Spin to Glide Ratio

For anyone who has been around the block a few times, what do you think is the spin to glide ratio in this sport weather it be in pro meets or amature meets?

I''ve only seen 2 pros do a glide. Craig Smith is one of them and another guy that I saw in Fair Hill, MD almost 2 years ago. I believe this guy is from Cleveland, OH. That's only 2 but I'm sure other pros glide besides these guys.

In the amateurs, Dan Royal glides, and a few years ago led the
NASGA rankings, both ams & pros, with a 57' throw.

For those who don't know, Dan is now on the US bobsled team.

For a lot of guys coming from an athletics background it was to do with how you trained for the shot on the concrete and that dictated what method you throw on grass.

In Scotland it is mostly rotational/run in with a few guys doing linear. The Wentas are linear mainly from their background in athletics.

Craig what is your reason for a glide?

i would glide if i could.

RoadWarrior wrote: At the Am Worlds in MN this year I believe 10 of the 12 were spinners.

Sounds like the spin is easy to come by only cause these are amatures doing it but if they are at a world games than those 12 ppl are a step below pro material so they must ahve a good amount of experience.

Schwab_Man wrote: C. Smith wrote: I never threw anything before highland games, so the glide just seemed much easier to learn.  I also thought that I didn't have to be as technically proficient to get a decent throw.  I can spin now, but not with any consistency due to never practicing the spin.  So are you gonna put your mind on the spin? Do feel awrward doing the spin cause of your a tall guy? Aren't you like 6' 3"?

Nope.  I haven't practiced since June 2006, and I don't plan on starting anytime soon, lol. 

It's only awkward cause I've never practiced it and am not very good at it. 

I'm 6'2". 

I am not sure if the spin is "better", but I still say it
has more potential for bigger throws at a given strength
level, while acknowledging it is often less consistent.

The problem with your observation is that Timmermann
never learned or used the spin, so we don't know what he
might have thrown using that style. Many people believe
that, despite the fact that he was the best glider ever,
he would have been an even better spinner (due to his
excellent speed, athleticism, and relatively moderate
size).

The bottom line is, try both styles and see what works
for you. I was a terrible glider (albeit with very
limited practice), but as a discus thrower the spin
seemed very natural to me, although like many I had/have
issues with consistency. Like many spinners, my standing
throw is very poor relative to my better full throws. My
training partner was exactly the opposite of me (in
almost every way) and wouldn't have been able to spin if
his life depended on it.

Most of those guys in MN games were former shot putters at one time.  From what I've seen in my short times in the games, a lot of am's that spin, shouldn't be.  The basics for the glide are simple to learn and would get better results.  It takes many hours and reps to get the spin to where it is more beneficial then the glide.

As more and more time comes between and my college days of every day shotput/discus throws, the worse and more inconsistent my stones throws get. 

Krazy40 wrote: Most of those guys in MN games were former shot putters at one time.  From what I've seen in my short times in the games, a lot of am's that spin, shouldn't be.

Jeremy, were you talking about me? I knew it! I am horrible at stones!

I do get the most consistency from the S/A style, but want to figure out the full because it makes the usable size of the box larger.

Rusty spins, but then he's only a year away from Collegiate shot putting and discus, in which he was the California Community College champ.

I've been to a workshop with Rusty and he's  entirely capable of spinning, South African and gliding.  He would put up big numbers with any of them.   I have to say, after what I learned the last few days....that it's pretty likely that anybody who spins has done  (or should have done)  a bucketload of  South Africans for  practice, as it's great for developing a sprint to the front of the ring/trig.

Just my two cents, which is worth pretty much exactly that....two cents.

We Highland throwers are generalists.  We throw all kinds of stuff including big sticks.   As such, not too many of us are as good as the very best dedicated shot putters.  I mean, look at the best stone throws out there, they're nowhere near what elite shot putters do.   There are only so many hours in the day and so many days in the week and we have to work on seven or eight events. So it makes sense to find what comes easiest, and do that as well as you can.

Also...truth.  A really well-done standing throw will go farther than a crummy glide with a big hesitation in it, and it will absolutely go farther than an out of control spin. I am working on a glide right now, and now after Camp Pockoski I will also spend some time spinning and see how it goes. Nonetheless, I strongly suspect that the most efficient use of my TIME is to make my stand throw the very best it can be.

This thread is a good read, on the subject.

http://www.nasgaweb.com/forums/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=771 5&PN=1