Layout protection

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[Lex]

G'day all.

I'm in Australia and have a chance at playing in the Aussie junior team at worlds. If I get in I'm pretty sure that I will be laying a lot When I do it now of course I get the classic injures: Elbows, knees and hip...
But I think that I will be doing it too much for my own good so I was wondering what protection is there? I'm getting sweat bands or some sort of padding (when the time comes I will decide) for my elbows, my knees are normally fine just tiny scrapes nothing that bad.
But my hip is probably the worst re-offenders.
1 lay: Its alright just scraped I'll be fine
2 lays: Starting to get a bit sore and bloody
3 lays: Um, can someone patch me up? I think I can see bone...
(Of course this is in the worst case of crappy layouts) but you get my point.

Anyway I'm not really sure what I can use to protect my hip... if there is nothing there is of course the option of just putting some tape over it put I'd rather not pull it off at the end of every day for 7 days.
Cheers.

-Alex

[Robbie]

...Get Better

[rjhberg]

I know that Mike Neild started wearing 2 shirts, 1 that was tucked in to protect him self from scrapes.

But what would he know about laying out??

[Joe - Barefoot]

i know the way you layout is often spontaneous and spur of the moment. but i think the damage your are doing, perhaps more related to your hip could be minimised by altering the way you layout. scratches on your elbows, forearms and knees are inevitable though, i think.

i remember reading somewhere, some experienced players input in to 'how to layout and reduce injuries', but i can't seem to find it.

i also think you need to be careful when using 'protective' gear as its impact on some areas, e.g. knees and elbows, can sometimes cause more serious injuries than just scrapes and cuts.

just my 2 cents.

[Chris]

I wouldn't get any padding like knee pads or elbow pads or anything, because that will probably just slow you down, and if you are slow around a feild you won't get any lays anyway, not to mention elbow pads will probably effect your throws.

Refining your layout technique is the biggest thing you can do. I was lucky enough to learn to dive in indoor volleyball where landing on anything other than your chest is exceedingly painful, laying out on grass was definitely a pleasant change. So ideally you want to be landing on solely your chest. Of course because ultimate is a multi directional sport sometimes awkward layouts are going to happen, but those ones are rarely the ones where rip skin off because you don't normally have a lot of momentum.

So far the best investment I have made in regards to layout protection for my hips, is one of those sleeveless skins undershirts - http://www.skins.net/au/en/Products/BioAcceleration_Technology/sport/sleeveless_top - though I opted for the cheaper nike one. I tuck them into my jocks or bike pants and that way they cover my hips and torso. Alternatively I think just some good old strapping tape over your hips would also help prevent 80% of grazes.

I have never had any trouble with skinning my knees when it came to layouts because when you focus on landing on your chest the momentum should keep your knees of the ground. In general if your knees are smacking the ground when you layout you probably have a technique issue and the last thing you want is such an import joint like the knees hitting the ground hard. I know lots of people that still drop their knees when they semi-layout because they like to break their fall with something other than their torso, but it is really bad technique and asking for trouble down the road.

As for your elbows and arm, I remember Brett Matzuka invented the "arm sock" where he had ripped his elbows open so many times he needed a way to let them heal but still play. The arm sock is basically where he got any sock and cut the closed end off and then just slid the sock up his arm and over his throwing elbow. I modified the same principle and went and bought about a metres worth of that light compression bandage stuff from the chemist, and just cut that. You really only need it for your catching hand because you'll rarely make a layout bid with your non preferred catching hand.

With all this said I think by far the biggest factor in layout protection is simply playing on good fields and I'm quietly confident that the fields over in Vancouver will be top notch.

[Lex]

Thanks guys.

Refining your layout technique is the biggest thing you can do.

Yeah, at least 70% of the time I am fine but there was a period where I couldn't do any for a while and my form went slightly off again with the reaching for the disc and body slightly turning in that direction...

