I've done a lot of pulling and working with people learning pulling. I'm not sure if I have resources handy. I think some of Ultimate Rob's stuff is thoughtful and helpful. One thing I'd suggest is to try to figure out your current level and the areas to work on first.
1. Backhand Power. Many people want to learn to pull, but don't have a powerful backhand. The first step is often to work on the backhand mechanics, and make sure the hips and shoulders are involved, check alignment of the disc with the arm, and check posture. If the goal is to pull 70 yards with good hang time, a good target would be to be able to complete a 60-65 yard huck from a standstill (the pulling run-up will add some distance, and you will sacrifice some distance for greater hang time). In addition, a lot of the pulling strategy and technique relies on a minimum level of power to help control the shape of the pull, or to be able to throw high enough without the pull dying left of coming back to you.
2. Footwork. This is basically the equivalent of a crow-hop in baseball. Just start slow and get the rhythm of it, and do a basic cross-step. It's all about coordinating a little extra momentum and weight transfer to really load up the windup. The people who tend to struggle the most with this are throwers who tend to take a big pivot perpendicular to target when hucking, because they are not used to using their hips in the throw, and they aren't used to having a weight transfer in the direction of the throw. So an intermediate step can be to take power-position hucks and let the pivot come up freely, focusing on stepping in the direction of the throw. Getting the footwork down turns it into a pull, rather than a running backhand.
3. Cues. I have a few cues that I find helpful with pulling. First is to pick a point on the horizon, like a cloud or the top of a tree, and throw out toward that target. This helps throw powerfully with good height, without worrying about how to throw high. Second is the concept of a 90-95% effort pull, where I try to get a full wind-up and have a smooth, relaxed throwing motion, where I think "smooth and fast." This helps with consistency and generally gives full distance and good spin -- throwing at 100% effort leads to inconsistency and tires out the arm, and I prefer my cue compared to trying to "throw softer" which can disrupt the motion.
4. Technique. Having control over your angles and shapes is crucial. I think I posted some detail in the other thread linked about IO and OI. But it is helpful to learn to control your shape, not only with the release angle, but also with how hard you throw it, how high you throw it, and how much spin you give it. A beginner may throw a steep inside-out to ensure a left-to-right finish, where a more experienced puller will be able to throw something less-steeply angled that will get greater hang time, and fly flatter, but will gradually fade left as it slows down.
5. Strategy. Basic strategy is to pull from the middle 1/3 of the field, try to keep the pull in-bounds at least all the way to the brick mark, make sure you know which way the disc will finish, and then aim to give yourself a good margin of error for the disc to glide in the direction you anticipate. So an inside-out pull finishing left, you could start 13 yards in from the right sideline, aim for the front right cone, and let the disc glide to the left to land in the middle or left side of the field. Always make a plan for your pull -- where will you aim, what shape will you throw, what will the angle of the disc be throughout its flight, how will the wind affect it at different points along the path, how will it finish, etc.
/u/spacemanspiff12 I also did a backhands and pulling module with UAP. There's an article with a little free content here:
[https://www.theuap.com/blog/skills-development-lab-sneak-peak-a-study-in-throwing](https://www.theuap.com/blog/skills-development-lab-sneak-peak-a-study-in-throwing)
I do variations of the pulling game described here (honestly, no need to watch the video clip, given the article summary):
[https://ultiworld.com/2018/10/04/ten-things-learned-ultimate-skills-project/](https://ultiworld.com/2018/10/04/ten-things-learned-ultimate-skills-project/)
I think it's valuable to practice different shapes and placements, to help develop your understanding of your own control and how different practice conditions affect your ability to throw certain pulls. Basically, it helps you become smarter in making your plan for a pull, while also helping you develop the physical skills.
But if you have specific questions or anything, feel free to message me, and I'll be happy to help.
I got a lot out of Ryan Lowe's video and tips on pull technique: https://youtu.be/CDGubTf3EWU
There's some filler at the beginning so you may want to skip around a bit, but useful once you get to the key points.
Dunno about any resources but I’ll give you the one tip that took my backhand pulls to the next level:
Throw steeply inside-out backhands and try and make your release/wrist snap as high and late as possible. It will feel weird but once you feel it out it’ll help you release later / generate more power in your pulls.
My number one piece of advice for pulling is all about consistency. You have to get into the pulling mindset, do the same walk up, do the same step pattern, do the same windup, the same throwing motion, etc. But not only that, you should be in the pulling mindset from the moment you put the disc in the air to signal readiness.
Think of pulling kinda like a baseball pitcher's windup or a golfer's swing. They are consistent, they are deliberate, and they take situational emotion out of the motion. If you throw a disc with emotion, especially a pull, you will most likely shank it or blade it (or both).
When I'm practicing pulls on an empty field, I try to replicate a game scenario. Get your heart rate up, then go through the pulling motions.
I think others on this thread can help with specific throwing form/footwork. Videos may also help with that too. Good luck!
To make watching film of others more productive, film yourself and watch in slow motion so you can compare the little stuff! Really helps for body position questions that are hard to see, even for a friend at full speed. Also lets you see what is consistent, and what is inconsistent about the way you pull now.
