Handler Speed: Knowledge > Athleticism

If the handler knows where the dog is going to be and when the dog will be there, it is easy to move between the tricks or to leverage the time it takes a dog to do something we take for granted, like turn around after a 10 yard catch.

Move While

If you throw a 10 yard catch on your zig zag, there is zero reason you can’t be there when the dog turns around after the catch. A brisk walk or a light jog will take you to sequencing distance with some time to spare. The trick is to move your feet in the proper direction as soon as you finish your throw. During your throw’s flight time, it is possible to cover 6-8 yards, easily. While the dog catches, lands and turns around you can cover an addition 4-6. But you have to know where to move to. Where do you go? That is knowledge.

I can cover 20 yards to a stack of discs while Loot is busy doing his thing. It happens at a jog. If you move, smartly and directly, as soon as your done with the throw you will be fast.

Be Prepared to Move

Putting yourself in position on interior moves is also not about athleticism. People keep trying to move faster. That’s not it. It’s about moving smarter. Moving while. Move while the dog is busy with the flip. That gives you 1.something seconds to get into position; to step and pivot. I guarantee you can step and pivot in 1.something seconds.

In the video above notice that the stance shift and posePosing is a communication tool for throwing discs to dogs (or people). A pose is a frozen moment of a throw; a key moment of the backswing perhaps, or a flashy presentation of... More in Basic Flatwork PositionBasic Flatwork Position (BFP) is a standard position of the handler in the Working Flank; hand reaching out towards the dog (usually with a disc) with the dog on the same plane as... More (BFP) is made before the dog hits the ground. Between the time I let go of the disc and the dog hits the ground all the transitional movement has been done. The StanceThe handler's stance is important. There are many ways to stand and each way you stand can say a different thing. Stances communicate pressure and direction. Switching stances sends information to the dog.  More Shifting Forms in Disc Quan Do are a great tool for this.

Most all Interior Moves and sequences happen with this kind of hidden quick movement. Know where to move and when to be there and use that knowledge to your advantage. You can check out the Stance Shifting Forms for the Yellow and White Belts of Disc Quan Do for free for a limited time, check them out.

Lomachenko on Ring Speed

Here is arguably the best pound for pound boxer in the world laying out the same concept. Lomachenko seems to teleport around the ring. He’s fast and a great athlete, no doubt, but it is his knowledge that allows that kind of blinking in and out of existence speed.

The rest of the video is great as well, but it is a boxing lesson. Combat sports share a lot of similarities with disc dog freestyle in terms of pressure, stances, and reading and responding to movement. The dog is similar to a sparring partner and our game is pretty much a choreographed movie martial arts fight.