Much appreciated, Alan. I'll give the local groups a good shake and see what comes from it. Certainly don't want to trouble Mark unless I'm really stuck for coaching.
Facebook...heh heh heh.
Mister McGoo
A Kilted Lebowski--Taking it easy so you don't have to.
Okay, so that's not me. It feels like that, though. I was using a 17.5# hammer and after 1.5 revolutions, my base would wobble like crazy, meaning that I've been releasing at that point. Friggin' 44-48 foot throws. Ugh. If I can figure out how to keep from pitching forward or backward, I might be able to get some speed on the darn thing.
Footwork for HWFD and LWFD is crap. Maybe just need to use lighter weight and utilize the drills Alan posted on youtube. There's an idea!
Just about the only bright spot was working on stone. Didn't fall down or feel completely incompetent.
I'm a little torqued off with my throwing so far, but not too frustrated...I just know I need some work and can only get better.
Mister McGoo
A Kilted Lebowski--Taking it easy so you don't have to.
I'm always amused by guys getting all frustrated because they don't throw as far as I do after 8 practices. Jeez. It took me TWO SEASONS to throw the 28 pound weight, 40 feet. It took THREE SEASONS for me to put the 16 pound stone over 30 feet. Sheesh. It took me EIGHT GAMES before I turned a caber.
Hammer suggestion.... try starting out with a 12-14 pound hammer. Wind that 'round and 'round. When you can wind it 'round your head 10x, three times without totally losing your balance, then move up to 16 pounds.
When you can do that with the 16 you are starting to "get it". NOTE: my mentor, Mike Pockoski says that at the beginning of the season, he does several days of a couple of HUNDRED hammer winds. I can't do that. But I can do 80+ in sets of 10, with a breather in between. Y'all don't have to be able to do that, but fo sho, 3 x 10.
No cheatin' by spreading your feet 6 feet apart.....shoulder width on the feet. It'll make it harder at the beginning, but you will be glad you did, next season.
Goal #1...wind the hammer until you don't fall on your butt or stagger around like a drunken squirrel That's a success.
Along the way, try throwing it, too. Remember
1.) radius is king. BIG winds. Don't be a tyrannosaur and waggle the thing around with your elbows bent. A good way to start getting some radius is to let the hammer stretch your arms out in front of you. Getting radius in front is much easier than getting it in the back and sides.
2.) chest up. eyes up... knees bent. sink butt down....and you'll HAVE to have your chest up when you bend your knees, or you'll whomp the hammer head on the ground.
3.) Try to "catch" the hammer behind you on your right side....left side if you're left handed. Really reach back there...turn your shoulders 15 degrees off to the right.
4.) Don't do too many winds. Two is fine. three is fine. four is iffy. five is insane. If you do lots of winds all you do is let that thing throw you around some more. On Game Day, if you're still on the ragged edge of control, just do two winds and fling it.
5.) When you deliver the hammer out into the field look straight up into the sky. STRAIGHT UP...seriously. NIPPLES UP. Here's Dan McKim
Larry Brock
NOT LIKE THIS
I challenge you to throw the hammer too high. Seriously.
OK, look at this video. It's full of how NOT to throw hammer.
The first guy, aside from having a serious kilt malfunction...well, he does one thing right. He's winding the hammer over on his right side. But do you see how his arms are bent all the time and he's not looking up and lifting the hammer at the release?
The second guy...blue tshirt. He really winds on his right side. That's good. His arms are longer. He looks up at the release.... but he's standing almost bolt-straight-up, there's no "sink" in his knees and legs, and he never develops and hammer head speed. Still, better than #1.
#3..white tank top. Legs are way too far apart. Elbows are bent. There's absolutely no lift at all at the delivery of the implement. He throws a line drive. It probably went pretty far, he's obviously a strong guy but....
#4 ..all arms. No core involvement at all, and didn't look up at the implement delivery
#5..white t-shirt, dark kilt. This guy is actually a pretty decent hammer thrower. Not bad. Hey, he's better than I am!!!
The hammer fail in the video you posted had nothing to do with bad technique really. If you throw in flip-flops, you deserve what you get.
Second thing: Throwing in the heavy events isn't something you read about, dash out onto the field, and break world records. There's a learning curve. We call this "Time on the implement."
Third thing: Throwing the heavy events is not easy. If it were, the English would do it.
Second thing: Throwing in the heavy events isn't something you read about, dash out onto the field, and break world records. There's a learning curve. We call this "Time on the implement."
I know, I know. I've thrown myself into enough new endeavors that I realize that truth, but every time I start something new, I want to cram everything in as quickly as possible. Strap on the crampons and sprint up that curve. Never works, but I obviously never learn.
Made the mistake of looking at numbers put up by the 190# stud for this region, Lowell Thompson...95ft. on 16# hammer, 50ft LWFD, 31ft HWDF, 14ft WOB. Knowing that it will take much time and effort to even approach those numbers is the weak sibling of my competitive desire to be chomping at his butt. (Figuratively, of course) I am well-motivated to do that and have fun in the process. But all my patience is taken up by being the father of a 6 year-old boy!
YouTube is not my friend. I always get distracted by videos of unprotected idiots having skateboarding accidents.
And thanks for the vids--in addition to being a drunken squirrel, I recognize my "technique" in several of those.
Last edited by LitTrog; 25th September 12 at 05:46 AM.
Mister McGoo
A Kilted Lebowski--Taking it easy so you don't have to.
I remembered that I used to run so I went for 3.5 miles with about 1/4 mile of short sprints at the end. The rain was useful for masking my tears. 2 weeks and an old body loses some of its conditioning...
Mister McGoo
A Kilted Lebowski--Taking it easy so you don't have to.
Originally Posted by o1d_dude
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