Sidearm Wrong?

So I've always thrown RHBH and was recently stuck at a 240' driving wall. I worked on my form everyday, stuff like Snap, changing my grip, changing from an X-step to other stances ect. Today just screwing around I threw sidearm in my backyard to get my disc near my bag and the disc flew over 200' with a casual toss. On the course today my brother-in-law showed me a way to hold the disc sidearm similiar to flipping the bird with the middle finger on the inside of the rim and the index finger bent. This technique yielded 350'+ Course D drives. This feels to good to be true, Is it wrong to throw it this way?

[Joe Phipps]

I've found I hurt myself when I use BOTH elbow close and away from the body forms. I'll wind up and start with my elbow close to my body, but somewhere in the run up i snap my arm straight and end up throwing elbow away from the body. After just a few rounds of throwing this way i'll get a throbbing, shooting pain that is horrible. But as long as I pay attention to what I am doing and stick to one of the two forms, the forehand is effortless and painless.

[Jim Coonradt]

Might want to add Star TeeBird and a Banshee to that list as well. However, you are going to have to figure out what works for you.

[Charles Isaac]

Can you include some pictures that show how you grip the disc with the bird

[William Crump]

Here they are

[Ken Long]

It's funny how things work out the way they do.
K.

[Destraayer]

Nope. I had the same thing happen to me. Over the course of one long and bad winter, I lost a lot of the distance in my back hand, so I switched to side arm for driving; and now I drive longer than I ever did with my back hand.

[Nic777]

Wow its a strange game hey.

Most of my buddies drive sidearm, it gave me a sore elbow... so i started just throwing RHBH... dont wanna risk being out for a year.
But then I was forced into some approach shot situations having to curve the disc dramatically to the right where a anny just wasnt enough, so i threw side arm gently... great shot.

The weird thing is i now play my approaches sidearm, i enjoy the rhythm of the shot, and it doesnt put to much force on the elbow. So my preffered game is totally opposite to most of the guys i play with. drive backhand, approach forehand.

It all comes down to what works for you

[Destraayer]

Yeah, it pays to have a good sidearm in you arsenal. I've been driving and approaching sidearm now for about 4-5 years. I still backhand for my putts and approaches though. Recently, I have been trying to get my old distance back into my backhand drive. I figure if I am strong at both, I will be a force to be reckoned with.

[Jim Coonradt]

That's the craziest grip I've ever seen. If that works well for distance then that's great. However, can you throw that if you need a 200 foot upshot? I use the peace sign grip and I believe that results in good control. Not saying that you should get rid of that grip for drives, though.

That grip would seem to position the disc so that it would turn over more to the left.

[William Crump]

No my upshot grip is different. Thanks for the peace sign suggestion. I'll give it a try

[Destraayer]

Your grip looks similar to mine, but slightly modified. I use what I call the 'stacked index'. Basically I have my index finger on the inside of the rim and my middle finger is stacked right on top of it. This way I'm using both fingers to power and stabilize the throw.

[Mikey]

If it works for you, it's never wrong.