# Ever suffer a temporary distance setback when "improving" your technique?



## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

I recently made an adjustment to my casting technique that, from what I can glean from watching top tournament casters, is more technically sound than what I was doing. Up until that point I was making good progress, but since I started training with the new adjusted technique, I've lost 10-15 yards.

I'm still not comfortable with the adjustments, but I'm hoping that with some more practice, I'll _get_ comfortable and the changes will have me casting further than ever before. Do you agree with this premise, or should I go back to what I was doing?

The changes I made were a) keeping the right arm straighter throughout the cast to focus more on a powerful "pull" with the left; b) keeping the plane of the swing more consistent; c) not starting the power phase until my left hand has passed in front of my forehead; d) in the power phase, swinging "up", rather than "down".


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Matt, Unless it is just a small tweak ANY significant technique change will most likely result in lost distance. Your body has to have time to create new "muscle memory" and you have to become comfortable with the new changes before you can apply real power.

One thing that jumps out at me was when I made the change from high reel to low reel. It was difficult and distance went DOWN. I stuck with it and before long the sinkers were flying farther than ever.

Start slow, accelerate the sinker and finish fast with a burst of power and speed late.

Tommy


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## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

Here's a video of what I'm up to....






I actually turned by mag brakes all the way up so I don't obsess over distance at this point. Just working on the technique. My previous casting was going well, but my left arm started folding in too early; my right hand was coming over the top and was well above the left hand by the time punch-pull started... kind of chopping downward like a sledgehammer.


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

OK, not bad but out of sync. Watch the video again. When you start to move, the upper body moves first with the lower body following. Think about your body as a spring, uncoiling from the ground up. The power starts at the base, flows up and through your body. The shoulders and arms should be the last thing that comes through, not the first. Engage your hips first then the torso, chest, shoulders and arms. In that order. You have A LOT of additional power to tap.

Tommy


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## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

That makes total sense - thank you!


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## Jeremy Schrader (Feb 7, 2009)

Have a look at this .

OTG Practice

Slightly widen your stance as well.

Hope this assist.

😀


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## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

That’s good Jeremy. Adding a step with the left foot seems like a good idea too - probably helps get the body rotation timing right like Tommy advised.


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## Matt Bizarro (Jan 26, 2016)

3 months later now... the new technique (see first post) is firmly in my muscle memory and I've begun to add in Tommy's advice on body rotation preceding arm action. 

The result? I hit 167 yards (15 yards further than my PB) using a very casual fishing-style groundcast. The other casts in that session were in the 140s, but I've seen this pattern before: a single random cast goes much further than anything prior, but in short order every cast is reaching similar distances. In a matter of days your average cast gains 15-20 yards. Anyone have similar experiences?


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## Tommy (Jan 24, 2001)

Matt, In competition, we are ALWAYS on the hunt for that one random cast that flies 15 yards farther.... 

Practice and improvement (for me anyway) would come in bursts. You get stuck at a plateau and work work work then BOOM you blow right on by then set a new goal. Keep casting and keep getting better!!


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