Caber questions/problems...!!!
Printed From: Nasgaweb
Category: Nasgaweb Forums
Forum Name: Training
Forum Discription: This forum is for discussion about training for the Scottish Heavy Events.
URL: http://www.nasgaweb.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=817
Printed Date: 3/26/26 at 9:49pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 10.11 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Caber questions/problems...!!!
Posted By: kiltedrussian66
Subject: Caber questions/problems...!!!
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 8:59am
| First and foremost my main problem is that I have no access to a caber.What kind of execises or equipment can simulate a caber..I know there is no replacing the real thing.The caber is by far my worse event.All help is greatly appreciated..Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: M-BAAB
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 10:08am
| russian - go get a landscaper post - about 8' - kinda round - cheap- you can use it to practice picks and throws . When you get better , move to a barnpole - you can find them at builder's supply places - maybe $25 -all diameters - about 16 ' or so . |
Posted By: Roy Bogue
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 10:58am
|
Aside from specific lifts a really good thing you can do is simple dry runs. Run like you have a caber in your hands and work on the timing of your plant/pull, the timing of the plant and pull is the most critical part of turning a caber IMO. Anticipate the pull before you are fully planted so that you actually start the pull when you do plant, this prevents loss of momentum, and having the caber fall to far from you. Drill your hips forward, extend to the tips of your toes and make sure you pull all the way above your head (lift) and then pull back behind your head (tourque) pull complete. You should finish on the balls of your feet with your back arched and hands actually behind your head. STOIC! ------------- Donate lately? |
Posted By: Wayne Hill
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 12:33pm
|
Roy, all that you say is good advice, and particularly the idea of
anticipating the pull before you're fully planted. This is one of
the least-appreciated aspects of the event. With that said, I
suspect that Michael just plain needs a practice caber. There's
nothing like picking, controlling, and accelerating with a caber to
teach you to, well, pick, control, and accelerate with a caber. Michael, there is absolutely NO replacing the real thing. If you don't have room to store a caber, then you're in serious trouble: you just have to get around this somehow. Maybe you could find a place to store one at a local school or park. If (or, I should say, once) you've got a place to store it, getting a good caber might not be too easy, depending on where you live. It doesn't matter, though, because you can build a pretty darn good practice caber from three 16'-long 2x6's. If you glue and screw the boards together and round off the butt for a decent grip, you'll end up with a practice caber that will serve you very well. I've got one of these, and it's stood up to an incredible amount of abuse (which would have broken 99.9% of competition cabers). It rates a 750 by the Bradshaw formula, putting it solidly in the middle of A-class cabers. -Wayne ------------- "We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby |
Posted By: Dave Carl
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 2:20pm
|
Michael, When you get settled, make the drive due west 1.5 hours. I have a few that you can use. It doesn't do you much good now, but it will in the near future. -Dave ------------- DAVE'S GRIDDLE COOKIES ~THEY MAY MAKE YOU THROW FARTHER~ |
Posted By: Tim
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 3:56pm
|
One thing I would add to what Roy says is that "Speed Kills".
First, get your technique down as he says- use your legs and hips and
follow throw with your arms. It is important to get this down
first. Once you've gotten the form, you need to add speed to your
run. Once you've picked the caber, you need to visuallize where
you want to go and where you want to plant. You have to get as
much speed as possible (especially for smaller guys like me) and come
to a quick and sudden stop. Then you go with Roy's advice.
But again, learn the technique first. Speed kills, speed kills.
