I am freaking annoyed

**Alan H** · 14th July 09, 04:56 PM

...with blowing the weight over the bar like it's a piece of toast at 11 feet.

And going semi-easy and still clearing 12 feet every time...

..but going full-gas and coming up an inch, at most two inches short of clearing 13. Dunsmuir was the third Games in a row where the handle just *barely* tipped the bar off, at 13 feet.

..and so....

I am back in the gym three times a week for the next two weeks before the Claw. I'll knock off on Wednesday.

I'm doing single-arm dumbell snatches with 50 pounds, 3 sets of eight, each side...I will move up to 60 pounds next week. Lots of drive with the legs here, and full range of motion. I'm reaching for the sky with that dumbell.

I'm doing two-hand low cable pull-throughs on the floor, 3 sets of 7 with 80 pounds..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzwf0vigPgg

and then putting up a pylo box in front of the cable pulley so that I'm about 20 inches above the floor, so that I can get a full range pull from deep to chest high without crushing the tender bits. I'm doing 3 sets of 7 with 35 pounds and pulling FAST.

Hopefully by the Claw, this will give me the power and explosion for that one-two more inches i need, and 13 feet will be MINE.

**Dall_Piobaire** · 14th July 09, 05:28 PM

What about sport specific training though Alan. I mean the weight room is great but what about perfecting the technique.

My only sport was football, I was a linebacker, spent tons of time in the weight room but as much if not more on the field as well.

I can see practising the stone, the hammer, even the shief, how does one practise the caber?

I have thought about getting into this myself, then me thinks I am too old is I. Can

't risk screwing up my hands and fingers either, pipes always come first!

**Alan H** · 14th July 09, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

...with blowing the weight over the bar like it's a piece of toast at 11 feet.

And going semi-easy and still clearing 12 feet every time...

..but going full-gas and coming up an inch, at most two inches short of clearing 13. Dunsmuir was the third Games in a row where the handle just *barely* tipped the bar off, at 13 feet.

..and so....

I am back in the gym three times a week for the next two weeks before the Claw. I'll knock off on Wednesday.

I'm doing single-arm dumbell snatches with 50 pounds, 3 sets of eight, each side...I will move up to 60 pounds next week. Lots of drive with the legs here, and full range of motion. I'm reaching for the sky with that dumbell.

I'm doing two-hand low cable pull-throughs on the floor, 3 sets of 7 with 80 pounds..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzwf0vigPgg

and then putting up a pylo box in front of the cable pulley so that I'm about 20 inches above the floor, so that I can get a full range pull from deep to chest high without crushing the tender bits. I'm doing 3 sets of 7 with 35 pounds and pulling FAST.

Hopefully by the Claw, this will give me the power and explosion for that one-two more inches i need, and 13 feet will be MINE.

You know what I'm thinking, is that I need to do REAL snatches....quick motion snatches, with more weight. I'm not exploding for a real snatch in my current regime. I might try "real" snatches with 70 pounds tomorrow.

**Alan H** · 14th July 09, 05:42 PM

Originally Posted by Dall_Piobaire

What about sport specific training though Alan. I mean the weight room is great but what about perfecting the technique.

My only sport was football, I was a linebacker, spent tons of time in the weight room but as much if not more on the field as well.

I can see practising the stone, the hammer, even the shief, how does one practise the caber?

I have thought about getting into this myself, then me thinks I am too old is I. Can

't risk screwing up my hands and fingers either, pipes always come first!

Oh, I spend HOURS on technique. Hours and hours. This old body can't take throwing practice more than twice a week, though I've been slipping in some hammer winds, a third day a week. If I do more than that, I get hurt. I'm not 20 years old any more!

It's just that I've had really good throwers tell me that my standing throw technique is very good, I just need to get stronger. That's definitely not the case in hammers, though. Sure I need to be even stronger in my core, but the technique and the balance are a whole lot of it. Ditto for the weights for distance, where my technique is OK but not great.

**Dall_Piobaire** · 14th July 09, 05:51 PM

I don't even want to think about pushing iron the way I did when I played ball. Deadlifts, claan and jerk, oh my gawd squats from hell. Seemed like you either hurt from the field or hurt from the weight room! I blew my right shoulder out doing 150 dbs on an incline bench. I could easily rep at 425 but had to do the damn dumbells, now I can't get near the weight.

It's a pisser cause I really would like to have a go, but like I said, I have my pipes now, and they are an OBSESSION!

**Arizona Scot** · 15th July 09, 12:45 AM

Alan I am sure that you will hit your target sooner than you think, I know how much drive and determination you have. Have you considered using a heavy kettle bell say 65 to 70 lbs. and going through the same motions as the WOB throw only not letting go, just using it for reps. I did something similar with a kettle bell to increase my hammer throw. And within about 2-3 weeks went from 55 to about 63 feet. Just a thought good luck and throw hard.

**Detroitpete** · 15th July 09, 06:08 AM

Ahhh Alan, so now you'll be 'coming in' at 13 feet? ;-) Since I blew out my right shoulder earlier this year I've had to switch to left hand for WOB. I'm throwing exactly the same as I was with my right. Some days I hi 13 like it was nothing, some days 14, but that's where I top out. UGH--taking your lessons and may have to hit the gym myself--or just hang more sheet rock on ceilings :-)

**TimC** · 15th July 09, 07:35 AM

Alan,

I'm in the same boat - last 3 games out at 13' by clipping it on the way up or (#*%$#) on the way down!!!

At 5'8" (on a good day after seeing the chiropractor) I think I need more "pop" at the bottom of my swing. Let me know how your workouts are progressing, please.

-Tim

**Dave Ogilbee** · 16th July 09, 11:58 AM

I'm with you Alan. Still getting to hang of the throws; getting better with each practice, but my crux is the WOB. Doing what I can to work on good drive through the hips and proper technique, but I know part of my problem is strength. I've been doing KB swings/ single arm snatches, regular snatches and general pull exercises and i'm seeing a wee bit of improvement, but its just frustrating barely getting the WOB to around 9ft or so.

**Alan H** · 16th July 09, 12:04 PM

After two days of dumbell snatches (now at 70 pounds, two sets of seven)... low cable pulls, and low cable pulls while standing on a bench..

My legs are KILLING me, all over. I hobbled around last night at my sailing meeting. SORE.

This is kickbutt.

This can not help but pay off bigtime on Games day.