That Sound? Rubber Hitting Road.

**Alan H** · 25th April 12, 09:42 AM

For some inspiration, go look at the "Highland Games in ICELAND" thread in the parent forum to this one. Watch the video. Trust me on this.

**Kinetikat** · 26th April 12, 01:43 AM

That was just excellent stuff, Alan, very inspirational!

**Kinetikat** · 29th April 12, 04:41 AM

OK, been throwing this morning.

Bloody freezing, especially after yesterday's gorgeous kindly sunshine, the wind on the hill was enough to shred the skin off your face, but hey.

Standing throw of 8lb stone: 19 feet.
Reasonably happy with this, worked a lot on hitting the power positions and COMMITTING TO THE TURN - ie not worrying about the trig so much.

1-turn 14lb WFD: 23 feet.
Woop de doo! The 23 footer was a bit of a fluke, as I was chucking it 19 feet for the rest of the time, but I can feel my technique getting better. The 23-footer happened when I was thinking sternly of Craig Sinclair's approach and not worrying so much about sending it straight 90 degrees out from the trig. Got it to 20 foot a couple of times when trying to reproduce the 23-footer.

**Alan H** · 30th April 12, 10:21 AM

I take it that you now have a 14 pound weight/chain/handle? EXCELLENT.

**Kinetikat** · 5th May 12, 11:02 PM

Um, not yet - Mr. Metal Fabrication Guy is being grumpy and uncommunicative, as if he's doing me a favour, not a paid job. If this continues I'll take it off him and bestow my favours at the cheaper end of the Tyne Valley where my wish will be their command, pet.
In the meantime, I weighed my laughable kettle-bell on a string affair, and found it to be heavier than I thought at almost 14lb. That steel ring handle!

**Alan H** · 6th May 12, 08:43 AM

shotput/stones video for you. Do what I SAY, not what we DO, by the way! It's a long video with a lot of talking. I made this several years ago. It was good to watch it again, I should do these...especially the stomp/block on the left side.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD3zFC1M_Yo

**Kinetikat** · 16th May 12, 05:53 AM

OK,now getting 22-24ft reliably with a 1-spin WFD, and am considering putting in an extra spin, though my distance perversely goes down when I do so at the moment!
Still chucking the stones about the same distance, so am working on the technique and leg power.
HAMMER - broke the damn thing yesterday! was doing my last 6-whirl drill, whacked the thing down to one side a bit hard, and the head snapped clean off. Grrr. Back to the workshop double quick for repairs! Am pretty pleased with the hammer throw - can reliably whirl it three times round my head and chuck it without falling over now, so am fairly happy.
Caber... bloody hell's donkeys, I'm bruised! My poor old collarbone is a mass of ouchiness, and I have caber-hickies on my shoulder and neck. Bah! There HAS to be a way of padding the collarbone when you're not built like Dan McKim!
Talking of whom, I've come to the conclusion that McKim's super-high lift is probably not a great idea unless you're really tall and really strong. And as the Games cabers I encounter are most likely going to be quite a bit heavier than my modest 12-footer, I'd be better off leaving the thing a little lower and focusing on my run and pull.

**Alan H** · 16th May 12, 11:40 AM

Re: caber kisses....half of an old bathroom towel, tucked under your shirt to pad the damaged area, is a popular solution. Me, personally....I just figure that the kisses are a badge of honor.

I also don't lift anywhere near as high as Dan does. Having my elbows bent and hands at about navel level works for me.

Pick...run... stop and *instantly* POP the caber with the hips and legs. PULL with the arms, pull until you"re shaking hands with the sky gods... but the *real* force of the toss comes from an ultra-explosive KABOOM with your legs.

**Alan H** · 16th May 12, 11:44 AM

Video, girlfriend.....video. Both 0ld_dude and I can help with suggestions, if you post video. GGGP knows a thing or two, as well...so do AZ_wildcat and Joshua.