Fall Training Update

Sometimes I forget that this site started as a way to update everyone on my training and results. It’s often hard to write about training this time of year since, frankly, it can get a bit monotonous. At least this winter I will have some results to post since I will be throwing outside rather the indoors.

Once again, my only break this “offseason” was for a few days of travel. As soon as I arrived back in North America last month, Dr. Bondarchuk put me on an active rest program. This meant that I completely stopped weight lifting, but have been doing some simple core exercises and maintaining a decent throwing volume of 75 to 210 throws each week with the 5- and 8-kilogram hammers. The rest has been perfect. Rather than losing a few meters by taking the entire month off, I have actually gained distance by allowing my body to rest while still keeping in contact with the hammer. On Saturday I threw a new personal best of 62.20-meters with the 8-kilogram hammer. During that training session, half of my throws were over my old personal best of 61.90-meters.

The great results have to be attributed to resting. My strength is likely down since I have not lifted anything heavier than a hammer in the last five weeks. My technique, is a bit of a mixed bag too. I am happier with the start of my throw, but as you can see in the video below my low point is drifting towards my left foot in the final turns and I am not able to accelerate the hammer when it matters the most. In any event, throwing a personal best is always a good sign, especially when the weather is cold, it is six months before the season starts, and I am without a coach watching me everyday. Once all of the factors line up, my results should press forward even more.

Starting tomorrow, Coach Bondarchuk will begin easing me into real training so that we can start to bring everything together. I will continue the easy training routine every morning, but it will be replaced in the afternoon by a rigorous new routine emphasizing both specific and general strength. Each afternoon session will include 16 throws with the 10-kilogram hammer, 45 wind-and-release throws with the 16-kilogram hammer, (relatively) heavy cleans and half squats, and other auxiliary exercises.

Since my fiancée has yet to join me in Zurich, I’ve had a little more spare time on my hands. My workouts are shorter and I keep finishing earlier since the sun is setting earlier every day. Most of this extra time has been eaten up by learning all my new tasks at my job. But I’ve also continued to work for adding the hammer throw as an official youth event. My efforts have apparently been heard as far away as Hungary, the world’s hammer throwing capital. It is still a work in progress while we keep exploring all the alternatives available. As part of this project, I am also redesigning Harold Connolly’s Hammerthrow.org. While there is a wealth of information already available on the site, much of it is difficult to find. The new version will combine that information with better organization and new content. The idea is that kids can use the site to easily learn what the hammer throw is and find out how to start throwing. More advanced throwers will be able to benefit from the archives of articles and scientific studies about the hammer throw. Please let me know if there are specific features you would like to see on the new website and hopefully I can include them before its launch in the coming weeks.