On Tuesday we gave new players their first taste of throwing instruction.
This year I wanted to teach flick basics first. A few reasons for this:
- For some reason a lot of new players have already thrown backhands before.
- To some new players, flicks seem interesting and challenging.
- I want to keep bad habits from forming as early as possible - specifically arm position and grip habits.
Last year when we did this, I just talked about grip and taught them a simple wrist drill. The drill, which I call the "Sam O'Brien Drill" is to hold the disc in front of you in a vertical blade, then throw it 3-5 yards to your partner focusing on the wrist motion. I think this drill is great for diagnosing how smooth wrist action is and for working on being clean through that range of motion.
However, I didn't start with it this year because I think it can lead to a lot of arm position confusion and early bad habits, since the drill is done with a "broken" wrist and without an extended upper arm.
This year my two cues for the flick were:
1. Arm Position
- palm up
- forearm parallel to the ground
- extended upper arm
- I had everyone put their arm in this position without a disc and feel what it felt like
Basically this:
2. Proper Grip
- pointer finger and middle finger position
- thumb position
- ring finger and pinkie
As discussed here:
http://www.ultimaterob.com/2013/11/14/forehand-mechanics-that-arent-taught/
Then we had everyone do partner throwing from about 10 yards while I went around and provided specific feedback for grips and deliveries.
Some of the individual cues I found myself giving a lot were:
- Lead with the elbow, finish with the wrist
- Pointer finger and middle finger position was often not secure enough or in the wrong spot
- Some who had thrown before were throwing with "broken wrists"
- Torso position and lean came up a bit
- Keeping the arm and elbow in an externally rotated position through the release
Other thoughts I have had about this:
- Some players need to develop the range of motion to have their elbow and wrist externally rotated through release - for these players they just need reps with basic cues to keep them from overcompensating in other ways (i.e. at the wrist or shoulder)
- Many players struggle with keeping a strong grip but also being able to snap the wrist. For these players, a tight grip = rigid wrist.
- Some players just "get it" immediately. Sometimes they have played badminton or tennis or baseball, other times I don't have a specific reason for how it happens.
- I'd rather have a player starting from scratch than one who has a release/draw with major flaws who can consistently hit a 20 yarder
This year I wanted to teach flick basics first. A few reasons for this:
- For some reason a lot of new players have already thrown backhands before.
- To some new players, flicks seem interesting and challenging.
- I want to keep bad habits from forming as early as possible - specifically arm position and grip habits.
Last year when we did this, I just talked about grip and taught them a simple wrist drill. The drill, which I call the "Sam O'Brien Drill" is to hold the disc in front of you in a vertical blade, then throw it 3-5 yards to your partner focusing on the wrist motion. I think this drill is great for diagnosing how smooth wrist action is and for working on being clean through that range of motion.
However, I didn't start with it this year because I think it can lead to a lot of arm position confusion and early bad habits, since the drill is done with a "broken" wrist and without an extended upper arm.
This year my two cues for the flick were:
1. Arm Position
- palm up
- forearm parallel to the ground
- extended upper arm
- I had everyone put their arm in this position without a disc and feel what it felt like
Basically this:
2. Proper Grip
- pointer finger and middle finger position
- thumb position
- ring finger and pinkie
As discussed here:
http://www.ultimaterob.com/2013/11/14/forehand-mechanics-that-arent-taught/
Then we had everyone do partner throwing from about 10 yards while I went around and provided specific feedback for grips and deliveries.
Some of the individual cues I found myself giving a lot were:
- Lead with the elbow, finish with the wrist
- Pointer finger and middle finger position was often not secure enough or in the wrong spot
- Some who had thrown before were throwing with "broken wrists"
- Torso position and lean came up a bit
- Keeping the arm and elbow in an externally rotated position through the release
Other thoughts I have had about this:
- Some players need to develop the range of motion to have their elbow and wrist externally rotated through release - for these players they just need reps with basic cues to keep them from overcompensating in other ways (i.e. at the wrist or shoulder)
- Many players struggle with keeping a strong grip but also being able to snap the wrist. For these players, a tight grip = rigid wrist.
- Some players just "get it" immediately. Sometimes they have played badminton or tennis or baseball, other times I don't have a specific reason for how it happens.
- I'd rather have a player starting from scratch than one who has a release/draw with major flaws who can consistently hit a 20 yarder
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