TRAINING LOG: Ketchem/Dickens

geez, i haven't posted in a bit.  Been throwing and perfecting my Ron Howard for Saturday at Southern Maryland.

Heck of games there in MD!  Way to go!

have been training something along this schedule:

tues - stone and hammer, speed squats
thurs - weights - speed press
sat - throw most/all events with volume
sunday - speed push/pull

worked most of these in, but had to skip a couple

I was down in NC for work all last week.  Living out of a hotel and having coworkers who wanted to have a good time after work each day was a little rough.  But, I managed to get two decent lifting sessions in (even if I was a tad hungover).

2 May    Snatch/Squat
dwu
lite snatches - 135 x 2 x 5 sets
speed squat - upto 315 x 2 x 5



3 May  Speed push/pull
dwu
PP - upto 225 x 2 x 4 sets
RDL PS - upto 315 x 2 x 4 sets
Bench -  upto a 315x2

I was surprised with how easy the bench was going up.  Intended on doing a couple of lite sets for speed.  But, took it up to a little bit of weight, instead.

Jeez, that looks like roadkill on my face.

Had strep throat over the weekend and into Tuesday.  Hit a light speed workout on Wednesday.

All about speed:

dwu
snatch - upto 155 for several sets of doubles
bench - 135 for several sets of doubles
jump squat - 135 several sets of 3

12May12   Frederick Highland Games write up:

This was the best competition I've had so far in my career.  4 PRs and the rest were very close.

The numbers:

Braemar - 38'8" pr   (1st)
OS - 49'   (1st)
HWFD - 39'3" pr     (3rd)
LWFD - 76'3"     (3rd)
HH - 107'3" pr    (1st)
LH - 129'9" pr     (1st)
caber - 16'6"x140 x 1145   (2nd)
WOB - 14'   (tied 1st)

Overall - 1st

The braemar was listed as 25# but it tucked nicely and I was getting a great push on it.  I think all my throws were 37+.  The work I put in on my standing throws during the OS and so far this year has paid off.  I had a PR at SoMD, and bested it by over a foot here.  It really comes down to having seriously engaging the left side and blocking.  Something I haven't really done well or at all in years past.
Open stone was good too, though I never really got ahold of one.  I didn't really get my head up on the 49 footer.   The box had a slight slope and I think the slight reach to get the left down threw me off a tad.   I am looking for 50' before the year is out.
HWFD went well.  All 3 throws were over 38', with a big PR on the 3rd.  John Collins followed me and blasted it out to 40'1" and then Beau blew past that with a big 40'10".  I have most of these throws on video.  Was a real pleasure to see John and Beau break the 401' barrier after all these years.  And, it was like de ja vu to see the three of us one upping each other in each event.
LWFD went pretty well, but I feel like I was just a hair off with it.  I continue to be just off of really big throws with both.  Anyway, I hit the 76'3" on my final throw just to have John and Beau one up me, again. 
The hammers started a little shaky with me just missing both of my first two HH throws.  I went into my last throw trailing John by over a foot.  I was able to get sync'd up with it and hit a 101+ for the win.  Big Mike P was taking extras, so I rolled with him and got ahold of a new PR out at 107'3".  This felt great and I could tell that it was a good throw when I released it.
LH started out with a monster (for me) throw.  Of the 6 throws, all were over 125 with 3 over 127.  In looking at pics that Alex took, I see that I can lay out more and extend my arms more.  I think that I can continue to push the hammers and hopefully break 130 with the light this year.
Caber was interesting b/c we did a qualifier for the crowd before lunch, but came back and did the event for scores later.  Both cabers looked tougher than they were.  The competition caber was thick, heavy, with basically no taper, but only 16' or so long.  So, not to difficult to turn.
WOB was a little disappointing, but at this point I was pretty smoked.  I simply didn't throw it high enough on my first two attempts at 15', and had the height but left it out front on the 3rd.

All in all, a very fun and satisfying day.  The work I did in the off season has definitely paid off, both the strength/power development and technical work.  I am a little bit stronger/more powerful than I've ever been.  And, I am technically the best I've ever been.  So, the results are what I had hoped for and expected.

It was a real pleasure throwing and hanging out with Mike Pockoski, Eric Frasure, Jeremy Gillingham, and Mike Zolkowicz (I hope I spelled that right).   These guys are great throwers and class acts.  They didn't put on any airs and were happy to provide tips and pointers to us all, and they talked smack with us, too.  If you get a chance to take part in a Pro/Am I hope you have pro's like these to share the field with.  I think competing alongside them elevated all of our efforts.

Lastly, let me thank the MASA and Frederick crews for providing a great venue for us.  It was a great time.


Edited by phatmiked - 5/17/12 at 12:25pm

Those are some big throws.  Consistent in every event.  Good mix of strength, power, and technical improvements in the off-season.  Even bigger throws coming. Nice work.

Video from the 2012 Frederick Celtic Festival Pro/Am Heavy Events competition in Frederick, MD. 

Video includes throws from four Pros:  Jeremy Gillingham, Eric Frasure, Mike Pockoski, and Mike Zolkiewicz and 6 Ams:  Me, Beau Fay, BJ Ketchem, John Collins, David Marble, and Jerry Witzman.   There a few PRs on this video including my 38'8" Braemar, my 39'3" 56# HWFD, Beau's huge 40'10" 56 HWFD, and my 129'9" Light Hammer.  Enjoy!

http://teamdickens.org/videos/view/2012-frederick-celtic-festival-proam

MWC report:  bonked and came in 3rd.  Not to take anything away from Braidy and Brent Miller.  They threw well all day and deserved 1st and 2nd.  Great throwers and great sportsmen.

write up and video coming soon on http://teamdickens.org

The nation grows.  More cool pics to come . . .  



   

Super-endorsement imo.  

Some HWFD and LH practice from last week.  There is a nice action sequence around 3:48 . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nz9-NWdsis

Border Highland Games Wars.  sounds like a great idea for a new reality show.

some lifting today.  nothing to heavy, just stayin' alive in prep for the AK HG

dwu
PP - 225x2x5 sets
RDL Hi Pulls - 225x3x4 sets
hang leg raise - 10x2

yo diggity

Put down the Reese's Big Cup.  It will help with the getting healthier thang.   Oh, yes I did.