Thank you for this. I played today at the Flying Armadillo course in San Marcos. I aced the 12th hole on the smaller course today. It was 108 feet, par 2. I could not believe it. Your video made this happen.
The trebuchet is a good analogy. A lot of people call it a bullwhip or towel snapping effect but trebuchet better describes the anatomy. That said, I mentally know what it should look like but just can't execute it consistently. I fall into old habits. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the note. I have the same issue.. bad habits are hard to break. This drill by Bradley Walker - Dog Leash Drill... brought home to me how to get that Trebuchet effect.. although Brads version is the 2nd circle of three circles...anyway, here's Brad's video that opened my eyes to just how important that 90 degree angle upper arm to shoulders is to get that Trebuchet effect power and control... Hope it helps... ua-cam.com/video/7oc8Xb1jtTw/v-deo.html
The left arm is the counter weight in the trebuchet. So push down with arm to start the throw (at the same time right foot is planting), then the left arm also pushes backwards (slightly) at the snap. Time all that and you will find effortless power. Im 52 and I am finally starting to throw 350+. Next goal is 400!!
Good summary and advice. IME, PDGA #308, the rubber band effect and off arm movement should not be taught to beginners. Why? 1. It isn't used on touch shots or approaches. 2. It tends to cause overreach, rounding, and posture problems. Instead, I teach feeling the timing of the whip. Specifically, the timing of accelerating the torso as the front leg straightens and pushes backward. This is the magic of throwing far, with spin, yet looking effortlessly. It applies to all throws, BH, FH, thumbers, standstill, and even putting.
Your upper arm is collapsing, causing your elbow to flap across your chest and back open. This is called "rounding" by some. I call it flapping because it goes two directions. A Spin and Throw fundamental is that the upper arm remains basically fixed 90 degrees to the chest at all times. This fixes most if not all issues with maintaining the plane. Thanks for the mention. Bradley
i yeah you are collapsing the box, it still looks good, but get that elbow away from the chest! cool vid! Keep it going , looking great for a 62 yr old!
Rounding usually refers to when your elbow stays straight and your disc takes a circular path around your body. This is bad for power and for finding a consistent release point that provides accuracy and control. The trebuchet effect allows the disc to follow a more or less straight line from the reach back point to the target while your arm whips around to give it power.
Same here...discovered the game a little late. I've been playing for about 7 years, 58 years old, but unsure if I've developed poor habits because I'm not getting any better.
Thing to keep in mind with step 3 is when you go to engage your off arm, don't allow it to make your shoulders dip. It can be really easy to lean to the left as you dive with the back arm causing your front shoulder to come up and making you throw nose up. If you're going for a sky hyzer, ok. But if you just want a standard power shot, it's going to wreck your distance.
Thanks dude. Turning 68; 3 years throwing. I've been getting to the same conclusions. And since we experience folk get cranky uptight joints, I offer number 4: work on your flexibility every day and 1 through 3 get immensely easier.
Love it Matt! And Yes! overall body flexibility is so important to get that extra range of rotation and speed at release! Having access to those fast-twitch muscles is also helpful, which we lose over the years, right? So we can work on flexibility, and the cleanness and efficiency of the whole body motion to progress our game. :)
Good stuff. The hardest part is that to get the tribuchet effect and snap, you have to keep your shoulders closed until the hit happens. It's very intuitive to spin your torso even a little bit when you throw, but you skip the snap and miss that effect.
Good stuff! Notice that the offset in stance is also helping you get into a position to rotate on the heel. If you are throwing a shot where more traction is needed you might rotate on the ball of your foot, which won't require as much, if any offset.
I find that funny too about calling someone who throws far a big arm but people also say they cant' throw far because they have a noodle arm. If they could try to have a noodle arm and throw with the rest of the body then they would have a "big arm" too.
I'm three months into the sport and throw forehand. Have you studied the biomechanics of the forehand? Thank you for this backhand analysis as i have literally no ability in this style.
