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Practice feedback please (hammers)
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dl_buffy View Drop Down
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    Posted: 3/04/10 at 11:40am
Tonight was hammer practice.  I have three...a super light one I use for wind warm ups, LtHmr and HvyHmr. I've been throwing both on hammer night...one after the other.

So...
- Warm up winds with light hammer for stretch
- LtHmr
- HvyHmr

And repeat, including the super light one if I need to find my rotation again.

This way I was able to throw three of each on just muscle.  Then about three of each SUCKED.  Then two of each really focusing on form and rotation since I had no juice left.

Good?  Bad?  Thoughts?  I know a lot of you practice lots of events in one practice, but with only an hour to hour and half of daylight only so much I can get in.

Today I actually tracked my throws, something I will do more often.  I threw well for ones I was fresh.  I lost like 20ft when my form when to crap.  I threw my longest LtHmr on last throw when focusing on just form and rotation.  (Only 1ft longer than muscled one, but still.)

Really looking to get into the 100's on LtHmr consistently this year.  I got a 103 last year once....on a down hill....with the wind...
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Duncan McCallum View Drop Down
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Dave,

I PROMISE the field at the Thistle is about as flat as you are going to find.  Looking at the roster you are in some excellent company, and those guys will be able to offer you some advice.

Breaking it down for what I do (and I'll watch your film when I get home)  Throw light hammers at a tire at 80 feet until making 80 is effortless.  Seriously, practice winds, heel-toe and knee drive, and good releases and just drop that hammer into a tire or bucket or something at 80 feet.  If your form is bad at 80 it will be worse at 100 when you really try to get all crunk.

Drills drills drills.  I used to go entire practices without releasing it...make sure you are hitting your low spots and driving the hammer head with each wind...otherwise you are just wasting your time with the extra spins.  Once you get to where you can hit those points on the ground (figuratively of course) and make 80 feet all the time, move the tire or bucket to 90 feet.  Now you can start to pull the hammer on the downswing.

As far as tracking your throws is concerned, don't worry too much about it.  In this sport, consistency counts, and sure, you may drop one 115' and then on the next go 90'...so are you a 110'er or a 90'er?  Who cares?!?!  Fundamentals over and over and over.  And over.  In your region, 90 to 105 feet will keep you in most A Games.  Might not win it, but it will keep you in the hunt.  There are just enough raw athletes in the area to keep it interesting, but 90-105 will do.

With an hour or an hour and a half you can drop 20-30 good light hammers.  Nice and consistent.  Put the HH in the garage and leave it there!!!
The man in the arena.
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dl_buffy View Drop Down
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Points: 1507 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dl_buffy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3/05/10 at 2:25am

Huh...no heavy hammer?  Should I only put it in occasionally?  I find that the difference in weight REALLY impacts my form.  I'd love to just focus on the light weights in practice... would do my ego good. 

But then I have read that idea a couple times on the board...LWFD for practice and HWFD at comp and now your idea about hammers.

U'r right that with just one hammer I'd get more throws in, probably upwards of that 20 number.  Hmmm
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I was reading Jack Davidson biography ( Highland Fling) on Bill Anderson the other day. Bill took the Scottish record from 129 to 150+
I believe Bill did not do any weight training until well into his throwing career.
Why was he so good at the event ? You can get a wee insight in an anecdote told by a young thrower who decided to have a one off training session with the great man.
He says they started throwing the light hammer first. He lost count of the throws. He was completely knackered, Finally Bill said “Aye we have had enough of that” Thank the Lord thought this young thrower. “ we will move on to the heavy hammer” Bill proceeded to do the same number of heavy hammer  throws.
The point I would make, is simple. The best way to become a better hammer thrower is to go out and throw the hammer as much as possible.
Willier
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Originally posted by dl_buffy dl_buffy wrote:

Huh...no heavy hammer?  Should I only put it in occasionally?  I find that the difference in weight REALLY impacts my form.  I'd love to just focus on the light weights in practice... would do my ego good. 

But then I have read that idea a couple times on the board...LWFD for practice and HWFD at comp and now your idea about hammers.

U'r right that with just one hammer I'd get more throws in, probably upwards of that 20 number.  Hmmm



When I used to practice it was only the light hammer.  Never the heavy.  I don't even own a heavy hammer.
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Wayne Hill View Drop Down
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The light hammer teaches you speed, which is critical, plus you can do a lot of throws and get a heck of a lot less beat up doing it.
"We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby
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Points: 635 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hbaileyIII Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3/06/10 at 1:37am

I don't think there is a right answer.  I asked Bruce Aiken, probably the best hammer throw of all time, about throwing the heavy hammer and he said he didn't own one.  But I know that when I was throwing the hammer at my best I threw both hammers, a lot.  I think the heavy forces you to hit proper positions b/c if not it won't accelerate.  I know Big Paul prefered the heavy.  I think you need to throw the light more often b/c in the end, you want your heavy to move like your light, not vice versa. 

You need to figure out what works for you!!!
HB3
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Originally posted by C. Smith C. Smith wrote:


When I used to practice it was only the light hammer.  Never the heavy.  I don't even own a heavy hammer.


I started to believe this when my core strength got better. From the videos I've seen, and the couple live throws I've watched of Craig, his core strength is ridiculous.  You should work on your core strength until the weight of the implement doesn't affect the technique. Either in the weight room, or by throwing over and over again. 
Jeremy Gillingham

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Have you ever considered it is not you?  I threw away my first hammer as it would not fly far. 
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dl_buffy View Drop Down
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Originally posted by Silverback Silverback wrote:

Have you ever considered it is not you?  I threw away my first hammer as it would not fly far. 

AH!!!  I knew it.  Couldn't be me, my hammer is not aerodynamic.  Dang!
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back to the top.  Glad I saw this.  Today I am making my first hammer, and I will only make a light one #16.

How long do you wait between throws when training?
Todd Reese
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dl_buffy View Drop Down
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Points: 1507 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dl_buffy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 3/09/10 at 2:24am

I throw 'close' to what I would in a games.  I wait close to 2 minutes between throws.  But I am moving and stretching and working the form and shagging my own hammers in there.

No need to make it an aerobic workout as you don't throw that way.  (At least those are my thoughts and I have only thrown for three years now...this year my 4th.)
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