The Shot Put Blues

Vet Thrower

I used to do the shot put and discus years ago and figured I might give the shot a go again as a way of getting in some exercise. Going to keep a log here to try to shame my lazy ass into doing some training ahead of the outdoor season.

My plan is to do weights twice a week and do drills and throws 4 days a week. Due to life being very much in the way, I can only train first thing in the morning. Instead of logging each session after I do it, I am going to write out my plan for the next morning's training and then update to say that I have completed it.

My theory is that by writing out exactly what I am going to do in public, I will be more likely to do it, as I will have mentally committed to it, and won't want to have to admit that I skipped it!

So, here we go.

Tomorrow I am going to do the following at 6.30 am.

Dry standing throws (empty handed)
3 x 10

Standing throws (with shot)
3 x 10

Dry right pivot drill
3 x 10

Right pivot drill
3 x 10

When I get into work, I will update to confirm that I did it.

Sorry to all you runners for barging in here, but I'm sure you can breeze gracefully past the grunting and thumping coming from this log.

Oregano_State

Good to see something different here I say! I'll be keeping an eye on this.

ecoli

Great to see a field event training log its exactly what the forum needs.

Agree with you that putting up training as a way of keeping you honest.

Out of interest where abouts are you training regarding throws first thing in the morning (especially as still not quite a full stretch in the mornings regarding light)?

Vet Thrower

ecoli wrote: »

Great to see a field event training log its exactly what the forum needs.

Agree with you that putting up training as a way of keeping you honest.

Out of interest where abouts are you training regarding throws first thing in the morning (especially as still not quite a full stretch in the mornings regarding light)?

My garage. I have hung up a net which I throw into and I have an old mattress on the floor that the shot falls onto. It means I can also get a lot more volume in during a shorter space of time as I am not wasting time walking out to collect implements.

Cleanman

Great to have something different to follow is right. Best of luck with the training. Getting up early to train is tough, glad it's you and not me:D

Vet Thrower

Nick Tamere wrote: »

Dry standing throws (empty handed)
3 x 10

Standing throws (with shot)
3 x 10

Dry right pivot drill
3 x 10

Right pivot drill
3 x 10

Done.

3+
Stands are getting more fluent
Pivot improving
Keeping eyes on ball resulting in better separation of upper body and lower body

3-
Staying over right leg
Over-rotating
Upper body still too active

Vet Thrower

Tomorrow: Weights.

I haven't lifted in a while. My usual pattern is to start off too heavy and then add weight at a frenetic pace, resulting in injuries after a few months, so I am going to start off with extremely light weights and work up more gradually. It will be a challenge for my ego if nothing else.

Mobility and Stability
Clock Lunges
Hurdle steps
Aeroplanes

Dead Lift
50 x 8
60 x 8
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5

Elevated Split Squat
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8

Lateral V-Sits
3 x 10 per side

Bench
Bar x 8
30 x 8
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

Bent over BB row
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8

Hip dips
3 x 10 per side

Hammer curls
10 x 12
10 x 12
10 x 12
10 x 12

RayCun

There's an on-and-off throwers thread in the main forum that you might like to revive
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=70439167

Vet Thrower

I think I have picked a stupid user name. Is there a way of changing it, or do I just close this account and open a new one?

RayCun

you have to be a subscriber to change your username
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/faq.php?faq=bie_faq_im_new_here#faq_bie_faq_im_new_here_subscriberbenefits

Vet Thrower

RayCun wrote: »

you have to be a subscriber to change your username
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/faq.php?faq=bie_faq_im_new_here#faq_bie_faq_im_new_here_subscriberbenefits

Sorry, do you mind telling me what I do next? I've made a donation through paypal (I'm all about doing stuff to commit myself to this at the moment) but when I try to access this thread on becoming a subscriber it says I am not allowed.

RayCun

sorry, I don't know what to do next, I've never subscribed myself. Try PMing
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/member.php?u=52454
he changed his username recently

Vet Thrower

Nick Tamere wrote: »

Mobility and Stability
Clock Lunges
Hurdle steps
Aeroplanes

Dead Lift
50 x 8
60 x 8
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5
70 x 5

Elevated Split Squat
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8

Lateral V-Sits
3 x 10 per side

Bench
Bar x 8
30 x 8
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5
40 x 5

Bent over BB row
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8
20 x 8

Hip dips
3 x 10 per side

Hammer curls
7.5 x 12
7.5 x 12
7.5 x 12
7.5 x 12

Done.

Tomorrow:

Dry standing throws
5 x 10

Standing throws
5 x 10

Dry right pivot drill
5 x 10

Right pivot drill
5 x 10

madon

Brilliant log, I used to throw myself years ago (about 20 now:eek:)and have been saying for the last 3/4 years that I'd love to get back into it, maybe this thread will motivate me!
Can I ask a couple of questions just out of pure nosiness?!
What age did you throw?
How well did you do?
Why just the shot now or will you get back into discuss once you 'conqur' the shot?
Your training plan- is it what you used to do (I can't remember a lot of the drills and the ones I can remember I can't remember why I done them) or did you get a plan from somewhere?
Thanks and good luck!

