Throwing makes me feel dumb
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Forum Name: Throwing Only
Forum Discription: This forum is only for discussions that relate to throwing such as results, technique, and records.
URL: http://www.nasgaweb.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16080
Printed Date: 3/26/26 at 3:59pm
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Topic: Throwing makes me feel dumb
Posted By: eclarkhb
Subject: Throwing makes me feel dumb
Date Posted: 4/24/13 at 7:12pm
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I'm a relatively new thrower - I started about a year and a half ago, and I've competed in 5 events. In my day to day life, I juggle work, family, kids, etc and for the most part I don't screw everything up. But when I'm trying to throw, I can only think about 1 or maybe 2 things at a time. Any more than that the whole thing goes to crap. For example, with WFD, it's bend my knees, keep my head up. For hammers, it's KEEP YOUR HEAD UP DUMMY! If I try to think about when to pull or separation or anything else, it blows up. I think that at some point, after throwing 1000 times or something, "Head up, bent knees" will become 2nd nature & I can add something else in... Soooooo, my question is: What are the top couple of things for a beginner to think about when throwing (any event)? Any specific piece of advice or mental cue that really helped you guys when you were starting out? Thanks! ------------- Highland Games 40+ Masters Competitor & Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt |
Replies:
Posted By: Sean
Date Posted: 4/24/13 at 7:37pm
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Varies from event to event, but I'll say this first: every thrower can really only think about 1 or 2 things at a time. You drill those until they're second nature and don't HAVE to think about them, THEN you change things. But as for cues, like I said, its different from event to event.
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Posted By: Sean
Date Posted: 4/24/13 at 7:38pm
| When I was starting out, though, if I could go back I would try to be more relaxed and stay on the balls of my feet for anything travelling and be more aware of shifting my weight from foot to foot in the hammers. |
Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:13am
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funny, I still don't think about shifting weight from foot to foot on hammers.. cues are so individual. this is going to become an incredibly long post if I get too deep, but I'll say that footwork drills are the biggest thing.
Find a great braemar stone tosser and watch them ALOT in slow motion. While standing in front of a mirror, replicate what they do. Think of the muscle contractions what muscle is putting you in what position. It wasn't until about 3 months ago I did this on stones and started making real progress.
On weights, line drills with no weight. Practice shifting weight from right to left, getting your right foot down then getting your left foot through (not pulled around) while your upper body. Look down, watch your feet, see what they're doing. After a few drills try to do it without looking. You've GOT to be able to do this without looking if you want to throw weights far.
On hammers don't let your upper body take over. Keep the ball on the right side. Two cues I use are to pull the hammer UP me, not across me. As soon as the ball gets "light" twist your torso and catch the ball. That will let your hips take over and work the weight shift like Sean is talking about.
Those are just basic cues I used for a long time. It gets much deeper. Throwing stones still makes me feel dumb, don't sweat it. |
Posted By: Sean
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:26am
| You'll throw an implement 500 more times just to feel that one that felt right. Throwing's harsh :) |
Posted By: Moosie
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:30am
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I am also a newbie. I have 3 events under my belt and have been at it almost a year. I feel comfortable with my events except the 28lb WFD. I do a single spin and hit 42 and change every time. I know i can get it out there with a double sipin but it just isn't working. Videos don't help as i can't take my computer out to throw. Any suggestions? I almost feel like I need to spray paint where each foot should land. ------------- Jim Dougherty Ned Pepper: I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man. Rooster Cogburn: Fill your hands, you son of a bitch. |
Posted By: Sean
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:38am
| Watch a lot of video in the days leading up to practice and visualize making your own body move and land like that. If you can picture it in your mind, it helps make the physical connection easier. |
Posted By: Lance Creed
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:39am
Eric, I have the same problem(s). In the past few months I developed a hypothesis where I am the first person with a highland games specific learning disorder. Apparently you are the second confirmed case. ------------- http://creedbrewing.com" rel="nofollow - Creed Brewing http://kiltedlance.tumblr.com" rel="nofollow - Kilted Lance |
eclarkhb wrote:Posted By: eclarkhb
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 10:55am
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LOL - that's so true Lance. My practice sessions are like: 1) Remind self to KEEP MY HEAD UP 2) Throw 3) Realize that I forgot to keep my head up But while I think its really easy to get discouraged, I've changed my goals for practice some & I think it's helping. Instead of constantly expecting to set distance PRs (which is not realistic), I am instead looking for more consistency. So maybe last time I threw weights 3 of 10 throws were >55', next time my goal is 4 of 10 >55. If my consistency is improving, then I think that's a good thing... ------------- Highland Games 40+ Masters Competitor & Brazilian Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt |
Posted By: TheThorpedo
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:01am
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Too many mind! Just focus on hitting your footwork and the rest will get there. Foot work and position are the biggest things! You cannot even begin to make big throws unless you are in the correct position. It will become second nature! ------------- "Crush your enemies,See them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women!" |
Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:04am
no shit huh?
