Run Up Versus Stationary Drive

I've only been playing for about 6 months and when I first started I drove with the x-step. All my discs went up. I watched a video of myself and realized that i'm arching my back and pulling up and back. To remedy that, I started just standing with my throwing shoulder pointed where i want to throw, and pick my right leg up take the step forward and let it fly. Since then i've bent my wrist more into handshake position and keep my left arm over my belly like i have a stomach ache. The disc flies alot lower but the most i can ever possibly get is 300 feet out of an Orc. I still have to use discs like the Monarch for anhyzer flight paths. I try to run up again and sure enough, straight up in the air. I know i will need to post a video and i will, I'm just wondering if there are some things i need to consider when doing a run up. Also, should a disc be thrown with a flat, anhyzer or hyzer angle for normal straight throws. I also seem to have a problem releasing the disc at the right time. Very inconsistent on the left to right aim. Any tips help. I play about 2 to 3 times a week and practice an additional 2 times minimum. I'm afraid of practicing the wrong thing. Thanks guys!!!!!!!! By the way i dye discs alot lately. Just started but love it. Thanks again, this sport freakin rocks. PS, now that i dyed oe of my discs, i noticed it loses it's spin rather ast and i think that may have something to do with my loss of d. What a drag

[Steve]

Well where you release at changes from disc to disc and from power abilities. Some people need to throw a force anhyzer to get it to fly straight some throw it flat others let go hyzer. Its all in you.

[Tha Big Hamm]

should i pick 2 discs and only drive with those? like a monarch for anny and the avenger for regular? Or is it ok that i have a few different discs for different drives during this learning time for me?

[mark ellis]

Hey Big Hamm,
Your instincts are correct. If your discs are not flying far and true the first place to look is your form. To diagnose your form via a Discussion Topic has only a small chance of success. Mostly you will get varied, confusing and at times contradictory opinions with most of them being well intended. The easier route to fix your form is find a good pro to look at it and give you basic lessons. That, btw, ain't truly easy because changing form is a painful process. You will get worse before you get better. But if want to make major positive changes in your game, fixing your form is the highest probability of success.

[Tha Big Hamm]

I'm willing to go through this process no matter how painful. I'm very easily motivated and would love nothing more than being pointed in the right direction. The problem is down here in south Louisiana, there doesnt seem to be very many people yet playing this. There are some no doubt, and the sport is getting popular fast but I dont run across very many people who seem to be a whole lot better than my group and if so, someone willing to help. I've asked, when i first first started , for some advise from a guy who tournys in the pro div. if he could check me out while i throw and tell me whats up. He didn't help very much except by pointing to the right and saying "throw it that way more." So you see my trouble. BTW i am quite honored to have Mike Ellis reply to my discussion. How nerdy am I huh. haha

[nick young]

to fix your form try doing what i used to do. go back to the x step and slow it down a bit and then what i did was make my last step bigger to keep my body forward so the disc doesn't go way up in the air. also try practicing with an innova beast that is what i learned with and it worked out great for me.

[Sean Johnson]

I'm fairly new at this too, and I used to always pop up my backhands. First, I focused on my bodies' follow through. Lean into the shot and make sure your weight is forward during release. If you are spinning on your heel, your weight is too far back for example (some people drive like that though).
Second, slow down. This is the number one thing that has helped my drives. Focus on good form and good hand position. If you get it right, your whole body will be like a spring coiling up with tension. I do a quazi-x step "walk up." I do the three steps progressively faster and harder. The first step is the pace of a slow walk, the second step is a pivot that puts my back nearly to the target, and the third step is pushing off hard. The overall pace is slower than anyone else I've played with but it really works for me.
Third, ask someone who knows more than me 'cause I don't really even get it yet
Personally, I don't think the Avenger is a great disc to learn with. It's always been a little unforgiving to me. TeeBirds are the sh*t imo, and right now is the only innova I'm carrying. I'm liking the Flash a whole lot too.

[Tha Big Hamm]

I will focus on this for sure. I never threw a Teebird but was looking at them tonight. The FLX Avenger is the most predictable disc for me right now. It stays low and straight. Not under or over stable. I forgot to mension that its my only ace disc BUT it also got run over by some a-hole in a truck when i toss one on the road. Maybe thats my it flies so good HAHA. Thanks for the advise man, I will try exacly that and develope from there.

[Sean Johnson]

Hey, if the Avenger works for you, go for it. Believe me when I say I'm still feeling this out myself. If the National tour comes your way you could check out their free clinics. They have some of the best players in the world putting them on. I'm talking guys like Jenkins, Feldberg, and Ken Climo.

[Blake Meyers]

only been playing for about 2 1\2 months now but i had the same problem too i just went to a field and started throwing with a slow run up to see what i was really doing and gradually got faster as the #of throws increased. i just waited till the disc flew perfect then i remembered what i was doing in my run up and continued basically i started slow and increased speen as time went on

[Hootie]

I had the same issue with my runup and I found out my problem was I somehow thought if I took a big last step before throwing, it would help me. In fact, it was doing the opposite: I was throwing high because I wasnt far enough over my front foot. Once i shortened that last step, my discs started flying a lot flatter and further.

Another thing I would recommend is getting a copy of the "Disc Golf Fundamentals" DVD with Climo and Feldberg. It has given me a lot of things to think about, and has been a big help to my game in terms of how I think about technique. Good luck!

[Chuck Kennedy]

I think the front end of the tee pad produces a subtle unconscious psych factor that can cause players to pop up their drives. Running up right to the end of the pad makes people slow down or even stop their motion and lean back a bit before release. I suggest players back up a bit if possible and not release so close to the line and think about keeping their weight forward on follow thru, fluidly walking thru and beyond their release. Practicing in the field with no line or mini can help improve your mechanics for following thru before applying what you've learned on a tee pad with that end line.

[Russell Gore]

This is my advice and it won't fix your problem, but please listen and understand..........
First of all you have only been playing for a few months, you cannot expect instant results unless you are just one of those gifted athletes. It takes time and lots of it. Most of us who can throw long smooth drives have been playing for years. I have been playing for 15 years and am one of those slow learners. Things come along slowly for me. Years, not months!!!!!!
Now the main reason your X-step is out of whack is due to timing issues. Everything has to work in unison. Your legs, waist, upper body and arms all have to flow together. This isn't something that can be taught, so to speak. It just takes a great deal of practice and lots of bad shots. Once you throw a good smooth flat shot you will know it instantly. Remember what you did and try to repeat it. As Mark said your going to get worse before you get better, so just deal with it. Otherwise you are wasting your time trying. This could take several years to accomplish. I did with me. Than I found out that my X-step was backwards and had to start over again. Taking another several years to fix. So I endured lots of PAIN!!
Anyhow just realize that your time playing is relatively small compared to those us who can throw the correct way. Things won't fix there selves in just a few months. It takes years in most cases. So don't worry about how bad things get just realize they will eventually get better.
And do as Mark says and seek out the help of a Pro. It might speed the process up a bit.