Hammer

Don Babbitt

    The hammer throw is one of the most dynamic and complex events contested in the realm of athletics. Its origins have been traced back to Ireland and Scotland, where the first competitions were recorded during the 16th century. The throwing of the "sledge" was a regular part of the Scottish Games in the early to mid-1800s. Early hammer throwers threw wood-shafted working hammers that weighed between 9 and 15 pounds (4 and 7 ki­lograms). In the late 1800s the Scottish throwers threw the 16- and 22-pound (7-and 10-kilogram) ham­mers from a standing position. Donald Dinnie was considered the greatest thrower of that time and is given credit for developing the wind to give the hammer extra speed before it was thrown. Today the hammer can still be seen in its pure form in the Scottish Highland Games, where contestants throw a rounded sledgehammer.
    The hammer throw was included in the Olympic Games in 1904 as an exclusively men's event. The "Irish-American Giants" or "Irish Whales" such as John Flanagan, Matt McGrath, and Pat Ryan dominated Olympic competitions through the 1920s. During the 1930s and 1940s no countries dominated, and the progression of the world record was slow, hovering in the 58- to 59-meter (l95-foot) range. During the 1950s and early 1960s there was steady progress in hammer throwing technique and training as throwers such as Mikhail Krivonosov of the Soviet Union, Harold Connolly of the United States, and Gyula Zsivotzky of Hungary pushed the world record past the 73-meter (240-foot) mark.
Starting in the late 1960s the Soviet Union began to dominate the hammer.
    Beginning with Anatoly Bondarchuk's gold medal in the 1972 Olympic Games, the Russian hammer throwers went on to win almost three quarters of the medals available at the Olympic Games and world championships between 1972 and 1992. Bondarchuk went into coaching and developed the current men's world-record holder Iouri Sedykh, who threw an astounding 86.74 meters (285 feet) in 1986. Sedykh and other Soviet greats such as Sergey Litvinov, Juri Tamm, and Igor Nikulin have become the models for what is now considered modern hammer throwing technique. In 2000 the women's hammer was added to the Olympic program. Seventeen-year-old Kamila Skolimowska of Poland won the first Olympic gold medal for this event, at 71.16 meters (233 feet). Mihaela Melinte of Romania holds the current women's world record at 76.07 meters (250 feet).
 

Technique
    All descriptions in this chapter will be for the right-handed thrower; the left hand will be considered the glove hand. The different sections of the ring will be identified according to the degrees of a circle, with 0 degrees being the back of the ring and 180 degrees being the front of the ring, as shown in figure 6.1.

Grip
    A proper grip and smooth, rhythmical winds are essential in establishing a good throwing rhythm and tempo. You must be comfortable with both of these technical elements before advancing to the complete throwing movement. To establish the grip, hold the handle of the hammer at the second metacarpal with your glove hand. Then place the fingers of your right hand over the fingers of your left hand so that your palms are lined up against each other (figure 6.2). Some elite throwers grip the handle using only three fingers on the glove hand to increase the radius of the hammer.

Preliminary Swings
    The initiation of the preliminary swings, which precede the winds, can take place in many different ways. What is most important is that you remain in a balanced and controlled position as you transition from the preliminary swings into the winds. Perhaps the easiest way to start the preliminary swings is to hold the hammer with both hands and keep the handle just above your waist while letting the hammer head hang straight down. From this position, you can rock the ball back and forth under your body twice before casting it out straight away from your body (toward 0 degrees) and then back to your right side (toward 210 degrees) before pulling the ball around counterclockwise (left) to begin the first wind. (See figure 6.3.) This type of beginning may be well suited for the beginning or intermediate thrower since it allows a more gradual and controlled acceleration of the hammer at the beginning of the wind start. The rhythmic swings also help set up the rhythm for the winds and turns that will follow.
    In a more advanced version of this start you use only your left arm to swing the hammer between your legs once before casting the ball straight away from your body (toward 0 degrees) and then back around to your right side (toward 210 degrees). As the ball moves back toward the apex of the backswing, put the right hand in position on the handle before the hammer begins to move forward into the first wind (figure 6.4).

Static Start

    You can take a more straightforward approach to setting up the winds by placing the ball inside the ring off your right heel. From this position, pull the hammer forward (toward 0 degrees) into the first wind, as shown in figure 6.5. This static wind start eliminates much of the rhythmic swinging of the more dynamic start, allowing you to move into the winds without executing prelimi­nary swings. While the static start may appear to be the simpler of the two types of starts, you should know that this start may cause you to make the mistake of winding primarily with your arms and shoulders. This fault is more likely to occur because this start requires a sudden acceleration of the hammer to initiate the first wind. This rapid acceleration is deceptive; it feels easier because it is accomplished primarily by the upper body. To maximize your throwing distance, however, you must ensure that your hips and legs are the driving force of the winds as well as the entire throw.

