TRAINING LOG: John Pilling

I thought I would start keeping a training log here since anyone outside of the Michigan throwing crew has no idea who I am.  Hopefully some of you will be interested in following my training. I have always kept a log of my training but thought I would put it here as well. So this will be the start of it.

I have a Track and Field throwing background having thrown for CMU. I graduated in 2007. I have continued to throw the disc and hammer since graduating from college as I help run and coach the Dynamo Throws Club of Mount Pleasant, MI. I spent the first half of this year competing in the disc and a little hammer during the college outdoor season then turned my focus to highland games full time for the second part of the season.

I have been doing highland games for a little over one year. My first games were the Saline Celtic Fest last year in July. My brother Greg lives in Saline, MI. He signed me up for the games so we could take a stab at it together. After competing in those games I was hooked and started looking for other games I could get into. Up to that point, I had been doing body building for a couple of years so my strength was decent but I had not done any dynamic or plyometric work for a long time. My weight was sitting in the 225 lbs to 230 lbs range. I decided that I wanted to take a real shot at the highland games for the 2013 season so I started looking to put together my training plan for the next year.

After checking out Training lab, I decided that it looked like a solid program so I decided to commit to it. I made some changes to the program along the way, but stuck to it for the most parts with only minor programming changes. By the time I got to the throwing season I was up to 255 lbs and had gotten quite a bit stronger. The program got me to where I wanted to be strength wise, so it did its job. I was ready to throw some heavy weight around.

My base stats:

Height: 6'2''

Weight: 255
Age: 32

All throwing Bests are from this season.

Braemar: 40'10''

Open Stone: 56'0''

HWD: 37'0''

LWD: 80'3''
HH: 105'2''
LH: 124' something
Sheaf 16#: 32'
Sheaf 20#: 31'

Edited by John Pilling - 9/10/13 at 11:43am

John, we know who you are. Can't put up the kinda numbers you are and not turn some heads. Looking forward to following your training log.

Minnesota Ren Fest Amateur Championships:

This was a great weekend and an awesome field of throwers. Thanks to Kevin D, and crew for putting on a great games.  It was a hot and sunny day, just the way i like it.  I knew going in that I needed to bring my A game if I wanted a good shot at a top finish. Unfortunately that did not happen in all events and I dug a pretty deep hole early. It was great to meet all of the guys there. I am fortunate to take the field with such a group. Here is a quick breakdown of my weekend:

Open Stone 16.7#: It felt like it was going to go far. Pretty easy to tuck. I was almost there is just did not hit one. I thought it was going to go farther. No excuses here just did not make it happen. Everything felt fine. Finished 3^rd.

HWFD: 32'6'' This is the event that broke me. I felt like a newb throwing it. I totally lost my first throw. Probably went 20 foot or so. I guess I just got all goofy in my head or something. I felt embarrassed for myself the way I was throwing this thing. At least I learned what not to do. Finished 9^th. This is a weak point in my game I have to fix ASAP. I had been hoping to go 37+

LWFD: 67'7'' I thought I would turn things around with this event but continued to struggle. The combo of the weight not being a flyer and me doing weird things made this another bad result compared to where i usually throw. Finished 6^th.

HH: 94'9.5'' Not too bad. My first throw felt like it was going to be good but when I went to release it, I had way to much spray tacky and was pretty much stuck in my hands. It completely killed the throw. It went 85' or something. The last two I just got a little tight and didn't get it out there. Most guys were having trouble with the surface as it was really dry and dusty. I did not find it to be too bad as I usually only use one blade on my right foot and my blades angle down. Ground was pretty torn up after round one. Finished 4^th.

Caber 1:00 This was a pretty thick and heavy stick. Glad it was not very long. I ended up dumping my fist pick. I kept trying to run with it but it kept popping off my shoulder to the right. I ended up turning it the last two tries. Second, a 10:00 or something and last try was the 1:00. Finished 3^rd.