------------- "Remember, you don't take respect, you can only give it." Myles Wetzel-Forum post 10/2/07 Rock the House |
Posted By: Wayne Hill
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 4:30pm
|
Actually, you've got a good point about speed. I was really
struggling with my practice caber for quite a while, because I wasn't
really controlling it: I'd pick it and immediately try to get
going, and never really have good control. To get past this, I
decided I'd practice by just picking it and controlling it: I
allowed myself to move forward or backward, or side-to-side to
gain/retain control, but no running allowed. When I was about to
lose it, I'd just drop it. Finally, I picked it, controlled it, and said to myself, "ah, what the heck", and planted and pulled, and it turned. I wouldn't say that cabers have been easy ever since, but they've been a heck of a lot easier. -Wayne ------------- "We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby |
Posted By: McBain1975
Date Posted: 4/23/05 at 4:43pm
|
I like to use different sized cabers in my practice. 8 foot, 12 foot, 16 foot and 20 foot. They weigh in size from Dave Carl weight to Mike Brown. In the gym, I do explosive squats and cleans to practice caber. Also try to do a two-handed front raise with a dumbell. Put your hands close to how they would be on a caber on the dumbbell and practice exploding up with it as if you were tossing a caber. Do it for 6 reps, rest, 6 reps, rest, 6 reps. I used to do this a lot a couple of years ago and it seemed to pay off. When I stopped using it, along with my different sized cabers last year, I payed the price. Now I am back to the old school way. ------------- N�l m� ag duine le daoine. |
Posted By: BillB
Date Posted: 4/24/05 at 12:20pm
Mike,call me.I lost your cell # somewhere.Or maybe my wife pitched it?You are the anti-Christ to her. Either way give me a buzz.Just got back from Carbondale.Chris Snider was there and said you could train with him.Dudes a trip.Gotta train with someone that has a caber.Kinda like boxing,you can train all you want,but you don't how good you are until you get hit. ------------- Vae Victus |
Posted By: Wayne Hill
Date Posted: 4/24/05 at 12:51pm
|
Uh, right, but perhaps not the best analogy to use in this particular case. -Wayne ------------- "We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby |
Posted By: BillB
Date Posted: 4/24/05 at 1:08pm
|
Yeah I know,but I know Mike quite well.He'll get it.Taking a shot from a caber could hurt a little worse.I for one don't stand around if I start to loose one.I'll take a dive every time to avoid a KO. ------------- Vae Victus |
Posted By: Edward
Date Posted: 4/24/05 at 6:41pm
|
There is no substitute for practicing with a real caber. I'm a newbie, but had to go cut one to use for practice. It's stored outside, so I won't last. I approached the state conservation department where I live, Missouri, and they helped me to cut one of state land. No charge. I now have a 20' 4" poplar that weighs about 130# to 150#. The weight is a total guess, I have no idea how to weigh it. It's dried 6 weeks, bark off. I can pick it, but not turn it yet. I also have a 14' about 85# caber I cut out of my back yard. Same 6 weeks drying, bark off. I can turn it pretty regularly, 10 of 12 times on Sunday afternoons. But it's not as straight as one would like. I will try to post a picture at some point. But it will have to be after next weekend. No pictures right now. ------------- Ed |
Posted By: Tim Pinkerton
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 3:02am
|
Barn poles or telephone poles would be your best bet if you are not one to go "lumberjackin". The cabers that Sean and I train on are all telephone/barn poles. You can get the sizes you want and/or cut them to your needs. Most lumber yard will have them. You can train for power and quickness all you want in the weight room but there is nothing to substitute for the caber its self. The timing is important but so is just having it lean on you, picking it, and balancing it. There is a huge difference at a games if you have been practicing. Instead of freaking out when you step up the the caber it feels like just another day of practice. You can relax and focus more on turning a 12 instead of wondering if you'll even pick it. Find one, it is worth the search! ------------- "Big ain't Strong...Strong is Strong." Visit our training page at: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Get-U-Fit-Training-Systems/119414814828174 - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Get-U-Fit-Training-Systems/ 119414814828174 |
Posted By: Silverback
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 3:20am
| Run? |
Posted By: C. Smith
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 3:38am
|
Someday you will run....you will have no choice. But then again, i'm probably not one to talk, as i don't own a caber and have never practiced it. |
Posted By: Mike Wills
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 4:37am
|
I'm with Myles. Run??? I thought you got more points if you just pick it and pull it. ------------- |
Posted By: C. Smith
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 4:58am
You can show me a few weeks Mike.... 
|
Posted By: Mike Wills
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 6:02am
|
I am definitely the one you want to take technique pointers from Craig!!! I'll have your throws down to B class level in no time. ------------- |
Posted By: Coach Mac
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 7:47am
|
Some thoughts: V-E-L-O-C-I-T-Y is the number one
componenet in ANY throw...so if we wanted you to NOT be sccessful...DON'T run...! PLACEBO Caber tossing...back in the day...Stan Russell would run with a sack of cement or "wet" sand...you can use a metal pipe (12 -15 feet) aluminum light poles are AWESOME (check with Cal Trans or your local street dept. for wrecked ones) Big PVC will work as well. I would practice the pick OVER and OVER again as this is where MOST throws are lost...! Gotta go to class ! ------------- Have a GREAT Day ! Rob " Coach Mac " Mac Kay |
Posted By: Wayne Hill
Date Posted: 4/25/05 at 10:40am
Yeah, but you have to BELIEVE it's a caber. -Wayne ------------- "We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby |
Coach Mac wrote:Posted By: kiltedrussian66
Date Posted: 4/26/05 at 4:46am
| I can`t thank everybody enough for the help..I'm gonna try a couple of the suggestions mentioned and will definitely update everyone on my progress.BillB I PM`ed ya..and DaveCarl you also..Again thank you very much for the help. |
Posted By: willy j
Date Posted: 4/27/05 at 2:40am
|
THE most important tool you can own as a caber freak....The drawknife. If you cut down cedar you'll want to get the bark off so it can dry and cure properly. The drawknife makes this process oddly enjoyable. Cedar is the bomb diggity when it comes to caber harvests! Plus it smells awesome -Jason I |
Posted By: willy j
Date Posted: 4/27/05 at 2:41am
|
sorry, wrong post. -Jason I |
Posted By: Silverback
Date Posted: 4/28/05 at 4:30am
| The Sierra Club just called and said they were going to protest me. I told them I don't cut them, I just toss em. They don't like them cut or tossed it seems and are going to protest Willy J and I at the next practice. Hope they have better luck than that marching band last year. Wait till they hear how Larry Brock treats a pine tree removing all the tacky. |
Posted By: Tim
Date Posted: 4/28/05 at 1:59pm
Yes, Larry is like a pine vampire. He bites into it and sucks out
all the resin to use for his cult of the undead caber tossers.
