Neeed Hammer Spikes!

[Kinetikat]

Hi guys,

has anybody got any good ideas about hammer spikes? Is there such a thing as strap-on or clip-on hammer spikes? Or am I going to have to buy boots with spikes already attached?

Or... do I not actually need spikes? I'll be throwing on grass.

[Grizzly]

Hi guys,

Is there such a thing as strap-on ?.

Yes Sue. My neighbour tells me there is but I think that it may be on a different forum lol.

Mods - apologies please remove if too offensive.

[GoodGirlGonePlaid]

LOL @ grizzly

Hold off on spikes. Wait until you've really got hammer winds down and feel like you are losing a lot of stablility and are going to fly away with the hammer. Wait til the hammer is yanking you, rather than vice -versa.
I've noticed, in our women's division, it's about half and half. The A class women who nail that thing outta the park wear spikes. Our B class hasn't reached that level yet, so we don't usually wear them.

I *think* you have to make them out of lawnmower blades.

[Grizzly]

Ah good thinking GGGP I think I may have gone off on a tangent.

[Alan H]

What GGGP said. A lot of people wear blades for the coolness factor. That's dumb. Also wearing blades gives your a bit more stability in your feet, but while you're learning, you want to LEARN....not use blades as a crutch. When you can consistently throw the 12 pound hammer over 65 feet (I picked that number out of the air, it could be 70 feet) and you are SO strong in your core and hips that you can whip that thing around hard enough that your feet won't stay solid on the grass, THEN it's time for blades.

I'm not there. I'm 295 pounds and have been throwing for five years and I'm still not there. I might work on blades for later in this season just to see how it goes, but I know in my gut that I'm not yet strong enough or skilled enough to apply that much torque to the implement, that I need the helpp that blades provides.

Until then, throw with turf shoes or cleats. And get some IMPLEMENTS....soon. Like.... NOW. How long until your first competition? What...three weeks? Five weeks? GET SOME IMPLEMENTS.

[Joshua]

the hammer is not my event, so take this as you will (I've thrown the light hammer slightly almost 80', and the heavy hammer around 60'). Those were my best throws and I've never worn spikes. In fact, I have some disdain for them when 30 other competitors have turned the trig into a mulchpit before I get up to throw (let's not even start with the amount of tacky that ends up on the grip).

That being said, if I do break 90 on the light hammer, I've been told I'll need to learn how to throw in spikes to get better at it. I have an old pair of boots with solid soles that have been worn smooth. They would make a perfect candidate for hammer boots - there are a few guys around here that make hammer spikes out of old lawnmower blades.

[Alan H]

Long, LONG LONG before you need hammer blades.....you need a hammer to practice with. You need AT LEAST a 12 pound hammer. You can make something that will work from 2 1/2 pound dumbell plates duct-taped to electrical conduit. Even better is to buy a real hammer... but you NEED a hammer.

you don't need blades on your boots.

[Joshua]

Find yourself a used 10kg dumbbell, hacksaw one of the bells off, have someone drill a hole big enough in the bell to accommodate a rattan or PVC conduit "shaft", and use axehead wedges and epoxy to secure. Now, you have a hammer.

[azwildcat96]

Don't get them. Don't need them...at least for a long while, when you are nearing "A" class or pro, and even then I see some of those guys without them.

I saw a pro in them, nearly dislocate his knee while practicing with them. You're just asking for an injury, especially if you are new to the sport.

I agree with Alan. Get a hammer and start throwing...throw far!

[o1d_dude]

Hammer spikes don't prevent you from falling down; you can still fall wearing and throwing in them.

The prevent you from throwing yourself around; in other words, they keep your feet on the ground.