In all of the disc golf throwing techniques, many disc golfers need to improve with the side arm technique for so many reasons. Also known as the forehand or the flick throw, this type of throw will allow you to throw the highest percentage shot in every single hole.
But how do you do a proper sidearm throw? This article gathers several disc golf sidearm tips to help improve your side arm throwing technique on the ground. This article includes various components that will help develop a well-formed side arm technique.
Tip 1: Focusing on the Spin Rather than the Velocity
The first disc golf sidearm tip that I want to share for beginners is about focusing more on the spin of the disc rather than the velocity. If you are just starting, you will notice that generating the spin with a backhand throw is much easier than the sidearm.
So, if you are using the sidearm technique, you need to be deliberate when throwing the disc, ensuring your wrist gets enough spin into the disc. To familiarize the throw, try practicing putters softly with a lot of spins but no wobble.
If you want to compensate for wobbly anhyzers, you need to throw stable or understable discs instead of using an overstable disc. My advice is not to roll your wrists during the release to prevent wobble. Stay loose, and do not tighten your muscles while letting your arm act as a whip.
Tip 2: Perform the Throw Facing Forward
If you are a beginner, always remember that the sidearm is a forward-facing throw. Many disc golfers have this misconception that throwing a backhand needs the player to urn 90 degrees while throwing sideways across the body.
This form is incorrect because the mechanics of the sidearm in the back end are different, and they are two independent throws. The reason behind having to throw facing forward is that when you throw sideways, you are effectively throwing entirely with your arm or at least mostly with your arm.
Doing this wrong technique will not only prevent you from generating power, but you will also lose the accuracy of your arm. In addition, you will also be more susceptible to injuries since you are putting more strain on just a couple of joints.
On the other hand, when you face forward, you will be able to face farther because you are putting your body into it. Using your arm and your body is much better than using your arm. You will also reduce injuries to your body because your legs, core, and other body parts also contribute to the throw.
Tip 3: Switch to Power Grip
If you need to do better with the usual two-finger technique in your sidearm throw, switching to a power grip can help improve the results. Using the power grip will let the wrist pivot with more range in motion, resulting in a better snap and a cleaner disc release.
In addition, if you still need to be confident in your form, avoid doing run up when you throw. My advice is to pull a straight line while crouching down low. The crouching form has helped me keep my upper body over my legs instead of leaning back on the release.
As for our elbow, you need to give it a break sometimes. Meaning, try not to overthrow the disc. It is much better to throw smoothly and cleanly instead of throwing so hard that you want to rip your arm off.
Tip 4: Familiarize the Proper Throw
If you want to improve your side arm throw, you need to familiarize the proper throwing technique. A side arm throw is comparable to throwing a ¾ sidearm in a baseball game rather than throwing a disc similar to Frisbee, which basically is released below the player’s belt line.
Except for extreme hyzer, a sidearm throw must be thrown at around 15 degrees anhyzer. The proper position is when the body is upright and must be balanced above the hips. You do not need to lean your arm when using sidearms in throwing flat.
You need to lean on the side 15 degrees. Throwing a 15-degree hyzer will need you to lean on the side 30 degrees. The arms must remain at a ¾ sidearm position relative to the body.
Tip 5: Use your Wrist for Side Arms
As a beginner, if you want to perform better with side arms, you need to use your wrist. Unlike the forehand throw, the sidearm requires an intentional and deliberate putting spin on the disc. For this reason, it is much more challenging.
If you want to learn sidearm, you need to have the skill of spinning the disc correctly. There are two ways to do that: one is to face forward, generating the torque or increasing the torque in your core by facing forward.
The second is using your wrist correctly. Take the disc wrist back all the way and all the way forward. When you release the disc, you need to use your wrist to put as much spin on the disc as possible. The way you are going to get there on the backswing is on the second step, where the weight of the disc is going to pull your wrist into place so you will have a firm grip on the disc.
Conclusion
Learning the side arm thrown can be tricky since it needs some skills to perform properly. I hope our disc golf sidearm tips in this article will help you perfect the throw or improve your current form. Always remember that throwing correctly is not a matter of doing individual things right. It is about having every single part of the throw ideally and executing all the elements every time.