2011 Seaside Highland Games (Ventura, California)

[Alan H]

For hammer I have simple instructions. Do what Brian does. Watch Buck. Do what he does. Seriously. Buck is the technically best hammer thrower in the A's on the West Coast.

[eclarkhb]

Eclarb..in the weight over the bar STAY WITH the weight. You're hella strong, so you accelerated that thing fast. That's excellent, but you "gave up" on the weight about mid-chest height. You want to let go of that thing above your head.

You should be on your tiptoes....think "triple extension" as in the Olympic lifts. Your hand should be completely over your head.

Rock the weight to get your rhythm, and then just before you pull, wait a millisecond, let the weight drop. Then "sit" into it a bit and then RAM YOUR HIPS as hard as you possibly can, just like with an Olympic lift. Stand up like a mofo and reach for the sky. You'll go 15+ with the 42 pounder if you do that. Like my friend Bethany says...."lead with your junk!

In the weights for distance, you went through both entire throws standing up. BEND YOUR KNEES. Get into power position...essentially the same as a hang clean lift, and STAY down until the final lift to delivery. Considering that you were totally upright through the throw, and you've only practiced for two weeks, hitting 49 feet is freakin' awesome.

Thanks for the tips, Alan - I will definitely be working on this!

[eclarkhb]

For hammer I have simple instructions. Do what Brian does. Watch Buck. Do what he does. Seriously. Buck is the technically best hammer thrower in the A's on the West Coast.

And thanks again - I found Brian's youtube channel & subscribed: http://www.youtube.com/buckcali

[Alan H]

And thanks again - I found Brian's youtube channel & subscribed: http://www.youtube.com/buckcali

That's good. Buck is also technically the best weight thrower in the OC group. Jon O'Neil throws farther, and he's a technically better stones thrower but for weights and hammers....watch Brian. You're a good rotational stones thrower, putting it out there 37 feet in your first Games is awesome.

Just a heads-up. Your stones and LWFD numbers are B-class numbers, not C class. Light Hammer in the 70's is lower-end B, upper C's. We don't know your WOB and HWFD numbers yet because you threw the 42 instead of the 56 at Ventura. If you go 22+ in the 56 WFD, that's a B-level throw. If you go over 10 in the 56 WOB, that's a B-level throw.

I suspect you will do one, maybe two Games as a C, and move on to the B's.

[eclarkhb]

That's good. Buck is also technically the best weight thrower in the OC group. Jon O'Neil throws farther, and he's a technically better stones thrower but for weights and hammers....watch Brian. You're a good rotational stones thrower, putting it out there 37 feet in your first Games is awesome.

Just a heads-up. Your stones and LWFD numbers are B-class numbers, not C class. Light Hammer in the 70's is lower-end B, upper C's. We don't know your WOB and HWFD numbers yet because you threw the 42 instead of the 56 at Ventura. If you go 22+ in the 56 WFD, that's a B-level throw. If you go over 10 in the 56 WOB, that's a B-level throw.

I suspect you will do one, maybe two Games as a C, and move on to the B's.

Thanks Alan, I think that's the plan. I'd like to compete in "C" in Long Beach & then if things are going well and I can address some of my technique issues, then hopefully "B" in Costa Mesa...

I turn 40 in March, so might try to do "B" & Masters in Costa Mesa if they're on different days...

[Rós Ó hAllmhuráin]

I've been trying to talk my parents into going over to the games as friends of theirs from the House of Gordon are involved with the games.