MrPeanut's Observations and Notes

I started this thread for myself to record my observations and what has worked for me, just starting out.

I'm a 210 lb, 6'2", 56 year old man. I'm not a offensive or defensive lineman or Heavy Games competitor. However, I was vary athletic most of my life.

Why my interest in the HG?

My ancestry is Scottish on 3 of my grandparents sides and I grew up attending the games. I speak some rudimentary gaelic and have always been interested in history, including Scotland. Yes, I own a kilt. I dabbled in the HG 30 years ago at Camp Lejeune.

Why an I doing this? The older I am getting my type II diabetes is getting worse even though my diet is good, I exercise and lift moderate weights. I am less than ten lbs over my BMI. I need to use more of my core and don't want to get bored. Hence the HG.

I'm shooting for my first completion in Manheim PA on September 21st.

1. I bought the HG Throws Training Set DVD on Amazon.
2. Pestered the Pros on the NASGA Forum with A LOT of questions. They are pretty good.
3. The internet is your friend, especially youtube.
4. Procured the following: kettle ball weights (45 and 25 lb), a 16 lb shotput, and a 22lb hammer.

I will probably make a "beginner's" caber and I will need to find a sheaf fork.

I changed my weight lifting routine to focus mush more on my legs. I can do "pseudo squats" on a on of the machines where I work out and do my quads extensions, hamstring curls. My upper body is presses, rows, tricep pushdowns, bicep curls, and a couple of other things I don't actually know the name of. Definitely getting stronger. Adding some more protein to the diet.

Initial Observations:

It is easier to focus on technique using some lighter weights. I could get the 45 lb weight for height 8-9 ft even on my first ever tries. But working with a 35 or so weight may be beneficial.

The internet was a great help with the shotput. I threw for the first time yesterday using a "mini-glide" and consistently threw about 20 ft.

I got the 22 lb hammer from old celt. When I first tried the hammer I could not even keep my balance. However, things improved when I started warming up with the sledge hammer from my shed. My rotations with the 22lb hammer were very slow but I could keep my balance and get the hammer about 30 ft in the correct direction.

The absolute hardest so far is the weight for distance. I really need to carefully study the videos to get the technique down and should probably try a even a light 15 lb kettle ball to start with and work on my balance. The WFD was simply ugly.

That's it so far.


     





Edited by MrPeanut - 8/18/14 at 1:12pm

This and a few other youtube videos are what I am using for the open stone.


https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLD9D0D0CFABA045F2one

I am interested in the glide technique because I want to use both right and left arms, which I have actually tried.

PS: I am actually trying the hammer with both clockwise and counter-clockwise rotations.

100 lb lateral squats 3 x 10.
90 lb quads 3 x 10.
90 lb hamstring curls 3 x 10
50/60/70 lb dead lifts 3 x 10. (Took it easy for first time exercise,
ordered a backbelt)
Walked 2.5 miles.



Edited by MrPeanut - 8/18/14 at 9:27pm

Keep it up man...love the effort.

Took a week off the lifting. Muscles were a little tired.

120 lb lateral squats 3 x 10.
90 lb quads 3 x 10.
90 lb hamstring curls 3 x 10
100/110/120 lb dead lifts 3 x 10.

Doing an almond milk, soy protein isolate, peanut butter shake for breakfast in the morning.

Actually gaining some muscle mass.

Went to CA for a week (work), used the horrible little gym there.

Then did the HG demo at Parenfaire in PA.

Went to see the Classic.

Pseudo-squats 120, 130, 140.
Quads: 100, 110, 120.
Hamstrings: 105, 120, 135.
Deadlifts: 130, 140, 150.
10 for each set.

Slowly but surely increasing the weight and obvious difference in muscle tone, seem to be gaining mass. I wasn't sure I could gain at 56 years old.