Winds

    Proper execution of the winds and entry are critical to setting up a successful throw. Traditionally, throwers use two winds before entering into the first turn. It should be noted, however, that more than two winds have been employed by successful international-level throwers (for example, Heinz Weis, the 1997 world champion, and Karsten Kobs, the 1999 world champion). It is very important that you be in a comfortable and balanced position with the hammer under control when you transition from the winds into the first turn. There­fore, it might be argued that you should use whatever number of winds are necessary to feel comfortable and balanced. However, keep in mind that the greater the number of winds, the more complicated the winding and entry process becomes. For this reason the vast majority of throwers use only two winds.
 

Winding Mechanics
    Both the dynamic and static wind starts can be performed with a "step-in," which occurs at the beginning of the last wind before the entry. With either start, when using the step-in, begin by placing your right foot back from the circle edge. The amount of right foot displacement from the edge of the circle may vary from 10 to 45 centimeters (4 to 18 inches). From this position, you can begin the winds with either the static or the more advanced dynamic start. Upon completion of the first wind, as the ball is about to move in front of you, bring your right foot forward to the edge of the ring so it is parallel with your left foot. (See figure 6.6, c and d.) The distance between your right and left feet (the base) during the winds should be slightly more than shoulder width (70 to 80 centimeters or 28 to 31 inches). Your legs should be in a quarter squat position, which allows greater trunk mobility during the winds.
    When you perform the winds, the hammer head travels around you in an "orbit." The plane of the hammer's orbit during the winds will vary from thrower to thrower, but it is generally 37 to 40 degrees in relation to the ground. During the winds you should rotate your shoulder axis in relation to your hip axis to facilitate "winding with the body" as opposed to "winding with the arms." (See figures 6.6, c through f) If you do this properly, you will turn your trunk until your chest is facing 300 (270 at most in pictures) degrees while the hammer travels back toward 180 degrees. (See figures 6.6e and 6.7c.) Your chest will then be turned back to face 0 as the ball moves in its orbit toward 0.

Rhythm of the Winds
    The pace of the winds is generally one of gradual acceleration. After the preliminary swings are used to gain momentum for the hammer, the first wind is used to set up the proper orbit and plane. The orbital plane of the first wind is relatively flat, and the pace should be comfortable and not rushed or hurried in any way. The second wind is used to further establish the desired orbital plane and to speed up the ball in preparation for the entry. Most of the ball speed upon entry into the first turn is produced from the preceding winds.
    Establishing a good winding rhythm is critical. If you produce too much ball speed on the first wind, you may tighten up your body in an effort to control the ball during the second wind. Conversely, if the hammer is moving too slowly after the first wind, you may try too hard to speed up the ball on the second wind, which will again lead to tightness and result in your not being "lined up" properly against the ball at entry. Both of these faults in winding rhythm can negatively alter the plane of the hammer orbit.
 

Entry
    The transition from the winds into the first turn should be smooth. As the hammer head completes the last wind and moves around in front of you (0 degrees), your feet should begin moving. Once the hammer head is directly in front of you, you are said to be "lined up" with the hammer. (See figure 6.6g and 6.7 e and f.) This "lining up" is crucial for subsequent turns. If you start turning before lining up the hammer, you will "drag" the hammer into the first turn by leading the hammer with your left shoulder, a significant technical error. As the hammer moves through 0 on around toward 90, keep both feet on the ground turning together (whether performing a heel or a toe turn) until the hammer has reached 70 to 90 degrees. At this point pick up your right foot and begin the first single-support phase.
    As you enter the first turn, the plane of the hammer's orbit should be much flatter than that of the orbit during the winds. The orbital plane is also usually flatter when making a toe turn than when making a heel turn. Generally speaking, the angle of inclination for a toe turn (for a four-turner) is about 15 degrees upon entry (figure 6.6g), whereas the orbital plane is closer to 20 degrees (figure 6.7e) for a heel turn entry (for a three- or four-turner). The low point of the orbit should be around 0 upon entry into the first turn (see figure 6.7e).
    The variations on this point have much to do with individual technique. The most common approach is to set up the low point at 0 (between the right and left feet), but elite throwers have tended to have the low point a little to the left of 0 (in front of the left foot). This variation is usually successful for fast throwers who are able to keep up with the hammer and not let it "run away" from them during the turns. Slower throwers may favor setting up the low point a little to the right of 0 (in front of the right foot) so they are able to "catch" the hammer at or around 270 degrees in the following turns. Starting the first turn with the low point off the right foot was very common in the 1950s through the 1970s. Putting the low point this far to the right allowed throwers to "drag" the hammer, which does not allow the degree of accelera­tion of the implement that is possible with the modern hammer technique.
 

