Ok,
I've finally realized that I shouldn't be so scared of the forehand shot. I used to be a pitcher many years ago, so the motion should be something I'm more used to.
I've tried throwing forehands with the normal (or what I've see as being normal) 2 fingers (pointer and middle) held under the rim and thumb on top of disc. Those throws went no where for me. Last night and today I've been throwing only using 1 finger held under the rim (pointer) and thumb on top of disc. Those throws last night were working VERY well. I was out-distancing my backhand throw on a couple of shots.
Now when I went to throw today, it would get some decent distance, but either the wind (or possibly my throw) picked up the disc and made it do a sharp spike. I'm throwing leftie, but my first forehand today went SHARP left (expected direction of fade), but not that sharp. I had 2 other throws into a headwind that went sharp right.
I'm guessing that part of the problem is the angle of my arm and the angle that I'm holding the disc. How low do you go with your arm on your throw? I was throwing the Star Beast and ESP Surge today forehand (and it was the Beast that went extremely far for me last night forehand).
Just fishing for thoughts, ideas, things for me to try, discs that you've noticed needed an angle up or down in order to go where they need to go, etc.
What do you think of the 1 finger forehand compared to 2 fingers? Is it less controllable? Tougher to be consistent?
Thanks,
Scott
1 finger and 2 finger, I think are just preference. I use a 2 finger, I just get more support using my middle finger. It sounds like you are getting the nose up. When I throw a forehand, I'm damn near trying to burn it into the ground. I tip the nose way down and aim at a spot on the ground about 100' in front of me and try to hit it.
I learned to throw forehand by reading Mark Ellis' article on the topic and mimicking his style. When he was in his forties he was throwing Banshees 450 feet. Now that he is in his 50s he's only getting about 400.
Mark uses a two-finger grip where the fingerprint of the middle finger is on the vertical part of the rim [not on the bottom of the flight plate] and the index finger is behind the middle finger bracing it. The disc is loaded as deep into the crotch of the thumb and index finger as it will go.
Mark throws with a sweeping motion where he does not snap the elbow much at all. Elbow snappers all go the way of Scott Stokely. That's a fast ball style. How many 40 year old fast ballers are there in the majors? You want to play this game until you die in your sleep at 80. You don't want to spend the last 40 years of your life being a washed up has been.
I've traded the forehand for throwing opposite-handed. I think throwing with both arms will keep me in the game longer as I approach my 50s. Throwing opposite handed is harder to learn at first but there are benefits that you can't get from throwing one-armed.
yeah I have to be careful with the elbow snap because of something that I did to hurt my elbow from pitching years ago. It has never fully healed... I should probably go see a doctor about that some year lol. I'll have to give both of those suggestions a try :) I went out throwing again tonight (before seeing the responses) and I had some success with my throws, but not what I hoped. I did try throwing the other day with the banshee and it seemed to fly decently, although I did better with the Beast and Surge.
Just need to keep practicing :)