out...
http://www.biglines.com/./photos/blpic34307.jpg

but we're livin in the midwest this winter so I'll just go to the course whenever I can all winter long...

What the heck is an "Offseason"?? I don't get it?

It's when you don't have to wait for the 3 groups in front of you to tee... :D

What the heck is an "Offseason"?? I don't get it?



Ive always wondered how much better I would be if I didnt have to take 3 months a year off for the past 2 years :D

Millz we all wonder how much better you would be.. it keeps us all up at night! :eek:

Millz we all wonder how much better you would be.. it keeps us all up at night! :eek:


I wondered why I was having trouble sleeping :D

It's when you don't have to wait for the 3 groups in front of you to tee... :D



Oh that's what it is! I LOVE THE OFFSEASON!

millz, you wouldn't be any better.

Millz we all wonder how much better you would be.. it keeps us all up at night! :eek:


I wondered why I was having trouble sleeping :D



:D:D:D:p :p :p

Oh that's what it is! I LOVE THE OFFSEASON!

millz, you wouldn't be any better.




Either way im still whoopin up on you :eek:

Oh that's what it is! I LOVE THE OFFSEASON!

millz, you wouldn't be any better.




Either way im still whoopin up on you :eek:


I've never denied that. But my homie DirtyV could kick your butt, and I taught him how to throw. Neener neener!

Oh that's what it is! I LOVE THE OFFSEASON!

millz, you wouldn't be any better.




Either way im still whoopin up on you :eek:


I've never denied that. But my homie DirtyV could kick your butt, and I taught him how to throw. Neener neener!



Millz needs to improve on his driving, but it has nothing to do with disc golf! :eek:

Did I type that in a forum, or just think it???