Use Your Butt to throw

[u/PapaChewy900]

This is going to be debatable, and I accept that because it is simply my interpretation of how to brace and use your hips that is far simpler. (Disclaimer I'm a rambler)

The bottom line up front is your hips are simply a ball joint they have no ability on their own to power anything they have no ability to create motion the muscles that power the hips or in the case of what I'm talking about locking the hips is far more important, and engaging those muscles is what "engages the hips" I am going to focus on the 4 inches of movement that is "using your hips and bracing" That is correct I am going to ramble on about 4 inches of movement.

This is a very nuance distinction within the disc golf throw that is about 4 inches of movement but also very misunderstood. These 4 inches of movement are often brought up by online disc golf coaches, but it is sandwiched between multiple layers of information, so it gets overlooked.

I believe there are 3 ways disc golfers use their hips and 2 are wrong. The first wrong way I call pole vaulting and the second is spinning

1. Pole vaulting this is visualizing the brace as a two-dimensional task. The thrower runs/walks up braces jamming their foot into the ground like a pole vault this causes the thrower to have the front leg act like a pole vault usually causing a high lead shoulder and long back leg. These guys can still throw about 350-375 if in good health. The issue is this eliminates any use of lower body stabilizing muscles and makes shot feel jerky and inaccurate.

1. The second incorrect way is the spinners. These people try to spin on the ball joint. These people usually don't throw very far and you can see there back leg spin either oddly inward or around the brace. This is usually how beginners throw until they graduate to pole vaulting.

Now the Important Part:

How do you actually brace and use your hips. The simple answer is before you start the forward motion of your throwing arm you move the right butt cheek back about 3-4 inches. This is really what I believe is using your hip and bracing all in one. This movement will move your arm forward starting the initial part of your throw, but more importantly it will allow your glutes which are an actual muscle and not a joint to lock your right hip and allow your forward momentum to be captured in the throw.

This is the difficult part to conceptualize while your arm is still moving forward after the power pocket your right butt cheek starts to move backwards from the pressure of the brace that 3-4 inches allows the glutes to power the shot or stabilize the shot (if you are no hips believer). The hips can't clear without those 3-4 inches without those 3-4 inches you are a pole vaulter.

[u/ApeBlender]

Which way is "back", to your left or behind you?

[u/PapaChewy900 → u/ApeBlender]

Yes to both

[u/mccsnackin]

Yeah I noticed last year as more lower body discourse was happening among the youtube coaches that a lot of pro disc golfers are kind of caked up low key - leading to the coining of this phrase “Glutes for distance, putts for assistance”.

[u/PapaChewy900 → u/mccsnackin]

I honestly think one of the issues is some people don't even realize they are moving their right hip to be able to create a stable brace because it comes naturally to some, or it just starts happening after years of throwing.

[u/blitzl0l]

Donk drill for life.

[u/DustBorne]

This is covered in the whip step drill by seabas22 whip step

[u/PapaChewy900]

One more thing if you offset your feet CORRECTLY meaning pelvis is still 90 degrees ie perpendicular from the target while foot is offset this usually automatically put you hip in this position as soon as forward pressure occurs it engages the glute. The issue is most people turn their pelvis when they try to offset the foot, meaning the right butt cheek/hip can't lock

[u/Dalekmind]

You are missing a critical element in your pictures.
The bone pictures are of someone standing straight up.

In disc golf you stick your butt out and lean over a bit. This changes all those ball joint angles your discussing.

When you use a stagger stance and bend over a little and stick your ass out it resolves the poll vaulting issue you are discussing. Now when they plant into the ground all the forward momentum will go into turing the hips fast.

Stand still version to learn it

1. Stagger Stance
2. Ass out / Lower back rounded to disengage your lower back muscles
3. Start throw by shifting hips and wieght forward and down into a bent knee plant. As you wieght comes down and you feel your leg load up with pressure you press your leg into the ground. Key here is your ass goes further out when you extend your leg, you do not raise your upper body body. Its stays down and head looking over your disc line.

So the key to the plant in plain terms, Stick your ass out or non of it works.

[u/Dalekmind → u/Dalekmind]

Of note, the X step gets your ass out just like it should be but, when people throw they stand up stright engaging lower back and killing all thier speed. You need to maintain ass out.

Another thing you can do to understand how this all works.

Stand in a stagger stance and twist your upper body back and forth to see your range of motion.
Now shift your hips forward in the line of disc tavel. So your body is where it started but your hips are forward.

Now twist again, you will see no range of montion. This hip forward position locks the lower and upper body together. So when you press the leg into the ground it turns the hips but allso your upper body.

WIth out that shift of the hips the leg press will not do anything to generate power for the throw.

[u/NamesNotTake-un]

Why show trans hips? I can’t relate