The Deficiencies of Indoor Track and Field

I mentioned in my last post that I had published my first article. I have actually published one prior article back in the Summer of 2006. Track Coach, the technical periodical of the US Track and Field Association, published my article on track and field training called Rethinking Your Approach to Training for the Weight Throw (available below). The weight throw, for those of you unfamiliar, is the indoor version of the hammer throw. It is shorter and heavier, but athletes use essentially the same technique to throw the implement.

Many of the issues I raise in the article are related to the reasons why I will not be competing in the weight throw this indoor season. Specifically, I see three main reasons why the weight throw is not an ideal training implement. First, by competing indoors, the competitive season last more than half of the year and detracts from the amount of substantive training each athlete can conduct. Second, while the weight throw does improve strength, it is not the most efficient way to improve strength. Implements of other weights and lengths improve special strength while allowing an athlete to better maintain his or her technique. Finally, the weight throw is not contested at the Olympics. For me, if I want to be an Olympian in the hammer throw, and the best way for me to do that is to focus on the hammer throw.

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7 Responses to “The Deficiencies of Indoor Track and Field”

1. Thomas S says:

   1 December 2009 at 23:42

   I agree. If athletes emphasize the weight, they may have good progress increasing upper body strength. For a hammer thrower, the time spent in the weight room could be put to better use. The weight throw also allows a pulling technique which is pretty much detrimental to the actual hammer throw.

   Reply
2. The Real Winter Throwing Championships « G. Martin Bingisser says:

   11 March 2011 at 4:52

   [...] of the readers of this site already know that I am not a fan of the weight throw. It just doesn’t make sense for hammer throwers to spend a good chuck of each year training [...]

   Reply
3. Brian Williams says:

   12 March 2011 at 6:46

   Great article. Lots of really good advice. I have a slightly different take. I never liked the hammer, but loved the weight. For my temperment grip and rip worked just fine!

   Reply
4. Ask Martin Vol. 12: Is the NCAA System Good for Hammer Development? « G. Martin Bingisser says:

   6 April 2011 at 11:15

   [...] The weight throw sucks. There is no need to go into this topic again. [...]

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5. Ask Martin Vol. 8: Last Minute Preparations « G. Martin Bingisser says:

   17 April 2011 at 4:34

   [...] I always get surprised every December when I see results pop up so soon. The season seems so far away that it acts as a wake up call. But despite the alarm, you must keep your focus on the long term. The hammer throw is an event for the patient. While there are some shortcuts to success, they normally hinder you in the long run. A steady focus on technique will always provide the most benefit over time. When you think about it, what you throw on January 4th doesn’t even matter. If you are concerned about success during the indoor season, you should be focusing on February and March. You’ll have plenty of time to prove yourself during the season. And what you should really be focusing on is the outdoor season, which won’t wrap up for more …. [...]

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6. Throwing in the Snow « G. Martin Bingisser says:

   20 December 2011 at 4:42

   [...] of the year. Many people go inside to throw the weight at the first sign of snow. But it is important to throw the hammer in the winter. It isn’t that hard [...]

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7. Throwing Hammer Indoors « G. Martin Bingisser says:

   8 January 2012 at 13:29

   [...] challenges, but as I keep repeating on this site, it is important to throw the hammer year-round. The weight throw might look like the hammer throw, but nothing can replace the real thing. Throwing outside is the best option since you can get more feedback from your results, and I [...]

   Reply