First Turn

    The first turn can be a heel turn or a toe turn. The toe turn is usually used for the first turn for a four-turn throw (figure 6.6g) because it allows for a smoother transition into the three heel turns that will follow, and it reduces the travel across the circle caused by the heel/toe turn. The orbit of the hammer is usually flatter during a toe turn (when compared to a heel turn), and the hammer is usually not traveling as fast as it would in the first turn of a three-turn throw. A heel turn may be used as the first turn of a four-turn throw. However, heel turns are employed almost exclusively to start throws of three turns or fewer. (See figure 6.7f.) Heel turns allow a faster acceleration of the hammer than toe turns because you can better counter the hammer on your heel as opposed to the toe of your left foot.

Proper Footwork During the First Turn
    In the case of both the heel and the toe turn, do not start turning your feet until the hammer has reached 0 degrees and they are "lined up" with the hammer. (See figure 6.7e.) As the hammer makes its way to 90 degrees, turn your feet with the movement of the hammer. During the turn, your left foot should be facing the direction of the hammer head.
    Toe-turn throwers pivot on the ball of the left foot, keeping the toe in the direction of the orbiting hammer head (figure 6.6g). The heel turn is started by turning on the left heel while keeping the left forefoot pointed toward the hammer head (figure 6.7f).
When the hammer approaches 90 degrees, pick up your right foot to begin the single-support phase of the turn. At this point, the mechanics of the toe and heel turn become very similar. As the hammer head travels around you through 180 degrees, bring your right leg in close to your left leg as you pivot on the lateral aspect of the ball of your left foot. (See figure 6.6h and 6.7g through h.) During the single-support phase of the first turn, your left foot will pivot about 180 degrees (from approximately 90 to 270 degrees) before your right foot touches down to start the next, double-support phase.
    At the end of the first single-support phase place your right foot on the surface of the circle somewhere between 210 and 270 degrees. Bring your right foot to the surface with the help of your left leg, which bends rather acutely (figures 6.6l and 6.7h) as you bring your right leg in and around your left leg during the first single-support phase. The bending of your left leg, which keeps much of your body weight on this leg during this phase, occurs rather naturally in response to the centrifugal force generated by the hammer head. Balance and stability are enhanced by bending your legs, thereby keeping your center of mass low. This move counters the hammer that wants to pull you up and out of the circle. Once you are back on double support, your center of gravity should be located between both legs with perhaps a little more weight on your right foot. From this position pivot on the balls of both feet back toward 0 as you move toward the entry into the second turn (see figure 6.7i).

Three Turns Versus Four Turns

    The decision to use three or four turns requires some careful thought and experimentation. The four-turn technique may be advantageous to a smaller athlete who is perhaps lacking in strength because it includes one more turn that can be used to accelerate the hammer. Throwers who are slow to develop speed in the first couple of turns may also benefit from an extra turn. With three turns the hammer obviously does not travel as far as with four turns, but similar distances have been achieved with both methods. The key ques­tion in considering any technique is, How can I achieve the greatest speed of release with the necessary control (release angle consistency and ability to stay in the circle)? Iouri Sedykh's 86.74-meter (285-foot) world record was set using three turns.
    While it is up to you to decide which technique will be most effective, control should be considered paramount. For this reason I suggest that you use four turns only when it will allow you to achieve better results than with three turns. Obviously such a determination requires a reasonable amount of time and work. It is a given among accomplished hammer throwers that three turns are the minimum number of turns for maximizing distance. Knowing that three or four turns are the ultimate goal, beginning throwers will often be more successful in competition using one or two turns. Beginning with one and two turns and building up to three is recommended over starting with four turns and then reducing to three because of control and rhythm problems.
 

