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Article
DeStefano
Article from Long & Strong
Fri Aug 25 11:25:50 2000
Long & Strong
"Javelin: How to make a technically difficult event rather simple"
by Richard A. DeStefano- 00 Olympic Hopeful
As most coaches and athletes can agree, throwing the javelin poses one of the most difficult challenges in track and field. Having
thrown the javelin for the past 14 years and have coached for the past 7 years one thing comes to my mind. Keep it simple! Its not
all about who can snatch the most, who has the quickest arm in the world, who has the quickest penultimate, who can get the left
down the fastest, but who is able to transfer all their energies into a 600 or 800 gram implement. You are probably saying to yourself,
"This guys crazy," or "What the hell is he talking about?"
Ive been training year to year and throwing all over the nation with the best athletes our country has to offer. In my travels I have
come across our nations top coaches and gurus, been a clinician at several camps and clinics and even started my own javelin
festival.
Every major competition you can find has a handful of women throwing 60-70M and men throwing 80-90M, but they all have one
thing in common-the basics. The basics are taken to a more intense level to where each and every javelin thrower has their own
signature of what works for them. Below I have included a top 10 list of how to keep it simple.
Top 10 List of How to keep it Simple
#10 Start young
#9 Learn and train the fundamentals
#8 Have goals
#7 Throw for yourself
#6 Keep everything else in your life in balance
#5 Train your weaknesses, but prioritize your strengths
#4 Train smart
#3 Be Fierce
#2 No Doubts
#1 Have Fun
#10. "Start Young"
Children as young as 6 and 7 years old
Are learning how to throw the javelin as we speak. No,
Not here in the United States, but in
European countries, children have traditionally been throwing and
Competing in the event for decades. They are adopting
Good technical habits at an early age and by the time they are
In high school they have already fine tuned their techniques
For many years. By the time Americans reach high school they
Have already trained the baseball and football throw for years.
Adopting to a javelin throwing style can be troublesome to
Both the shoulder, elbow and the ego. We need exposure, exposure,
Exposure. One of the main reasons people argue here in the US
Is the fact that ones safety is in danger at such an early age. Well,
So is it all across the world, but we need to develop areas that
It is both supervised and understood. Programs, clubs, and
Youth organizations such as Little League need to be developed
For the sport of Track and Field. In time, you may find Tom
Pukstys, our American record holder, on national television drinking a
Gatorade next to Mia Hamm.
#9. "Learn the Fundamentals of the Event"
Learn from a coach or javelin thrower who knows about the fundamentals.
It is through these individuals, camps and clinics that
Will help one learn how to throw like a javelin thrower. Sadly, the
American way is to get in the weight room, get super strong, and
Then bring your stuff to the runway. No, become a thrower
First by throwing. Power will only help later on once you can apply
It so it helps the event. The greatest javelin throwers of the past and present will agree that they at one time they have all spent
countless days learning the basics. They just took it
To a new level and learned how to intensify the throw. There is no secret formula to a perfect throw. Throwing well is almost created
effortlessly, and sometimes known as a reflex of your training. I remember hearing that you need to practice it 1000 times before you
bring it to a meet. That may be true for some, but it is the countless hours and persistence That keeps one in tune to throwing well.
#8. "Have Goals"
Life has its challenges and so does the sport, but as we set and reach goals
We are able to set ourselves bigger goals. Setting goals is one thing, but
Setting realistic goals is another. You don not want to set yourself up
For failure by setting unrealistic goals that are only going to hurt you rather
Than help you. I have goals for every training day I take. One day my goal
May be to get 5 quick sets of 4 for 180 lbs in the snatch rather than to go
Heavier and get messier. Another goals may be to go lighter in the med
Balls for overhead throwers so I may hit a more solid left side when
Releasing rather than falling apart with a heavier kilo ball. If you stay
Consistent and are able to put your body to the challenge then go for it.
You are more than likely able to step it up when it counts.
#7. "Throw for Yourself"
Every year you hear about a thrower or 2 who gets caught up using the throwing style of an world class thrower. They end up almost
mangled in the end. Use what you have and throw for you. Dont go in it trying to impress us Americans. Do it for the right reasons.
Impress yourself.
#6. "Keep Everything Else in Your Life in Balance"
For most of us, life does not revolve around the javelin. For some of us its a job and for some of us it is an outlet that we enjoy.