I have stayed away from forehand. It just does not feel natural to me. I just feel there is excess stress on the elbow with the forehand... For me, the backhand motion is just so clean and easy when you get the biomechanics and the physics right.
Just finished my first year at disc golf‽ And I have to say I love the sport but the one thing that's confusing is the terminology they use! I wish they would get their terminology straight before posting videos, your video was excellent thank you sir!
How many discs do you have now ? I had 5 my first 6 months of playing and then the Black Friday deals came and I am over 24 discs. And this week I am debating about spending 55$ on a aero 😅
Where does all the effort to execute the shot come from if the arm is the noodle? I'm always torquing something when I try executing any kind of distance... so that's why I'm curious.
Torquing.. right. I think the difference is that in order to access the whole-body power generation, in terms of what the arm muscles do, is that, as I have learned from Bradley Walker, how important it is maintain a 90 degree relationship between the torso(shoulders) and the upper arm. When we uncoil the "human trebuchet" (thanks Dio Joe), that lower arm with disc will naturally tuck in a bit, just like the sling on the trebuchet (Walker calls it "spin/swing into the tuck". Holding that 90 degrees allows the upper arm to act just like the wooden beam on the trebuchet. So, its not a noodle arm, its an outstretched upper-arm attached to a torso at 90 degrees, that is rotating as fast as we can muster so we get that full trebuchet effect (Walker's 2nd circle) power. Hope that makes sense? I'm working on a new video update with this info. The new vid will also include a new discovery of how we can bio-mechanically simulate the trebuchet's huge counter-wieght. Thanks for your comment/question.
@@GerardStOnge When I say torquing, that might be a misnomer... I mean pulling muscles and hurting myself... either my ground, knee, back, something... I'm trying too hard but I am not sure how to level out the effort to minimize injury...
Basically you create power against your brace foot with your hips. That why having the offset foot placement is so important. I like to think of it as a gearset. Hips -> abs -> chest -> shoulders. Your arm is just a guide, all the juice comes from your big muscle groups. I find when I get a really good rip by brace foot almost feels the same as when your running suicides. Lots of pressure loaded onto the foot as you uncoil. You have to make sure that you rotate on the heel of your foot to release that pressure though, if you do it on the ball or flat footed you can damage the tendons in your knee.
@@BruceSimmons I can relate... What I have discovered is that a clear, efficient whole body throwing motion is effortless and very low impact on the body... joints, tendons, etc...
hmmmm makes me think "big arm" should refer more to the length of your arm rather than your muscles. Because mechanically with the trebuchet a longer arm could increase distance pretty dramatically
Good evidence here, about about Brad's circle and how importa circle 2 is! ... my Trebuchet effect... good simulations of that 90 degree angle (upper arm to shoulders ) that is what I'm working, personally. Also really good proof that throwing with power is available to all shapes, sizes, ages +++ and the learning curve is dramatically accelerated with the application of the knowledge about the amazing mechanical, bio-mechanical ... science of disc golf! ua-cam.com/video/_DenVu3kaKI/v-deo.html
Sorry, but there is no follow through...at all. The entire left side just locks up. This might be ok for up shots or even mids...but this is a DISTANCE video. Not safe.
100% this is the key! This guy explains it faster and better than anyone else!
Thank you! I have anew video in production... get's it down to 2 Steps.. :)
I love the flying curve of the disc. It is a great sport!
Thank you for this. I played today at the Flying Armadillo course in San Marcos. I aced the 12th hole on the smaller course today. It was 108 feet, par 2. I could not believe it. Your video made this happen.