Turning Rhythm and Mechanics
    The development of the hammer's velocity during the throw is not steady; rather, it goes through a series of accelerations and decelerations from turn to turn. (See figure 6.8) From the beginning of the throw until the release, the hammer head will travel a path of well over 30 meters (98 feet), which gives you a lot of time to develop release velocity. Acceleration of the hammer occurs during all the double-support phases (when both feet are on the ground), while some amount of deceleration usually occurs during the single-support phases.
    High-level hammer throwers are able to maximize their double-support phases and minimize their single-support phases by
      1. gradually increasing the amount of time spent in the double-support phase in relation to the time spent in the single-support phase while progressing from turn to turn, and
      2. effectively reducing the actual amount of deceleration that occurs during the single-support phase.
    Turning mechanics begin once the hammer head goes through the low point at the conclusion of the second wind as you enter the first turn. The mechanics of the second, third, and possibly fourth turns will be similar to those of the first turn, with the following technical adjustments, which occur in response to the hammer's acceleration:
       •  With each successive turn, pick your right foot up earlier (figure 6.6, g, j, m, and p). Pick your foot up when the hammer is at about 9O degrees on the first turn, and between 70 and 80 degrees on the following turns.
       •  With each successive turn, locate your center of gravity more evenly be­tween your legs and less toward the right as you land back on double support. (See figure 6.6, i, 1, 0, and r and figure 6.7, 1 and p.)
       •  The orbit of the hammer will get steeper and steeper with each succes­sive turn, and the low point will drift slightly to the left with each turn. Four-turn throwers begin with the hammer at about a 15-degree angle in the first turn and finish with the hammer reaching an ideal release angle of about 42 to 44 degrees. Three-turn throwers begin with a steeper orbit (of about 20 degrees) because there are fewer turns to adjust the orbit to the ideal release angle (42 to 44 degrees).
       •  Make your base during the double-support phase smaller with each turn (see figure 6.6, i, l, o, and r). This will help make the duration of the single­support phase shorter with each turn, which will allow a greater propor­tion of the throw to take place while both feet are in contact with the ground. More double-support time allows more time for acceleration of the hammer.
    Acceleration of the hammer actively causes your shoulder axis to catch up with and align with your hip/foot axis in the frontal plane while you move through the double-support phase. All the while you should maintain a 9O-degree angle between your shoulder axis and the wire of the hammer throughout the course of the throw. At the conclusion of the first single-support phase, when you have landed in double support, your shoulder axis should be behind your hip/ foot axis. Elite throwers can have up to a 50-degree difference between the hip and shoulder axes. As you turn through the double-support phase, bring your shoulder and hip axes together and line up in the frontal plane before entering the next single-support phase. (See figure 6.7j.) During the double-support phases your arms, shoulders, and torso counter relatively hard against the hammer, accelerating it, while your hips, although still rotating, tend to slow and provide a base for your torso to work against. Failure to resolve the angle between your hip and shoulder axes before the next single-support phase be­gins causes the previously discussed "dragging" of the hammer and the loss of the "isosceles triangle" necessary in maximizing hammer acceleration.

Delivery
    You must be in a balanced position with your trunk almost perfectly vertical when your right leg comes down in double support to begin the delivery and release phases. (See figure 6.7p.) Extend your legs strongly as the ball passes through a degrees and continues through the release (figures 6.6, s through v, and 6.7, q and r). Release the hammer when you have accelerated the ball as much as possible. This normally happens as the ball climbs back up to shoulder height very near 90 degrees. (See figures 6.6u and 6.7r.) No special setup or impulse should be used during the delivery and release phases, which should be thought of as continuations of smooth acceleration, blending fluidly with the prior turn.

Technique Drills

    Technique drills are an integral part of developing a hammer thrower's technique and can serve many purposes. They can be used to isolate and improve certain elements of technique during the course of a training session, or they can be used as warm-up drills as a prelude to full throws. It is not unusual for practices early in the training season to consist entirely of throwing drills. Technique drills can teach you the proper throwing rhythm and positions; the greater the number of drills coaches have in their arsenals, the more effective they will be.

ONE-HANDED WINDING DRILL

    To teach the wind, start with a one-handed winding drill. This drill can be done with either the right or left hand. These are excellent drills to teach the beginning thrower how to make the arm feel like an extension of the hammer wire. It is also very hard for throwers to "muscle" the hammer through the winds using this drill because they are only using one arm. To start, the thrower can begin the wind with either the static or dynamic start as previously described. The thrower can then perform anywhere from 5 to 10 winds at a steady and even pace.
When performing the right-arm winding drill make sure to
       •  straighten out your right arm and "catch" the hammer at 270 degrees at the end of the backwind and
       •  keep the low point of the hammer's orbit in one place during the winds.
    When winding with the left arm (see figure 6.9),
       •  make sure to keep your left arm bent at a 90-degree angle as you are winding the hammer back over your head and
       •  bring your left elbow close to your left hip as you bring the hammer out of the backwind and begin to push it from 270 toward 0 degrees.
    Once you are comfortable with winding with either arm, you can start winding the hammer with only the glove hand (left) for a couple of winds, and then place your other hand on the hammer handle and start a regular double-arm wind. This progres­sion allows you to build up a loose winding rhythm with one arm, and then continue that rhythm with both arms.

WIND AND RELEASE DRILL

    After you are comfortable with winding, you can progress to the wind and release drill. Line up with your back facing the direction you will be throwing and begin to wind. Perform two to three winds before bringing the hammer around and releasing it. Pivot on the balls of both feet while executing the delivery. This will keep you in a balanced position during the release. You can also perform this drill with light hammers on a short wire while using either the right or left arm only.

WALK AROUND DRILL

    This drill is designed to help you "line up" or "counter" against the centrifugal force generated by the hammer as you move through a number of turns. While holding the hammer, begin turning in place on the balls of your feet (counterclockwise if you are right-handed). Try to rotate at increasingly faster speeds using very tight steps, keeping your feet close together (figure 6.10). As your rotational speed increases, greater centrifugal force is generated by the hammer. The major objectives of the drill are to "sit back" and relax your arms in response to the pull of the hammer, thus learning how to hold a proper position when rotating with the hammer.

