Great Practice

**Alan H** · 19th July 09, 10:22 PM

I'm finally comfortable enough with skill level at standing stone throws to start working on a quick "glide". I'm actually gliding, staying low, and not shuffling. I set focus points and really try to hang on to the stone well out over the trig. WOW....all six practice throws with the glide were well out over 30 feet, and a couple were 33's. I have two more practices before the 'Claw...fingers crossed. "Thirty Feet" is the last remaining goal I have to achieve, goals that I set when I started this. It will be a big day when I see 30 feet in a Games and I feel it coming!

I also released a light hammer toss for the first time in weeks, today. I've been doing spins, spins and more spins. It wasn't my greatest toss ever, but I'm doing a pretty decent "catch" on the right side and staying long, and I gave it a reasonably good pull and I'm pretty sure the toss was significantly over 80 feet...82 -83. DANG.

And finally, after several 38 foot LWFD's tosses I made myself REALLY bend my knees in the first turn, go as slow as I could stand to go, and throw high, and damn but if I didn't launch 5-6-7 44-45 foot tosses. My PR is 40' 9"!!!

I am SO looking forward to Enumclaw.

**Arizona Scot** · 19th July 09, 10:26 PM

Congrats Alan, now all you have to do is blow up 13ft on wob and then set new goals.

**Ryan Nielson** · 22nd July 09, 11:51 AM

I have been hoping for 30 foot in open stone this year. Last weekend I threw it at 29' 11 inches at portland games so I was ever so close to making it official. I am getting the most distance with a shuffle still.

**jgorley** · 22nd July 09, 05:05 PM

Ryan,

If you are going to do an actual glide, try this. Practice in your house without a stone. Just work on a small quick glide, landing balanced on both feet at the same time. Your back foot, the drive foot, should end parallel to the trig. This will put you right into the power position. Then it is just a Braemar. Another key is to be smooth. If you pause, the entire motion is wasted. Another excercise is to glide down a long line. Just glide into position, then glide into position again. By using the line, you will ensure maximum use of energy and balance.

James

**jgorley** · 22nd July 09, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by Alan H

I'm finally comfortable enough with skill level at standing stone throws to start working on a quick "glide". I'm actually gliding, staying low, and not shuffling. I set focus points and really try to hang on to the stone well out over the trig. WOW....all six practice throws with the glide were well out over 30 feet, and a couple were 33's. I have two more practices before the 'Claw...fingers crossed. "Thirty Feet" is the last remaining goal I have to achieve, goals that I set when I started this. It will be a big day when I see 30 feet in a Games and I feel it coming!

I also released a light hammer toss for the first time in weeks, today. I've been doing spins, spins and more spins. It wasn't my greatest toss ever, but I'm doing a pretty decent "catch" on the right side and staying long, and I gave it a reasonably good pull and I'm pretty sure the toss was significantly over 80 feet...82 -83. DANG.

And finally, after several 38 foot LWFD's tosses I made myself REALLY bend my knees in the first turn, go as slow as I could stand to go, and throw high, and damn but if I didn't launch 5-6-7 44-45 foot tosses. My PR is 40' 9"!!!

I am SO looking forward to Enumclaw.

Alan,
See you then, and way to go on the progress! Maybe the advice for Ryan may help you as well.

James

**Alan H** · 22nd July 09, 05:27 PM

Originally Posted by jgorley

Ryan,

If you are going to do an actual glide, try this. Practice in your house without a stone. Just work on a small quick glide, landing balanced on both feet at the same time. Your back foot, the drive foot, should end parallel to the trig. This will put you right into the power position. Then it is just a Braemar. Another key is to be smooth. If you pause, the entire motion is wasted. Another excercise is to glide down a long line. Just glide into position, then glide into position again. By using the line, you will ensure maximum use of energy and balance.

James

This is exactly what I'm doing....none of this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfeD7...x=0&playnext=1

super-long stretch stuff, I'm just doing a quick, short movement straight forward. Clearly the main challenge is to land, balanced in the power position. In fact, ALL spins, South-Africans, glides...all of them are ways to hit the power position with the stone in motion, but HIT the power position. Anything that detracts from nailing that position, balanced is only going to mess you up.

....which is why I've spent so much time throwing from the power position, without bothering with getting there.............until now.

So my glide is small and quick like James says, and the goal is to land in the position balanced, at full potential, ready to torque and drive and hold on to the stone. For now, doing a big kick and monster glide is only going to mess me up.