Vet Thrower

madon wrote: »

Brilliant log, I used to throw myself years ago (about 20 now:eek:)and have been saying for the last 3/4 years that I'd love to get back into it, maybe this thread will motivate me!
Can I ask a couple of questions just out of pure nosiness?!
What age did you throw?
How well did you do?
Why just the shot now or will you get back into discuss once you 'conqur' the shot?
Your training plan- is it what you used to do (I can't remember a lot of the drills and the ones I can remember I can't remember why I done them) or did you get a plan from somewhere?
Thanks and good luck!

Thanks! I threw until I was about 21, which was neither today nor yesterday. At schools level I was ok, in the top 3 in both events in my age group, but I gradually drifted away from it once I got to college. I flirted with picking it back up again a few times over the years but never really stuck at it.

I kind of put the training plan together myself. It's not really a strict plan, more a few guiding principles.

• Focus on technique over strength
• Do more drills than full throws
• Do at least as many drills without an implement as with one.
• Focus on learning the movement slowly and with perfect technique and let the fluency / speed / distance take care of itself

I have picked a few drills that I am going to focus on exclusively after a lot of youtube watching - stuff from Didier Poppe, Mac Wilkins, John Powell. My weights program comes a gym I used to go to but that shut down a few years ago.

And that's it. We'll see how it goes. I might give the discus a go when it gets a bit warmer, but I'm going to focus on the shot just because I can train at home and don't have to worry about logistics.

Pisco Sour

Fantastic to see this log.

A few questions:

1) What are your PBs in the shot, discus, hammer and Javelin

2) With regards the shot and discus how much emphasis do you put on flat out 60m or 100m speed. I've heard (not sure how true) that Valerie Adams can run 100m in 13 secs, which for somebody her size is very impressive. They say the shot is the most explosive event in T&F so how much short sharp sprint work would you do?

Vet Thrower

Pisco Sour wrote: »

Fantastic to see this log.

A few questions:

1) What are your PBs in the shot, discus, hammer and Javelin

2) With regards the shot and discus how much emphasis do you put on flat out 60m or 100m speed. I've heard (not sure how true) that Valerie Adams can run 100m in 13 secs, which for somebody her size is very impressive. They say the shot is the most explosive event in T&F so how much short sharp sprint work would you do?

1) I honestly don't know. So long ago they are probably not relevant but I think around high 13 / low 14 in the shot and 42 - 44 in the discus. Never did the others.

2) I'm sure these are important in the overall development of a complete thrower, but I won't be focusing on them at this stage, or any time soon. It's a question of return on investment of time. I'm like someone taking up golf again. I need to get my swing (technique) sorted before I think about anything else. Strength work helps with this as it helps me to get into the positions I need to be in, but speed work is something I doubt I'll need to be thinking about for a long time.

I think you are right that elite throwers have very good sprint speed, and are much better all round athletes than people assume. E.g. Brian Oldfield famously beat the US women's 100m champion in the 100m, and The training videos I have seen of Valerie and Jacko Gill include a lot of sprints. I just think at lower levels, improving technique will deliver a much better bang for your buck, training wise.

Vet Thrower

Dry standing throws
5 x 10

Standing throws
5 x 10

Dry right pivot drill
5 x 10

Right pivot drill
5 x 10

Done. Will train tomorrow but no volume targets. Will attempt some video analysis of my technique

Vet Thrower

Vet Thrower wrote: »

Done. Will train tomorrow but no volume targets. Will attempt some video analysis of my technique

Done. Quite an eye opener. Most significant revelation is that I am attempting to drive my hips too far to the left - over towards the left sector line. This is leading to my upper body flopping out towards the front and right sector line. I need to drive my hip in the direction of the throw, and let the upper body be pulled forward by the hip drive.

Also need to focus more on keeping eyes on the ball, and upper body back for as long as possible; and keeping right leg tight during right pivot drill.

Rest day tomorrow.

Vet Thrower

Tomorrow: Weights

Mobility and Stability
Band Dislocates
Scap Inverted Rows
Wall Sweeps
Overhead Squats with band

Back Squat
20 x 8
40 x 8
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5

Reverse Hyper
10 x 8
10 x 8
10 x 8
10 x 8

Plate sit up
3 x 20 with 10k plate

Chin ups (Green and purple band)
2 x 8
5 x 5

Single Arm Push Press
17.5 x 8
17.5 x 8
17.5 x 8
17.5 x 8

DB Skull Crushers
10s x 12
10s x 12
10s x 12
10s x 12

Vet Thrower

Mobility and Stability
Band Dislocates
Scap Inverted Rows
Wall Sweeps
Overhead Squats with band

Back Squat
20 x 8
40 x 8
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5
65 x 5

Reverse Hyper
10 x 8
10 x 8
10 x 8
10 x 8

Alternating plate sit up
3 x 20 with 10k plate

Chin ups
Green and Purple band: 2 x 8
Green band: 2 x 5
Green and purple band: 3 x 5

Single Arm Push Press
17.5 x 8
17.5 x 8
17.5 x 8
17.5 x 8

Russian Twists
3 x 10 each side with 5k plate

DB Skull Crushers
10s x 12
10s x 12
10s x 12
10s x 12

Done.

