Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Jack the Gripper

Hey Folks,

Last post I talked about the throws you need to have and practice. In this post, I'll discuss one of the finer details that players need to develop as a skill to become a stronger thrower.


Pictured Above: Glen Oomen being marked by a player from Montreal's Mango. It's hard to say if he has a good grip.

The skill is simple. It's a grip switch between backhand and forehand and inversely from forehand to backhand. Think of yourself holding your backhand grip. When you pivot across to a forehand, you need to be able to switch the grip from backhand to forehand with only one hand.

This is a simple skill to develop, and fortunately, is one of those skills you can develop on your own. Just carry a disc around with you and practice switching the grip. Start off slow, and even use your other hand to get familiar with the grip change. Then, gradually, increase the speed at which you switch grip in both directions.

Most beginners will use arm momentum to help them switch grips. As you get more advanced in this skill, learn to make the grip switch without moving your arm.

The grip switch is simple, but it is key to getting breaks and throws off. This skill can also be extended to transitions to other grips.

PJ

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

After playing can-loads of three-man, I've noticed many smart players take a look at what grip you've got when you're looking downfield to figure out whether you're an openside-heavy or break-heavy thrower. This is a good idea, but it's also a good idea to purposefully hold the grip in a position you're UNlikely to throw from. Not only will this potentially f up the marker, but it makes it more likely your brain will see the other throw more often than usual.

On a side note, practicing idealized grips (as opposed to the ones you actually use when you're maximising success instead of skill) is a great thing to work on while your other hand is holding the textbook for that class whose midterm you really should have been studying for a long, long time ago.


-MYeo