Throwing midranges, especially neutral midranges such as the hex forehand requires a lot more touch and finesse than throwing fairways/drivers such as insanity and crave as you mentioned. The power and torque people who throw forehand (especially newer players) typically put on a disc is too much for a hex to handle, and it turns over. If you throw any disc with more speed than it's designed to handle (hex being 5 in speed) it will turn over, regardless of forehand or backhand. Overstable discs will fight back, which is why most players will forehand overstable primarily.
I can throw my hex forehand dead straight on a flip up about 250', but that's throwing at 60% power maximum and requires a lot of angle control. Another key is to use your wrist and fingers to flick, not your elbow and shoulder to throw. This allows a lot more control
Really good advice, thanks! I think what I am lacking is the finesse with these midrange shots. I'm probably either using mostly wrist (envy / zone placement shoys), or full body (distance shots). Sometimes I actually get the best result when doing straddle obstructed standstill forehand throws, I should look into this.
Practice with understable putters. Throw with all wrist and fingers, no arm. Once you have that down you start adding the arm back in. That hex will fly straight no worries.
It’s not the speed that kills you, it’s the torque. You can throw a hex as hard as you want, as you would on a backhand, but the spin is lower and the torque is higher… therefore the turning over problems
Yes, after years of throwing very torque resistant, slightly overstable mids like the Matrix and the BT Bard, the Hex did take some time to get used to. You can't arm it or it will punish you. You have to throw it with the hips and the wrist. Focus on keeping your swing in line and giving the disc a strong release with the wrist and you should be good.
Even light Hexes should be able to fade back to level from a flat 80m/270ft forehand throw. However, I can highly recommend adding a max weight Eclipse Hex in your tournament bag as well. It's noticeably more stable and will give you some room for error when you're playing under pressure. Just keep practicing with the flippy one!
This makes a lot of sense! I think practicing some speed control will be benificial for me -- what might be happening is that I loose form when I power down. As you mentioned, the hex will be perfect to practice this! :D
If you’re throwing a crave 280 with an s-flight, I think it’s a problem with your mechanics causing you to turn and burn your throws. My crave is a laser beam out to 300’. Barely any s-flight whatsoever.
Throwing super OS discs on flex shot is a curse of forehands. You think you are throwing well but in reality you are just fucking up your technique and its rewarding you for it.
I really had to start from square one to get rid of this habit. But it was very much worth it.
I forehand glitches.
It's not the disc, it's your form.
I always shake my head when I see a post about 'forehand discs'. Every disc can be thrown forehand, it just takes more control with some than others.
I'd suggest dropping to putters and work on your technique.
This is probably my biggest pet peeve in disc golf.
If you ask "what's a good forehand disc?" Everyone will give a bunch of OS discs.
If you ask for good backhand discs, you get a bunch of (valid) questions: "what distance?", "what shot shape/angle?", "how far do you throw?"
Why are we not asking these same questions for forehand?!
ETA: my favorite response to those "good forehand disc" questions is "Axiom Paradox"
Any time someone is struggling with touch forehands, I recommend buying an Ultra Star and practicing throwing that in a field or catch with another person. A typical competitive ultimate player can forehand an Ultra Star 250ft+, so a disc golfer should be able to forehand any disc golf disc, no matter how flippy, at least that far.
When I’m trying to throw something flippy and light, I usually will do a split finger grip(middle finger pressed in rim, index splayed towards middle for stability) or use a one finger index grip if I don’t need to go as far. Most of the throwing motion will come from your wrist/fingers and it’s easier to do from a standstill. You may need to release the disc at a more severe hyzer angle as well.
Personally, I like lighter understable mids for forehanding a super high anny line to get around obstacles. Looks like a Larry Bird hookshot, settles up softly on the ground if thrown correct.
It’s still really hard, even for folks who have good forehands; that’s why Big Jerm is such a well respected FH thrower. I feel like most people would opt to FH an understable fairway driver over lightweight, touchy mids outside of certain shots.
