Training has been a difficult and I haven't had much of a season. The reason behind it is technique. In April Dr. B came back from a training camp and switched me back to three turns. He said that I would have foul troubles because on my first turn I'd "jump behind" meaning, instead of moving the hammer around my body I was moving my body backwards. This switch affected my mental preparation for the season.
One of the keys to being a good athlete is trusting your coach. I'll admit it was hard at times but things have come around since then. I've had training PB's with the 5kg (72.03), 10kg (47.35), 8.5kg (55.20)
So far we've worked on my entry and staying in longer double support. His cue is "entry same final" which means push the ball around and over my left leg.
I have a competition in Kelowna this weekend. My main focus is to compete well and work on my entry.
After that I'll be competing at the CAC games in Puerto Rico on the 25th of July.

The Lesser of Two Evils

Out of the swamp marsh and into the wind. The new circles are nice however, we sit on a plateau that could serve as a wind turbine location for the city of Kamloops, or better yet a great area to throw a new world record in the discus. On a warm non-windy day it will be a throwers paradise, even if its only 40 days out of the year.
There are two discus circles and two hammer rings. We have very wide concrete pads and fencing that extend out for protection. The landing area is semi-hard clay/rock and is good for finding your marks.

As far as my training is concerned, its going alright. I'm still on one-a-days and Dr. B changed my program this morning to the 5.5kg. Its a sets workout and is a bit time consuming but the lifting is a bit easier. My legs are a bit sore and its the first day. Tomorrow is a rest day. I'm looking to get over 70m with this implement.

I've also decided against competing right as outdoors start. I have a little longer season and I still need to get more reps in with four turns. I'm hoping to open in Kamloops in early May.

Outdoors

On March 1st we had our first training session outside. It feels great to be outside so early on in the season. My first few throws with the competition weight felt great and so far it seems that all my hard work in the winter is going to pay off. There is a meet in Seattle on the 13th of March that I might throw at but I'm not sure right now. I will post some video and marks soon.

As a side note, a fellow teammate of mine, Ronald Forbes recently qualified for the World Indoors in the 60mh. I wish him the best and I'm proud that the Cayman Islands will be represented there.

Other Blogs

Hey guys, below are a few links to other throwing blogs/websites that may be of interest.
They are both from my training partners and are great places to get more information about our training system.

http://www.evergreenathletic.org/

http://evergreenathletic.org/kibwe/

Indoor video

So here is a video from my last practice.
In review there's a few things I will work on.
I'm stepping back a little with my left leg in the beginning of my throw.
I'm also leading a little with my left shoulder through the turns.
A good thing is that I'm not picking my right leg up until I reach 90 deg.

Training update

When Dr. B left he gave me my timetable for my workouts and he threw something new in there. On days I have 4 sets I train once and on days I have 3 sets I train twice. This happens for a week alternating every two training sessions between 4 and 3 sets. This sounds confusing but it really isn't. It has the same concept of volume with his "sets" program it just gives me a little more rest in between sessions on certain days.
I have 24 attempts on 4 set days and 26 on days I have 3 sets, twice a day.
Its a pretty high volume program but after 4 sessions I was able to adapt and not have any soreness.

In my previous post I mentioned he wanted to change my start. He says that my start should be the same as my final. So the move has to be the same. So instead of trying to be totally flat to 90 degrees, he wants me to be a "little up" with my arms, (not the legs.) He also wants me to bend my chest. This should help me have tighter turns and have space in the circle after 4 turns.
It might not seem like much but when done correctly it looks and feels a lot better.

That's all for now!

Training update

I started a new program today. I trained through the holidays this year and it was alright. When Dr. B came back he told me he trained by himself for 15 years. No coach or even a training partner to help guide him. He became and Olympic champion/World record holder totally by feel, and his own research. I feel that is pretty inspiring and amazing. We had a few one-on-one session where he talked a little bit more about my technique and what needs to be changed. I will touch on that in a future post.

So here it is.
5kg X3
8kgx3

lifting
ball throws
box jumps
plate twists
medicine ball abs

Three sets of throwing and lifting.

I'm pretty busted from the first practice but am absolutely sure that I'll adapt in a few training sessions.

All the best for the new year!

