2009 Goals and Training

[Chase]

Well, that was a bit of a put-off...

I think I'm more worried about the embarrassment...I don't expect to win, but I definitely don't want to lose.

[Alan H]

Well, that was a bit of a put-off...

I think I'm more worried about the embarrassment...I don't expect to win, but I definitely don't want to lose.

I'd say this...if you're really horrified by the possibility that you might finish last in your group, then you probably shouldn't do this. If your primary motivator would be to "beat the other guys" then this might not be the sport for you. If you are significantly concerned with looking like a fool if your technique isn't as good as the other guys on the field, then this probably isn't the sport for you. If you're really, honestly bothered by the fact that a significant number of the guys on the field will weigh 25-50 pounds more than you do, then Highland Athletics might not be the thing for you.

But if you enjoy challenging yourself, and competing against yourself, primarily...and the other guys secondarily....

If you can clap a buddy on the back when he beats you, and buy him a beer and be genuinely happy when he hits a PR that puts you in second place....

if you truly understand the rewards of challenging yourself and getting better, and see those rewards as greater than the reward of "beating the other guys".... if a PR is a better reward for you than winning your class....

....then the Highland Athletics might be for you.

I mean this post absolutely seriously and I offer it in all good faith and totally NOT as a put-down.

[Drillagent]

But if you enjoy challenging yourself, and competing against yourself, primarily...and the other guys secondarily....

If you can clap a buddy on the back when he beats you, and buy him a beer and be genuinely happy when he hits a PR that puts you in second place....

if you truly understand the rewards of challenging yourself and getting better, and see those rewards as greater than the reward of "beating the other guys".... if a PR is a better reward for you than winning your class....

....then the Highland Athletics might be for you.

I mean this post absolutely seriously and I offer it in all good faith and totally NOT as a put-down.

Ok, now I am INSPIRED!! Here we go. My buddy and I have been trying to gather equipment and learn technique in order to compete next season. I personally have been hitting the iron pretty heavy and I'm doing pretty well if I do say so myself. Just yesterday I squated 300lbs for five reps. A personal best. And I bench more than my bodyweight three sets of 10. I'm in better shape now than when I was in my 20s. I'm 42 years old and 5'9" 240lbs (I'd like to get leaner).

With it being the off season and with the weather, I'm looking for exercises I can do to help with my explosiveness. Can you all recommend some weightlifting exercises that I can do in a gym that will help in this area? I guess I need to sign up for the forum on NASGA as well.

Thanks for the inspiration and advice. This is the kind of stuff that makes me even more proud of my Scottish heritage!! ARDCHOILLE!!

[Alan H]

I'm 42 years old and 5'9" 240lbs (I'd like to get leaner).

With it being the off season and with the weather, I'm looking for exercises I can do to help with my explosiveness. Can you all recommend some weightlifting exercises that I can do in a gym that will help in this area? I guess I need to sign up for the forum on NASGA as well.

Lord, do I need to get leaner!!! In terms of throwing though, mass moves mass, so losing 20-30 pounds will be good for your health, but if that weight isn't slowing down your footwork, it won't help your throwing. Then again, your health and how you feel is a lot more important than how far you throw a big stick, eh? So do what's wise for your body.

Excercise for explosiveness....google the term "plyometrics" and read about them.

A really good simple exercise is to get a sturdy box (plywood) that's about 2- 2.5 feet tall, and jump up on it....then hop down and jump up again. Do this over and over until your heart is pumping hard, or you're worried you won't make it up on the box, will catch a toe and smack your knee. You can try jumping up on the box sideways, as well...that's a lot harder! i'm always embarrassed in the gym here at Stanford. The track guys..distance runners and sprinters, and the volleyball players leap up to a 3 foot box, over and over and over again. It's amazing. I can do about a dozen or twenty hops up on what I think is a two foot box and the last couple are dicey!


If your knees are in really good shape, then pick up 20 pounds in each hand, and jump up from a semi-crouch until your feet clear the floor. Do it until your heart rate says S*TOP* or you can't clear the floor any more. Do this on a soft floor, for gods sake don't do this on a concrete garage floor. Do NOT do this exercise at all if you have a bum knees, and don't do it every time you hit the gym even if you have 20-year old knees. When you land, take up the shock of impact by keeping your knees bent.

I've been doing squats with a ball, against the wall...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIBYqM9xHA0
http://www.criticalbench.com/exercis...wall-squat.htm

Actual squats, or leg presses just kill my lower back, I simply can not do them or I'm miserable after 2-3 workouts. Even squats with the weight on a hip belt messes me up, but squats done like in that video seem ok. I can pick up 20-30 lbs in each hand and do squats that way and it works for me. Sure, it's not monster weight, but it's a lot better than not doing them at all.

Team the ball-wall squats up with box-jumping and you're on your way.

Some of the guys at NASGA really advocate tethering yourself to a sled with weight, and dragging it around the field to build quadriceps strength. I have to say I think that sounds pretty good. It's a lot of motion, it builds strength and it also builds lower body acceleration. I haven't done it yet, but I gotta say, the principle sounds pretty good to me. On e good thing about it is that it's not the exact same move, over and over again. As throwers we have to remember that we're not actually in the gym to GET STRONG. We're in the gym to THROW FAR, and those two things are not exactly the same, although they're related.

http://www.everythingtrackandfield.c...leweightedsled

You can drop $150 on a steel sled, or you can make one out of half-inch or three-eighths inch plywood and 2 x 4 scraps. I've read so much about this that I think I'm going to do it in February if my back will let me get back into it.....build a sled, drop a 50 lb bag of sand on it, strap it to a belt around my waist and haul it around a grass field. if that's not enough, I'll put my 21 lb braemar stone on too, instead, or if it's too much I'll just use the braemar by itself.

It's cheap workout.

All of these things are good for explosive lower body strength.

[Detroitpete]

Well, that was a bit of a put-off...

I think I'm more worried about the embarrassment...I don't expect to win, but I definitely don't want to lose.

Chase,

After my knee injury (non games related) I sat on the sidelines and watched for a year. I'm being totally honest when I say, the ONLY time you lose, is when you don't get in there.

[Alan H]

What Pete said.

You can say to yourself..."I'm not good enough, yet"... and sit on the sidelines and watch.

or

You can say to yourself "I'm going to give it a go!"....and be one of the lads out on the field DOING IT (and sure, maybe sometimes not doing it terribly well, eh? Been there.).

There's nothing wrong with watching, eh? I mean, if you have a truly bum knee, then you have to be careful. And it must be said that some folks don't have any interest, they'd RATHER watch. And there's a few of us who literally CAN"T do it for reasons of getting hurt or whatever. All that said...uh....you CAN be one of the lads out there DOING IT. You just have to decide that it's gonna be *you*.

There's always going to be someone better than you are. What they heck, who cares? Read the Nike commercial again!