Sheaf 20#: 31' - PR Coming in this was an event I was worried about because I do not have a lot of experience with the sheaf. I ended up with no misses through 31' and did not clear 33' 3 others cleared the same height but I got this one on a count back. Finished 1^st.

WOB: 16'' tied PR This was an event I knew would be important to clear heights on the first attempt. I almost went out at 15 but got it on my last attempt. Cleared 16' on my 2^nd or 3^rd attempt. Missed 16' 6''. . Finished 5^th or 6^th I can't remember.

Next comp. Is Sept. 14^th Michigan Ren Fest.

Sean, i figured it was about time to get this going.  

Edited by John Pilling - 9/12/13 at 3:48pm

9/14/2013
Michgian Ren Fest: Round 2
Great day with big crowds out to watch some throwing.  Frank Stasa keeps the competition moving fast to keep the croud entertained.  We took two throws in the Braemar, Open Stone, 60lb hammer and WOB (2 misses and out)  Caber was three rounds.  I can't remember my marks as most events are much heavier than normal due to the venue size.  Awesome games with a very enthusiastic crowd.

I can't remember all of the disctances...
32# Braemar:  somewhere in the 32 foot range???
22# open Stone:  40 foot something???
HWFD:  38'4''  PR!
60# Hammer "Black Death Hammer":  40'4''  Death Hammer PR! 
WOB:  14'  jumped to 16' because everyone was out.  Missed both pulls. 
Caber:  3 different cabers: 
    1. Biggest caber (used in the Pro comp) 19 foot 110 lbs? I don't know i might be way off.  1:00 
    2.  Small Caber  (everyoen turned a 12:00)  12:00
    3.  Triple bend caber 12:00.

Saturday 9/21/2013
Harrietsville Scottish Heavy Events  Harrietsville Ontario.   (Just outside of London Ontario)
This was a great games put on at Berle and Sandy Conrads place in Harrietsville.  It was my Canadian Debut in the HGs.  I am originally from London and my parents still live there so it was great to go there to visit and throw.   It rained all night before the games and was raining pretty steadily right up to the stat of the games at 11:00am.  The field was a little wet but with the skies clearing it made for a fairly nice day. 
Threw Open class:  A couple of Ams a couple of Pros and a Couple of Masters.  Took 2nd
28lb Braemar:  33'9.5" 3rd
20 lb Open Stone:  42'1''  3rd
WOB:  15'6  2nd (count back)
HWFD:  40'9'' PR  1st
LWFD:  75'3''  timing was off.  This is why i need to practice. 2nd
HH 87'11  boo...season worst by 7 feet.  3rd? 
LH 123'5  Felt pretty good.  Not sure why LH went so much better.  Usually they are about 20 feet different.  1st
20lb Sheaf:  26'   They gave me a bonus try and i got 28 pretty easily.  I know it does not count but it made me feel better  I was watching the sheaf as i released and kept hooking it to my right.  Sheaf was wet from being thrown earlier in the day.  We had to duct tape that thing up a couple of times to keep it together.  That poor sheaf took a beating.   2nd
Caber: 12:15: windy... 1st

Thanks Luke.  It is funny how much more fun HWFD is when i don't let it throw me around.   You are right the hammer is terrible...that is why it's fun to throw.  It has a steel handle with light knurling like a barbell on the end.  I can't wait to throw it again next year.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10101713026443288&set=pcb.10101713031493168&type=1&theater

If you want to check out a pic of the hammer.  I also have it as my facebook pic right now.

Monday 9/30/2013
AM
257lbs
Speed week
Box Squat  6x2 @330  all warm up sets were regular squats taken to parallel.
Bench Press 6x2 @235  then 4x2 @ 185
Good Morning 3x10 @ 125

PM
Hockey Game

Wednesday 10/2/2013
Push Press 6x2 @155 
Deadlift  6x2 @335
Rope Pushdown x10 @ 70 / 70 / 80 / 80
Lower body stretching 15+ mins:  Hamstring/Groin/Piriformis/Hip flexors/Quads etc

Thursday 10/4/2013
AM
Cable Row x8 @ 200/220/240/260
Clean High Pull x3 @ 135 / 185 / 235 / 265