I'll spend 90 minutes working on one specific aspect of an event like wfd or ostone, etc.. Right when I'm about to throw the practice in the garbage mentally, I'll have a throw that works.
Typically, that's one of the last 3 throws of the day. Many a time has this happened.
For the record. I throw 4-5 times per week, 90 minute sessions and I rotate events to specialize. Last year I was throwing 2x/day 3-4x/week throughout the season. It's not going to come overnight. You've got to put in the reps. People look at me weird when I tell them I threw 35-40 hwd tosses in one session.
If you want to be good at lwd, stop throwing it and focus on the hwd. The hwd isn't forgiving like the lwd is. You can't miss positions and still get a good throw. The lwd is just a faster version. You drill the positions with the hwd and it will 100% carry over to the lwd.
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Posted By: Sean
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:06am
Boys, I'm 16 years in and I've just recently moved on the Wendler scale from 'Shit' to 'Suck'. You guys have NOTHING on me :)
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Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:06am
this is huge.
also, a smartphone helps a lot.
also, a reason why I suggested doing the stone positions in front of a mirror.
also, video tape your throws and compare to higher level guys.
also, that's a lot of alsos..
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Posted By: Sean
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:07am
And the reverse is DEFINITELY not true.
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Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 11:09am
yeah, I wasted a lot of time figuring that out. *rolleyes*
Was very annoying to go 72-75ft lwd and 32-34 hwd with aboslutely no progress on either for months on end. Stopped throwing lwd for an entire off-season and focused on hwd. Starting inching closer to 40 with the heavy and within 2 practices with the light I was up close to 79 lwd. |
Posted By: TomLawrence
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 12:00pm
My experience as well. It was a recent revelation, and has yielded almost immediate results. ------------- Aim high. Stay hungry. |
Posted By: TheThorpedo
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 12:14pm
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However....... When it comes to hammer I find that only using the light hammer in practice helps me speed up my Heavy hammer. If I do the other way around my Light drop dramatically. I find I atart cheating and try to muscle it. ------------- "Crush your enemies,See them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women!" |
Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 12:28pm
Couldn't agree more. I've thrown the 22 hammer 3x in practice since October. The heavy is just a slower version of the light and you just need to counter harder. It's odd the way it contrasts the hwd/lwd theory. I throw the 20# hammer occasionally, the 16# hammer mainly, and the 14# hammer a bunch too.
