Goals - Post 'em if ya got 'em

**Alan H** · 30th May 08, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Arizona Scot

Unfortunatly it isn't even close to 70' yet best I have so far is about 42' but it is my first time ever throwing a hammer. Going to keep work at it, hoping to get some of the Az rabble out to train with me. Can't believe how sore I am after only about an hour of throwing. Deffinatly uses differant muscle than I have been working in the gym.

Whoops, that was Emolas...never mind!

Now, YOUR numbers... your stones are not bad. Trust me, there will be guys out there with worse marks, but keep practicing. Yaish will have more hints.

Hammer is a matter of balance and extension. First thing is, don't fall over!

That'll take you a few practices, right there! The two next things to work on are A.) keeping your head up. As you set up for the throw, find a point in the sky or a tree branch or something above you that you can look for during the throw. It should be around 30-35 degrees up from the horizon. The minute you have that hammer moving, look for that point. B.) Extension. Get those arms WAY out in front of you. Keep the weight as far away from you as you possibly can as you swing it.

whatever you do on the weights for distance, don't start out trying to do two spins. ESPECIALLY with the heavy weight, lordy....one is PLENTY to deal with for a good, long time!

**Arizona Scot** · 31st May 08, 10:07 AM

Thanks Alan for the tips I am hoping to get out once or twice in the coming week to practice. I am also trying to set up a apperatus so that I can practice the wob. A trip to home depot and some pvc and I will let you know how it turns out. Will deffinately try the picking a spot and keeping my head up. Let yall know how the next practice session goes.

**Ayin McFye** · 17th June 08, 08:02 AM

Well Arizona Scot and I got together yesterday to throw some weight around. This was only my 2nd week of practice and Arizona Scot's 4th I believe. I am so grateful to him, because I am absolutely addicted now. I felt really good about my stone throws and decent about my Weight for distances, we didn't do the heavy hammer last night but we did do the light hammer. My best throw was about 53 feet, which was surprising because it was my last throw of the night and I was exhausted. I know I have lots to work on, especially form. Here are a rough estimate of my throws last night give or take a few inches and my goals that I'd like to hit by next month.

Braemar 20 Feet [would like to hit 23 feet]

Open 29 Feet [would like to hit 35 feet]

HWD 20 Feet [would like to hit 23 feet]

LWD 28 Feet [would like to hit 35 feet]

Heavy Hammer N/A

Light Hammer 53 Feet [would like to hit minimum 60 feet]

WOB ??? (I threw this once last night, and we didn't have a measure but it was pretty horrible) [keep practicing for now]

Speaking of practing how often do you all practice?

**Ayin McFye** · 17th June 08, 08:03 AM

P.S. Next week I want to actually start writing down the exact distances, but for right now I'm just trying to get used to the technique.

**Ryan Nielson** · 17th June 08, 09:50 AM

I have my next competition in september here are my goals and I think they are reachable I want to be hitting all the recommended c to b numbers from this chart here http://www.saaa-net.org/old%20site/saaa_moveup.htm

Right now I'm focusing on WFD and Braemar stones getting those up. Need to make major improvement on those WOB is already at 11 or 12 feet. And i'm not too far off on hammer throws I think they are reachable. I want to be very well rounded and not have strong weaknesses.

**Alan H** · 17th June 08, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Ryan Nielson

I have my next competition in september here are my goals and I think they are reachable I want to be hitting all the recommended c to b numbers from this chart here http://www.saaa-net.org/old%20site/saaa_moveup.htm

Right now I'm focusing on WFD and Braemar stones getting those up. Need to make major improvement on those WOB is already at 11 or 12 feet. And i'm not too far off on hammer throws I think they are reachable. I want to be very well rounded and not have strong weaknesses.

Until recently I've been kind of a one-trick pony, myself....hammers. Now it's more like I've got several tricks, but I just *STINK* at stones.

gonna get out for a practice tonight, with light weights.

**Yaish** · 17th June 08, 06:22 PM

For the note on practice, I try to practice weekly, or at least several times monthly. I'd do more if I could swing it but finding time for even that is becoming tough.

When working on weaknesses, remember how the events are scored. You get a point for each place, so a 1st place finish gives you one point, a 9th place finish gives you 9 points. Lowest point total overall wins the aggregate event. In the strategy of the games working on your worst event will probably pay off more than trying to improve your best event.

For example, I know that with my stones I am going to be top three. I could improve them a little, but odds are I will still be top three depending on the field. First place by an inch or by two feet still gives only one point.
Now my worst event by far is my WFD. I usually come in somewhere around 5th in those depending on the field, yet even a small improvement could see me placing top three. If I can get those numbers up I can go from a 5 point showing to maybe a two point showing, shaving three points off my total score. A similar improvement in stones might net me only a one or two point reduction.

If placing is a concern to you, practice your best event just enough to stay in touch with it but work on your weakest events the most. By getting all your scores consistent you'll end up much better off over all.

**Ryan Nielson** · 18th June 08, 07:21 AM

yeah that's my thinking as well. Actually I am so obsessed I practiced WFD and Breamar stone 3 times yesterday once in morning, once on lunch break and once after work for about 30 minutes each time. My body took a beating from it though. Just a few blocks from where I work is the practice field so it's real convenient for me to do that. I had one WFD throw that went at about 38 feet yesterday so I'm slowly getting it. My goal is about 45 feet with the 28lb. implement. On things like WOB, Sheaf and caber I feel I don't need more than maybe once every 3 weeks to stay familiar with it.

Originally Posted by Yaish

For the note on practice, I try to practice weekly, or at least several times monthly. I'd do more if I could swing it but finding time for even that is becoming tough.

When working on weaknesses, remember how the events are scored. You get a point for each place, so a 1st place finish gives you one point, a 9th place finish gives you 9 points. Lowest point total overall wins the aggregate event. In the strategy of the games working on your worst event will probably pay off more than trying to improve your best event.

For example, I know that with my stones I am going to be top three. I could improve them a little, but odds are I will still be top three depending on the field. First place by an inch or by two feet still gives only one point.
Now my worst event by far is my WFD. I usually come in somewhere around 5th in those depending on the field, yet even a small improvement could see me placing top three. If I can get those numbers up I can go from a 5 point showing to maybe a two point showing, shaving three points off my total score. A similar improvement in stones might net me only a one or two point reduction.

If placing is a concern to you, practice your best event just enough to stay in touch with it but work on your weakest events the most. By getting all your scores consistent you'll end up much better off over all.

**Yaish** · 8th July 08, 11:06 AM

Heavy Hammer 70 ft - currently 68' 7"

Light Hammer 90 ft - currently 87' 10"

I got one this weekend, and I very nearly got two! I not only broke my goal of 70 ft in the heavy hammer, I blew right past it and had a 75 foot throw!! Just to prove it wasn't a fluke, I also threw two 72 footers out of my three attempts.

I came very close to breaking 90 on my lightweight as well. I have an 89' 4" throw, winning the field in hammer and even took extra attempts. At this point though my head started getting into it and I was over thinking the throws, and my best is still the 89' 4". Next time though!

**Ayin McFye** · 8th July 08, 01:51 PM

That's awesome. I can't even imagine throwing like that.

I got a personal best with my LWD last night though. I threw 32' which was a 4 foot improvement from where I was.

I am still having a problem throwing over 55' with the light hammer. I had 1 throw at almost 61' last week, but I haven't been able to repeat it since.

Oh well, nothing to do but keep practicing.