Neeed Hammer Spikes!

[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