Some coaches make training seem complex. Some make it seem oh so simple. And when you play the long game it is. Coach Paddy McGrath has been coaching Rudy Winkler for nearly 15 years. Slow and steady he’s developed into the American record holder and a favorite for the podium at this summer’s World Championships. On this week’s episode he joins us to talk about his approach to training, teaching, and throwing.
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Every coach aims for technical improvement, but few have a clear method for achieving it. Throwing coach Nathan Ott has a clear process. It starts with defining the key engine an athlete uses to move, creating a plan together with the athlete, and maintaining focus and accountability. He joins us on this week’s episode to discuss how he views technical development, its interaction with physical preparation, and examples from world champion Brooke Andersen.
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In 2016 Tuomas Seppänen was on the verge of a breakthrough when everything went wrong. It took him years to build but now, at age 36, he is throwing better than ever. On this week’s podcast he joins us to discuss his long road back to the top, including overcoming vertigo, rehabilitating injury, adjusting his training, dealing with the pandemic, balancing work, and much more.
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It’s time to open the listener mailbag again. On this episode we answer some questions about using video in training, isometrics, hypertrophy, post-competition routines, throwing technique, and more.
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Swedish speed skater Nils van der Poel was one of the most impressive athletes at last month’s Winter Olympics. After obliterating the field and setting records at both the 5000 and 10000m events, he released a free eBook detailing his training plan and philosophy. One important point he made was in what tools he choose. There is a role for nearly every tool in training, but you have to choose the right tool for the purpose at hand. He used the analogy of a sculptor to get his point across:
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Throughout the month we’ve been looking at different perspectives on throwing. Normally our throwing content focuses more on training methods, but recently we’ve also been giving special attention to throwing technique. One common theme has appeared over and over with different athletes in different events: the best throwers find a technique that works best for them, rather than chasing a one-size-fits-all technical model. Our recent video lesson on hammer throw technique shares some specific examples of this from the hammer throw. Below are three lessons that athletes in all events can learn from in order to find their own throw.
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Go to your typical track meet and I bet you can identify which throwers are coached by which coach. Maybe it is a signature start, or how they move across the ring. They have a technical model and they’ve applied that successfully to their athletes. That is the sign of a good coach, right?
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The hammer throw is a unique sport. Most types of throwing require an athlete to apply force to an implement, but in the hammer throw you have to work together with the implement. That changes the whole dynamic of how you think about accelerating. On this week’s episode we nerd out a little and get into technical detail with one of the best of all time as Olympic medalist Lance Deal explains how he thought about accelerating in the hammer throw.
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I remember the first time I saw video of Jüri Tamm throw the hammer. A big round man with a mustache and a fluffy head of hair lumbered into the ring. Compared to his compatriots Yuriy Sedykh and Sergey Litvinov, he seemed to move like a sloth through the circle. His feet flailed around as he completed three turns. It wasn’t the prettiest throw until the hammer left his hand and it flew. And kept flying. And kept flying. Tamm, who passed away on Thursday, set the world record and won two Olympic medals. His best mark is still among the top 10 all-time. Yet still, when I watch him throw, I can’t help but think: what did I just see?
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World hammer throw record holder Yuriy Sedykh passed away on Tuesday. When you think of Sedykh there is Sedykh the thrower and Sedykh the man. I’m not going to pretend I knew Sedykh the man very well. I met him a handful of times at clinics, but never had an in depth conversation with him. Nevertheless, like every hammer thrower in the world, I intimately knew Sedykh the thrower. Looking around social media for the past few days it is amazing to see all the memories of throwers like me. They met him a few times, but he changed their lives. Below are a few thoughts on Sedykh the thrower.
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