The trebuchet is a good analogy. A lot of people call it a bullwhip or towel snapping effect but trebuchet better describes the anatomy. That said, I mentally know what it should look like but just can't execute it consistently. I fall into old habits. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the note. I have the same issue.. bad habits are hard to break. This drill by Bradley Walker - Dog Leash Drill... brought home to me how to get that Trebuchet effect.. although Brads version is the 2nd circle of three circles...anyway, here's Brad's video that opened my eyes to just how important that 90 degree angle upper arm to shoulders is to get that Trebuchet effect power and control... Hope it helps... ua-cam.com/video/7oc8Xb1jtTw/v-deo.html
The left arm is the counter weight in the trebuchet. So push down with arm to start the throw (at the same time right foot is planting), then the left arm also pushes backwards (slightly) at the snap. Time all that and you will find effortless power. Im 52 and I am finally starting to throw 350+. Next goal is 400!!
Good summary and advice.
IME, PDGA #308, the rubber band effect and off arm movement should not be taught to beginners.
Why?
1. It isn't used on touch shots or approaches.
2. It tends to cause overreach, rounding, and posture problems.
Instead, I teach feeling the timing of the whip.
Specifically, the timing of accelerating the torso as the front leg straightens and pushes backward. This is the magic of throwing far, with spin, yet looking effortlessly.
It applies to all throws, BH, FH, thumbers, standstill, and even putting.
This made a ton of sense to me. Looking forward to some field work now! Thanks for sharing!
I’m going to try this and I’ll post how it goes! Thanks for the advice.
trebuchet for the win!!! i fell into the mistake of "pulling through".... so many bad videos, but this is very rooted in bio mechanics.... thank you
Your upper arm is collapsing, causing your elbow to flap across your chest and back open. This is called "rounding" by some. I call it flapping because it goes two directions. A Spin and Throw fundamental is that the upper arm remains basically fixed 90 degrees to the chest at all times. This fixes most if not all issues with maintaining the plane. Thanks for the mention. Bradley
You are welcome, Bradley! Thanks for the free instruction. I'll take it to the links. I am a work in progress. :)
i yeah you are collapsing the box, it still looks good, but get that elbow away from the chest! cool vid! Keep it going , looking great for a 62 yr old!
Rounding usually refers to when your elbow stays straight and your disc takes a circular path around your body. This is bad for power and for finding a consistent release point that provides accuracy and control. The trebuchet effect allows the disc to follow a more or less straight line from the reach back point to the target while your arm whips around to give it power.
Awesome video! Excited to work on this.
Thanks! Let me know how it works out. New Video coming soon... :) 2Steps!
Great simple video 🤙🏽
Same here...discovered the game a little late. I've been playing for about 7 years, 58 years old, but unsure if I've developed poor habits because I'm not getting any better.
this actually helped, I was muscling from baseball. hard to let the momentum take it sometimes
Thing to keep in mind with step 3 is when you go to engage your off arm, don't allow it to make your shoulders dip. It can be really easy to lean to the left as you dive with the back arm causing your front shoulder to come up and making you throw nose up. If you're going for a sky hyzer, ok. But if you just want a standard power shot, it's going to wreck your distance.
Thanks dude. Turning 68; 3 years throwing. I've been getting to the same conclusions. And since we experience folk get cranky uptight joints, I offer number 4: work on your flexibility every day and 1 through 3 get immensely easier.
Love it Matt! And Yes! overall body flexibility is so important to get that extra range of rotation and speed at release! Having access to those fast-twitch muscles is also helpful, which we lose over the years, right? So we can work on flexibility, and the cleanness and efficiency of the whole body motion to progress our game. :)
Good stuff. The hardest part is that to get the tribuchet effect and snap, you have to keep your shoulders closed until the hit happens. It's very intuitive to spin your torso even a little bit when you throw, but you skip the snap and miss that effect.
heck yeah, brother
Good stuff! Notice that the offset in stance is also helping you get into a position to rotate on the heel. If you are throwing a shot where more traction is needed you might rotate on the ball of your foot, which won't require as much, if any offset.
3 years of bad habits to break. Once I get time to get to the fields for field work. Wanna get past 250 soon. #400'summer
I find that funny too about calling someone who throws far a big arm but people also say they cant' throw far because they have a noodle arm. If they could try to have a noodle arm and throw with the rest of the body then they would have a "big arm" too.