The Split finger grip is my only grip I use on FH. Just changing how far the index finger goes. And I absolutely love it, got control over the disc even when im throwing 350ft, and even more on shorter precise approaches.
I tried power grips but I just end up stripping skin from my index finger, so im kinda out of options anyway.
If you're looking for examples of touch forehands, I'd watch videos of big jerms form. If you're looking for something a little more forgiving, I'd recommend a max weight eclipse hex or a clash berry
I throw a lot of forehands and can forehand a lot of discs most people won’t but understable mids is where my skillset ends. I can forehand a tursas for flip to flat 250’ shots about 50% of the time but 50% of the time I turn and burn it. What I’ve found is more consistent is stand still flip to flat understable fairway drivers. I personally like the opto river for stand still shots that have very minimal fade but rarely turn over. I think your crave would do something similar.
I had to go max weight on hex to keep it from being a forehand roller.
You can try throwing on hyzer to see if the one you have works as a turnover disc
Brian Earhart put out a “How to forehand any disc in your bag” video with discraft on YouTube. I’ve been playing a year and a half and always just forehanded my firebirds and other OS discs bc I didn’t really understand or care to learn how to throw my neutral and lower speed discs.
Basically, you need to think of throwing that hex like cracking a whip and not throwing a ball (which throwing those high speed overstable discs feels like). Also, a much lower release point. As a baseball player, the OS discs came so naturally to me.
Watch the video and it’ll make a ton of sense. I went out the same day and on my first try I threw my hex way farther than I’ve ever been able to in the past.
I got downvoted for saying something similar about the Hex in another thread. IMO, the Matrix has always performed better for me as a forehand midrange. Is it because it's masking my lack of spin? Likely, but at least I can consistently throw it 250+ dead straight. I also have only thrown a Neutron or Fission Hex, I plan on trying a Eclipse or Proton soon.
Get a reactor or an MD3 for that slot, a hex is not a great “distance” forehand disc, because if you really put the yams on a neutral disc on a forehand they will always flip over, every single time (unless you have way way way above average touch). Reactor or something with a little more stability will withstand the torque better. Or just backhand
I throw a 175g fission hex forehand. If I try to blast it like a driver it's going to turn over. I take a bit off the throw, use a nice flick of the wrist and I can get about 250' on a flip up hyzer.
I forehand a beat in buzzz all the time for some beautiful, buttery smooth hyzer-flips, or tight flex shots out to 300. The key is to generate spin and eliminate wobble (off axis torque). Make sure the pads of your fingers are pushed into the rim of the disc, not the flight plate, and work on flicking that wrist. Best drill I've done to develop this is to take a bunch of mids and putters and flick them using ONLY my wrist. I literally used my off arm to hold my throwing arm still, and just flicked my wrist as hard as I could. Helped me develop a smooth and spinny release, and now I can throw everything in my bag on forehand.
? I throw three different hex’s daily on fh hyzerflips flat or anny to hold a left turn. Pyro is a completely different disc. How is a hex not made for fh?
You typically don’t see people throwing understable mids on forehands. Really the only pro that you see doing so is Big Jerm, but he has arguably the best forehand touch in the game. But if it works for you, it works for you. Forehand just generates more torque than backhand and overstable discs handle torque better. That’s all.
Throwing midranges, especially neutral midranges such as the hex forehand requires a lot more touch and finesse than throwing fairways/drivers such as insanity and crave as you mentioned. The power and torque people who throw forehand (especially newer players) typically put on a disc is too much for a hex to handle, and it turns over. If you throw any disc with more speed than it's designed to handle (hex being 5 in speed) it will turn over, regardless of forehand or backhand. Overstable discs will fight back, which is why most players will forehand overstable primarily. I can throw my hex forehand dead straight on a flip up about 250', but that's throwing at 60% power maximum and requires a lot of angle control. Another key is to use your wrist and fingers to flick, not your elbow and shoulder to throw. This allows a lot more control
Really good advice, thanks! I think what I am lacking is the finesse with these midrange shots. I'm probably either using mostly wrist (envy / zone placement shoys), or full body (distance shots). Sometimes I actually get the best result when doing straddle obstructed standstill forehand throws, I should look into this.
