Trog Log: Transforming a 170-pound weakling into a highland athlete.

[RAF]

[QUOTE
And I finally have some video. I welcome any responses. I will say that the hammer throws shown are the ones after I'd already made 9 or 10 throws, so I can see places where some fatigue has set in a bit. Otherwise, what I'm doing now is a definite improvement over when I first started. Long way to go, I know.
Even I can see that my finishing position and trajectory is inconsistent and flat. Also, need to use more hips and trunk rather than shoulders/arms.

This hammer weighs in at 13.4 lbs:
[/QUOTE]

Ok, first let me say, the kid is adorable.

Second, I have absolutley NO experience with Highland athletics, so my input there carries little weight (Ha! get it?)

Anyway, once you pointed it out, I could see the Arm/Shoulder Vs. Hip/Trunk thing.
I know form is very important, but it looks like you got some good distance on the throws.
And like your little guy said your new to it all. Practice, practice, practice and you'll get there.
You're putting yourself out there and making major efforts and strides - kudos on that!

The only (hopefully constructive) thing my untrained eye saw was possibly a slight self-consciousness in front of the camera? You'll have to get used to the attention you're gonna be a star!

Cheers

[Martin Roy]

Props on going for it; the vast majority of folks who think this stuff is cool never get out and do it.

A couple of quick suggestions:

-don't worry about distance at all
-extend your arms as long as possible as they go around and behind your head
-bend your knees and lean back
-look up
-as the hammer head approaches your right side, turn your shoulders, reach back, catch it, and start the pull with your hips
-wind on your right side so that the low point is over your right foot

Repeat.
Expect frustration.
Repeat, again.

Go for it.

[Alan H]

What Marty Said.

Actually the throws at 1:20 and 1:30 looked pretty decent. Hey, look. Goal #1 when starting out with hammer is to NOT FALL DOWN. Seriously. And you've got that, nailed.

Look up (Marty said that)

Bend your knees, sink your butt a bit.

Reach back behind you on your right side as the hammer comes around and "catch it" as far back as you comfortably can. (Marty said that) Turn your shoulders, and your hips a little bit, but NOT YOUR FEET so that you can catch it. Basically all the hammer winds are going to be way over on the right side, and then on the last one, you "catch" and pull like hell. Right now your first wind has its low point right between your feet and the last one is over your LEFT foot. Crank it all further around to the right.

However, no matter what you do, you will never be as utterly cool as the total leaf-body faceplant.

[o1d_dude]

Looked at your hammer throw video and no worries. You won't embarrass yourself when you enter your first games. At least not with the hammers.

Here's a video a Canadian thrower Sean Langford made as a tutorial for newb hammer throwers. He's wearing hammer spikes but don't worry about that. Throwing in your sport shoes is fine.



Sean is a very good thrower and if you emulate his style you will see improvements in your throws.

My advice is a restatement of what the others have said. Throwing the hammers is all about doing the "Highlands Hula" with your hips. When the hammer swings behind you, drive your knees and hips forward to counterbalance. When hammer swings to the side, counterbalance with your hips again. The more you use your legs, hips and torso, the better the hammer flies. Arm winding is for the birds.


Mike Pockowski, Pro thrower


Bill Anderson, 1981 World Champ, 16 time Scottish champion


Unknown Highlander practicing at the school yard

Highlands Hula, Baby!

[LitTrog]

Thank you guys so much for your responses and advice. I'm headed out in about 30 minutes to start making those adjustments. I've watched tons of video, but the instructions y'all gave me helps make some sense of them. My tendency to look down was a result of trying to keep the low point over to my right. Trying to force the low point over to my right (and failing to do so) was jacking with the hammer's speed and my balance. When I begin successfully executing the "turn and catch" I'll even be able to get another wind out of my throws. While I was out there, I imagined that my knees were bent. Video tells a different story.

Thanks again. Having you all in my corner makes this much less daunting. It's been a while since I've started from zero at anything. It can be frustrating, but climbing those learning curves is a big part of the fun. What you said in Roger's training log, o1d dude, about it being a confidence game--that's perfect.

Here we go! Breakfast in the belly, back to the field.

Ok, first let me say, the kid is adorable.

I needed to bookend the clip with footage of the boy so I could view the video repeatedly without getting sick of it. He wanted to help me film my throws but kept creeping closer than I wanted him to be (flying weights and little skulls don't make me comfortable). Add to that his delight in filming helicopters, trash cans, and pooping dogs instead of my early throws, and I had to point out how much more fun he'd have on the playground...

The only (hopefully constructive) thing my untrained eye saw was possibly a slight self-consciousness in front of the camera?

Well, yeah. Most times I have a camera pointed at me, I expect someone to hand me a numbered placard and make me face forward, face to the right (NO! Your other right, stupid!) and prepare for delousing. I'll throw in some "jazz hands" next time, just for you.

[RAF]

[QUOTE
He wanted to help me film my throws but kept creeping closer than I wanted him to be (flying weights and little skulls don't make me comfortable).

I thought about that - don't blame you a bit for wanting to keep him at a distance.



I'll throw in some "jazz hands" next time, just for you.[/QUOTE]

Careful, I may keep you to that!

[LitTrog]

Went out to throw Saturday morning just as it started to drizzle--got a few throws and WFD drills in before my foot slicked out and I torqued my groin a little bit. And yes, that's a bad thing, not a euphemism for something else. Became very apparent (again) the value of "time on implement" to create some solid muscle memeory--trying to remember and enact all the good advice at the same time is not easy. Damn near wrapped myself up trying to keep my eyes to the left while catching the hammer on my right. Fortunately, nobody else was out in the rain to witness it.

Gave my groin a rest over the weekend, just doing some bench (incline and flat) and some chinups and rows on Sunday. Got the house to myself tonight, so I'm going to hit a full-fledged weight session.

[Mickey]

Glad it was just that. Could have turned ugly real fast!

[Alan H]

Yeah, the road to awesomeness is paved with a few cracked flagstones like this. I'm glad it's nothing worse.

BTW, Kit reassured you that you wouldn't embarrass yourself at a Games by throwing hammer the way you're doing it now, and he's right. I've seen a LOT worse! So even if you didn't improve one iota between now and the Spring, you would give a perfectly good accounting of yourself, just as you are, now.

Which is NOT to be taken as an excuse to slack off. Heh.

[LitTrog]

Looks like I'll be climbing aboard the hammer-rama bandwagon soon, too. Sounds like a great training tool! When I get some more pipe and old plates, I'll be making a few more hammers.

I took off work a little early yesterday, so I had some dry weather and daylight to go out and throw my 11-pounder before I lifted. I know I shouldn't throw and lift on the same day, but I am itching to improve...

I will say that, with the new techniques and lighter weight, the head of my hammer was a freaking blur! Probably not, but it was remarkably fast. Building from there with three throws at each step will be a great way to work on each aspect of the throw. Balance was wicked hard to keep with that fast little 11-ponder!


HAMMAH-RAMAH!