Neeed Hammer Spikes!

[Frank McGrath]

I have some old railroad spikes. Will they do?

[Kinetikat]

LOL, so the consensus is... definitely won't need 'em this year then!

I hear you, Alan - I've got a local metal fabricator making me two weights (a 14lb and a 28lb) that I'll be able to swap shackles and handles around with to go for distance or over bar. Should have those in a couple of days, and in the meantime I'm throwing my kettle-bell on a string.
I also went today to fetch myself my new caber - a 12-foot round post about 4-5 inches thick. Just off to sand down the grippy end so I can take it up to the Field tomorrow.

Frank - LOL, I'd have the biggest spikes of anybody in the world!

[Alan H]

Excellent news on the implements and practice caber. Good on ya, Kineticat!

Uh...railroad spikes...um..... nope!

[Kinetikat]

Find yourself a used 10kg dumbbell, hacksaw one of the bells off, have someone drill a hole big enough in the bell to accommodate a rattan or PVC conduit "shaft", and use axehead wedges and epoxy to secure. Now, you have a hammer.

Thanks Josh! Good instructions - between you and Alan H, I'll make myself a makeshift hammer before the end of the week!

[Kinetikat]

I did it guys! Go have a look at the blog - I am so excellently pleased with myself. I now own the world's largest Chupa Chup, in Highland flavour.

[Alan H]

Nice!!

[PEEDYC]

I agree with Alan H. A couple of years ago I saw a big strapping lad throw using blades yet he was the worst as he had no technique. Smaller and lighter throwers beat him as they knew how to throw and did not use spikes or blades

[Kinetikat]

Ow, bloody hell, I did some practice yesterday with my new practice hammer, and flip me, it was hard! I found it all but impossible to get a second 'whirl' in, as the handle was so long (50") I was in constant danger of hitting it off the floor!
I don't know whether this is a handle-length thing - I'm 5'6" with shortish arms and legs - or whether it's a technique thing.
Off to YouTube to see what I'm getting wrong...

[Alan H]

Answer to this.....bend your knees. Point your womanly assets (the girls) to the sky, look up.... and relax your shoulders. Let the hips do the work. Imagine that your hips are connected to a giant steam engine wheel, by a big rod. As the steam engine puffs along, the wheel goes 'round and the rod RAMS your hips back and forth, and forwards and backwards. WHAM< WHAM

For starters you'll need to practice with your feet spread apart, or you'll wind up on your bum half the time. But as you progress, and don't stagger around with the hammer any more like some gaffer with eight pints in him, bring your feet closer together. That's hard. That's GOOD....for practice.

Remember hips, hips, hips, hips hips...NOT shoulders. You're just starting out, eh. So do what you need to do to wind that thing 'round your head twice, and fling it. But the GOAL is to make your hips do the work, not your shoulders.

[Alan H]

GGGP is shorter than you are and while I know she sometimes bumps the hammer on the ground, it's not every time, by any means. Bethany Owen here in California is about 5' 11" and SHE has now developed an issue with bumping the ground. Heck, I'm 6' 2" and *I* bump the ground every now and then. You'll figure it out.