Black Friday (Aug ‘05)
(originally posted 8/2/05)
I awoke today to learn that I've dropped out of the top 25 listing for discus. Roger C. is holding #25 by just 3cm. It's disappointing, but I'm actually more upset that I'm not in the top 10. While my consistency has improved this year, as evidenced by the average of my competition throws, my maximum distance has not. It's time for some changes in my training and practice. Only a fool does the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.
I'm encouraged by something I noticed in an Alekna video yesterday - the complete rotation of his first single-support foot toward the front of the ring, while his body is at zero degrees and just as he lifts his swing leg. I've begun working on hip flexibility to try to copy this move. It appears that it could produce a great stretch reflex in the swing leg prior to exiting the back of the circle. The energy developed by the resulting wide, powerful leg swing can't help but be translated to the discus at the front of the ring. We'll see if I can't work this move in to my throws at the August 13th meet. I'm running out of practice days however, and the late afternoon rains we've been having aren't helping at all.
Since the upcoming meet is a weight pentathlon meet I am also looking for some improvement in the other 4 events. Javelin holds the biggest opportunity for improvement, but is the most puzzling for me. I know I've got the strength to throw a lot farther, but getting it to fly with a good trajectory is proving to be quite a challenge. The hammer/weight-throw are also promising for improvement. I was making some progress prior to leaving on vacation, but I've lost much of what I had gained. I plan on making many, many turns between now and the 13th. I need to get much more comfortable before I can expect to add the speed required for good distances. Finally, shot put appears to be stuck at the 34' mark. I don't think I should expect quick improvements here because so much of it involves building strength, but I do think that with good form and a solid block I can go over 35'. My current PRs in the 5 events puts me at 2779 points in the WP. It's an aggressive goal, but I would like to be at around 2900 points on the 13th. My discus and shot are consistently around my PRs, and since I'm still learning the other 3 events, PRs in those ought not to be out of the question.
I awoke today to learn that I've dropped out of the top 25 listing for discus. Roger C. is holding #25 by just 3cm. It's disappointing, but I'm actually more upset that I'm not in the top 10. While my consistency has improved this year, as evidenced by the average of my competition throws, my maximum distance has not. It's time for some changes in my training and practice. Only a fool does the same thing over and over again while expecting different results.
I'm encouraged by something I noticed in an Alekna video yesterday - the complete rotation of his first single-support foot toward the front of the ring, while his body is at zero degrees and just as he lifts his swing leg. I've begun working on hip flexibility to try to copy this move. It appears that it could produce a great stretch reflex in the swing leg prior to exiting the back of the circle. The energy developed by the resulting wide, powerful leg swing can't help but be translated to the discus at the front of the ring. We'll see if I can't work this move in to my throws at the August 13th meet. I'm running out of practice days however, and the late afternoon rains we've been having aren't helping at all.
Since the upcoming meet is a weight pentathlon meet I am also looking for some improvement in the other 4 events. Javelin holds the biggest opportunity for improvement, but is the most puzzling for me. I know I've got the strength to throw a lot farther, but getting it to fly with a good trajectory is proving to be quite a challenge. The hammer/weight-throw are also promising for improvement. I was making some progress prior to leaving on vacation, but I've lost much of what I had gained. I plan on making many, many turns between now and the 13th. I need to get much more comfortable before I can expect to add the speed required for good distances. Finally, shot put appears to be stuck at the 34' mark. I don't think I should expect quick improvements here because so much of it involves building strength, but I do think that with good form and a solid block I can go over 35'. My current PRs in the 5 events puts me at 2779 points in the WP. It's an aggressive goal, but I would like to be at around 2900 points on the 13th. My discus and shot are consistently around my PRs, and since I'm still learning the other 3 events, PRs in those ought not to be out of the question.
posted by Jake at 3:02 PM
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