I'm three months into the sport and throw forehand. Have you studied the biomechanics of the forehand?
Thank you for this backhand analysis as i have literally no ability in this style.
I have stayed away from forehand. It just does not feel natural to me. I just feel there is excess stress on the elbow with the forehand... For me, the backhand motion is just so clean and easy when you get the biomechanics and the physics right.
Just finished my first year at disc golf‽ And I have to say I love the sport but the one thing that's confusing is the terminology they use! I wish they would get their terminology straight before posting videos, your video was excellent thank you sir!
You are welcome, Sir!
How many discs do you have now ?
I had 5 my first 6 months of playing and then the Black Friday deals came and I am over 24 discs.
And this week I am debating about spending 55$ on a aero 😅
Where does all the effort to execute the shot come from if the arm is the noodle? I'm always torquing something when I try executing any kind of distance... so that's why I'm curious.
Torquing.. right. I think the difference is that in order to access the whole-body power generation, in terms of what the arm muscles do, is that, as I have learned from Bradley Walker, how important it is maintain a 90 degree relationship between the torso(shoulders) and the upper arm. When we uncoil the "human trebuchet" (thanks Dio Joe), that lower arm with disc will naturally tuck in a bit, just like the sling on the trebuchet (Walker calls it "spin/swing into the tuck". Holding that 90 degrees allows the upper arm to act just like the wooden beam on the trebuchet. So, its not a noodle arm, its an outstretched upper-arm attached to a torso at 90 degrees, that is rotating as fast as we can muster so we get that full trebuchet effect (Walker's 2nd circle) power. Hope that makes sense?
I'm working on a new video update with this info. The new vid will also include a new discovery of how we can bio-mechanically simulate the trebuchet's huge counter-wieght. Thanks for your comment/question.
@@GerardStOnge When I say torquing, that might be a misnomer... I mean pulling muscles and hurting myself... either my ground, knee, back, something... I'm trying too hard but I am not sure how to level out the effort to minimize injury...
Basically you create power against your brace foot with your hips. That why having the offset foot placement is so important. I like to think of it as a gearset. Hips -> abs -> chest -> shoulders. Your arm is just a guide, all the juice comes from your big muscle groups. I find when I get a really good rip by brace foot almost feels the same as when your running suicides. Lots of pressure loaded onto the foot as you uncoil. You have to make sure that you rotate on the heel of your foot to release that pressure though, if you do it on the ball or flat footed you can damage the tendons in your knee.
@@BruceSimmons I can relate... What I have discovered is that a clear, efficient whole body throwing motion is effortless and very low impact on the body... joints, tendons, etc...
@@BruceSimmons try practicing x step really slow then stretch your last step further than usual then go fast with your arm
I’m no form expert but I noticed that in the last shot of you throwing from behind you round with your throwing arm. Extend out not back
Yes. Good observation. Thanks! Converting knowledge of the idea throwing motion to execution in the field is the fun challenge. Now video coming.
hmmmm makes me think "big arm" should refer more to the length of your arm rather than your muscles. Because mechanically with the trebuchet a longer arm could increase distance pretty dramatically
Good evidence here, about about Brad's circle and how importa circle 2 is! ... my Trebuchet effect... good simulations of that 90 degree angle (upper arm to shoulders ) that is what I'm working, personally. Also really good proof that throwing with power is available to all shapes, sizes, ages +++ and the learning curve is dramatically accelerated with the application of the knowledge about the amazing mechanical, bio-mechanical ... science of disc golf! ua-cam.com/video/_DenVu3kaKI/v-deo.html
Youre not the first to compare a backhand disc throw to a trebuchet...
Overthrow disc golf hadt a video teaching this over a year ago.
I know about Overthrow - love it! His twirly- bird is awesome.
Sorry, but there is no follow through...at all. The entire left side just locks up. This might be ok for up shots or even mids...but this is a DISTANCE video. Not safe.
Good call! I'm also still rounding in this video. The concept is solid, but my execution is not there yet. New video coming.