Alan H's 2012 in season log

[Alan H]

Best wishes to her and you as well, Alan. My very good friend and bass player just had his hip replaced a couple weeks ago. You may already know that the good news is that the surgery and prosthesis can bring incredible relief and renewal.

I hope so, because we're 6 days post surgery and she is still gimping around pretty bad. She's walking with her walker, but can't pick anything up or put anything down lower than about knee level unless she can use her "grabber" thingamabob.

If I've been crabby or an @**h*le to anybody this week, now you know my excuse for why.

Todays workout, after four days of playing nurse, which means getting up every two hours all night long... Not that I resent it, I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but it IS draining.

Stretch Cage - the usual
Hang cleans ... 6 x 95 / 6 x 135 / 6 x 155 / 2 x 3 x 165 *easy* / 3 x 1 x 185 ...decided to go for it... EPIC FAIL 2x @ 200 .very noisy.

Overhead Press ... 4 x 6 x 135 FAST...well, except for the last set.
Backsquat ... 2 x 4 x 225 / 2 x 3 x 255 / 2x2 x 275
Pec Deck because it was cold outside and I decided I didn't want to throw and besides I haven't done the deck in forever .... 3 x 6 x 175 "on the stack"

Core 1 ...incline situps with 10 lb plate, did it differently this time... 3 x 8

windmills .... because it's been a long time... 3 x 10 x 25
curls (for girls) ... 3 x 8 x 75 *fast*....I wuz tired..

then out to the field...60 yard sprints, as in...sprint 30 yards, bend down, touch gym bag, sprint back. Did six of them, 3 x 2

bunny hop stadium steps (about 20 steps) 2x ...I got no "boingggg"

[Alan H]

Stationary bike warmup
quick stretch cage...passive stretch quads, hammies, piriformis

box step-ups to jump ....10 each side, 20 inch box
lateral bosu jump-squats ....agility training...2 x 20 *quick feet*!!!

sumo deadlift high pulls .... 3 x 6 x 105 ... *pop* the bar to well over my head height..all pop, minimal arm pull

incline db press .... 3 x 6 x 60 *throw* the db's through the ceiling! (well, not quite LOL)

dumbell snatches .... 4 x 5 x 80 .. triple extend, slam the hips, throw the db through the ceiling!

out to the track.... 25 yard agility sprints x 6
grapevines ... 2 x 50 yards...SO done!

[Alan H]

First CHAC throws practice of the season... We had a big crowd, six folks, including one new thrower. 5:30 -7:30.

We did some basic separation drills with softballs then tossed some open stone... my best was out around 32-33. Then did some single turn drills and sprint drill with light weight for distance, and some full throws. I had a couple in the 50-53 foot range. When I stick it with this new technique in the back, it flies, but I don't have it dialed in, yet.

We finished up with some caber, christening the new "Cardinal Caber" our C Class and "big girls" stick...14' 8" and about 60 pounds.

Hips sore from yesterday, had no pop in caber, I just muscled it over.

[Alan H]

This afternoons throw session was a little bit of everything; lots of fun. I started out with some first turn drills with the 28. Then some sprint phase drills, like I saw Greg York do in a video he took. These went much better that in the past..46-48 on these drills. Then did about 10 full two-spins with the 28'er... couple of 47-48's the rest over 50 with one at about 53-something. NICE.

The tried some stuff with the 42 WFD. I am finally starting to actually THROW this thing rather than just hang on for dear life. I put about 6 right at 32 feet.... happy with that.

Then about 40 hammer winds...just could NOT get locked in, so I canned hammer after 4 throws...all about 84 feet.

I followed that up with a smorgasboard of 5-6 braemar stone, open stone and WOB tosses. I spun two over 13 feet, easy-peasy, that was nice. Oh, and now the CHAC WOB apparatus is up for the season.

[Alan H]

Been working on CHAC gear, the stuff we use at the Games at Ardenwood. I now have a couple of good crossbars, and I'm putting together some adjustable strut supports for the WOB standards. Next up is a couple of sheafs.

Tonights workout with Ted Joseph...

softball throws warmup

some Open Stone, probably a dozen tosses until Ted's elbow started hurting, so we knocked that off. No reason to mess that thing up in the first workout of the year. Ted's throwing within 5% of last years PR's NOW, so I predict a mess of PR's for him in 2012.

First turn drills (5-6) with the womens 14 and then sprint phase drills with the 14 ..LOTS of them. I'm focusing on getting on my toes, because Greg York has made me paranoid about it, and quick-quick-quick.

Then first turn drills with the 28'er (5) and more sprint phase drills...again, on the toes, quick, drive the hip through and out front with the delivery. Finished up with three full two-spin throws, all over 50, one possibly 54, depending on how accurate my paces are.