ONE TURN AND RELEASE DRILL

    Once you can do the proper footwork and perform a wind and release, you can put these two technical elements together in the form of a one-turn throw. The focus of the one-turn throw is to keep the hammer in a proper orbit (with the low point around o degrees and the high point around 180 degrees) and to work on coordinating the mechanics of the entry, turn, and release without having to deal with the complexities of a series of turns. This drill can be done with a heavy hammer on a short wire to work on moving your feet while staying with the hammer during the throw.
 

180-DEGREE STEP DRILL WITH TWO HAMMERS

    While holding a hammer in each hand, rotate in place while taking small, tight steps (figure 6.11). When you are turning at a comfortable rate, pick up your right foot and step over in front of your left foot so that your right foot lands facing 180 degrees opposite the direction it previously faced. Then immediately begin turning about in place again and repeat this footwork drill over and over. The purpose of this drill is to introduce beginners to the right foot rhythm during the single-support phase with­out having to deal with the complexities of the complete footwork timing and tech­nique.

MULTIPLE TURNS WITH TWO HAMMERS

    While holding a hammer in each hand, begin to turn about in place using small, tight steps. Once you are turning at a comfortable rate, align yourself at 0 degrees and begin a series of turns using hammer footwork. This is a good drill for refining footwork because you don't have to worry about maintaining an orbit.

THROWING OR TURNING WITH REVERSE GRIP DRILL
    You can perform either a series of turns or a full throw using a reverse grip, in which you place your left hand over your right (if you are right-handed). This grip will make you much more aware of "dragging" and will force you to be patient on the delivery since leading with your left shoulder will cause you to lose your grip much more easily than with the traditional grip.

TOE-TURN DRILL
    This is an advanced drill that works on balance. It can be done with either one or two hammers. You can start the hammer moving by either winding if you have only one hammer or turning your feet in place if you have two hammers. Once the hammer(s) is moving, perform a series of alternating toe turns between your right foot and left foot (figure 6.12). Carry this drill out at a steady pace using a flat orbit and keep your emphasis on balance and keeping the hammer-thrower system together.

MULTIPLE-TURN DRILL

    You can perform a series of turns ranging from 2 to 15 turns (provided there is room) to work on footwork and turning rhythm. Multiple-turn throws (using up to six or seven turns) can also be performed. These can be done while holding the hammer with either one or two hands. One variation of the multiple-turn drill requires you to do your winds and the first two turns while holding the hammer with only the glove hand. After two turns, put your right hand on the handle and accelerate the hammer through two to four more turns before releasing.
    This drill can help throwers who start to drag the hammer during the first few turns.
    By starting the turns with only the glove hand, they become very aware if they are ahead of the hammer (dragging the hammer) as they add speed during the first couple of turns. Throwers are less likely to start dragging the hammer if they accelerate it through a couple of turns before placing both hands on the handle.

TURNING DRILL WITH BROOM OR STICK

    A broom or stick can be substituted for a hammer when initially introducing the foot­work to beginners. Start first by breaking down the turn into three distinct steps. Step one starts with you facing 0 degrees and holding the stick straight away from you as you would a hammer (figure 6.13a). Turn to 90 degrees by pivoting on the heel of your left foot and the ball of your right foot while holding the stick in place (figure 6.13b).ln step two, roll on the ball of your left foot while simultaneously picking up your right foot and stepping over your left foot. This action will cause you to pivot on the ball of your left foot while your right foot steps over the left and down to the surface, toes pointing toward 210 degrees (figure 6.13c). Once you have completed this step, pivot both feet around to bring your body and stick to again face 0 degrees (figure 6.13d). When you have mastered each step, start combining steps and ultimately put together a controlled series of turns without stopping. In addition, you can also add a steeper orbit for the broom or stick to get a feel for where the hammer should be during each part of the turn.

SINGLE-ARM TURNING DRILL

    Using only one arm, you can perform two winds to get the hammer moving and then proceed into a series of turns (figure 6.14).This can be done with either the right or left arm. Once you begin turning, the orbit should start out relatively flat; you should focus on keeping with the hammer and executing smooth footwork. When you are comfortable doing this drill with one arm and you are not "dragging" the hammer, you can move on to the multiple-turn drill.