There are many important things in your life and once you have your priorities straight you will move in a forward direction.
Everyone tends to have a bad day and when it rains it pours. I am a true believer that you must maintain a good balance in your life.
Having a full time job, a wife and family, and throwing the javelin all go hand and hand. I have learned over the years to keep a good
balance among all three, but every day presents a challenge. Learning to cope and overcome conflicts is all apart of the system.
Learn to roll with the punches, either it be in college or in your corporate office. You will prosper.
#5. "Train Your Weaknesses, but Prioritize Your Strengths"
You wouldnt get anywhere without your strengths. Some have a God given gift, but some have to work their tails of all year long,
year to year. Our strengths surely outweigh our weaknesses but if it werent for our weaknesses there would be any strengths.
In time you can fine tune your throwing so that your weaknesses soon become
Strengths. Through proper training and technique and with endless hours of repetition or or muscle memory you will better. Keep
level headed and avoid paralysis by analysis. Dont overanalyze! Dont go nuts and work on everything at once. Keep it simple and
Work on one thing at a time and you will see things start to click.
#4. "Train Smart"
Amazingly, the javelin is made up of many aspects.
I hear over and over from throwers all across the country that they are
Training 20 hours a week and are wondering why their bodies are shutting
Down on them throughout the year. Is your training making sense? Do you
Understand why you are snatching or doing pullovers? Do you understand
Why you are doing countless hours of medicine ball work? Do you know
Why you are not hitting the point? Take a step back and ask why. Every
Part of your training has a different aim and when place together
It is what makes the throw. You can minimize fatigue and injury by understanding your training and how it can work for you as a
thrower. Stay focused!
#3. "Be Fierce"
The bottom line is that the javelin is a ballistic event. Picture yourself meandering down the runway, accelerating through your
crossovers and knocking the hell out of an 800 or 600g implement. It takes a great deal of passion, but most importantly fierceness.
#2. "No Doubts"
Never doubt yourself, because the minute you doubt yourself you have
been defeated. The more the negativity the more room for failure. Never let yourself get down and allow for error. Stick to your
game plan and remember that nobodys perfect. I think!
#1. Have fun or why bother
Unfortunately we can not learn the event over night, but I find the
Challenge to throwing well quite fun. When I have throwing sessions
I have my days where I wonder what on earth am I doing and some
Days where I wish I could just bottle it and use if over and over.
It does take a great deal of patience, a sense of knowing, but
What proceeds over all is the time I am enjoying the event.
German Circuits
DeStefano
German circuits are awesome, but be in good shape...
Fri Sep 1 10:14:18 2000
...because they can lead to injury if your reckless. We have been doing these for years, ever since Pukstys introduced it to us in '96.
It can be hard on your body if you don't have a good base to start with so start light. The weight is not of large importance, but the
endurance and explosiveness created during the sessions. Tom has been able to put up many kilos,but with years of training it and
I'm sure both Boris and Raymond have the world records in weight, but again it's primary purpose is for muscle endurance and for
the recruitment of fast twitch fibers. We have done it 2 or 3 times a year for 2 or 3 weeks at a time and no more due to its intensity.
Good luck.
Each station can range from 30 sec- 1 minute each with 2 or 3 minutes rest for 3 sets. Varies.
1. Hang snatch- keep bar active and don't seperate the lift
2. Front Squat or Rear Squat
3. Hyperextensions
4. Depth jumps- no weight, but get a good deep squat in
5. Bench press
6. From a hang on a pull up bar (feet to hands)
7. Jerks- either done behind the neck (be careful) or in front
8. Box jumps- 12" (with both feet in unison)
Rest for 2 minutes and get in 150 jumpr rope jumps.
Rest for 3-5 and go for it again.
Diet and Nutrition
Sports Nutrition: Eat Right And Get The Most Out Of Exercise
Food as Fuel
In order to have enough energy for your workout, you have to consume energy--and that means calories. If you dont consume enough
calories, you will get weak and tired quickly during exercise--and you will also be more prone to injuries.