MGL

Training update

Training hasn't been going so well the past week or so. After my first day of the new program my distances have been going down. My rhythm is totally off and according to Dr. B, I have no energy. So he's decided to reduce my volume by dropping a practice a day for 10 days. I really hope it works.
Outside of my rhythm being off, I'm improving on bending my chest on the entry and staying down through the throw.

So I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

Update

I've been on a 3 part program for about 4 weeks now. I threw the 6kg 66.60m which I think is my new pb with that implement. During that program my coach gave me lots of rest, I train once a day for most of the program.
Today he gave me a new program. I threw the 6kg for 8 throws at about 62meters. Then threw the 7.2kg for a measured 59.10m. i did have a throw that was a bit farther but because of the swamp conditions on our field I was unable to locate the mark. I'm really happy with today's session. Although the marks aren't amazingly far its still great progress on 4 turns after about 2 months. My distances and technique will definitely get better in the next training cycle.

New training program

In my last post I mention Dr. B said I would have a peak condition this week, however we both think that I already had one when my results were at 58.70m with the 7.26kg. Towards the end of last week I had terrible states which prompted him to give me a new program. He did say that my marks were really good for that program and I must transfer to my 6kg with at least 66/67 meters.
So my new program is a "sets" workout, throw 5 times, lift and throw again for 3 sets.
So far I've throw 64m with the 6kg.
Our training field has been muddy and wet. It hasn't affected my training. We've had to wet down the circles to throw. As a result I've had a personal improvement with throwing in a wet ring. Before I'd be afraid of falling and usually I did. It was a huge mental problem that transferred to my technique. But for the past week I haven't slipped at all and my throws have been just as far as if I were throwing in a dry ring.
Until next time friends!

Training update

I still have a lot of errors to iron out with my four-turn technique. Although its been getting better, I still have a few off days where 4 turns just feel impossible. I've also been on one-a-days for about two weeks which was nice because I enjoyed my second half of the day.
I threw about 58.50m with the 7.26kg today and Dr. B was please. He said for the type of program that I'm on right now, 60m would be a fantastic result. He also said I should have a peak in a weeks time. I'm excited about that mark because its just about a month and a few days of doing four turns.
My knee is still giving me a lot of grief. I've been seeing Shane a physio and he says that my interior quad muscle needs to be strengthened and that the injury is an over-use injury. Some days I feel awesome and others I can barely bend my knee.
And to top of the post, It Christmas!!! Well not really, but it feels like it because of how cold its been. I just love training in -7degree weather in October.

Training update

I start my new program today. I have 15 attempts with the 7.26kg. For lifting I have a back, Olympic lift, abs, legs and special strength. I'm not feeling great and the weather has been a lot cooler and windy. I hope to get some video up of my 7.26kg soon.

4 turn video

Here is a video from my 4th practice at doing 4 turns. (Sept.14th.09)
Lots to work on but its a start.
1. Placing my weight more on both legs on my winds as opposed to my right leg.
2. Let the ball get over more to my left side.
3. Footwork transition from 1 to 2.
That will be my focus for the next few practices.

A day of change

After looking forward to a second day of have Dr. Bondarchuk back and refining my technique, I was given an unexpected surprise, I was told to try 4 turns! I've always done three turns. Most of my previous coaches as well as DR. B have said my footwork was to sloppy to move to four. So of course my initial response in my head was, "what a disaster this will prove to be", but it turned out alright. Its not hard for me to wrap my head around the timing of the change, being that its the start off the off season but the first attempt felt very awkward. Trying to do a toe turn wasn't really the problem but connecting my third to my fourth turn was difficult because physically I wanted to release which cause my 3 and 4 to look funky. But it was a great challenged that I can't wait to work on tomorrow. It's really good to have supportive training partners as well. If I felt like I looked like a total goof they sure didn't tell me.

Training update

Dr. Bondarchuk returned to practice this morning. He started me on a new program. I'll be throwing the 6.5kg for 3 sets of 5 throws + lifting. It was a decent practice. I focused on my technique and the throws felt very relaxed. He was pleased with my form and said that I'm catching the ball a lot better. It really helps to let the ball do all the work and not tighten up and try to use your body to throw.
It will be interesting to see how he fits my workout/programs together this year.
Around this time last year I threw the 6.8kg for almost 6 weeks!!!

I'm Really looking forward to tomorrow's practice. It will be good to have most of my training buddies back and fall into to a steady routine.