Alan H's 2012 in season log

[o1d_dude]

Stones are NOT a strength event. They're a speed event. It's not about being a hulking brute. It's all about how FAST you can accelerate that rock. Strength only gives you the ability to accelerate quickly. But massive strength without speed is useless on the field. Save it for a powerlifting meet.

Speed will always trump simple strength in the throwing events. Explosive strength is the key. This was my advice to you in the PM. The Human Wall vs Pit Bull.

Developing strength is pretty easy to do. Just look around at how many strong athletes are in the games. The number of athletes who have developed increased speed is much much smaller. Pro's and the genetically gifted (of which most of us are not).

Plyo or lifting bands are far more effective in developing speed than a simple cable machine. Cable machines provide constant resistance while bands provide increasing resistance as the band elongates. This is a good thing because as we extend our arms and legs, our leverage improves. Increasing resistance allows us to work all points along the leverage curve.

Westside power lifters use chains for similar reasons. Drape the chain over the barbell. As you lift the bar, more of the chain is suspended in the air increasing the load. It's kind of a Nautilus principle without the cam-shaped pulleys. BTW, the same guy invented/popularized both chains and Nautilus training equipment: Arthur Jones.

I have chains and bands in my home gym and use them at least once a week. In my case, at best I'm only slowing down the normal decline in strength due to aging.

I battle gravity.

[Alan H]

ALSO, I've stopped logging at NASGA, for now. Lots of things have contributed to this decision, so this is now my primary log.

[GoodGirlGonePlaid]

So, from looking at the video, the exercise he does, kind of reminds me of the hip/ leg positions for throwing a back crosses (but higher).
It makes me kind of want to "punch" the put. Does that make sense?
It may help

[o1d_dude]

So, from looking at the video, the exercise he does, kind of reminds me of the hip/ leg positions for throwing a back crosses (but higher).
It makes me kind of want to "punch" the put. Does that make sense?
It may help

Absolutely.

When you put the stone, you should try to "punch the Giant" and "elbow the Dwarf". Throwing hand with stone goes high (punch the Giant) while your non-throwing arm/elbow whips around and tucks in (elbow the Dwarf).

The other key point is the drive your hips forward in the throwing rotation and let your throwing shoulder follow. This is the X-position that some have called "drawing the bow". Your legs and hips torque the shoulder and ADD POWER to the punch.

If you lead with your shoulder and let the hips follow, you've disconnected your lower body and it no longer provides power.

I drill the X-position EVERY DAY and I still sometimes revert to leading with the shoulder. A work in progress.

[Alan H]

Kit: No chains at my gym, but we DO have bands. I've used them in the past, but they wear out fast and walk out the door a lot. I could take my own, though.... I will get back in there more after Woodland, as well as seeing if I can't trim off 10 pounds or so before the MWD.

GGGP *absolutely*

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I've been locked out of X Marks for the past 4-5 days but here are my last two throwing workouts.

Wednesday:

Tonights workout with Bethany....started pretty easy with some experimental hammer winds. We didn't do a lot, but got Bethany started on "lifting" the hammer to the high point behind the right shoulder. Then we did about 6-8 throws. I wasn't as consistent as last night, but I launched several 80+'s, so that's good. Bethany is htting 68-72, very nice for so early in the season.

Then we did about 6-8 single turn LWFD sprint drills. Bethany is starting to really get the feel for getting DOWN, and she's not jerking herself up and down with a too-high cast any more. She IS going to go 60 feet this season, I know it. I did one full throw for yucks, it landed right about 50. Bethany got video.

Then did a few braemar tosses and a few HWFD. All HWFD were 30+, with two at almost 32. That's a little off of where it was last time, but my hips were tired, so that's OK. All in all, a good two hours.

Today (Sunday April 1st)

Two hour throws practice, today. The first hour was solo, then Leslie Wu showed up for the second hour. I finally, actually WORKED on the spin for wob, today. I changed a few things around and found something that works a lot better. I cleared 13 several times and 13' 6" twice. I'm smacking the bar at 14. Pretty happy with this. Standing, got 13 twice, missed a couple of times. All in all, probably 14-18 throws.

Then did some sheaf. I didn't do a lot just basically remembered how to do it. Then Leslie showed up so we worked on her wob and sheaf. First time out, first workout and she clears 15 in sheaf! NICE.

Then we went and did some open stone....not a lot, and I tried to "stomp the left foot down" behind the trig. I semi-got-it-once, took my 15.8 stone out to about 33' 6" with that one. All in all, a good two hours on the field.

CHAC - Forged on the Field.

[Alan H]

Been eating too much. It's slow at work, so I snack. BAD.

VERY cool throws workout tonight. 530 - 7:45 ...with Ted Joseph. We started out with sheaf. This was Ted first time with his mitts on a fork since last season and we figured a few things out. He got one over 15 feet, not bad! I'm working on refining the technique breakthrough I discovered at Queen Mary, now trying to drive my hip into the throw. The thing is far, far above 16 feet, which is as high as my WOB standards go. Whether it's 22, 24 or 25, I won't know until Ardenwood, but my saggy old bag is flying..

Then did some Braemar Stone. Props to Matt Vincent...I looked at Matts most recent video and it has half a dozen standing stone throws in it. I looked at how Matt activates his left side and just went out and did THAT. Matt has a little ritual left side pull that he does before he stands a throw. I'm doing that and it helps. Upshot...bunch of 27 foot Braemar tosses. That's PR country gang. NICE.

I can't make it stick with my gliding open stone throws yet, but baby steps, baby steps.

Then did a few caber throws. I'm low on kaboom, need to rest so I'm muscling them over.

Ted went home, so I did some more Braemar, and then finished up with 5 light hammer single-wind-and delivers, all out around 80-81 feet. Then five full throws, really tying to put into practice what I've learned from watching Duncan McCallum and Jake Sullivan 's videos. Result? Everything at 85-87 and maybe one dropped in about 90 feet. Again, PR country.

SO looking forward to the Ardenwood-Bakerfield-Woodland sequence of Games!

[Alan H]

Short workout tonight, Alan's IT bands and legs, generally, are toast from several weeks of practicing 3 x a week.

Did 8 first turn drills with the 28 WFD...hit the power position balanced, dump the weight behind me. meh..."sorta" balanced. They started mediocre and got better.
Then 8 sprint phase drills. These were OK, I have to remember "BUTT DOWN"!
The six full throws; 47-52...a little off, but I'm very tired.

Then 8 throws with the 42 pounder. They didn't go particularly far, 28-30, and I decided to back off.

Did a few braemar throws with a 12.2 rock, then a few glides trying to super-activate the foot in the middle of the trig, and called it a night after an hour and a quarter.

Time to ease off. I have a throwing session with Beth Burton on Saturday, and then I'll play coach on Tuesday if anybody shows up, and then it's Ardenwood-Bakersfield-Woodland on three consecutive weekends.

[Alan H]

Three hours today with Beth Burton, Shannon Hamlyn-Burton, Bethany Owen, Mike Macellari, Eric Wright from the Cal State Chico throwing program and myself. We did a little bit of everything: weights, hammers, WOB and caber. I mostly played coach but got in a few throws here and there. Man, are my legs tired!

Look out, Nor Cal A class. Eric Wright is coming!!! Guy is gonna be *good*.

[Alan H]

Deload week, and flippin' well about time.

[Alan H]

After 3 days of no practice and no lifting, I'm getting some legs back under me. Man, I was "overtrained"! I''m not touching an implement until Saturday.