Just how strong are heavy eventers?

Hey thanks!!! Glad I could help. This was a LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNG time
ago.

I WENT INTO THE GYM FOR THE FIRST TIME 11/14/09 SINCE BEING HIT BY A SUV ON MY MOTORCYCLE. THAT DAY I COULD BARLY BENCH 110#  FRIDAY 9/24/10 I BENCHED 305 X 8 A PR FOR ME. SQUATS 585# , PRESS 185#, CURLS 140#, TRICEP PRESS 235#, AND 1 LEG PRESSES 285#. I KNOW IT'S NOT MUCH WITH SOME ONE WHO HAS ROD'S & PINS THROUGH OUT THERE BODY. I AM 46 & 5'10" 229LBS.

WILLIAM DONNELL

CELTIC WARRIOR

 

Sick 2005 bump.

Bert Sorin wrote: Jumped for the first time in over a year. 30" vert with a slight run up. not good, but it was fun to fly for a minute. Landing was strange.

Oh, does that bring back memories.  Running and jumping for a <soccer ball, rugby ball, frisbee, ...> and then thinking, "Oh, right, now I have to come down..."

Unbalanced wrote: grasshopper wrote: Last year I had a situation where I was in the hunt to win a competition and found myself wishing in the back of my mind that they athlete I was competing against would throw poorly so I could win. I was ashamed that I was thinking this way. Couldnt believe how much of a numb arse thing that was to be thinking.   About half way through another games I was in contention for I started to root for the other thrower, because i would rather be in contention and hopefully beat someone on thier best day, rather than beat them when they are having an off day. Still came in second, but only because thrower had a good day. Really stupid of me. Im still a really competitive guy, but id rather see everyone throw PR's and may the best man win. Definately not happy with "decent"!!! TROB   I was lurking around some old posts and picked up this gem. This is why I love competing with you guys. I only began throwing two years ago and had to lay off last year because of unrelated injuries. This spiriti is exactly the reason I am proud to be a part of this sport. The competitors, judges and volunteers are unlike any other sport I have ever been involved with. What sport are you familiar with, where your competitor is hoping you will throw your best in order to push them to their limits. These are the qualities of a true competitor and top notch individual. Makes me want to train harder and pay this attitude forward.

This rings with my situation sort of. A couple of years ago I began urging my brother to come back out and throw. I knew he would Stomp all over me, but he needed to get back to it. As much as he grumbles about pains and aches I think he is truely enjoying it. And as i suspected he is trouncing me every time. Good For Him.....

STRENGTH is EASY too acquire versus spending hours PERECTING positions. 

  Positions EQUAL power !!!

I interupted Ryan V. once during a clinic when he said " If my winds are off in the hammer I;ll take 45-min to an hour and just fix it"

Duncan,

I think what Coach Mac is saying (although he can respond for himself) is that while acquiring strength certainly takes discipline and effort, given those necessary elements (ideally along with some intelligent programming and decent nutrition), most athletes are going to dramatically improve their strength. 

Acquiring excellent throwing technique is much more complicated and difficult to do, which is evidenced by the fact that few throwers ever attain it while LOTS of guys are able to get plenty strong.

You are obviously correct that to be a great thrower one has to have some combination of good to great strength (or more accurately power) and decent to excellent technique.

Interesting discussion,
asking how RV would do against is like asking how Dan
O'Brien would do against Sergey Bubka, IE each would be
very good at the other's sport, but the specialist would
never beat the multi-eventer at multi-events, and the
multi-eventer would never beat the specialist at his
speciality, how about Jan Zelezney against Roman
Seberele, the best of the best in each.

Now the potential is there in both, but the specialist
physical training and skill learning.........

I am so weak that it shames me, and weak as i am, i am
worse as a thrower, but I have met and seen great
athletes in HG, Track,weightlifting, powerlifting, and
strongman.
All are great at their own sports, and all hugely strong.
I met and talked training with Adam Nelson a few times,
very nice guy, looks taller and lighter in person. Very
explosive and powerful.

Why no love for the Bench press? there is two putting
events, and all shotputters have huge bench press
strengths.

Wasn't the two Anderson brothers competitive athletes in
another sport, one was a powerlifter and the other was a
weightlifter, but threw almost the same numbers? Maybe
the scottish lads could fill the details in.

if you put too much time into lifting you won't spend
enough time on skill, and if you don't lift and keep
lifting you won't be strong enough to maximise your
throwing skills, good luck all!

I have been powerlifting for several year and highland games the last two years.  425 raw bench 625 raw dead hope to get 450 bench and 650 dead this December.  420lb stone on 55" box 400lb keg on 55" box 5 times in a row.  I have done 300lb log and benched 225lb for 30 reps.  I really think that powerlifting helps a great deal with highland games.  I think you have to have strength but most important is the technique that you must learn with every event.  Look at Ryan Vierra he is strong as a bull who cares if he does not have a 6 pack anymore, not many pwerlifters do, I wish I had them but I dont either.  It is what you do on the field and in the gym that counts.  If you are not putting in the time then your not going to gfet better.

I throw with a guy that doesn't do a lot in the gym, but is a pretty solid thrower. He can throw the 56 over 35, the 28 for 66-68', LH for 111', HH for 90', but can't throw a stone for shit. He's naturally a strong guy, but he wouldn't be anywhere near me and I'm not even close to a good thrower. I beat him in the stone, but I think that's more beacuse of my shot experience, rather than my strength.

I got into a head on car accident(I was in a62 VW) at 55mph the other
guy(68Goat) was clearly in my lane, I walked out of it he was in the Hospital
for several weeks, I was Powerlifting at the time, he most likely was doing
drug because he was trying to light up a joint from what the cops said.
Strength beats stupidity every time. Thats my feat of strength story.