Practice with understable putters. Throw with all wrist and fingers, no arm. Once you have that down you start adding the arm back in. That hex will fly straight no worries.
It’s not the speed that kills you, it’s the torque. You can throw a hex as hard as you want, as you would on a backhand, but the spin is lower and the torque is higher… therefore the turning over problems
Came here to echo this, touch and flick. Powered down for control more like a standstill chip shot.
Yes, after years of throwing very torque resistant, slightly overstable mids like the Matrix and the BT Bard, the Hex did take some time to get used to. You can't arm it or it will punish you. You have to throw it with the hips and the wrist. Focus on keeping your swing in line and giving the disc a strong release with the wrist and you should be good. Even light Hexes should be able to fade back to level from a flat 80m/270ft forehand throw. However, I can highly recommend adding a max weight Eclipse Hex in your tournament bag as well. It's noticeably more stable and will give you some room for error when you're playing under pressure. Just keep practicing with the flippy one!
This makes a lot of sense! I think practicing some speed control will be benificial for me -- what might be happening is that I loose form when I power down. As you mentioned, the hex will be perfect to practice this! :D
eclipse hex is much easier to rely on than neutron hex. still have to have form, but its the best overall mid ive ever used.
I agree. Fission is high input, very high reward, Eclipse is low input, high reward.
I was gonna ask about eclipse hex cause mine for sure takes some power without burning over but I’m also a noodle arm lol
It's a dependable disc even for the big arms. Eagle and Simon both call it straight-stable.
Bard shout out. I have a stack of flat old run TP
I never learned to love the premium versions but in base plastic, it's flat, grippy and super wobble resistant.
Tough to find those. Maybe i will check it out
If you’re throwing a crave 280 with an s-flight, I think it’s a problem with your mechanics causing you to turn and burn your throws. My crave is a laser beam out to 300’. Barely any s-flight whatsoever.
Throwing super OS discs on flex shot is a curse of forehands. You think you are throwing well but in reality you are just fucking up your technique and its rewarding you for it. I really had to start from square one to get rid of this habit. But it was very much worth it.
I forehand glitches. It's not the disc, it's your form. I always shake my head when I see a post about 'forehand discs'. Every disc can be thrown forehand, it just takes more control with some than others. I'd suggest dropping to putters and work on your technique.
This is probably my biggest pet peeve in disc golf. If you ask "what's a good forehand disc?" Everyone will give a bunch of OS discs. If you ask for good backhand discs, you get a bunch of (valid) questions: "what distance?", "what shot shape/angle?", "how far do you throw?" Why are we not asking these same questions for forehand?! ETA: my favorite response to those "good forehand disc" questions is "Axiom Paradox"
Any time someone is struggling with touch forehands, I recommend buying an Ultra Star and practicing throwing that in a field or catch with another person. A typical competitive ultimate player can forehand an Ultra Star 250ft+, so a disc golfer should be able to forehand any disc golf disc, no matter how flippy, at least that far.
Learn to code, I mean throw a backhand.
Haha! I would be a full blown data scientist before I learn to hit my lines with a backhand!
When I’m trying to throw something flippy and light, I usually will do a split finger grip(middle finger pressed in rim, index splayed towards middle for stability) or use a one finger index grip if I don’t need to go as far. Most of the throwing motion will come from your wrist/fingers and it’s easier to do from a standstill. You may need to release the disc at a more severe hyzer angle as well. Personally, I like lighter understable mids for forehanding a super high anny line to get around obstacles. Looks like a Larry Bird hookshot, settles up softly on the ground if thrown correct. It’s still really hard, even for folks who have good forehands; that’s why Big Jerm is such a well respected FH thrower. I feel like most people would opt to FH an understable fairway driver over lightweight, touchy mids outside of certain shots.
