Lowell,

Very nice what you said about Kevin and true too.  I watched him all those years make sure that class never died.  He spent all his time traveling all over to support the games that would host the lightweight class and was instrumental in 2002 with Bill Butler in Sacremento so that the MWC now continues it.  Many many 190 guys always had to lose weight but Kevin and a few others were just naturally built for that class; always enjoyed watching them.  You, are the next voice for the little guys!  Go get em and keep things going! 

We'll see you in KC this year, cheap traveling now that gas is back down so low!

Lori

If some of us would get off of our fat asses...we might actually throw 190's again...

Need to get William Wallace from South Carolina to Phoenix... He is all of 185 and doing well in the A's.

the 14 stone number is cool...not that I have a chance of reaching it

49 days to go , better run some hills, better eat some salad, better

walk the dog, oh and no sweets!!!

Yeah we can't all be like my brother.  the year he won the championship he weighed in holding his games bag.   haha.   stinkin light people.

McSanta wrote: brandell wrote: I may have to judge you guys at KC this year...but beware, I am an EVIL Judge....   The stories I could tell..... Evil but fair

Hehe...

Nice Thread Lowell.

It is good to see the 190 still fertile. It had a great time in the late 1990's and new influx of throwers since, and the advances of the marks over the years is tremendous and respectable, for such light body to implement ratios.  Techniques have been sharpened by many over the years, and the interests of more 190's throwing is encouraging.

The weightclass has always been 190 for this class, the records are 190, the history is 190; anything but 190 would be arbitrary anyways and a psychological number anyhow. (Lets not debate this thing again, please.)

Good luck to All in 2009.  Hope to see many of you here and there in the year ahead.

Regards,

Doug

MY understanding of where "190" came from was the class was started by Greg Bradshaw in the RMSA (Rocky Mt. Scottish Athletics).  He wanted a class where some of the younger teens and smaller guys could enter and not deal with the fat boys.  He made a decision and it has been that ever since.  Then I believe Dan DeWelt started the 190 National Champs in Tulsa and then Steve Scott took it over in Kansas City.  Then Kevin Henderson came along and kept it alive and kicking.  Bill Scruggs probably figured that old guys that threw 190 were probably getting old and fat and didn't want to hassle with getting down to 190 (I recall Laynne Burnett coming into the 190 nationals in KC one year literally vascularized like a bodybuilder to make body weight, Randall, too). 

I know that I always tried to have a 190 class in any games that I AD'ed.  There have been many good ones.  Doug McDonald (not the Canuck, but the REAL Doug "McDougal" Donald), Kevin Rogers, Jim Spalding, Isaac and Nathan Burchett, Howe, Laynne Burnett, Tim Pinkerton, and Brian Randall).  Who has a list of the National winners?

Wayne Hill wrote: Jeez, did you see Mark Howe's scores from the Southeast Florida games?  It looks like he means business this season.

Yeah he is serious again it seems.

Ya'll keep an eye on Action Figure...if he can lay off the rabbit diet, get his a$$ to a buffet and be a REAL MAN about it, he is going to be a contender!

As the guy who put Heavy in Heavy Athletics (being fat is a skill, either you have it or you don't) I have a huge amount of respect for the under-190's.  Pound for pound better athletes than some, me for sure!

See you all in Kansas City!

http://www.highlandgames.net/records-full.html - http://www.highlandgames.net/records-full.html http://www.highlandgames.net -

I am with you this is a great class, but as an AD I know all about adding a class and it is a lot of work if you want to be able to keep things similar year to year just as a note. 

Johnnie had a good point about sharing a judge but that can only happen if you have less than 12 total athletes or it takes way to long especially since some masters classes run a bit longer than others as they are experienced enough to warm up. So there could be a judging fee issue.  You would need to add additional awards, shirts, lunch, water space for additional throwers is a safety issue.  Only reason I am saying this I am going through some planning challenges for Phoenix as they reduced my area and budget but I am still getting over 70 athletes already and I may have to say NO MORE so that our event does not become unsafe.  Great topic keep it going I would love to have more games to compete at..

just type

"ttt"   for "take it to the top"

lowellthompson wrote: Are thread started dropping down the list so I had to write something. Question. How many of you guys have to cut weight to get to 190 ? How many of you are well under and never have to worry ? If you are well under do you try to bulk-up to 190 every year ? Im usually about 200# in the off season and always have to cut weight . This year the games come early in Phoenix , and I have been Battling since X-mas . It seems to be a fine line between the small amount of body-fat and the muscle I gain lifting. This is yet again another example of how competitive our class can be. Just ask Johnnie or Davin , these guys are masters of cutting weight. You can also pay the price if you cut weight to fast , loosing alot of your power and strength , and then having Mr. Gunn who wieghs 140 sneak-up on you and smoke you on sheaf.

