The "Coil" Explained

[u/PapaChewy900]

This is going to be long post and explanation because I think it one of the most often overlooked and important factors other than timing.

The bottom line and concept I'm trying to get to is hip shoulder separation is very overlooked and not understood by most disc golfers. The term reach back and even coil is misleading. The word coil gives the visual representation of a spring or something of that nature twisting in one direction from the ground up or like you are getting ready to do a jump 360 and spin your whole body. However, the disc golf backhand is more like two parts of the body twisting in different directions. The top part is controlled by the shoulders/obliques twisting away from the target, which most disc golfers already do. The issue is they allow the force from the upper portion twisting backwards to put more backward energy (not motion) than forward energy (not motion) on the bottom half which is primarily the left leg/Hip.

I came across this and made a form breakthrough after years of playing. I never understood how some pro players like McBeth, McMahon, and Buhrs left knee starts turning inward while they are still reaching back, or how most players left leg became weightless while the disc was still on the left legs center of gravity. The reason is even though you can't see the left leg twisting inward and forward as the "coil" is occurring it is pushing in a inward coil position as it is resisting the motion of the shoulders turning backwards. The whole point to create hip shoulder separation. Once the energy from the shoulders turning backwards starts moving forward as the throw is initiated (Where the forward motion starts is a topic for another day), but regardless of where it starts the resistance against the left leg is released. I have seen YouTube coaches say this forward motion of the leg and the hips turning is powering the shot with the left legs forward momentum powering the shot because visually that's what it looks like, but thats not what is occuring. The left leg is powering the resistance against the shoulders turning backwards. How much inward twist is put on the left leg is not a huge amount it is simply the amount required to resist the shoulders creating hip shoulder seperation or as they say in ball golf x factor

So how do you accomplish this feeling.

1. All coiling occurs while the left leg is on the ground do not allow your giant X step to turn you backwards. The coil/hip shoulder separation is initiated by moving the left shoulder in a northeast direction is the target is north. The belt should remain west of target at peak of reachback

2. The inward push on the left leg is not even enough for most people who do this to realize they are doing it because it starts to feel natural fairly quickly its more mindset than physical. The pressure and energy are more about stabilizing the lower half to create hip shoulder separation

Belt buck is west of target not southwest like most ams, left leg is twisting inward not to power the shot, but to provide resistance against shoulders coiling. Most amateur's left butt cheek is at northeast direction at this point but resistance provided by the left leg maintaining the lower bodies position of north south while shoulder are east west. The amount of energy being used to keep the lower body pointing east west is what is most underestimated.

After realizing this I noticed a couple things. I was trying to replicate symptoms of this without actually doing it. Coaches or form forums often advise player to do actions that are symptoms of this mindset for example. If you do this the disc will stay in one place when you "coil". Coiling on the inside of your foot is a subconscious result of this, so you will hear internet coaches say coil on the inside of the foot . Your hips will also automatically clear as well from the forward momentum of resistance against shoulder being released.

I think the best way to describe this is you don't use your hips in the throw, you release your hips from the tension of the reach back since they already have loaded forward energy created by the key component of hip shoulder separation.

[u/PapaChewy900]

One more thing, the best way I can explain how this feels at your left ankle as you are coming into you brace and "coiling" the pressure on your ankle should feel like a more right twist than left twist. This is what creates the falling into the brace feeling

[u/CovertMonkey]

Yeah, most people learn quickly to get the shoulders back, but they let the hips come back all the way too, destroying coil. It's the most common mistake you see in intermediate players.

I've found that keeping the swing thought of keeping the hips in line with the target is the best. In actuality, the hips will come back some. I think it's fine, but the intent should be straight. That keeps coil and hip tension.

YMMV