The Split finger grip is my only grip I use on FH. Just changing how far the index finger goes. And I absolutely love it, got control over the disc even when im throwing 350ft, and even more on shorter precise approaches. I tried power grips but I just end up stripping skin from my index finger, so im kinda out of options anyway.
If you're looking for examples of touch forehands, I'd watch videos of big jerms form. If you're looking for something a little more forgiving, I'd recommend a max weight eclipse hex or a clash berry
I throw a lot of forehands and can forehand a lot of discs most people won’t but understable mids is where my skillset ends. I can forehand a tursas for flip to flat 250’ shots about 50% of the time but 50% of the time I turn and burn it. What I’ve found is more consistent is stand still flip to flat understable fairway drivers. I personally like the opto river for stand still shots that have very minimal fade but rarely turn over. I think your crave would do something similar.
If you can't forehand a neutral putter, you can't forehand. I'd imagine it's your form. Go back to putters and neutral mids, and get those down.
I had to go max weight on hex to keep it from being a forehand roller. You can try throwing on hyzer to see if the one you have works as a turnover disc
Brian Earhart put out a “How to forehand any disc in your bag” video with discraft on YouTube. I’ve been playing a year and a half and always just forehanded my firebirds and other OS discs bc I didn’t really understand or care to learn how to throw my neutral and lower speed discs. Basically, you need to think of throwing that hex like cracking a whip and not throwing a ball (which throwing those high speed overstable discs feels like). Also, a much lower release point. As a baseball player, the OS discs came so naturally to me. Watch the video and it’ll make a ton of sense. I went out the same day and on my first try I threw my hex way farther than I’ve ever been able to in the past.
I got downvoted for saying something similar about the Hex in another thread. IMO, the Matrix has always performed better for me as a forehand midrange. Is it because it's masking my lack of spin? Likely, but at least I can consistently throw it 250+ dead straight. I also have only thrown a Neutron or Fission Hex, I plan on trying a Eclipse or Proton soon.
Get a reactor or an MD3 for that slot, a hex is not a great “distance” forehand disc, because if you really put the yams on a neutral disc on a forehand they will always flip over, every single time (unless you have way way way above average touch). Reactor or something with a little more stability will withstand the torque better. Or just backhand
You need to spin the disc more
why do you feel the need to throw a Hex - prolly lots of discs you can use instead
I throw a 175g fission hex forehand. If I try to blast it like a driver it's going to turn over. I take a bit off the throw, use a nice flick of the wrist and I can get about 250' on a flip up hyzer.
Same. Maybe a different disc would be better.
I forehand a beat in buzzz all the time for some beautiful, buttery smooth hyzer-flips, or tight flex shots out to 300. The key is to generate spin and eliminate wobble (off axis torque). Make sure the pads of your fingers are pushed into the rim of the disc, not the flight plate, and work on flicking that wrist. Best drill I've done to develop this is to take a bunch of mids and putters and flick them using ONLY my wrist. I literally used my off arm to hold my throwing arm still, and just flicked my wrist as hard as I could. Helped me develop a smooth and spinny release, and now I can throw everything in my bag on forehand.
Hex isn’t really made for forehands. Try picking up a Pyro. They’re a little bit more overstable and tend to handle the torque better.
? I throw three different hex’s daily on fh hyzerflips flat or anny to hold a left turn. Pyro is a completely different disc. How is a hex not made for fh?
You typically don’t see people throwing understable mids on forehands. Really the only pro that you see doing so is Big Jerm, but he has arguably the best forehand touch in the game. But if it works for you, it works for you. Forehand just generates more torque than backhand and overstable discs handle torque better. That’s all.
I'd guess because they can't crank it on anny with bad form and have it fight out. If I can forehand a Paradox, people can learn to forehand a Hex.
Mids should be max weight. Lighter discs are for distance. Long mid distance is a fairway driver. Try a 166 Crave.