Alan's 2013 Season Log

[Alan H]

Since I can't scream, I'll just vent here.

I have had it up to the eyeballs with ineffective, lazy, hopeless people with the initiative and follow through of a banana slug. When you make a commitment to do something, then DO IT. I am sick of doing other people jobs for them. Meanwhile, I'm surrounded by "consumers" who refuse to do a damn thing.

If you want to throw, then for God's sake, THROW. If I tell you about a date for literally months, again and again, and give you a deadline to respond, don't come back to me two days before wanting to know when the event is, again. Surely you can remember a date that I've e-mailed to you at least five times in the past four months.

Or so one would assume.

[Martin Roy]

Haiku to Exasperation

Vent the Primal Scream
Minions shrink, cowed in terror
Field mice watch the show

[Alan H]

Fun, inaugural CHAC throws last night in the freezing cold. Who turned down the thermostat? We just went through one stone, one weight, one hammer and some WOB to "remember how we do this".

I went pretty easy, taking most of my LWFD throws just to deal with my "hopping off to the left side" issue. It seems to be better. When I honestly uncorked one, just one yesterday, it landed right at the marker for 50 feet, so that's good. Stones...we just threw everything I had in the truck, big ones, little ones. I only put some real mojo behind one 16 pound stand throw and dropped it in about 32 feet, and I'm down with that. Hammer was more of the same. I think I only took three throws, and only really uncorked the last one. I tried hard to throw it "Pockoski-style" after seeing video of Mike throwing hammer at the Arnold. I have a lot better luck throwing it his way, that doing what all the other Pro's do, so that's my goal for the year. We didn't pull tape on it, but I paced it off and it was probably a little over 80 feet.

WOB was an eye-opener. I haven't exactly figured out the height markings yet, but the bar was clearly at least 12' 8" and maybe 13 and I cleared it with lots of room to spare, 3x. That's happy-making.

We'll do some more of the same, this afternoon and then relax until this weekend....Sonora Celtic Festival.

[Alan H]

Second CHAC throws...I mostly played coach with the ladies. New lass Schantae Wright did great! I didn't throw much, just some stone throw examples, a few 28 for distance to work on that "fouling out the right side" issue, and then some 56 HWFD at the end with Robert watching. After 4 "sprint drill" throws with the 56 pounder I did a single spin, keeping in mind the suggestions from Sunday about not going too hard at the beginning and it was much better. It didn't go any farther but it was better. Progress is happening.

[RogerWS76]

Hey, where can I find that Pockoski Video from the Arnold?

[Alan H]

Hey, where can I find that Pockoski Video from the Arnold?

It was on Matt Vincents log, it mostly has Matt...I'll see if I can find it.

[Alan H]

It was on Matt Vincents log, it mostly has Matt...I'll see if I can find it.

Hmmm... now I can't find the video. It's not even on YouTube.


OK, yesterdays practice...we had a reporter and Photorapher out from the Stanford Med Center publication "Inside Medicine" so the practice was half publicity. I also pinged the Stanford Daily, so maybe3 we'll get some more publlicity from that, as well.

Did a couple of easy stone throws.
worked 3x with the Grandpa's II caber...17 feet and 70 pounds with a really problematic, slow bend in it which makes it very hard to get stable. Turned it once for a horrible 9:30.

Did 3-4 LWFD throws with Bethany, who stuck one out to 60 feet. I worked on tightening up my first turn and landing with a smaller base. That should help with the fouling issues, but I need to do a LOT of that sort of work. These were really just for the Photographer.

Then did a mess of 16 hammer after everybody went home, probably threw about 8x, working on going slow and relaxed for the first two and then dropping my center of gravity and hitting big acceleration on the last rotation. I tried to drive the hips and shoulders out into the field....upshot, most throws seem to be 80+, pacing them off, with a high of about 84... but pacing off distances that big gets kind of inaccurate.

The key here, for me....if I'm going to throw this way and it certainly seems like this is a better way for me to throw....is to NOT RUSH the second wind. Just catch it over on the right and relax.

[Joshua]

Then did a mess of 16 hammer after everybody went home, probably threw about 8x, working on going slow and relaxed for the first two and then dropping my center of gravity and hitting big acceleration on the last rotation. I tried to drive the hips and shoulders out into the field....upshot, most throws seem to be 80+, pacing them off, with a high of about 84... but pacing off distances that big gets kind of inaccurate.

The key here, for me....if I'm going to throw this way and it certainly seems like this is a better way for me to throw....is to NOT RUSH the second wind. Just catch it over on the right and relax.

You and me both Alan. Tonight is stone practice but Sunday I'll be working on the chant I mentioned in my log...
Wind 1: Relax, long arms
Wind 2: Hips like Elvis, opposing the force of the hammer
Wind 3: Aggression from 8 o'clock to 1 o'clock, look UP AND RELEASE!

I'm printing that out to take with me.

[Alan H]

Last night after workout, I weighed the new caber. 115.3 pounds, and that's after I got all the bark off of it. Perfect. It's 17' 1". I'll probably take a pound off by sanding and shaping the bottom and then put most of that back with clear polyurethane and paint.

I got myself a bunch of tiny, tiny little splinters off the thing, most of which came out in the shower, but there are a few on my hands which are itching, something fierce.

[Alan H]

No throwing or nuttin' but I just dropped $100 in welding, cutting and steel materials for A) shortening the WOB standards to 18 feet and putting a couple of rope cleats on them, B.) taking 1/4 inch off of my 44 pound WFD, which should bring it down right close to 42 pounds. C.) an inch and a quarter of 7-inch diameter medium-thick wall pipe, which I will cut in half with a hacksaw, and turn into two super-beefy D-handles for the 42 and 56 weights for distance. A buddy of mine can do some light welding, so I just need materials.

The WOB standards were 21 feet, which is awfully tall since the pipe is pretty thick stuff and it gets heavy - > somewhat unstable. Not too many people here in California throw WOB over 18 feet, so I think this should do it.

Once the D handles are made, I'm almost "done" with making or acquiring gear. I have one old and weird 28 pound weight that I will get cut down to 21 pounds for the Masters Women to throw, and I might take a 60 pound steel cylinder that I got and get it cut-down to 40 pounds, to make a better 42 WOB. Then again, I might not. Beyond that, everything is made, bought, finished and acquired.

Stones... I have an array of them...a 7.8, 9.1, 12 and 15.6 pounder for the ladies..... two 16.2 Opens and two 21.6 pound Braemars.

Weights for Distance ... Three 28's, actually four, one of them will get cut down to 21.... two 14's, a 56 and a 42.

Weights over bar ... a 28, a 42 and a 56.
hammers ... one 12, two 16's (one has a messed up hole for the handle, need to drill it out), two 22's

one sheaf fork

WOB standards... one for practice, one for competition. Practice goes up to 15, competition goes up to 18
Sheaf standards .... normally goes up to 28, but have 5-foot inserts to take them to 33.

I have welded wire fencing and 5 poles to make a hammer cage, though it could be taller... it's 6 feet.

I think that's enough stuff!