So, today I want to welcome all the new members that have taken advantage of our “Beginning of the Season” offer going on right now and joined this past weekend…
…. and one special member in particular: Reece Hoffa!
Not another guy named Reece Hoffa… The Reece Hoffa, the Legend himself.
…and let me tell you, I take that as a huge compliment.
Welcome Coach Hoffa and to all the other coaches!
Now that I’ve gushed a bit, let’s dive into this week’s throws coaching topic:
Since it’s March, a lot of people in the warm weather states are starting their season, and most will open this weekend or this week.
So, what are you doing specifically to be ready for this season?
As the season begins, shot putters, gliders & discus throwers need to be prepared for competition.
I know that is a “no duh Coach!” statement, but you’d be surprised how many are not PROPERLY prepared!
What I suggest you do to prepare is mock a competition scenario in training.
It’s a great exercise for throwers—simple and effective.
What this means is that throwers get 4-5 warm-ups and then it’s time to throw far.
Too many throwers take 10, 12, or 15 throws before they throw far….
Throwers won’t get that kind of time in meets, and besides… that’s too many warm up throws- you’re leaving BIG throws behind if you exhaust yourself in warm ups!
At most invites, at all levels, there is less time given for warm ups due to the larger number of athletes competing, so get in the rhythm of warming up in 3 to 4 throws.
Usually a max of 2-3 times in the ring for the disc and usually about 4-6 throws in the shot. That should mean 4-6 throws… assuming every kids has 2 discs…
…. but in the shot, that’s about all you will get. Sometimes it’s less!
Mocking comps is an important exercise in training with the TCR® system. I want my throwers ready to go and crush it.
Additionally, I don’t like my throwers leaving their big throws in warm-up either. They should be ready to blast big throws by the 5th, 6th, 7th, throw.
Really reenact the meet scenario!
Dual meets are a bit more relaxed, but in invites you gotta be ready to go.
Here’s what a mock competition should look like.
- Active warm-up, jog-skips carioca’s etc. – Break a sweat. A real warm-up
- Warm-up throws. Throwers should be ready in 4-5 or less. Throwers don’t get 10 warm-ups in meets, so mirror competition. Throwers need to get in and focus on dialing it in and be ready to go.
- Then 4-6 comp throws (Side rant: this 4 throw rule all over the country is total BS!! Throwers deserve 6. Some invite still have 6, but others just 4 throws. That sucks!!)
- Fouls count. Toes fouls, exit, the back half of the circle. If they scratch, no mark.
- Keep the technical focus simple. I think a big mistake made my new coaches and throwers is they think about too much. That’s a recipe for disaster too.
In these mock meet scenarios, many throwers will have 2 or 3 fouls, and this is good because they need to:
- Learn how to not do that, and
- Learn how to deal with it if it does.
(Because, believe me, it happens to every thrower at some point in their career.)
This is a something I encourage all throws coaches and throwers to simulate.
Coaches need to understand how thier throwers respond to the pressures of competition.
Some kids respond to the coach getting a little fired up. Some kids need the coach to remain calm, as they will feed off your stress!
As a rule, I’m pretty mellow in meets. I want my throwers relaxed, and focused. No extra stress from me.
We’ve done the work; time to have fun! Meets are supposed to about getting pumped up, but not too pumped up.
After we are done with the mock meet process, we take more throws and work on technique. Mocking the comp process is a great way to prep for the competition.
The more they do it in training, the better they will be in competition.
As the season openers approach, this is typically done at least once a week.
My guys that opened this past week went through the above scenario; they warmed up, then started the comp and we covered the 5 points above.
I only had 2 AZ kids in my group compete, but both PR’d in the discus… and for Weston, that meant a new AZ AA State record, and he beat his own school record- 172’3”
I trained them through this meet, but I always like my young guys to kick out PRs in the first 2 weeks of the season. Sets the tone for big meets.
Peaking is something covered in the Strength Training course in the Alpha Coach program of our online membership.
So, in addition to mocking the meet, we isolated the technical cues and dialed in the right rhythm.
I like to have them confident and ready.
When it’s comp time, the adrenaline of the first meet becomes their best friend because they are ready physically, technically, and mentally.
So, as your season openers begin, make sure that, at a minimum one practice before the meet, you recreate the meet scenario so they are ready to throw far.
Compete like a monster and throw far!!
– Coach Johnson
