Do you go both ways???

WHEN YOU DO ROTATIONAL TRAINING THAT IS!!! Yesterday I was looking for another exercise to round out my workout. In our gym at school we have a glut of broken bars. I took a bar outside and started doing hammer swings. It felt great, a 8 foot 30 lbs steel bar really gives a good workout.

My question is do you guys swing left and right or just the way you throw?

Trying to figure out when event specific training is too specific. When I do DB Snatch I alternate between hands. In college we used to throw both lefty and righty. It really helps the technique I think. Now that I coach I have a hard time remembering which way I actually throw. I can do the tech both ways...the actual throw is a different story.

Also, anyone have any good NEW core rotational exercises?

I expected to peek some interest with the subject. Who is the throws coach at UNH? Is there a kid throwing there named Lundquist? I tried to recruit him to Sacred Heart when I was coaching there. SO then you would suggest training both ways. I will take your advice.

Have you ever tried doing a throw backwards? We used to do that in college as well. I guess it gets you thinking about all aspects of the throw.

For what it's worth, I was talking to Matt Sanford a couple of years ago and he recommended "swinging both ways" for additional neuromuscular training and to avoid the uneven training effect as much as possible.  Hey Steve, just to add fuel to the fire, I have been doing one handed snatches with dumbbells with each hand.  I know this is a exercise that you like and do you do them with both hands? (What will the peanut gallery say next?).

My experience last season taught me that I need to throw in both directions. After just throwing right handed, I developed back pain from muscular imbalance pulling my spine in one direction. I tried throwing the other way and the pain was not there, so I've been trying to throw left and right in all events this winter, when the weather cooperates. It seems to be helping the back, along with more time spent lifting weights.

I have started doing one handed snatches, and yes I do alternate. After learning the hard way about muscle balance, I'm taking no more chances.

Throwing opposite handed has taught me some things about technique. When you have to learn all the motions on the opposite side, you do not have the dominant muscle groups compensating for weaknesses in the overall motion. That makes you analyze the motion in a new way and hopefully learn from it.

I can tell you that the first few sessions with HWD left handed were UGLY.  

So have decided to use an old 8 foot bar with the collars off. It is a good time and the kids on my team think I am a freak. I just do hammer turns in both directions. I guess it weighs around 30 lbs. I like it because it forces me into a better position, no more straight over head and straight down. You can actually drive the hammer instead of lift it. You need a lot of room though. 6'6" swinging an 8' bar is a bit dangerous.

Any other exercise suggestions???

Dan,

First off Congrats on the new arrival!!!! Can't wait to meet her!

Am I right about the low point? It should not be so vertically over head and down, but more out in front to get a better drive in the ball.

It would be great if you SCSU guys could help me out now with this event rather then 5 years after the fact...don't want a repeat of 1998 if you get me!

BITE ME!!!

Thanks Dan that is helpful, I am planning on getting down there some time this spring when coaching allows for it. 

I think that's when you warm up for the hammer throw by throwing a penguin.

 

Dan B.

I found your thoughts on the low point and high point interesting in the hammer. I would have thought your technique would be, (right Handed) to put the low point just to the outside of your right foot and high off of your left ear. Then on the final wind put the low point dead center (zero deg.) so the high point would then be at 180 deg. The direction of the throw. This would also allow your right side into the push and post the left side on release. All the while staying as long as possible.

 

Thanks for pointing out the left hand insight. I am still curious about Dan’s approach to the hammer. I think he was coached by Bill Sutherlin in college and was curious how he took his T&F experience and translated it to the Scottish hammers.

 

Larry S. – I’m sure that the throwing techniques in the 70’s where a direct result of who was leading the Americans at that time. Harold Connely, who had the “drag” technique down, was inflicted with a bad arm that caused him to throw in this manner. It is funny how we model who is throwing the furthest even though it hinders the technique for the future.

 

Maybe a new thread should be on who has the most potential/invoation in their technique rather than who is throwing the furthest. Some athletes have the right technical ideas but just can't put the whole package together to hit the big throw.

 

Roy,

You took the words right out of my mouth.  I was waiting for someone to really get into the true explaination of the hammer.

Edited by The Big Cat

Dan,

Thanks for the response. Do you see Bill? If you do tell him Steve Dering said hello. It has been a while sense I last saw/spoke to him.

I understand your idea of putting the ball off of your right foot and wind it on your right hip. How does this affect your counter in a positive way versus winding it off of your right then putting the ball through the middle on the last wind? Getting use to staying grounded and not letting the ball pull you out of position at the top has been a bit of a transition for me. I always wound the Olympic hammer with the pendulum wind so that isn’t a problem, its just getting use to winding the piss out of it. I still want to push the ball and get an active right side while letting the ball run long and free. The long stretch in the back is what throws me off balance a bit so I start the winds on my right side then on the last wind push the ball through the middle getting the left to post and drive the right hip. I also find myself approaching the throw like Heinz Wise, using several winds to set the ball up then hitting the last 2 winds like I explained. I also think if you rely on your body to push the ball it slows it down just like dragging the ball in the Olympic hammer. Let the ball work for you rather than you having to do all the work.

What are your/anyone else’s thoughts?