Week 6: IO Backhands

Here's the general plan for throwing practices:

• 2:00-2:29pm - Unstructured throwing
• 2:29-2:45pm - Dynamic warmup
• 2:45-3:30pm - Throwing drills
• 3:30-4:00pm - 3-on-3 games (keep-away, mini, box, double box, etc.)

Drills for this week are:

• Lines, open side backhands and forehands (10 min)
• Lines, force forehand, breakside cut for IO backhand, PASSIVE mark (10 min)
• Horozontal (diamond) breakmark cutting drill, force backhand, throw IO backhand (LOW RELEASE), PASSIVE mark (10 min)
• Come-to breakmark cutting drill, force forehand, active marks (10 min)

Again, I strongly suggest you download the video (that means you need to register for a free Vimeo account). There are a lot of things you can see more clearly when you watch frame-by-frame.

Quick comment on IO Backhands:  See Low-Release Backhands post.  Everything from there applies to IO backhands too.  The high-release backhand can be an effective IO break, but for now, focus on low-release IO's.

Week 5: Around Backhands

Here's the general plan for throwing practices:

• 2:00-2:29pm - Unstructured throwing
• 2:29-2:45pm - Dynamic warmup
• 2:45-3:30pm - Throwing drills
• 3:30-4:00pm - 3-on-3 games (keep-away, mini, box, double box, etc.)

Drills for this week are:

• Lines, open side backhands and forehands (10 min)
• Lines, force forehand, breakside cut for IO forehand, PASSIVE mark (10 min)
• Horozontal (diamond) breakmark cutting drill, force forehand, throw around backhand, PASSIVE mark (10 min)
• Come-to breakmark cutting drill, force forehand, active marks (10 min)

Again, I strongly suggest you download the video (that means you need to register for a free Vimeo account). There are a lot of things you can see more clearly when you watch frame-by-frame.

Quick comments on Around Backhands:

1. Pretty much all the technique is the same as for regular low-release backhands.
2. Think about stepping through as much as stepping around.  If you're releasing the disc from behind your marker's arm, there's no way you'll get blocked without a foul.  Gspence is stepping backwards to get around the marker, and that results in his throws being pushed far wider and gaining fewer yards.

Week 4: Inside-out Forehands

Here's the general plan for throwing practices:

• 2:00-2:29pm - Unstructured throwing
• 2:29-2:45pm - Dynamic warmup
• 2:45-3:30pm - Throwing drills
• 3:30-4:00pm - 3-on-3 games (keep-away, mini, box, double box, etc.)

Drills for this week are:

• Lines, open side backhands and forehands (10 min)
• Lines, force forehand, breakside cut for IO forehand, PASSIVE mark (10 min)
• 2-on-2 dumps - force sideline (10 min)
• 2-on-2 dumps - force middle (10 min)

Again, I strongly suggest you download the video (that means you need to register for a free Vimeo account). There are a lot of things you can see more clearly when you watch frame-by-frame.

Quick comments on IO Forehands:

1. You create space for the IO forehand with the threat of a big step-around backhand.  All that takes is a small shoulder fake.  Pivoting across and faking a backhand to set up the IO forehand is something you should never do.
2. Square up to your marker and step forward through the mark to throw (rather than stepping out to the side).  Both Gspence and I are take a big step forward.  I'm releasing the disc almost behind my marker.
3. Throw early.  Put a soft disc to space as the cutter is taking his first step out of his cut.  Both Gspence and I are releasing our throws a little bit too late.  That forces either a more difficult throw that needs to go farther across to the break side, or results in a throw behind the cutter.