Tomorrow: Drills & throws

Dry stands: 5 x 10
Stands: 5 x 10
Dry right pivot: 5 x 10
Right pivot: 5 x 10

Vet Thrower

Vet Thrower wrote: »

Dry stands: 5 x 10
Stands: 5 x 10
Dry right pivot: 5 x 10
Right pivot: 5 x 10

Done.

3+
Balance improving
Delivery improving
Timing improving

3-
Not completing right pivot
Left arm pull
Hip strike

Vet Thrower

Tomorrow: Conditioning / Torture.

Stupidly agreed to do this with a friend as a challenge. This will be a once-off. Hope it doesn't knock me out of action afterwards.

HIIT - 10 minutes
Rower. 30 seconds max effort / 30 seconds rest x 10

Work block - 15 minutes
Caterpillar walk: 2 x 10m
DB snatches: 5 each side
Tuck jumps: 10

Done in continuous sequence for 15 minutes, aiming for as many rounds as possible

HIIT - 10 minutes
Rower. 30 seconds max effort / 30 seconds rest x 10

Work block - 15 minutes
Box jump and turn: 10
T pushups: 10
Kettlebell upright rows: 10

Done in continuous sequence for 15 minutes, aiming for as many rounds as possible

Pisco Sour

What sort of goals have you got for the summer season? Do you hope to compete at nationals?

Vet Thrower

Pisco Sour wrote: »

What sort of goals have you got for the summer season? Do you hope to compete at nationals?

At the moment, my goals are just to learn the spin and not to get injured. Anything else is a bonus.

I might do the nationals if it looks like I would be in with a chance of at least making the cut. It depends on the standard, and how I am doing. I'll see closer to the time.

I will do the masters nationals (M35) for sure.

Actually I suppose having a concrete goal is a good idea. I'll set one that relates to consistency.

2013 Goal: No throws less than 12m in competition

Thanks for the inspiration!

Vet Thrower

HIIT - 10 minutes
Rower. 30 seconds max effort / 30 seconds rest x 10

Work block - 15 minutes
Caterpillar walk: 2 x 10m
DB snatches (15kg): 5 each side
Tuck jumps: 10

5 rounds

HIIT - 10 minutes
Rower. 30 seconds max effort / 30 seconds rest x 10

Work block - 15 minutes
Box jump and turn: 10
T pushups: 10
Upright rows (17kg): 10

7 rounds

Done. Nasty.

Vet Thrower

Tomorrow: Weights.

Mobility and Stability
Clock Lunges
Hurdle steps
Aeroplanes

Dead Lift
50 x 8
65 x 8
75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5
75 x 5

Elevated Split Squat
25 x 8
25 x 8
25 x 8
25 x 8

Lateral V-Sits
3 x 10 per side

Bench
Bar x 8
40 x 8
45 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5
45 x 5

Bent over BB row
30 x 8
30 x 8
30 x 8
30 x 8

Hip dips
3 x 10 per side

Hammer curls
12.5 x 12
12.5 x 12
12.5 x 12
12.5 x 12

ecoli

Between Hurdles, Weights and indoor throwing net your Garage seems to have better facilities than many athletics clubs in this country

Vet Thrower

ecoli wrote: »

Between Hurdles, Weights and indoor throwing net your Garage seems to have better facilities than many athletics clubs in this country

Ha! I wish.

I do the weights and conditioning in a gym. The garage is definitely not a pretty sight. An old mattress that one of my kids had a few too many accidents on, and a net hanging from the rafters.

ecoli

Vet Thrower wrote: »

Ha! I wish.

I do the weights and conditioning in a gym. The garage is definitely not a pretty sight. An old mattress that one of my kids had a few too many accidents on, and a net hanging from the rafters.

Sure O Keefe had a throw circle and a used video. Didnt do here any harm

Vet Thrower

ecoli wrote: »

Sure O Keefe had a throw circle and a used video. Didnt do here any harm

I don't think I'm quite in that league! But I reckon all throwers have to find ways to improvise around the lack of facilities / weather / coaching if they want to train at all.

There's a documentary about a Swedish discus thrower called Ricky Bruch that shows him throwing into nets in a basement somewhere, throwing in the snow wearing ten layers of clothes, and so on. He's in his late 30s as well, and attempting a comeback. It kind of gave me the notion.

It's on youtube in several parts. Well worth a watch.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Slzt2JA3zIs