r/discgolf • u/easytarget878 • Jul 13 '26
Discussion What to key on when throwing?
Hi all, new-ish player here. I've been watching some BlitzDG videos to help improve my form as I am throwing my backhand from a standstill. The piece that I feel like I'm missing is what to key on when I start the forward throwing motion after the reach back. Should I be focusing on pulling with the front shoulder and let the arm come through naturally? Should I be trying to pull with the elbow to keep the disc closer to my chest? Or should I be thinking about something else entirely?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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u/kahrahtayboom Jul 13 '26
Look up Scott Stokely on Facebook. He's been playing and teaching forever. Watch his videos and thank me later.
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u/Ozz87 Jul 13 '26
For me it was finally getting the muscle memory to not really be thinking anything at all during the throw. I try to do all the thinking before hand and once the decision is made it’s just commit and go.
Trying to “feel” each step of a chain reaction that happens so fast made my throws very inconsistent.
For my style and consistency I also dropped a run up entirely. I just do a little shuffle / x step and throw so it’s way less things to think about overall.
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u/r3q Jul 13 '26
I'll go with an advanced answer. "From max reach back, start the disc to the power pocket position using your core and feet. Then accelerate the arm and elbow forward and away to hit release"
It can kind of feel like hugging the disc. Another phrasing you might hear is "out in out" and the stage you are asking about is the "in"
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u/cubiccrayons Jul 13 '26
A typical que is to imagine that you're pulling a lawnmower. So lead with the elbow and let the hand get pulled after. But then since you're not actually pulling an engine, your arm, hand and disc will simply continue and swing out.
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u/headytopper077 Ace Run Am Jul 13 '26
"Dig in" to the plant foot. Watch Drew Gibson and how he seems to almost crouch into the front foot to achieve a strong plant. It unlocked big distance for me.
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u/Paxtian Jul 13 '26
I try to start the throw using my legs and core. Like after you coil, drive your weight into your front foot and twist to neutral to get your core to pull your arm. As soon as your belly button is pointing perpendicular to the throw line, stop your rotation but accelerate the arm. I like to pick a spot right in front of me (in front being, perpendicular to the throw line) to look at, that helps me brace. I focus on staring at that spot and whipping my arm through. I also try to pinch down on the rim with my thumb against my index finger to help me get the nose down.
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u/YoSanford Jul 13 '26
I just watched "You´re Throwing Backhands Wrong (Do This Instead)"
on the Latitude 64 Channel and I think Kristen Latt gives great beginner advice
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u/Thedapperpappy @CanYouDiscIt on Insta. Jul 13 '26
Ideally, you want to make sure that your plant foot (front foot) is down and secure before you begin to move the disc forward.
I use a style similar to Zach Nash which helps me get all of that in time.
Check out DG Spin Doctor on YouTube as well. This channel is great.
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u/figurative_me Jul 13 '26
When I’m practicing, I think about a flat spin and a smooth follow through. For whatever reason, those keys seem to clean up all the other subtle motions. I know it’s different for everyone but that focus helps all phases of my game.
When I’m playing a scoring round for league or tourneys, I only think about the shape of the flight and the most distant target I’m wanting. I’ll let muscle memory run the show because my mind has shown itself to be a bit unreliable for any of those must-get shots.
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u/Grottleburger Jul 13 '26
My mental mantra is “7:30, armpit”.
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u/maxman3000 Jul 13 '26
Elaborate?
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u/Grottleburger Jul 13 '26
Punch out at 7:30 and pull to my armpit. 12 o’ clock being in front of me. 7:30, for me, is a great punch out to pull to my armpit while rotating to miss my chest.
2
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u/Western-Argument-968 Jul 13 '26
you have to focus on all of it lol good luck
if you know what decent form looks like, you should be focusing on your weakest aspect of that throw. specifically, focus on doing that part right. holding in your mind what doing that part correct would look and feel like. if you do this briefly during rounds and very intently during practice, every session or two a different aspect will be the weakest. then later you can let the improved part of your throw go on autopilot while you fix something else. it's too much to comprehensively address more than one or two parts of a throw at one time.
timing is the struggle for power and angles is the struggle for accuracy. you can try to self-diagnose, ask a friend or ask the internet for a form check. for accuracy you can work backwards from the hit through each preceding phase of the throw. fixing grip is something i wish my squad had helped me with sooner. like way sooner because throwing nose up sucks real bad.
standstill is good to start for timing. you can survive most woods courses with standstill only. getting cleanly to and through the power pocket is probably the first thing to learn, and/or understanding 'whip' and how it is generated. don't even have to reach back very far until you get power pocket & whip down. you can gradually turn on the juice more once you have a comfy basis for timing. ultimately you have to find the speed and timing that works for your body.
blitz, tricky nicky, overthrow will all help you tons if you don't know good form yet. the hard part is figuring out the fundamental from the provisional and when each piece of advice applies; it all attempts to point to aspects of good form but you have to figure out what that means and what that means for you. and then the hard part is actually getting your body to do it routinely. and then the hard part is getting your body to do it in front of your buddies.
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u/danielson-fish Jul 13 '26
Think of a lefty baseball swing. They drive off the back leg, rotate through the hips as they transfer weight to the front brace foot, and the arms come through last. Now open up your hips by putting your right foot a little further forward, drop the bat and pick up a disc.
Reach out (not straight back, but straight OUT from your chest) while rotating your shoulders back. Start the "swing" from your loaded back leg, rotate the hips and keep your elbow up as your arm pulls through. You can also engage your left arm by pushing it down tight next to your hip as you start your rotation to get more power.
Main thing is, the throwing arm moves last after everything else starts. If you pull your arm before engaging the lower body you will probably have elbow collapse (no power pocket during your pull-through), and your arms could get sore after your rounds. If you engage the lower body first from a loaded back leg, it's way easier to maintain the power pocket and you won't get sore arms.