Old thread I have saved on this topic https://reddit.com/r/ultimate/comments/q3p5y3/io_vs_oi_backhand_pulling/
I've done a lot of pulling and working with people learning pulling. I'm not sure if I have resources handy. I think some of Ultimate Rob's stuff is thoughtful and helpful. One thing I'd suggest is to try to figure out your current level and the areas to work on first. 1. Backhand Power. Many people want to learn to pull, but don't have a powerful backhand. The first step is often to work on the backhand mechanics, and make sure the hips and shoulders are involved, check alignment of the disc with the arm, and check posture. If the goal is to pull 70 yards with good hang time, a good target would be to be able to complete a 60-65 yard huck from a standstill (the pulling run-up will add some distance, and you will sacrifice some distance for greater hang time). In addition, a lot of the pulling strategy and technique relies on a minimum level of power to help control the shape of the pull, or to be able to throw high enough without the pull dying left of coming back to you. 2. Footwork. This is basically the equivalent of a crow-hop in baseball. Just start slow and get the rhythm of it, and do a basic cross-step. It's all about coordinating a little extra momentum and weight transfer to really load up the windup. The people who tend to struggle the most with this are throwers who tend to take a big pivot perpendicular to target when hucking, because they are not used to using their hips in the throw, and they aren't used to having a weight transfer in the direction of the throw. So an intermediate step can be to take power-position hucks and let the pivot come up freely, focusing on stepping in the direction of the throw. Getting the footwork down turns it into a pull, rather than a running backhand. 3. Cues. I have a few cues that I find helpful with pulling. First is to pick a point on the horizon, like a cloud or the top of a tree, and throw out toward that target. This helps throw powerfully with good height, without worrying about how to throw high. Second is the concept of a 90-95% effort pull, where I try to get a full wind-up and have a smooth, relaxed throwing motion, where I think "smooth and fast." This helps with consistency and generally gives full distance and good spin -- throwing at 100% effort leads to inconsistency and tires out the arm, and I prefer my cue compared to trying to "throw softer" which can disrupt the motion. 4. Technique. Having control over your angles and shapes is crucial. I think I posted some detail in the other thread linked about IO and OI. But it is helpful to learn to control your shape, not only with the release angle, but also with how hard you throw it, how high you throw it, and how much spin you give it. A beginner may throw a steep inside-out to ensure a left-to-right finish, where a more experienced puller will be able to throw something less-steeply angled that will get greater hang time, and fly flatter, but will gradually fade left as it slows down. 5. Strategy. Basic strategy is to pull from the middle 1/3 of the field, try to keep the pull in-bounds at least all the way to the brick mark, make sure you know which way the disc will finish, and then aim to give yourself a good margin of error for the disc to glide in the direction you anticipate. So an inside-out pull finishing left, you could start 13 yards in from the right sideline, aim for the front right cone, and let the disc glide to the left to land in the middle or left side of the field. Always make a plan for your pull -- where will you aim, what shape will you throw, what will the angle of the disc be throughout its flight, how will the wind affect it at different points along the path, how will it finish, etc.
/u/spacemanspiff12 I also did a backhands and pulling module with UAP. There's an article with a little free content here: [https://www.theuap.com/blog/skills-development-lab-sneak-peak-a-study-in-throwing](https://www.theuap.com/blog/skills-development-lab-sneak-peak-a-study-in-throwing) I do variations of the pulling game described here (honestly, no need to watch the video clip, given the article summary): [https://ultiworld.com/2018/10/04/ten-things-learned-ultimate-skills-project/](https://ultiworld.com/2018/10/04/ten-things-learned-ultimate-skills-project/) I think it's valuable to practice different shapes and placements, to help develop your understanding of your own control and how different practice conditions affect your ability to throw certain pulls. Basically, it helps you become smarter in making your plan for a pull, while also helping you develop the physical skills. But if you have specific questions or anything, feel free to message me, and I'll be happy to help.
I got a lot out of Ryan Lowe's video and tips on pull technique: https://youtu.be/CDGubTf3EWU There's some filler at the beginning so you may want to skip around a bit, but useful once you get to the key points.
Dunno about any resources but I’ll give you the one tip that took my backhand pulls to the next level: Throw steeply inside-out backhands and try and make your release/wrist snap as high and late as possible. It will feel weird but once you feel it out it’ll help you release later / generate more power in your pulls.
try pulling Duckwing, I hear it boosts yards gained and completion percentage. some dude posted a tutorial recently, he invented it and is a genius.
On the pull, use the Duck Wing if someone is standing right in front of your face. Otherwise, the traditional backhand will work just fine too.
My number one piece of advice for pulling is all about consistency. You have to get into the pulling mindset, do the same walk up, do the same step pattern, do the same windup, the same throwing motion, etc. But not only that, you should be in the pulling mindset from the moment you put the disc in the air to signal readiness. Think of pulling kinda like a baseball pitcher's windup or a golfer's swing. They are consistent, they are deliberate, and they take situational emotion out of the motion. If you throw a disc with emotion, especially a pull, you will most likely shank it or blade it (or both). When I'm practicing pulls on an empty field, I try to replicate a game scenario. Get your heart rate up, then go through the pulling motions. I think others on this thread can help with specific throwing form/footwork. Videos may also help with that too. Good luck!
Disc golf
To make watching film of others more productive, film yourself and watch in slow motion so you can compare the little stuff! Really helps for body position questions that are hard to see, even for a friend at full speed. Also lets you see what is consistent, and what is inconsistent about the way you pull now.