Neeed Hammer Spikes!

[Kinetikat]

Aha, right! 'Cos it's my shoulders (the right one particularly) that are really hurting today, NOT my hips! Though my 'core' is definitely feeling it. So I'm evidently using my shoulders too much at the moment.

I will take your advice re: the womanly assets and looking up too. I think that plus the knee bend must be the key to keeping the dam' thing off the floor! That makes sense, physically speaking - by bending the knees and basically tilting your torso backwards, you get out of the way of the hammer and enable the wind to be 'flatter'. Of course, you also enable yourself to fall flat on your bum too, but that's beside the point...

Ooh, I can see I'm going to ache for the next while! But hey, by the time I'm done my core is gonna be pure steel, baby - PURE BRITISH STEEL!

[o1d_dude]

We all hit the ground on occasion regardless of height.

The reason for this is that we try to stand upright when our knees should be bending forward and our head and shoulders should be leaning backwards. I call this the Highlands Hula.

If you have a camera that can shoot video and a tripod, you really should watch video of yourself throwing. It's humbling to watch yourself commit all the technique faults you think you have overcome. Trust me on this one.

[Kinetikat]

What did Alan mean when he said that one thing (apart from 'eyes and assets UP') that'll enable me to throw further in Hammer is "wind to the right"?

[Alan H]

OK, when you practice flailing that hammer around, for starters, you're just going to try to keep it balanced. Step #1 is being able to wind it around your head 6-8 times without falling on your butt. Step #2 is being able to wind it 2-3 times and then heave it over your shoulder out into the field without falling on your butt. Step #3 is being able to do all that and not foul by stepping over the board.

When you are at step #3, which might take one or two practices, you are ready to throw at a Games. Theres' a lot left to learn, but you can go throw.

step #4 is to move the axis of the wind off to one side. If you're a right hander, it will be to your right side.

watch Brian in this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umriFmAke1g

Do you see how the circle that the hammer head makes is not directly in front of him? It's off to his right side.

Larry Brock... again, the circle that the hammer head makes is NOT directly in front of him during the first two winds...it's REALLY off to one side on the first one, somewhat less so on the second one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Td4eP...eature=related

Note that Larry is looking straight up into the sky when he releases the hammer.

OK, you know Steven Aitkin, here's his brother, Bruce.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYSwT...eature=related

Again, the hammer/shoulder rotation starts out WAY over on the right side and then as the thrower builds speed, it goes more centered. Look up throughout the whole thing, but when you actually THROW the hammer, look STRAIGHT up.

[o1d_dude]

Alan's just trying to be impartial and now play favorites to his home field.

Here's one that was shot in the Stanford University Stadium back in 1998.

Ryan Vierra throws the light hammer REALLY far

[Kinetikat]

Sorry if this sounds like a REALLY silly question, but I thought you weren't supposed to move your feet when throwing the hammer? All these guys take a step with one foot when they've released the hammer - is that OK?

[azwildcat96]

Sorry if this sounds like a REALLY silly question, but I thought you weren't supposed to move your feet when throwing the hammer? All these guys take a step with one foot when they've released the hammer - is that OK?

From NASGA rules, "The hammer will be thrown with the feet in a fixed position. There is no approach allowed in the hammer throw. The competitor may move his feet after the hammer is released...All fouls besides the backline foul still apply."

So basically, keep your feet planted until after the relases, and if you move your feet after, keep them inside the trig.

[Kinetikat]

Thanks Wildcat!