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Dinnie Stone training |
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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Posted: 11/19/08 at 12:22pm |
So my wife and I are planning a trip to Scotland, Ireland and maybe England next September (2009) and I am planning on attempting to lift the Dinnie Stones. This may be my only chance to pull these so I want to get ready and give it my best. Does anyone have any ideas on training to lift them? Any particular lifts that you'd think would be beneficial etc? I was thinking heavy rack pulls or even trap bar deadlifts. Any tips from those who have pulled them would be appreciated as well.
On another note, feel free to give ideas of things to see why I'm there. |
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AlDargie
Postaholic Joined: 7/27/06 Location: York, Maine Status: Offline Points: 1784 |
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Send a pm to skullsplitter and nesa as both have lifted them.
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Dyin' ain't much of a living, boy. - Outlaw Josey Wales
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nesa
Senior Member Joined: 10/22/04 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 263 |
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Hi Travis...glad to hear you're going to Scotland and might have a go at the Dinnies. The best training advice I can give is to do alot of heavy ring lifts. Deads are good for the overall weight but those rings will just tear out of your hands if you haven't trained that way. Get a loading pin and use a throwing handle and do one hand lifts...work up to at least 400-450lbs. The other bit of advice I can give is to train in all conditions, train outside, snow or rain, hot or cold, because when you get there you have no idea what the weather will be like and you might not get another shot. Be prepared for the worst and everything else will be easy. As far as sights to see...just travel down the road to Ballanter and have a go at the Inver Stone...then a little further down to Braemar and Balmoral Castle. Other than that, just enjoy the highlands...simply beautiful. Good Luck with your training, Erik Here's a couple of websites for you. http://www.gordondinnie.com nice list of completed lifters. http://www.powerropes.com/public_html/forum36/index.php a forum on John Brookfield's website...lots of good stonelifting advice and quite a few guys in the process of training for the Dinnies as well. |
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Proud member of "Team Fulsterkur"
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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Thanks, for the info. I saw there's a fellow in England who sells replica rings and loading pins and I was thinking of getting those. I didn't know if those would be of much benefit over the ring handle I use for weights. I've seen Gordon Dinnie's site and look at it often when daydreaming about going over there to lift them. Now it's a reality that I'll get to go, so now I just need to get ready. I hadn't seen the powerropes site before, thanks. |
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climber511
Groupie Joined: 7/30/07 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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I have a set of Dinnie Stone Trainers that I made up. I have been progressively adding weight with the same goal as you - to lift them next summer. I think the advantage of the trainers is that they give you the same awkward position that the stones will - the method used most often seems to be a kind of fore - aft straddle lift instead of to the sides. One ring is smaller and more flattened than the other and a different height as well which gives a rocking motion as you lift them. I haven't lifted the stones but a set of trainers seem to be closer to the real thing than rack pulls, Jefferson lifts etc. At least I hope so. I have no idea where you live but if you are ever in SE Ohio - you're invited to stop by and give mine a try. I'm actually including it as a part of my grip contest Dec 13th at 80% - then afterwords - we'll load it up to weight and see who can do it. Oh - the rings hurt at that weight.
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LarryBrock
Postaholic World Champ - 10 Joined: 1/06/05 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1187 |
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"No man Is entirely worthless, he can always serve as a bad example" Brian Oldfield
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Skullsplitter
Postaholic Joined: 8/29/04 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1047 |
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Hello Travis, I spoke with Jack Shanks yesterday on the phone and his recommendation is to lift heavy ring deadlifts just as Erik has said. Get a fat ring as the heavy stone has a thick ring and that is the money when trying to lift the stones. The thick ring is 3/4 of an inch thick, so either have one made or send off to England for those rings. The stones are bigger than you think they will be when you see them, especially the larger of the two, so lift with thick rings to make sure your grip can withstand the challenge, as they are intimidating. Also, employ the front to back straddle technique to lift the stones. Start with the stone to the rear and after that one is off the ground that will give balast to lift the front stone. Once the back stone is up a few inches, sit back and the front stone will follow if your hips and grip can lift the weight. Because of this technique lifting the larger stone is eaiser to do than lifting it by itself. Jack had also recommended changing hands in training as that will offset imbalances and make you stronger all the way around. I personally think heavy ring lifts and heavy supporting work, either rack deadlifts, trap bar deadlifts or squats - particularly partial squats - will do the trick. Jack told me his favorites were hack squats from the floor and rack as well as Jefferson lifts from the floor and rack. I personally load up my Dinnie Stone replicas that I have made onto a chain and bar rig that I made or load my super yoke to a very heavy weight to stand a few inches to strengthen the ligaments and tendons. Just like Erik said, lift them in all conditions to get you mentally ready to lift in whatever weather. I lifted them last December in a freezing rain, which wasn't a big deal because I had trained in New Hampshire outdoors until we took the trip. For what it's worth, my lift last year is on You Tube. By the way, nice picture Larry. Bill |