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Posted By: Moosie
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 12:38pm
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I like that idea of filming myself and comparing to the good throwers (Mike Baab). I may have to bring a bottle of wine for the wife. Watching me throw isn't her favorite pastime. I also like the idea of throwing with a lighter hammer. I made my own hammer with PVC and free weights so changing is no problem. ------------- Jim Dougherty Ned Pepper: I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man. Rooster Cogburn: Fill your hands, you son of a bitch. |
Posted By: Juli Peterson
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 1:03pm
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I'm a bit "newer" than some of the above, but I will say the hardest part for me to catch on to throwing is separating 'concepts' from 'cues.' Orbit and Separation are mechanical concepts of an event, as I understand them. A cue is a 'do', a reminder. So to "cue" me (as people have tried, bless their hearts) to keep the hammer in my 'Orbit' wanted me to keep my hammer in their face. Maybe not that harsh, but frustrating on both our parts that I wasn't understanding. When I was then told (by Bob MacKay) to point my right hand to my right foot with the hammer, it gave me an action. I could do that. It's my nature to want to break down the mechanics of an event, tough to do when I'm struggling at a comp but I agree that watching video and seeing what someone successful is doing and comparing to how I'm struggling is becoming easier. FWIW. jp ------------- You have to stop doing that Juli, if it worked we'd all be doing it. tosabarbell.com |
Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 2:43pm
I have no idea what you're talking about here, probably why you also didn't understand. An orbit is an object that moves 360 degrees (the hammer) around another object (you) and a cue is a reminder to do something. So when watching someone throw hammer, the hammer is revolving around that person.
now that's a cue.
A "cue" I use in order for me to keep my lowest point of the orbit off to my right side is to pull my right elbow back and down as the hammer is behind me.
Every person is different and responds to different cues. The secret behind a great coach is to find what cues work for their individual athletes. It can be as sophisticated as "trap the ball" for the stone, or as simple as "point your right hand to your right foot" for the hammer. |
Posted By: Juli Peterson
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 4:53pm
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Just so I'm clear, I think we're on the same page. Concept: An orbit is an object that moves 360 degrees (the hammer) around another object (you) and a cue is a reminder to do something. So when watching someone throw hammer, the hammer is revolving around that person. Cue: It can be as sophisticated as "trap the ball" for the stone, or as simple as "point your right hand to your right foot" for the hammer. My original statement: ...but I will say the hardest part for me to catch on to throwing is separating 'concepts' from 'cues.' I will rephrase but it's new to me to argue agreements: In competition, the hardest part for me to understand is when well meaning folks give me a concept to process instead of a cue. Since it helps me to break down the mechanics of a throw, thus increasing my understanding of a concept, hopefully in time I'll be able to come up with useful cue's or at the very least understand what helpful people are talking about. This may have given me a headache. jp ------------- You have to stop doing that Juli, if it worked we'd all be doing it. tosabarbell.com |
Posted By: jsully
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 5:02pm
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I think I get what you're saying. You mean when someone says "you need a wider/longer orbit" and you're like "wtf"?? The cue for that is to reach more. Loosen up, allow the hammer ball to get as far away from you as possible vs pulling it in and bending your arms.
Is that what you're talking about? Someone says "fix this" but leaves you stranded with no idea how to "fix this"?
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Posted By: Lance Creed
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 5:14pm
Says the guy with "9th Best in the World 2010" in his profile! ------------- http://creedbrewing.com" rel="nofollow - Creed Brewing http://kiltedlance.tumblr.com" rel="nofollow - Kilted Lance |
Posted By: Juli Peterson
Date Posted: 4/25/13 at 5:23pm
 YES!!!!!!! ------------- You have to stop doing that Juli, if it worked we'd all be doing it. tosabarbell.com |
Posted By: matt
Date Posted: 5/02/13 at 7:23pm
| With any new throwers you cant do enough drills .It takes a long time and many hundred to thousand rotations to fully understand where you are and what your doing in complex turns ,After thirty odd years of throwing i still had black spots with in a throws where i guess you just hope for the best.Just try turning down a straight line 180deg each time,arms out and head up for as many as you can trying to stay on the line.This helped alot when i was struggling. |
Posted By: brandell
Date Posted: 5/02/13 at 7:51pm
| Matt didn't you say you had a 10lb plate or something like it that had a place to hold it as you did that drill? |