In-Season Training

[o1d_dude]

Now that there a few upcoming games on the horizon, it's time to shift from off-season to in-season training. Lift lighter and quicker, throw more.

Feb 26, 2012

Bear
1x8x65
17"Snatch Grip Dead Lift
1x5x135
1x1x225
2x5x275
Incline Pin Press (low)
1x10x45
3x3x95-135-155
8x3x135+chains (22lbs on each side)
Core Blaster
1x10x80
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chin Up
1x10

Feb 28, 2012

Stones (15.5 lbs)
3x warm ups
3 officials - 32'5" best

Gurley Mon Hammer (12lbs)
3x warms up with 10lbs
3x officals - 88'7" best

Stones were better than I thought they'd be after the winter. I guess all the imitation I did over the over season paid off. Technique was much better.

The hammers just sucked. Normally I put the 14lb Viking Hammer of Speed out to 95' or so. The 12lb only going out to 88'+ is a bit disappointing. Definitely a technique issue as I felt like I swinging a baseball bat on the release rather than pulling up over my head. I see more hammer winds in my future.

EDIT: Added a kewl post icon.

[Delaney]

Amen, brother. My numbers are not yours, but it I'm inspired knowing we are all working on it!

[o1d_dude]

It occurs to me that I've never posted the warmup I go through before each exercise session. Correcting that right here...

Exercise Bike for general warm up
10 minutes (8 min+2 minute cool down/coasting)
Hula Hips (Hammer winds, anyone?)
1x25 rotations to the right
1x25 rotations to the left
Side Stretches (Hammer flexibility)
1x15
Shot Put Imitations (Obvious, innit?)
1x15

Shoulder Prehab w 5lb dumbbells
Bent Over Dumbbell Circles
1x10 small to the right
1x10 small to the left
1x10 large to the right
1x10 large to the left
Bent Dumbbell Lateral Raises
1x10
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raises
1x10
Supine Dumbbell Lateral Raises
1x10
Supine Dumbbell Floor Presses
1x10
Supine Dumbbell Rotator Cuff Raises
1x10
Supine Dumbbell Raises
1x10
Standing Dumbbell Raises
1x10
Bent Over Dumbbell Raises
1x10

Arm Warmup
Dumbbell Triceps Kickbacks
1x10
Dumbbell Biceps Curls (21's)
3x7
Standing Overhead Triceps Extensions
1x10 right
1x10 left

Hammer Flexibility
PVC Pipe Snatches (50" length of PVC)
1x15

In looking the above warmup over, it seems like a lot of work but rarely takes more than 20 minutes. Upon completion of this warm up routine, I head out to the garage gym. I also use this warm up as a general "rise and shine" in the morning before breakfast on off days but ride the bike for about 25 minutes.

BTW, since I started doing the shoulder prehab a few years ago, I have been pain-free for the first time in a very long time. This stuff works for me.

Mar 1, 2012

Bear
1x8x65
17"Snatch Grip Dead Lift
1x5x135
2x1x225-255
2x5x275
Incline Pin Press (top)
1x10x45
3x3x95-135-155
6x1x275-275-285-295-305-315
Core Blaster
1x10x80
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chin Up
1x10

[o1d_dude]

Still windy today but I need to throw.

Mar 7, 2012

Stones (16.5 lbs)
3x warm ups
3 officials - 31'4" best

Gurly Mon LWFD (25lbs)
3x warms up
3x officials - 49'2" best

I had a couple of hammers with me but it really wasn't much fun throwing in the wind so I'll save them for another day. Maybe tomorrow or Friday.

[Alan H]

It's been flippin' cold these past few days....throwing, not so much fun when you're freezing your butt off.

[o1d_dude]

Not cold so much up here in the Big Tomato but windy. Takes all the fun out of being outside and not in a sailboat.

Mar 8, 2012

Bear
1x8x65
17" Snatch Grip Dead Lift
1x5x135
1x1x225
2x5x275
Incline Bench Press from Pins (mid)
1x10x45
3x3x95-135-155
2x5x235
Core Blaster
1x10x80
Hanging Knee Raise
1x10
Short Range Chin
1x10

The last several days I've spent my "free" time constructing another set of blocks from doug fir 4x4's. This will allow me to do dead lifts from higher positions when used with my 8" blocks or lower positions when used alone.

These blocks are nothing more than an 8' long 4x4 cut into four equal length pieces. I then drill holes through "sandwich" and secure the layers with a length of 5/8" all-thread with big flat washers and nuts. Crank these down solid, dress with a belt sander to remove the rough edges, and lay down a top surface of 3/4" thick rubber stall mat.


This is a picture of one of my 8" tall blocks.
The new ones are the same construction and
size but are only 4" tall.

[o1d_dude]

Unfortunately, Frank will be at the Sac Valley Games only in an executive capacity (Scottish Animal Exhibit) rather than his customary athletic one.

[Alan H]

Unfortunately, Frank will be at the Sac Valley Games only in an executive capacity (Scottish Animal Exhibit) rather than his customary athletic one.

I hope he comes by the throwing area, I'd like to say Hi...

Hey do you do hula hoop thingies actually with the hoops?

[o1d_dude]

No hula hoops involved, just the motion. Think about how your hips move when you wind the hammer. I call this the Highlands Hula. n00bs tend to lock their knees and hips winding only with the arms. This hula motion reinforces the correct technique and keeps the joints, tendons, and musculature up to snuff.

Anyway, today was a non-exercising day that left me pretty worn out due to the amount of physical exertion involved.

• Loaded bags of redwood bark on the shopping flat, loaded them into the back of the truck, unloaded them out of the truck on to the garden cart and hauled them into the backyard.
• Struggled with starting the mower as it was the first start of the year. Mowed both front and back lawns. Raked up the liquidambar seed balls from the neighbor's tree out of MY front lawn. These things could double as caltrops to prevent cavalry charges.
• Went to Harbor Freight to buy a heavy duty metal folding sawhorse and carried it around on my shoulder for half an hour while browsing the store for deals.
• Dragged out my new lower snatch blocks and hit them with the belt sander to round the sharp edges and smooth everything out. Vacuumed up the dust and blew out the garage with the leaf blower.
• Cut 1-1/2" diameter PVC pipe with a hack saw to desired length and applied the fittings to make a rod storage container.

Frank calls this kind of workout "Farmaerobics".


Liquidambar is also known as sweet gum and these are the pods
that are so annoying. I don't wear them in my beard like this
fellow does.



The combination of the these two blocks gives me a deck height of 4", 8",
and 12" from which do my pulls. I have some extra 3/4" rubber stall mat
material that I will use to top the new blocks.

[o1d_dude]

Testing out the new blocks.

Mar 14, 2012

Bear
1x8x65
Snatch Grip Deadlift - 12" blocks
1x5x135
2x1x2252-255
2x5x275
Incline Bench Press
1x10x45
3x3x95-135-155
8x3x135+Chains
Core Blaster
1x10x80
Hanging Knee Raise - Oblique
1x10
Short Range Chin Up
1x10

Lessons learned: Without the rubber mat on the new blocks, there isn't enough friction to hold the top block in place.

BTW, I Facebook "joined" the Sac Valley Games "event" so the deal is done. I must get my act together and seriously begin training the throws again.