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"I am the thread, the pupil, and the eye of the needle is my teacher"
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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Bill - I've watched your video many times. Thank you for all the advice. I have my wfd ring that is about 1/2" to 3/4" around I think, and besides one handed ring pulls, I was thinking rack pulls, trap bar deads and I already do heavy squats and conventional deads. Thanks for the technical advice on the lifting (ie, using the smaller one as a ballast). Larry - Awesome picture. Seeing that picture got me fired up. I need to print that picture out and tape it to my power rack. climber511 - I'm thinking of heading to Nesa – I just realized what your real name was, I’ve read an article of yours concerning stone lifting a dozen times. I plan on making some replicas to train with. At the moment I am trying to figure logistics on how to train for the Dinnies while doing my normal lifting. But, as I told a friend of mine "My goal to lift the Dinnies may be a one shot deal, I'll have the rest of my life to get more PRs with my deadlift once I get home from
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LarryBrock
Postaholic World Champ - 10 Joined: 1/06/05 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1187 |
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ill email it to you if you want
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"No man Is entirely worthless, he can always serve as a bad example" Brian Oldfield
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climber511
Groupie Joined: 7/30/07 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 65 |
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Travis - I tried to send you a PM but it's not working - please PM me and I'll reply back to you - maybe that will work? I have information for you.
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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Larry and climber511, PMs sent. If they didn't work, my email is wahi_1998@yahoo.com
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LanceKeen
Groupie Joined: 1/18/09 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 74 |
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Hey Travis, How's the Dinnie training going ? Obviously Skullsplitter and Erik are the experts having done them more than I, I was there just at the start of the New Year - Youtube me: lhkeen - also Inver and Menzies stone. Having lived in Scotland for 10 years before coming to Oz, it was a one time or nothing deal for me too - I don't get conference leave/travel as others do ;). From Potarch for the Dinnie's you go west on the main road towards Braemar - about 5 miles before Braemar is Crathie (where the Royals go to church from Balmoral) and the Inver Hotel - the Inver stone is in Mrs Richard's garden opposite - she's brilliant ! Even got a photo with her on a dark and freezing night - while the kids ran riot in her living room. If you can - carry on through Braemar and drive down through Glenshee - you can then turn off the road further west towards Aberfeldy (I don't remember road numbers and stuff - buy a map or use google) - then at Aberfeldy cross the bridge to Weem and go to Castle Menzies - where the smoothest frickin stone I've ever lifted sits on a tree stump at the front of the castle - now that is the scene truly awe inspiring ! Then go have a beer at the Weem Hotel ! As for training - do more grip than me - I had to use straps. Good luck - enjoy Scotland - and England (I'm originally from Leicester - but dont go there). You'll never see everything unless you go for 2 months (or a year). Lance
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Bert Sorin
Senior Member Joined: 8/24/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 633 |
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get used to 1 arm ring deadlifting, standing in pea gravel. Interesting sensation. Very fun trip, you will have a blast. Best of luck. |
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In Strength and Throws,
Bert |
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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I have some replica rings and loading pins that I have been working with so far. I've been getting ready for a powerlifting meet in April so all I've done Dinnie specific so far is play with positions with my set up (which I only have 250/200 on at the moment). So my only training so far has been heavy deads and squats. I tried to make reservations at Potarch and it was booked the entire week I am going to be in Scotland. So I'm staying down the road at Aboyne. I'll be trying the Dinnies either the night of September 7th or the morning of the 8th. We are leaving Edinburgh the morning of the 7th, visiting Stirling on the way up so my wife wants me to wait until the morning so I can rest up. I can see my grip limiting me so I want to work on it. I'd like to pull the stones without straps but I'll take some just in case. I'll definitely update once I get back.