Yeah as far as the knees go I haven't had any mayor grazes with them yet, just some dirt etc...

Elbows: Yeah, I will probably end up going to the tape anyway... Or at least another top underneath.

With all this said I think by far the biggest factor in layout protection is simply playing on good fields and I'm quietly confident that the fields over in Vancouver will be top notch.

Oh, Indeed. There's nothing like sliding across a nice green field.
They better be The ones in Melbourne for training camp were horrific to land on. Dry and hard with lots of dirt... Mmmm.
Cheers all. Anymore suggestions are still encouraged...

-Alex

ps. Robbie, I want to see a few from you in March...

[bwhite55]

you could be a man and not worry about it :-P

i'm jk, i've only been playin for a little bit so i'm still intimidated by the layout.  its freakin sweet to see people do, and i'm jealous, but when you are 240 lbs, you hit the ground hard.

[Lex]

Haha, yeah there always is the option of the bottle of man-up...

Thats one of the great things about layouts...
They screw with receivers and handlers if they know you can do it... and think you will!

I've only been playing for around 8 months now and I reckon layouts are great fun! Don't be intimated by doing them, do them right and you will be fine. But watch out for anyone who does

-Alex

[bwhite55]

i don't mind if i take a hit and go down playin football, or when i was gettin thrown when i used to do judo, but for some reason i can't get over the psyche of layin out.

[Lex]

Haha, you will do it once because that was just a moment for it...
You won't care after that.
Happy landings

-Alex

[Joe - Barefoot]

i don't mind if i take a hit and go down playin football, or when i was gettin thrown when i used to do judo, but for some reason i can't get over the psyche of layin out.

For all the hesitation you feeling now, the absolute ecstacy of a full-length layout D makes it all worthwhile. It doesn't only look good, it feels good too. The adrenalin eases the short-term pain.

[FarmerJohn]

If you think receivers are the only ones who layout, I'd have you think again, thanks! I'm a handler, and I lay out. Also look at Al Don, Brett Matzuka, who are handler extraordinaires but lay out like crazy. I'm sure there are others I'm not thinking of.

I have used variations of the arm sock with good success on my elbows. I'd suggest having one for each arm though. I've done an equal number of left or right-handed layout grabs depending on which side the disc is coming from.

The layout adrenalin is sweet too.

[Stepan]

I agree the the adrenalin kills the pain. Problem is when the blood is involved as you are not allowed to be on the field while bleeding. As there is almost nothing which can cover the open wound and remain on for more than one point I sometimes use an elbow pad (you can actually see it on my icon). I can recomend it as it stops further destroing of the elbow and covers well the wound so you can keep playing without scaring everybody around.

On a hard surface the hip is an issue and I don't think any briliant technique can help on a concrete hard grass. So far I did not find any reliable protection so at some stage I only layout on the green parts;) I might go for some of the skin-kind undershirt later though.

[bwhite55]

lol, i'm a handler but soon i'll be able to play deep more because i'm workin on my speed.  i have had opportunities to lay out, but never think about it when it happens and its always those "I coulda done it" moments.  i guess you just have to get used to it.  and a couple of handlers i play with lay out all the time, its normally to recover from an overthrow usually made by me

[Lex]

Haha, I have a handler on my team that lays out more than anything... He's a member on this site "Cupcake".
Lol, we never said it's only receivers that layout Anyway, yes I do agree with the others. If you get the D or catch the disc you feel nothing... But pride and excitement.

Yeah, same here. There really isn't much you can do with hard / crap grounds with your hip, so hopefully as we stated above... That the fields at worlds are in good form hopefully I get to go and slide on them : )

Btw, I layout and I still have those "I could of done it" moments anyway... It's just all the mind. Mental set.
I've just started coming round to it. I mean sure I could layout before but it had to be a floater going away from me so I had time to decide if I should or not, but its getting to the point where theres no thinking involved You don't need to push yourself... Unless your going to worlds

-Alex