All who use his tackey have an immortal hold on any implement they
grasp.
------------- "Remember, you don't take respect, you can only give it." Myles Wetzel-Forum post 10/2/07 Rock the House |
Posted By: Wayne Hill
Date Posted: 4/28/05 at 2:27pm
|
Hey, that's supposed to be a secret! So much for our competitive advantage. <sheesh> -Wayne ------------- "We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby |
Posted By: Deakion
Date Posted: 5/04/05 at 3:47am
Nice bro, I totally agree, especially with the "Instead of" part Oh yea Jason I. email me bro mailto:Deakion@yahoo.com - Deakion@yahoo.com ------------- Jonathan Irvin And they shall know no fear. |
Posted By: BigdogEMT
Date Posted: 5/04/05 at 5:11pm
|
Do you all suggest trying to pick a light caber or a green heavy for control pratice? I am in the same boat as alot of us with no caber to pratice with. I might have to look into the barn pole. But just wondering about the weight. Terry Lawson ------------- “The hard stuff we do right away, the impossible stuff takes a little longer!” |
Posted By: Wayne Hill
Date Posted: 5/05/05 at 1:21am
|
If you've got no caber, you're much better off picking almost anything
than you are just lifting weights. In fact, my first caber turn
came in picking practice: I picked it with no intention of
pulling, just intended to pick it and control it. As soon as it
started to lean too much to control, I'd drop it. In this
particular case (about pick number 100 or so), I picked it and just
stood there, finally saying, "ah, what the heck," dipped, pulled, and
turned it. I personally don't think you need a particularly heavy caber for practice. Length is more useful, but again it doesn't need to be anything heroic. My practice caber is 16' long and 85 lbs, but frankly it doesn't have to be even that heavy to be useful. In competition, cabers always feel lighter. A 115-120 lb caber feels no heavier to me than my practice caber. Now, the main trick with caber control is that, until you're used to it, by the time you realize which direction the caber's leaning, it's too late to correct with a small control input. Thus, what you're trying to learn is pretty subtle. It's not at all difficult to hurt yourself with a caber, so give it a lot of respect: as soon as it starts to go, just drop it, plain and simple, and get away from it. The other big trick with caber tossing is pulling before it leans away from you very much. Ideally, it passes through vertical as you get to the bottom of your dip, but with the top of the caber moving forward. Thus, you pull more or less straight up on the butt, getting a max effect on the center of gravity of the caber, and let the caber's forward momentum handle the turning in the air. In practice, this means you dip for your pull earlier than you think you should. The other practical effect is that your dip and pull should be done in one motion. There's a strong temptation to dip and then sit there waiting. Waiting for what? After you do your pull, you realize you were waiting for failure. As Roy Bogue suggested, you should be thinking about starting your pull even before you have completed your dip. -Wayne ------------- "We may be small, but we're slow." - MIT Rugby |
Posted By: will barron
Date Posted: 5/05/05 at 3:39am
| it is this exact timing that I still - after 10 yrs competing - still suck at. |
Posted By: G-man
Date Posted: 5/05/05 at 4:20am
|
I live in a forest of cabers and practice it all the time
but I still suck!!! |
Posted By: One Norse
Date Posted: 5/06/05 at 3:33am
|
Couple of comments: 1) I'm in the camp in favor of building a caber out of 2x6. They are relatively inexpensive, incredibly tough, and can be had by anyone with access to a lumber yard. I cut a taper into the bottom half of the boards with a Skil saw before gluing and screwing them together. I have a 16' that I made last summer, and I'll be building a longer one this summer. 2) One thing that helped me early on, before I had my own caber, was to practice the pick, run and pull with a good sized rock. it will not substitute for the real thing in terms of balance, but it did help me learn a little more about the plant and pull part of the throw. ------------- Steve Jystad You are only given a little spark of madness -- you mustn't lose it. Robin Williams |
Posted By: kiltedrussian66
Date Posted: 5/06/05 at 9:03am
 Oh yeah pick and pull...you guys make it sound so easy...but I must say a lot of the little tidbits are helping..I just can't wait to actually try them on a caber.!
|