Jud Logan on Overheads and Lifting

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Copied from The Ring.  The last sentence of each post is key.

Jud Logan

12:55 PST, 10/10/2006 

Over heads
1988........Randy Barnes had come to train with Kevin "Freight Train Arm" Akins in Columbus, Ohio. Kevins brother in law went to Kent State (my alma mater) and also was my training partner (Johnny O'Connor) I had just finished a hammer practice in which when Barnes surprised us all with his visit, I hit a big PR with my 6K. (Hammer).  How Barnes and Kevin and I got into a Overhead contest is a little sketchy- my best was right at 71 and Barnes had been 72 prior.  Kevin threw right at 20- maybe 20.50. Barnes went 22.20 or right in there- I had a PR (in my opinion attributed to the guest) and threw 22.52 or right near 73"10. I talked with Gunther and word travels fast when you make a throw like that- he related he had been slightly over 23M.  This was also the year I threw 81.88 in the hammer.
 For me the OH shot was the closest predictor to what kind of shape I was in to throw the hammer far than any other test in 20+ years. 

Jud Logan

17:42 PST, 10/10/2006 

OH and Ron
*The key statement was for "ME".  I did not train the OH, but had a good Power Clean (200K) and average Power Snatch (142.5K) Back Squat 770 lbs. and a very strong F. Squat 550 x 3 and 602 x 1. 34 Inch vertical and I felt my best test was the 5 double leg hop at 57"3.  All done at bodyweight of 272. 

In hindsight, I was stronger than my best performances in the ring.  My though process with athletes I coach is much different, we lift, we lift alot, but I am judged by their performance on meet day- not how much they can lift in the weight room. 
All the testing we do is to make sure what we are doing in the weight room is tranferable to better performances.  When the kids see their "Quad" score rise, they know they are better equipped to deal with the forces of a 35 lb weight, 16 lb. shot or Hammer. 
I have learned much from weight training from the likes of Charles Poliquin, Loiue Simmons, Dave Tate, Charles Staley, Derek Woodske, Buddy Morris, Tommy Myslinski and Stewart Togher. They all agree on one thing- using weight training to better performance in your choosen event. 
In closing- it is nice to have a powerful engine, but if you can't control the car or get it in the right gear- (ie. technique work and speed training of the neural pathways)you will always lose to the more efficient driver. 