THROWING DRILLS

    Throwing hammers of various weights can help you work on specific speed (with light hammers) or specific strength (with heavy hammers). How and when to incorporate these hammers into the training regimen will depend on the type of thrower you are and where you are in the training cycle. Generally speaking, use heavy hammers in the early part of training when you are work­ing on developing general strength as well as specific hammer strength. Use light hammers later during the competitive season when you are working on speed development.
    Heavy hammers build specific strength and range in weight from 18 to 20 pounds (8 to 9 kilograms) for collegiate and open throwers, to 14 to 16 pounds (6 to 7 kilograms) for high school throwers, to 10 and 11.2 pounds (4 to 5 kilograms) for female throwers. The throwing differential between hammers is roughly 6 meters (20 feet) per kilogram once the thrower has established the technique and timing for that weight of hammer. (See table 6.1.) If you are throwing many different weights of hammers in succession during the same workout, you may not be able to establish this differential right away. As a bit of anecdotal evidence, Iouri Sedykh mentioned that his differential from the 20-pound (9-kilogram) to the 16-pound (7.26-kilogram) hammer was almost invariably 43 feet (13 meters), but that his differential from the 18-pound (8­kilogram) to the 16-pound (7.26-kilogram) hammer would range between 13 and 26 feet (4 and 8 meters) depending on his technique and timing.
    Throwing light implements works on specific hammer speed. Light hammers for a collegiate or open thrower are 11.2 to 14 pounds (5 to 6.35 kilograms),
while high school throwers will use the 11.2-pound (5-kilogram), 10-pound (4.5­kilogram), and 8.B-pound (4-kilogram) hammers. Female throwers use the 7­pound (3-kilogram) and 8-pound (3.6-kilogram) hammers for speed training. As mentioned earlier, the differentials between the lighter weights will get increasingly larger per kilogram dropped. The inability to reach these differen­tials with light implements is usually an indicator that the specific hammer speed is not high enough; you may need to adjust your training to address this weakness.
    Another way to train for speed is to throw hammers with shortened wires.
For men, this means using short wire hammers of 18, 20, or 22 pounds (8, 9, or 10 kilograms) at lengths of 3 feet (1 meter) down to 31 inches (79 centime­ters). Lawrie Barclay, the coach who developed Debbie Sosimenko of Australia, suggests that women use short wire hammers of 12 pounds (5.4 kilograms) at 3 feet (1 meter), 14 pounds (6.35 kilograms) at 31 inches (79 centimeters), and even 16 pounds (7.26 kilograms) at 30 inches (76 centimeters). A regula­tion hammer on a slightly shortened wire can be used for speed work during the season as well.
    Incorporating light and heavy hammers into the workout can be done in a number of ways. It is usually a good rule to start with heavier hammers at the beginning of practice and drop down to lighter hammers as fatigue sets in. The order or succession of various weights can depend on the focus of the workout and should also be based on your strength, quickness, learning ca­pacity, and experience. The following are some examples of ways to set up a workout with various hammers:
       •  Heavy, standard, and light
       •  5 heavy and 1 standard
       •  10 heavy (9 kg or 20 lb), 10 heavy (8 kg or 18Ib), and 5 standard (7.26 kg or 161b)
       •  10 light and 1 standard
       •  10 light, 10 standard, and 10 heavy
       •  Light, standard, and heavy
    Young throwers should not use heavy hammers for full technique until they have achieved a certain level of technical mastery. A thrower whose personal best is less than 50 meters (164 feet) who uses a hammer that is more than a kilogram heavier than his or her regulation hammer may suffer technical development problems. This could cause the thrower to alter his or her regular hammer technique to throw the heavy hammer better, which develops what Barclay has described as "heavy hammer" technique. Young throwers should learn the full technique and throwing rhythm first with a light implement and then gradually increase the weight up to the regulation implement while keeping the rhythm, speed, and technique constant.

Strength and Conditioning Exercises

    There are a great variety of ways to train the body for better hammer perfor­mance. The area of strength and conditioning for the hammer can be broken down into the following disciplines: running, jumps, event-specific exercises, and weightlifting. The emphasis on each of these conditioning activities may vary depending on the time of the year. It is good to have a wide variety of exercises to train with so that your training routine does not become stale and to ensure that you are developing overall athleticism. Many different types of training will be presented in the section. Make sure that you perform each exercise with the highest quality. Start out performing simple exercises and only move on to more advanced exercises when you are comfortably able to do so. Advancing too fast can lead to injury and overtraining. Be careful to stay within your limits.
 

Running Exercises
    Running exercises to improve speed and strength should be kept fairly short to focus on quick explosion and acceleration. Exercises that fall into this category are short sprints over distances of 20 to 50 meters (or yards). Stair sprints and hill sprints can also be incorporated to provide a little more resistance. One-hundred-meter/yard buildups can also be helpful. For the first 20 meters/yards, run at about 30 percent of your maximum speed and then gradu­ally increase your speed over the last 80 meters/yards until you reach 80 to 90 percent at the end of the run.
 

Plyometric Exercises
    Jumps are a very important part of the physical conditioning program for ham­mer throwers. You can perform jumps over hurdles, up stairs, on boxes, or on the ground. Jumps into a sand pit such as the standing long jump or multiple jumps (either single- or double-legged), which finish with the last jump into the sand, are good beginning jumping exercises. In the case of all multiple jumps, you should keep the time spent on the ground during each jump (amortization phase) to a minimum to allow for a quick, spring like motion. You can also perform multiple jumps in place for height. A good rule of thumb is to perform multiple jumps in groups of 10 or fewer. Too many jumps in succession will lead to poor technique and quality in the last few jumps, which de­feats the purpose of the exercise.

