In-Season Training

[Alan H]

I didn't know that there WERE other "for profit" caber suppliers!

[Alan H]

Gettin' serious down here on the Farm. The real Sheaf Standards go up, today. No more throwing over the 15 foot WOB standards. I've got "goals' for Ventura.

[o1d_dude]

Caber-Rama scheduled for this weekend.

Here's a quote from the NASGA board by Will Barron that clearly describes the timing of the caber toss.

I am no caber champion, but I have also fought this same problem for 15 years of caber tossing.

The best advice I can give is as soon as you get up to top speed, and as soon as the caber starts to barely lean forward (barely), take a few stutter steps before dropping into the pulling position. This usually gives me an extra second to get ready to pull and helps reduce the downward force of the caber dropping - it seems to lessens the load I have to pull against.

I always try to locate the top of the caber with my eyes just before pulling and as I pull, I arch my back and look up towards the sky. I also don't cup just the bottom of the caber, I cup both the bottom of the handle and the front edge. I don't even touch the back half of the handle.

This helps pull the bottom of the caber back - not just up - kind of like a backwards overhead shot throw.

Have many times tried to describe this but the backward overhead shot toss analogy is right on the money.

[Alan H]

+++ on that thing about cupping the front, of the bottom of the stick, rather than completely 'round the absolute bottom.

[o1d_dude]

Oct 3, 2012

Wednesday Night Rattlesnake Glen

Open Stone
6x16.5 standing puts - no measurements

Tonight was the Stone-o-Rama with small light stones and finishing up with a semi-regulation 16.5 lb stone with handles galore.

First thing we worked on was getting the hip drive working (step over drills) followed by correcting foot spacing when setting up for the throw. Next we tried to grab the grass with our left hand when rearing back to start the throw. Lastly we got Robert to jump when releasing the stone. He immediately began reversing and added three to four feet to his throws. All in all it was a successful technique session.

Roger and Robert tossed a bit of sheaf afterward and got in some good tosses. Roger equaled his 25' PR twice with room to spare. Looks like that's his new standard toss and he'll be gunning for higher tosses.

[Alan H]

Nice... adding 3 feet to a stone put is a gigantic improvement.

Sheaf PR's at Ventura!!! yeah!

[o1d_dude]

Oct 5, 2012

Warm up
1x5x22.5 Goblet Squats
3x15x22.5 DB Swings
1x5 Half Turkish Get Ups
Bench Press
1x10x45
1x3x95
2x5x135
Snatch Grip Rack Pulls (Mid Knee Cap)
1x1x205
2x5x255
Front Squat
1x5x45
2x5x105
Waiter Walk
1x16K KB right hand up and down the driveway
1x16K KB left hand up and down the driveway
Ab Wheelies
1x5

Actually, the warm up for today's session was putting the caber rack on the roof the Bronco and then loading the caber on top. Strapping the caber in using cargo straps is always fun as I have to stand on a step ladder to get the front end lashed down tight.

Tomorrow will be Caber-Rama at the San Juan Park with the Rattlesnake Highlanders.

[o1d_dude]

Oct 6, 2012

Caber-Rama!

Caber Toss (Rojo 16'7" 78 lbs Murphy Caber Rating 581)
3 picks of Rojo with inconclusive results
Gurley Mon HWFD
4x36 WFD - might have been around 35' but can't remember for certain
Gurley Mon LWFD
6x24WFD w best of 51'7"
Caber (Rojo)
2 picks with one turn of 12:30 to 1:00

Makes a big difference when you get warmed up before starting the caber toss. Roger, Robert, and I were reminded of that lesson which is why we went to Gurley Mon weights for distance.

The real benefit of the light implements is that they allow you to get in more throws before becoming gassed. I was able to huck the last HWFD out to about 35' which made me feel pretty good as I my technique was on the money and I delivered the implement with a good 85 percent effort. Roger was whipping the 36 lb'er way out there as well. I think he took a good six throws or more, too. Robert's technique is improving as well when he doesn't over think it.

The LWFD was where we spent a lot time. Roger busted out his two turn delivery but the second rotation is creating some balance (falling out the side) issues that more reps will clear up. Still he had some very big throws (56'-57'). Robert must have had an epiphany along the way because he started out with a 30' throw and gradually worked his way out to 37' after a few small adjustments to his technique. We've even got him yelling now when he delivers the implement!

Thoroughly warmed up, we went back to the caber. Roger was diagnosed with a very long deep pull from between his ankles like a WOB toss that was caused him to be late on the caber. I tried Will Barron's suggestion of looking up at the top of the caber at the pull and got the best turn on Rojo that I've had in three years. I then spent the next 30 minutes patting myself on the back and pumping my fist as that stick has been my bane for a long time now. Robert needs to work with a much smaller stick (15' 40 lb perhaps) so that he can develop the basic handling skills (up the hill, down the hill, turn left, turn right, etc.) A small light stick is beneficial for caber novices because they can easily learn the skills and the light stick is quick. When they move up to the full size caber which moves much slower, everything feels more manageable.

Next practice will be Wednesday afternoon up in the Rattlesnake Glen.

P.S. I'm not sure the squats are helping my knees. Yesterday afternoon the delayed onset muscle soreness set in from Friday's workout and today I've been gimping around. RICE treatment and a whole lotta football games on tv today. Not like my throwing buddies who had tickets to the 49ers/Bills game today and saw it live...

[Alan H]

OK, how do you calculate a caber rating?

This sounds like a good practice! LWFD reps, reps and more reps with the lighter weight. Last week after throwing a mess of sheaf, I didn't really feel like torquing my back, so I picked up the 14 pounder and did 4-turn LWFD throws. They're not really "throws", as in I don't put any gas into delivering the implement. It just "goes" at the end. What they're about is hitting the power position, then transitioning and hitting it again, then transitioning and hitting it again....4x before actually delivering the weight into the field. I took at shot at doing it 6x in a row and it went OK. I was pleasantly surprised, actually....I was awfully flat-footed, but I got into the positions pretty well and I didn't stand up and spoil it. Was dizzy at the end, though.

Reps, reps and more reps.

[Alan H]

Something Mike P. had me do when I visited was take a wire hammer and hold it in one hand and do 4-5 turns down the street, trying to keep my feet on the white line in the middle. Man, that is hard. Patience? This teaches it. FEEL the weight? Oh yeah.

I will probably take the leftover wire and handle from the 14 pound hammer I bought for a womens weight in the CHAC and shorten the wire (had to cut it) and set it up on an adjustable-weight and try this during the off-season. The point is not to throw it. The point is to feel the weight, which is moving very slowly and learn to move your feet and transition from power position to power position. You could do essentially the exact same thing with a throwing handle attached to a chain hammer.