Thumber and Tomahawk

[dragonessk]

I am just figuring out the basics of these techniques. Yea!! I got some distance today!! Does anyone have any tips to improve distance and accuracy? What are some of the best discs to throw this way?

[MOthrows]

I really like to throw the discraft flick for almost all of my tomahawks. My only advice would be to make sure you really snap your wrist upon the release.

[Ruder]

I thumber Pred's and pulses. I guess just a few basic tips :

Always follow through, if you throw out of your shoulder, you might throw OUT your shoulder. A good rule of thumb is throw it ~ 10 feet to the left of your target in most conditions.

[Schoen-hopper]

In certain wind conditions, my thumber and tomahawk just get killed. I pretty much need tailwind or no wind to stay in control.

One thing I'd like someone who throws these shots to clarify....

Overstable discs corkscrew more than understable, right?

I always corkscrew mine too much. Maybe I need to go with less overstable. What is the sacrifice here? Speed?

Some players can get incredible Distance with these shots. I'd like to know how they do it. It isn't all arm strength. It has got to be technique.

[Ruder]

It may not be arm strength but it is definately overall strength/momentum. Your flippier discs will corksrew more then stabler ones will. I.e. a stable disc will fy up and dive to the right. I flippy disc will fly up, dive to the right, but come in inwards towards the left more.

I'm no expert at the tomahawk but I watch them all day long and have diagnosed them many times. One of my buddies, as far as it is concerned is a rookie, but still, has one of the best - most accurate thumbers I have seen accross the country. Therefore, he is a pretty good judge on flight characteristics.

In conclusion -

Flippier discs corkscrew more.

It is a combination of armstrength and technique to get distance. However, all the technique in the world will not catch you up with someone who has more armstrength, as in the case of a normal backhand throw.

[ronconversjr]

I am not a weak thrower,but I know that I will never be as strong (armstrength)as many of my competitors.HOWEVER,I believe that a normal flight ,with the disc level with the ground for most of it`s flight depends a great deal more on technique and shot choice than on raw power.Flight of a disc which is perpindicular to the ground relies more on power (at least while the disc is not gliding) than a "normal" shot just because of the mechanics of flight.I am not a distance thrower of thumbers but have seen my share of experts.The local guys preffered throwing overstables for control shots 275-300ft.For just out and out distance, the disc must fly after the overhand release.The best example I can think of off the top of my head is Hammersmith and the wierdo disc.His throw made three loopdloops and took off into a lefty hyzer at extreme distances.Technique definately made a difference.To achieve distance the disc must 1.)spend most of it`s flight parallel to the ground.(glide)
2.)spend most of it`s flight going forward.Not turning right, left ,or up and down

[beisner]

I really like to throw the discraft flick for almost all of my tomahawks. My only advice would be to make sure you really snap your wrist upon the release.

I'll 2nd that...

Flicks and Talons are my thumbers of choice, depending on how tight a turnover I want. They are very accurate for me.

[smitty]

Here is my take on the overhand shot. It is a GOOOD weapon to have in the bag.

Here is my take on disc selection and technique.

Throw the most stable disc that you can get to flip over. I use a flick for thumber release, and a beat up Pred for 2 finger. I have a hard time generating enough snap to get the disc to flip. I have thrown 2 finger overhead shots with an XS before.

All the players around here use Overstable discs. Flicks, Preds, and Firebirds.

[Schoen-hopper]

Here is my take on the overhand shot. It is a GOOOD weapon to have in the bag.

Harve will throw UD putter upshots and is successful with them. I remember him cashing in $200 in skins one year when he made a 3 from the bunker on old 8 long tee to 9 pin at Oak.

With the putter Tomahawk, I can't get it to corkscrew at all. It will always land on it's back, which is good. But that had me wondering if I was mixed up on which discs corkscrew more. It's probably just the different grip of the putter. When you think about a tomahawk as a flick shot that starts out vertical, it is easier to understand why understable discs will corkscrew more. My question: How do I get less corkscrew with my overstable disc tomahawks and thumbers?

I've seen some players, such as Shan Mann, throw low thumbers down a tunnel. I guess this is done because of the shape of the shot or maybe just to get it to kill itself after a certain distance.

[pironix]

I really like to throw the discraft flick for almost all of my tomahawks. My only advice would be to make sure you really snap your wrist upon the release.

I'll 2nd that...

Flicks and Talons are my thumbers of choice, depending on how tight a turnover I want. They are very accurate for me.

I don't have much of a tomahawk so I can't comment on that. When I need to throw a thumber my Flick is my primary choice. I can be pretty accurate with it, even with my limited amount of practice with that shot. I'll use my Z Predator sometimes if I need something a little less stable that won't cut as hard after it flips, but that's pretty rare...

[ronconversjr]

check out discraft.com tutorial this week on throwing overhand

[Anakha]

Nice timing

As for my input, more overstable=Distance, the disc turns slower and catches more air, you just have to compensate for the slower corkscrew.(left for a thumber, right for a tommy.)

And understable=accuracy. The disc, as Ruder said, will pretty much come back in to where it hits at it's peak, to be straight up and down.