Stair Jumps
    Stair jumps can be performed with either one or two legs. As you become more effi­cient at jumping up stairs with two legs, you can progress to single-legged stair jumps. Spread your double-legged stair jumps out gradually over a larger number of stairs per jump as your fitness level increases. The same can be done for the one-legged stair jumps as soon as you can perform these jumps in smooth succession. When per­forming any stair jumps, make sure to stay on the balls of your feet and not let your heels touch the ground between jumps. Ascending stair jumps can also be combined with descending stair jumps. Descending stair jumps are performed by jumping "down" a set of stairs; land on the balls of your feet at the completion of each jump and attempt to land as softly as possible. Descending jumps work the legs eccentrically, whereas ascending stair jumps combine both concentric and eccentric contractions of the leg muscles. When jumping on stairs, always remain in control so you do not become fatigued and fall.

HURDLE HOPS

    Hurdle hops and box jumps can be the most advanced of the jumping exercises. Hurdle hops are done in succession. Again, make sure you are performing these jumps on the balls of your feet and not breaking at the waist at the beginning of each jump, which will not allow you to get full hip extension as you begin to leave the ground. When just beginning this exercise, you can add a small rhythmic hop to get your balance be­tween hurdles if you are having trouble clearing each hurdle in succession. Once you are proficient in hurdle jumps at one height, raise the hurdles to the next height. You can also set up hurdles to become gradually higher within a given set (for example, in inches, 33, 33, 36, 36, 39, 39). Hurdle hops should be done in sets of five to eight to avoid having too many jumps in succession. Elite-level hammer throwers (e.g., Tibor Gecsek) have been known to perform sets of hurdle jumps at 42 inches (107 centimeters) or more.

BOX JUMPS
    Box jumps can be done in a variety of ways. Rhythmic box jumps are an easy way to get good leg conditioning work in and are exercises that even beginning throwers can handle. These types of jumps consist of front box jumps, side-to-side box jumps, and double-legged box jumps, and are performed with a relatively low box, about 12 to 16 inches (61 to 122 centimeters). You can also perform explosive jumps from the ground onto a tall box. Boxes for these jumps will range from 24 to 48 inches (30 to 40 centimeters) depending on your height and jumping ability. Try to land as softly on the box as possible.
 

Event-Specific Exercises
    Success in the hammer throw relies primarily on event-specific speed and strength. For this reason it is important to train using many different types of event-specific exercises.

TRADITIONAL TRUNK EXERCISES
    Traditional sit-ups and twisting variations (such as Russian twists) can be used in con­junction with plate twists and bar twists for total trunk conditioning. The use of the Roman chair, glute-ham raise, or scorpion bench for these exercises is very helpful. As with all trunk exercises, perform an equal number of abdominal and lower back exer­cises as well as rotational exercises in opposing directions for the purpose of muscular balance. Exercises that complement each other (work opposing muscle groups) are as follows: back hyper/Roman chair sit-up, Russian twist facing up/down, and oblique leg roll from side to side. In addition to these major trunk exercises that can build core development, countless other abdominal exercises and their variations can be done using either a Swiss ball or Roman chair, or just the floor.

MEDICINE BALL AND SHOT THROWS
    Medicine ball and shot throws, which train very similar movements to the previously described trunk exercises, can also allow for a bigger range of motion and a more dynamic movement. While traditional trunk exercises such as sit-ups and twists allow you to work a muscle group through a certain range of motion, the amount of actual acceleration is limited because of the constant acceleration/deceleration pattern used as a result of your needing to change directions during a set. With ball throws, the ball steadily accelerates until it is released with no deceleration phase. This makes these exercises very similar to an actual throw.
    The following are examples of a few medicine ball exercises and their equivalent
exercises with a plate or some other form of resistance:
       Hammer throw release-plate twists
       Prone Russian twist release-prone Russian twist with weight

       Underhand ball throw from Roman chair-back hyper
    You can throw shots of various weights either from an underhand position or overhead position to enhance overall body coordination and timing for throwing. The underhand throw result will usually be 1 to 2 meters/yards less than the overhead result in a well-trained athlete. Among open athletes, men usually use a 7.26- or 6.4-kilogram (16- or 14-pound) shot, and women usually use a 4-kilogram (9-pound) shot. Elite hammer throwers have posted some very good results with these types of throws in relation to throwers from other throwing events. For example, Hristos Polihroniou of Greece has a best of 21 meters (69 feet) with the underhand shot throw and a best of 23 meters (75 feet) with the overhead shot throw using a 7.26-kilogram (16-pound) imple­ment.

