Layout

In this clinic we talked about the importance of using good form when laying out and what not to do.

Good Form

1. Learn to slide with your wrists or forearms leading you. You will need to get a feel for how much pressure to put on your hand s and arms as you hit the ground so that you slide along, still stretched out.
2. Keep your body in a straight line and remain stretched out (flying with straight legs) as you dive and slide.
3. Try to land using your chest [hips for the ladies], and then arch your back to absorb a lot of the slide on your abdomen.
4. Catching the disc in one hand (thumb on top) and flip it over and up (keeping fingers away from the ground). That way, once you've made the catch, you can turn your hand over and introduce the heel of your palm to the ground for the slide.
5. When diving keeping the other hand out as a ‘feeler’ for the ground. The ‘feeler’ hand is great way to let you know when you’ve hit the ground and it also balances you out.
6. Always take off one-footed. If you are laying out with your right hand then take off your left foot, if you are laying out with your left foot than leave off of your right foot. If you’re going two-handed then whichever is most comfortable. I always catch with my left hand and use my right foot. Accelerate all the way into the layout and lean forward before your last stride to get an explosive, low layout (one that will take you far and put you only a bit off the ground).

WHAT NOT TO DO!
Using a good technique will prevent injuries. You will need to use your wrists/arms and abdomen/chest and NOT your side. The tendency is to reach out and rotate to your strong hand side. The problem with this is the impact when you hit the ground. The worst case scenario is that you will land on your shoulder and separate it/ dislocate it or break your collarbone.

Avoid pulling your arms towards you (you will land on your elbows and possibly dislocate your shoulders). This goes as well for bending your knees, avoid this otherwise your knees can be dislocated.

Don’t spread hands too far or you’ll FACEPLANT.

Tips

1. Laying out is much easier at high speeds
2. Failing to commit to the attempt is only going to make the landing more awkward and more painful.