Highland games training - be a warrior!

[morrison]

I can see that by slight modification to some of the training regimes I currently do, I can strengthen many presently weaker areas of mine to become a competitor.

In the gym, what weight training devices and/or free weights would work for me?

For instance: Caber toss, Would I use a strenous workout regime on the rowing/leg press/chinups/etc.?

I realize that there is no substitute for a caber that will give me the practice of actually throwing the caber. But, the muscle groups can be strengthened and therefore afford me a better turn at losing my balance when it's my turn to flip the caber over! :rolleyes:

The weights:
Stone 16lb - thrown like a shot put
Heavy Weight for distance 56lb (over 40yo. for me 42lb)
Light weight for distance 28lb
Heavy Hammer 22lb (over 40yo. for me 16lb)
Caber 16 - 22ft long 90 - 150 lbs
Sheaf toss 16-20lb bag - thrown for height
Heavy weight for height - 56lb (over 40yo. for me 42lb)

Men over 40 - Masters (But you can still compete with the Ams if you choose)
Same except that the Heavy weight is 42lb instead of 56lb and you throw the light hammer 16lb instead of the 22lb. Generally you throw a smaller caber too.

[Prester John]

For the Caber Toss I'd recommend some heavy sandbag lifting, and some clean and jerks (Olympic lifts are very good for explosive strength).

Best to join a gym and get some good training, or, as I said earlier, seek out Coach Staley.

[morrison]

... ...For those outside the Bay Area, here's a link to my bro's site, if you check out the "how to " section, you'll get some ideas on inexpensive training equipment.http://saacc.tripod.com-Tim

I went to the link, but was distacted and I finally left, because of my inability to get past the popups. On my old pc systems I would have been totally freaked out. I now have a new MAC OS X and am running Firefox and I still haven't figured out how to run things! Not to worry though, I'll eventually make a go of things!

[Yaish]

Remember that the Heavy Events are primarily core strength and whole body events. You use your arms, legs, back, and shoulders in every event. An overall weight training regimen with practice sessions to develop technique is the best method you can reasonably do.

[clancelt]

For the Caber Toss I'd recommend some heavy sandbag lifting, and some clean and jerks (Olympic lifts are very good for explosive strength).

Best to join a gym and get some good training, or, as I said earlier, seek out Coach Staley.

Took the words out of my mouth brotha. Olympic lifts! Olympic lifts! and some plyometrics! Explosive energy is where it's at. Plenty of really silly strong guys can't throw far. They are strong, but lack the ability to fire like a cannon. You need to train your muscles to produce their max energy very quickly, and Olympic lifts will do that. Jump shrugs are a really good exercise too.

-Eric

[Alan H]

Well, guys, I bought a practice caber on the way home. yup! I stopped by the lumber yard that I usually go to an told 'em what a caber was. Two guys were very interested, and said...pressure-treated, doug fir 6 x 6, 14 footers. OK, so We went out into the yard and the foreman found one that was straight enough, but twisted..if that makes sense. He says he'll never sell it to anyone that wants to build anything, so he sold it to me for twenty bucks. I just weighed it, it's eighty pounds exactly. That's probably a bit heavy for us amateurs, at least for practice.. I'll be rounding it off and smoothing it down which will probably take fifteen percent off of that...65-68 pounds which is probably about right. It's a bit short, but for a practice caber, we can't beat the price.

Besides, it fits in the back of my truck....sorta.

I found my old 16 pound shot, so we're good to go, there.
I'll even bring along an old rubber discus, just for hollers.

[Yaish]

Alan, if you want that practice caber to last take a little time and treat it. Soak it in wood glue where ever the grain is open and let it dry. Some plastic packing tape (the kind that does not stretch) wrapped tight around the heavy end will help too.

Also, make sure if you start to lose control you "dump" the caber quickly and properly. Dumping it flat puts a lot less strain on it than having one end slam down, then the other. (also way safer for you)
Try to throw on soft ground too, not anything hardpacked. Grass = good, baseball infield = bad.

[Alan H]

Does a caber...or any of the weights for that matter...really trash a football field?

[clancelt]

Does a caber...or any of the weights for that matter...really trash a football field?

Short answer, yes. I find the weights rip the field up the most. The area we practice in now look like the surface of the moon.

[Yaish]

One of the guys I compete with came up with the idea of chain weights. I made a set and now use them, and they work perfectly.

They dont tear up the grass at all, you can technically even throw them on asphalt or concrete without damage to the surface (but you will mess up the weight).

I'm running out the door right now, but I'll post details (and pictures if I can) on how to make them later.