PUD THROW
    Puds are probably the most event-specific form of training for the hammer other than throwing the hammer itself (figure 6.15). Puds, which can be thrown in a variety of planes, can weigh anywhere from 15 to 56 pounds (7 to 25 kilograms). Each pud throw should be counted in the same manner that a hammer throw is counted in the train­ing/throwing volume, meaning that a pud workout should be considered a throwing workout. The weight of the pud will depend on your strength and the type of pud throw you are performing. The heaviest puds are used in the underhand throw for height. Lighter puds are used for the one-armed throws and overhead and under­hand throws. The volume of one-armed throws should be performed equally in either direction. Pud throws were a very important part of current American record holder Lance Deal's training.

PLATE AND BAR TWIST

    Plate twists and bar twists are excellent exercises to develop the muscles in the trunk. The trunk is a difficult area to hit with traditional weightlifting exercises, so twisting exercises are a great way to condition this part of the body that is so crucial in holding the hammer-thrower system together. Plate twists can be done in a wide variety of ways and within a wide range of planes (figure 6.16). Winds with a plate can also be included in this area of conditioning. Repetitions should be performed equally in each direction to ensure muscular balance and can number anywhere from 8 to 20 per set. The weight of the plate can also vary depending on a number of variables (size of thrower, type of exercise, etc.) but is usually between 5 and 25 kilograms (11 and 55 pounds). You can do bar twists either standing or seated; follow the same protocol with the bar twists as with the plate twists with regard to repetitions and sets.

Weightlifting Exercises
    The key components in weightlifting for the hammer throw involve exercises that work the legs and back. The "core" exercises that work these muscle groups are the clean, snatch, and front, back, and jump squat. The close-grip snatch is a great variation of the traditional snatch because it makes you generate a longer pull on the weight you are lifting over your head. This is very similar to the pull on the hammer at release. The front squat is preferred by some as the main squatting exercise for hammer throwers because the torso must be kept more erect than with the back squat. This position of the trunk is considered to be more like that seen during the actual throw.

    Other auxiliary lifts that work both the back and legs can supplement the core lifts very well and can also be used to address specific weaknesses in certain areas. Leg exercises such as lunges, step-ups, one-legged squats, leg curls, hip raises, and ankle bounces can be inserted into the basic weightlifting regimen to provide supplementation to the leg workouts. Lunges, step-ups, and one-legged squats can be done with fairly heavy weight once you have reached good base levels of lifting fitness. Leg curls using a machine or hip raises on a box work the hamstrings and the other opposing muscle groups to the quadriceps and the muscle groups worked primarily by the squats, lunges, and step-ups. Ankle bounces are a dynamic exercise for the gastrocnemius and lower leg muscles that can be performed with no resistance or with small resistance in the form of weighted vests, hand weights, or bar weights.
    The majority of exercises that are used for the back have been described in the event-specific exercise section. Strict weight training exercises for the back consist of the dead lift, Romanian dead lift, and good mornings. The dead lift and Romanian dead lift can be performed with heavy weight and are good for developing general back and hip strength. Good mornings are a more specific back exercise that isolates the lower back a little more. All of these exercises can be used in the preseason competition phase to address any back weaknesses. The training load of a hammer thrower is generally very hard on the back, so these exercises may not be necessary during the competitive season unless you have a major weakness or instability in your lower back.
 

Sample Training Program
    The training program described in this section and presented in detail in table 6.2 consists of three phases:
      1. General conditioning phase
      2. Preseason phase
      3. Competition phase
    General conditioning phase-This is a cycle or group of cycles whose pur­pose is to build general fitness and work on correcting technical problems in the throwing technique. Lifting and conditioning are more general in nature during this phase, and the intensity is lower while the volume is kept high. Throwing is usually geared more toward drilling and/or heavy hammer work for specific strength development.
    Preseason phase-This phase has an increase in both throwing and lifting intensity as you prepare for the upcoming competition season. Fewer heavy hammers are used as you focus more on perfecting your throwing rhythm with the regulation implement. Lifting intensity increases while the volume begins to decrease. Lifting exercises also become more specific and dynamic in this phase.
    Competition phase-In this phase training is based around the competition schedule. Throwing intensity is very high with the major emphasis on regula­tion and light hammers to refine speed. Lifting is tapered down with an emphasis on quickness and explosion. Lifting volume is brought down significantly so you can be fresh for throwing sessions. Short sprints and jumps are also emphasized in training to help stimulate the nervous system.

    Hammer throwing is a sport of repetition; it takes many throws before you can achieve a high level of technical mastery. When developing your hammer technique, pay attention to establishing both rhythm and positions during the course of the throw. Hitting positions without smoothly connecting the movements from turn to turn will inhibit you from reaching your top potential re­lease speed. Conversely, if you are able to move smoothly and rhythmically without maintaining solid positions, you may be able to generate a lot of speed, but you will lack the necessary control. Both speed and control are necessary to be successful.