I don't cut weight and typically stay around 185.  I've actually bulked up from about 160 in the last 3 years.  But I feel ya--spent a year in the gym re-habbing to get back to the field--thought I was in great shape--until Dave Carl (all buck-fifty of him) owned me in Ohio ;-)

Rob,

A 190# class for a games in the southeast would be great. You might even start a trend. I would definitely be there. It's the same weights I throw in the masters, but it would be nice to compete against other guys my size occasionally.

Looks like I am going to have to get down to 190...give you boys a run!

Only 120 pounds to go!!!

If anyone can pull it off, it's Rob. 

Myles,

That was my problem....

Lots and lots of ice cream.

It kind of makes me sad that there are grown men weighing over 200lbs, who want to compete in a heavy events strength sport, that are cutting weight to make this class.  why?

Disclaimer:  Craig Smith is is no way questioning or demeaning the lightweight class.  He is really just curious why someone would want to cut weight in this sport as opposed to gaining weight.  Craig Smith began competing in highland games at like 205-210lbs anyway, and was a Pro at 235lbs.

I agree Craig there is no reason to cut weight to make the class. Once I had to start doing it I stopped throwing lightweights. I know I personally wont' ever weigh that light again so I will enjoy my Masters time now that I officially turned one :-)

The division was designed by Greg Bradshaw in the late 80's or so to give guys well under the 'normal' weights of Highland athletes a chance to compete.  If you are say 165-170, just get stronger and work your technique. Gain the weight slowly so its 'good weight' vs flat out FAT!   Go look at the world records, mark howe and the burchetts set those at a weight of  low 180's, no where near pushing the 190 mark.

Thats true , those guys can throw as well as any pro.

¿Qué?

Most of the 190s compete at 190 because thats the weight their bodys can sustain. The factors are height , bone structure and metabolism . Usually these factors limit how heavy we can get naturally

I would guess you would get quite a few people to disagree with you that 190lbs is the limit for so many people. 

If there was no 190s there would be much fewer light guys interested in the sport and less people at the games

Would you really choose not to compete if you had to throw the 56 and complete against guys bigger than you????  Interesting.

The 190s that i have competed with and have hosted at my games (in a normal am class mind you), seemed to be doing just fine.

I agree...I LOVE this sport!!!  While I might wish I could find more 190 classes to compete in locally there is no way that I would let my "lack of balast" ever stop me from getting out there with the "big boys" on any given day!  For me it is not a deterant to be smaller than the "normal" highland heavyweight...it is incentive!!!  My 14 year old son is, bless his soul, built much the same as me.  He has been throwing with me for awhile now and is interested in going out for track this spring at his high school.  He is also catching quite a bit of flack from some of the "heavies" on his football team saying he should look at running and not think about throwing.  He has thrown the open stone with me and hit 20'6" last practice...I can't wait til he gets a hold of the 12# shot and makes them eat crow!!  I know that some guys that are not gigantuan don't have this same drive...

This.  Well done sir.  

if there were more 190 competitions out there it would, in my humble opinion bring more of them in and therefore increase intrest in the sport as a whole and increase the numbers at the gate, which lets face it, is what ultimately keeps these games alive!!!!

Not this.  You either want to compete in strength sports or you don't.  Using weight as some sort of handicap as to why you don't compete, is just like the cousin of the guy at the gym that lives the next town over that benches 600 pounds raw. 

C. Smith wrote: It kind of makes me sad that there are grown men weighing over 200lbs, who want to compete in a heavy events strength sport, that are cutting weight to make this class.  why?

When I started this sport last year I weighed 220 lbs... I am going into this year well over 250lbs.

As Craig says... this is a "heavy events strength sport"... Mass moves mass.

Fellas,

There is an under-190 at The Iron Thistle in March.  I have been to this game, and it is awesome.  Great group of people, good area to throw, and competition was excellent.  I just got off the phone with Jonathan Irvin, the BSD of the Games, and he says bring it on.

PM Deakion with questions, or go to this site: http://uscoscots.org/ - http://uscoscots.org/

Great place to start your season.

So sayeth the fat man...

I THINK what is trying to be conveyed here is don't let a physical stature restrict you in this sport. If there isn't a 190's game, throw C's or B's. If you want to do it just for fun, stay in those classes and have a great time.

If you want more out of the sport you know you must gain some weight and strength. As it comes along keep refining your technique then go A's, then go to the big A games, then try to go pro. Alistair Gunn is 5'9" I believe and Francis Brebner about 5'10" I think. Both have been long staning pros that have never let 'stature' keep them from being great.

It's all about what you want out of the sport.