My back is sore so we pulled out the womens hammer and wound that in sets of 5-6 winds. I'm just NOT in the groove, here, but am trying to work on lifting the hammer to a high point behind me. Did about 30 winds, then 6 throws...*reach* for that high point, relax, and get my head outta the way at the delivery. Throws about 90-94 feet.

Ted packed it up and I stuck around for some glides with my 15.8 rock. I finally swopped out the cleats on my right foot for smooth discus shoes, and wow...*big* difference. I'm staying low and making that foot get active when I hit the middle of the trig. Damn...there's some *boinggg** in the old man. Lots of 32-33, and one nice one out to 34, I pulled tape on it. These still aren't farther than I can stand that stone, but it's COMING...slowly.

[o1d_dude]

My back is sore so we pulled out the womens hammer and wound that in sets of 5-6 winds. I'm just NOT in the groove, here, but am trying to work on lifting the hammer to a high point behind me. Did about 30 winds, then 6 throws...*reach* for that high point, relax, and get my head outta the way at the delivery. Throws about 90-94 feet.

These distances (only 8-12' more than your light hammer) tell me that you're not going fast enough. The whole reason for training with the underweight hammer is to build up your ability to go faster (better balance, better technique, etc).

The pull is "UP". Now show me some throws over 100-105'.

Highlands Hula, baby!

[Alan H]

These distances (only 8-12' more than your light hammer) tell me that you're not going fast enough. The whole reason for training with the underweight hammer is to build up your ability to go faster (better balance, better technique, etc).

The pull is "UP". Now show me some throws over 100-105'.

Highlands Hula, baby!

I usually do go 100+ with the 12 pounder, just that my back is bothering me. So these were about 80% throws. I just wanted to get the hips doing the ju-ju and work on that "reach for the high point" in the back. Also, it's the first workout of the season for Ted and I didn't wanna kill the man on his first day!

I'll be stretching and warming that sore area in my lower back today, tomorrow and this weekend. At that point hopefully things will loosen up and I can start putting some speed on it.

All that said, I'm seriously NOT in the groove with hammer yet, so I'll be winding a bunch over the next couple of weeks.

[Alan H]

In light of the fact that my lower back, right side is pretty sore, and there will be more throwing tonight, I figured I ought to do some stuff at lunchtime to move it around and break up the bad stuff...

stationary bike warmup ... 5 min
stretch cage, the usual
narrow grip hip snatch ... 2 x 5 x 95 / 2 x 5 x 115 / couple at 125, but I was having to press them up and that ain't the point so I knocked off.
FAST incline db press .... 3 x 8 x 55 *throw* those things through the ceiling!
pull - ups ...because I haven't done 'em in a while..5, 2, 2 with 85 lb assist. Pathetic.
bar dips... see above, however, 2 x 5 x 70 lb assist and then 5 with 50 l;b assist. Not too shabby>

And then I spent about 40 minutes foam rolling me butt, quads, groin, hip flexors.... more upper body/shoulder stretches in the cage...

[Alan H]

Last night throws... Tim, Bethany, Alan and Ted... yes I lifted and threw on the same day.

softball throws warmup

WOB for a while, probably about 8-9 throws each. My hips are STILL recovering from my "speed workout" a week and a half ago, and lousy sleep on the futon for two weeks hasn't helped. I foam rolled bigtime yesterday and that helped, but there's still some healing to do. I'm low on *pop* Standing WOB was OK...spins sucked. I need to work on that. We can spin at Ardenwood, Bakersfield, Woodland and the MWC. The first four Games I'm doing this year all allow spinning in WOB. I probably should get a little better at it. I've cleared 14 in practice...

Then we did some LWFD...bunch of sprint phase drills. Bethany yelled at me to keep my butt down, and when I did, I actually got two out to almost 50 feet. We followed that up with a few LWFD two-turns. Again, gotta keep my butt down, lock the angle in my right knee and don't stand up until delivery. Did about 4 throws, all over 50 except the first one that I practically fell down on. It's entertaining that even that one went 45.

I followed that up with some HWFD with the 42. Need to be careful not to foul out the back, but all throws over 30 with one biggie at 34. This is coming along well.

After everybody went home I did some glide open stone, probably about a dozen, with my 15.8 stone. I tried to stay low coming across the grass, but hit the middle with my back foot pre-turned -- then rotate it hard and KABOOM. It all went pretty well, lots of throws at 32, one at 33+, one probably around 34. This is much, much better than it was last year. I might be able to see 34-35 in this by the end of the season, if this keeps up.

[o1d_dude]

Good work, Alan.

Remember to post up with your left leg as you drive your hips forward to deliver the stone. You can drill this by placing your post foot on top of the trig and doing some puts. This will emphasize the post.