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JWC III
Postaholic Joined: 8/30/04 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1277 |
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I'll add this, one side of the stone is smooth and the other is rough. I flipped it over and got a better grip than without. I would strongly advise getting a stone a similiar weight, nothing like "lapping" and "lifting" (the two stage process in a stone lift) to get really good at it. My training for it was to make a 265lb concrete stone (borrowed a stone mold from a friend) and after my throwing workout I'd go over and lift this. My goal was to lift it 10 times in a row to the shoulder. This was always at the end of a training routine so somedays I was totally spent. If it were raining, I'd lift it wet and took towels with me the day of the "big attempt" just in case it was raining. Oh, and just so you know, right after I was done lifting it, my training partner, 5 time MWC Lightweight Jim Spalding, who did not prep work for it whatsoever, walked up and lifted the stone on his first try. |
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Thom Van Vleck
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mike pockoski
Senior Member Top 10 in the USA - '09-'12 Joined: 2/01/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 422 |
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bert's right, the pea gravel is really tough, and the big one is pretty wide and awkward to lift in the wide stance/one arm in front & one in back position...and the lighter stone has a very small handle, so if you've got big mitts, be prepared to have your fingers squeezed together. the lady who has the inver stone was super sweet - invited us in out of the chill and chatted with us for a while in her little living room. now that i think about it, I wish we would have brought her a gift for her hospitality...she was a great embassador for Scotland. it's an amazing trip - perhaps one of the best days of my life running around in a van looking for those things. enjoy the driving and the scenery as much as the history of the stones and the challenge...good luck. |
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Bert Sorin
Senior Member Joined: 8/24/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 633 |
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+1 Mike. Great day indeed. Mike brought some serious strength street cred when he easily hoisted the Inver to his shoulder on the first try, and got both Dinnie stones, with strap, but still very impressive for a computer geek with glasses. |
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In Strength and Throws,
Bert |
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old macdonald
Groupie #1 ham shank Joined: 2/05/09 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 116 |
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Be very carefull with these dam stones. A young aquantience of mine and one of Scotlands best prospects for years in the wire hammer tried to lift these dam things for a drunken bet one winters night many years ago. Result ? a back injury, a ripped tendon, a serious wrist injury, and to cap it all he dropped one of the stones and removed all the skin and flesh from one of his shins leaving the bone exposed. Needless to say he was never the same thrower after that . In my opinion we should leave these bloody stones to the serious lifters or to the steroid jockey's and any highland games athlete who has any career prospects at all will give them a wide berth. Just my tuppence worth
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i had a farm e i e i o
glen macdonald glenmac2000@yahoo.com |
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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Thanks for the encouragement. I'd have to consider myself as you say, a serious lifter, and I am horrible at Highland Games so I don't really have much career prospects with them. |
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old macdonald
Groupie #1 ham shank Joined: 2/05/09 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 116 |
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Sorry Travis i did not mean to discourage you , good luck to you with the stones, and i can see why you should want to lift them. Just remember that for every sucessfull lift there are something like 7 failures(and that dont include the bus trips of tourists who always think they could lift them) so even if you dont manage to lift them, your not the first, and you certainly wont be the last (unless by some act of god we should have a lightning bolt strike these bloody stones and reduce them to pebbles) You can tell i'mm not a fan Hope you have a lovely time in Scotland and it's just a pity you have to visit England |
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i had a farm e i e i o
glen macdonald glenmac2000@yahoo.com |
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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HAHA - actually my wife and I decided our time and money would be best spent by skipping England. We are spending 6 nights in Scotland and 6 nights in Ireland. |
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Hapy
Postaholic Joined: 8/29/04 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1977 |
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Keep us updated Travis - I am planning on making my go at them in 2010.
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=Travis=
Senior Member Joined: 7/27/06 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 520 |
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I'll definitely post an update once I get back home in September. I plan on filming it as well. Hopefully I wont be too ashamed to show the video.
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Skullsplitter
Postaholic Joined: 8/29/04 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1047 |
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Just go lift the stones. I personally think all Highland Games athletes who visit or who live in Scotland should try the Dinnies. The stones are named for Donald Dinnie, our sport's godfather. You can measure yourself against the great Dinnie and where else can you do that? |
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"I am the thread, the pupil, and the eye of the needle is my teacher"
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LanceKeen
Groupie Joined: 1/18/09 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 74 |
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Absolutely go lift them ! And there's nothing wrong with England (McDonald)- but given you never get to see everything you want to in that space of time, stick to what you really want to see ! Lance (the tattoo says "Made in England" but I was moulded in Scotland ) |
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ozcraig
Newbie Joined: 1/03/09 Location: Australia Status: Offline Points: 23 |
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Go to the DOnald Dinnie web site run by his relative Gordon Dinnie, The site is great and Gordon is a great bloke. as for training don't be to fancy just some basic strength stuff, as they say if your strong enough you can lift them. Stones are for everyone so have a go. As above be aware of the gravel it does make a difference to your footing.
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ozcraig
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