G. Martin Bingisser » Life as a Hammer Thrower

Follow Your Convictions: Introducing My New Sponsor

Martin — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 19:12:10 +0000

When I came to Switzerland last May I began the search for one of Switzerland's national icons: a mechanical Swiss watch. Every time I walked by a watch boutique at lunch, I peered in the windows at their offerings. The Swiss watches all offered great quality and design, unsurpassed craftsmanship, and a storied tradition. The first watch I tried on was a Maurice Lacroix. I loved their style, but was also drawn in by their slogan: Follow Your Convictions.

Maurice Lacroix's slogan aptly describes me. Nearly everything I have done and every decision I have made over the past few years has been in pursuit of my unique dreams. I want to be an Olympic hammer thrower and I also want to be a top attorney. These are two time-consuming pursuits, but I haven't compromised. I have followed my convictions. That is why I was out training before dawn in law school while most of my classmates slept. That is why I moved to rural Canada in search of the world's top coach. And that is why I am now in Zurich working at one of the few jobs in the world that will allow me to pursue both my athletic and legal careers simultaneously. The hammer throw itself is a sport only for those that follow their convictions. There is no chance for riches, fame or glory. What is left is a group of determined athletes chasing their dream. As I described last month, my days are long, but it is worth it as the challenge of balancing it all in pursuit of that dream is a thrill in itself. And every day I also work on passing that dream along to others through the Evergreen Athletic Fund.

After trying on the Maurice Lacroix watch, I contacted them to see if they would be interested in sponsoring me. Luckily, they also felt I exemplified their slogan and invited me to become their newest brand ambassador. I am honored to accept.

Recovery: The Other Side of Training

Martin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:18:13 +0000

Training at an elite level isn't just about how hard you train; it's also about how well you recover. My training group trains ten times each week. In order to be fresh and get the most out of each training session, it is important that we not only train properly, but also do the right things outside of training in order to take care of our bodies. I find this just as true for me, even though I've never had a major injury or even an injury that has required me to miss a practice (although, in hindsight, I should have taken it easier after my bruised rib in 2008). Proper recovery requires two things: time and resources. As an undergrad, I was fortunate enough to have both the time and resources to do everything I wanted. I was never rushed for time and the school had a full staff of trainers, a sauna, free massage, sports medicine specialists, and state of the art equipment. All those resources remained when I began law school, but my free time dried up, forcing me to cut back on my hour-long post-workout routine. Since moving to Kamloops, things have changed yet again; I now have ample time, but limited resources. To give you an idea of all the things an athlete can do, I've outline some of the recovery methods I keep coming back to. I've tried numerous other methods throughout the years. Some work, some don't. But I find that these are the best for me.

Back in My Day, We Hopped Fences to Throw

Martin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:22:21 +0000

I used to joke that the best physical attribute a potential hammer thrower can have is the ability to hop fences. That statement was just a shorthand way of saying that hammer throwers need determination. While there are dozens of shot put rings in most cities, there often aren’t many places to throw the hammer [...]