17 October 2006

Photos of forehand stances

Here are some photos of players' stances, just after or as they have thrown.

I have chosen forehand stances, as the forehand is a more unnatural action for many.
* Update - I removed some shots since they were still holding the disc or the camera angle was different (I want to compare apples with apples). But here are more from Mixed Nats 07:
Here are more again:
What works? What about their stances can they improve on? What do their stances say about their throwing action?

Do you have any photos to add?
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4 comments:

  1. Owen4:18 pm

    While I feel comfortable with teaching throwing to beginners (GSWAP), I don't have a clear strategy for more experienced throwers.

    But ideally I always start by throwing one-on-one with them.

    Especially with stances. They seem to vary a lot depending on an individual's biomechanics. Hence the photos. I will collect more.

    I have an personal preference for keeping your spine vertical. Seems to be what elite athletes with similar actions do (baseball pitchers, ten-pin bowlers, tennis players, etc). Allows you to see the field better too. Perhaps this requires core-strength training, which we amateurs rarely do.

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  2. Owen5:02 pm

    Yay!

    I noticed something by looking at more photos:

    The main indicator of a good forehand is a straight elbow.

    If your elbow is bent during the throw or just after, it is likely you are a beginner, 90% of the time.

    Elbow angle before the throwing action seems to be irrelevant.

    This doesn't mean telling someone to straighten their arm is the solution (don't confuse cause and effect). But it may point us in the right direction...

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  3. Owen5:32 pm

    Actually a revision...

    If you have a bent elbow in your forehand action, you are likely to be a beginner, or have (relatively) weaker arm strength.

    Many women seem to have the bent elbow. Which appears to allow them to lock their arm motion to their upper body.

    Makes sense if you don't have a strong arm - you would then rely on your rotation of your upper body, plus a wrist flick.

    So compare Kylie and Eugenie (first one) with Lisi and Eugenie (second one). Which throws look more "comfortable"?

    And this may explain why Alex W throws so many hammers - his biomechanics are suited to hammers more than forehands, as his bent elbow indicates.

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  4. Owen1:34 pm

    Just added some more photos, and cut some that were taken at different camera angles, e.g. behind the thrower.

    I should make a photo montage - Roger's licence permits this.

    And another observation: angle of non-pivot foot. North Americans often point that foot sideways, which moves the bent non-pivot leg outside the throwing arm. Is this advantageous?

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