PM
Hammer winds both directions x10  12lb / 12lb / 22lb / 22lb
Internal / External rotation w/ red band

Monday 10/8/2013

Squat 225x10 / 225x10 / 315 3x3

Bench 185x10 / 185x10 225 3x3

Wednesday 10/9/2013

Push Press 135 3x6 / 155 4x2

Deadlift 335 3x2

Thursday 10/10/2013

Pull up x 12 / 8 / 5 / 5

Cable Row @200 3x8

Single arm DB Row @110 3x8

Hammer Winds w/12lb hammer

Wedesday 10/16/2013
Down week
OH Squat:  Bar x 10 / 95 x4...Right shoulder was pretty angry so i called it a day for this lift
Front Squat x10 135 / 225 / 245  was hoping to get to to 315 but my core and upper back were wasted.  So tired.
RDL x10 135 / 135 / 135
DB Bench  slight incline x 10   80 / 90 / 100 x8 

Friday 10/18/2013
AM: 
1.5 hours of drop in hockey with a bunch of the local college club hockey guys.  Great workout.

PM: 
DB shoulder press x 10  (20x20) / 40 / 50 / 60 7+3
DB Front/Side Raises x10  10 / 10 / 10 slow
DB V raise  x12 7.5 / 7.5 / 7.5
Rope Pushdown x 12 70 / 70 / 70

Thanks Nate.  Yeah, I was hoping to get the nod.  I'll just have to come back bigger and badder.  The up side is that it makes my off season programming easier.

Saturday 10/19/2013
Single arm cable rows 50x20  x12 70 / 90 / 100 / 110 / 120
Pulldown x12 140 / 140 / 140  (70 each arm)
Sword Draw x 12  10 / 10 / 10

High Volume coming up next week.

John, I am sure you have already thought about this, but in case you didn't, I would contact all the ADs of the games you have done that have a Pro class.  See if you can get in.  Also, talk to Jake Sullivan, as I believe he too did not travel much as a Am and still did "okay" in his rookie season.  lol

Of course, Jake's success in getting invites probably stemmed from both being proactive in asking ADs, and then kicking serious ass once he got onto the field, which secured invites to the big games.  Your numbers are obviously good enough to be a good pro.  If you can get into 5-6 midwest games as a pro, then the onus is on you to do well enough to get invited to the bigger games.

Good luck.  I look forward to not throwing with you next year.  lol.  seriously though, if you do not turn pro, I hope to get to throw with you in 2014.

Sully, I've thrown with John on a few occasions and he will have no problem with numbers 1 and 2. 

Nate:  I am excited for you.  I love those shots.  I am working on getting Greg on here.  I also need to convince him not to become a light weight. He needs to be 230 not 190.  I'm working on it.

Rob:  Thanks for the advice.  That is my plan start searching around see if there are any pro spots open.  I hope we get to throw together next year.   I plan on travelling a little more next year either way.

Jake:  Advice much appreciated.  I didn't even have to hit you up first.  I like what you are saying.  I have scaled back my lifting in order to get more throwing in and may scale back even more.  I usually aim to do #1 and 2.  Seems simple enough  lol.  This past season i lifted my a$$ off but did not do much throwing in comparison, so i need to change that for this coming year.   I think you are right on.  I hope i get to meet and throw with you in 2014.

Sean: Thanks for the good vibes.  We had some good comps this past year.  Any future ones will be even better.

Friday 10/25/13

Deads 8x10 @ 255

Clean High Pull 3x5 @205

RDL 3x10 @185

Russian Twist 3x10 w/25lb

Saturday 10/26/13

Bench: 8x10 @ 185 (sets 7 and 8 were 7+3) Tris failed

DB incline 30 degree: 3x10 @ 70 (sets 2 and 3 were 7+3) Same as above

Rope Pushdown: x10 80 / 90 / 80

T-Bar Row: x 10 w/ 70 / 105 / 140 / 175

Internal / External Rotation x 10 7.5 / 7.5 / 7.5