There is no exact way to determine your caloric needs, but a rough estimate is to multiply your weight in pounds by 12 if you have a slow
metabolism, 15 if your metabolism if average or 18 if you have a high metabolism (i.e. you can eat a lot and never gain weight). Then add the
amount of calories you feel you burn during exercise. So a 140-pound woman with a average metabolism who burns 300 calories when
exercising would need to eat around 2,400 calories a day to maintain her weight. Keep in mind this is a rough estimate.
The next step is figuring out what types of food from which you should get your calories. There are many differences of opinion out there these
days, but most health professionals agree that the key to a good diet is variety--by consuming enough calories from many different foods, you
can get enough carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. The basic US Department of Agricultures food guide pyramid is a good
rule of thumb. It recommends 6-11 servings of the bread, cereal, rice and pasta group; 2-4 servings of the fruit group; 3-5 servings of the
vegetable group, 2-3 servings of the milk, yogurt and cheese group; and 2-3 servings of the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts
group. Fats, oils, and sweets should be consumed sparingly. ((graph of food pyramid here?))
Carbohydrates are important because they increase the stores of glycogen--the energy for muscles. The longer and harder you work out, the
more glycogen your muscles need. So carbohydrates are an excellent source of energy, providing the primary fuel for exercise at or about 70
percent of aerobic capacity--the intensity at which most people will be working out. Most of each days calories--around 55 to 60
percent--should come from carbohydrates such as bread, grains, cereal, pasta, fruits and vegetables. An added bonus: these foods are also
rich in fiber and vitamins and minerals.
Protein is also a vital part of a good diet because it provides amino acids and nitrogen for the synthesis of various cells, tissues and structures
of the body, and helps to support immune function. Anywhere from 10 to 15 percent of calories should be consumed as protein. The best
sources of protein are foods containing all the essential amino acids since the protein in beef, fish, chicken, turkey, milk, eggs, and cheese is
absorbed more efficiently by the body. The usual recommendation for protein is .4 to .5 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day,
although active people may need slightly more. That means an 140 pound woman would need 56 to 70 grams of protein a day. To give you a
general idea, a glass of milk contains 8 grams of protein, two egg whites contain about 7 grams, 3 oz. of fish or chicken or 1 1/2 cups of tofu
or garbanzo beans contain 20 to 24 grams.
Fat has a bad name these days, but in truth, fat is an essential nutrient for every cell in our body. It offers necessary fatty acids and the fat
soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, while helping to insulate organs and tissues. It is also an important source of fuel during endurance exercise.
However, fat consumption should be kept to around 25 to 30 percent of all calories consumed. Remember that fat supplies more than twice
the calories by weight--each gram of fat contains about 9 calories while each gram of protein and carbohydrate contain around four calories.
Mono and polyunsaturated fats are the best sources of fat and should be the majority of your fat quota. Vegetable oils (especially olive and
canola oils) avocados, nuts, seeds, and fish are some examples of these fats. Saturated fat is found in animal products and coconuts and
should be kept to a minimum.
Vitamins and minerals are also important to exercise because they are integral to food metabolism and energy production. The most
common mineral deficiencies in athletes are iron and calcium. By following the food pyramid and consuming enough calories, you should get
enough of all the recommended minerals and vitamins.
Timing is Everything
When you should eat if youre planning to exercise is also a common question. Eating before a workout is generally fine--as long as you
maintain a moderate level of exercise, you should be able to digest the food. In fact, the food you consume can give you energy during a
workout and prevent the lightheadedness and fatigue that comes from low blood sugar. It can also help you perform better. If you are having
an intense workout, you should allow about four hours between eating and exercising to avoid discomfort.
Heres a rule of thumb about eating before exercise. If youre having a big meal (around 1,200 calories), try to leave four hours between
exercising and eating. If you are having a light meal (about 600 calories), wait about 2 hours, and for a snack (about 300 calories), you can
wait less than an hour.
Try to eat foods that will settle in your stomach easily and are high in carbohydrates. Some good suggestions are oatmeal, cereal, bagels,
yogurt, juice, bananas, apples, pancakes, spaghetti with tomato sauce, potatoes, rice, vegetables. Limit your high-fat foods--they take longer
to digest. If youre exercising early in the day, eat well the night before and have a carbohydrate-based breakfast.
The Word on Water
In addition to its importance in everyday life, water is essential for peak performance during exercise. Its important to drink before you are
thirsty--by the time your body tells you youre thirsty, you are already slightly dehydrated. Coffee, tea, sodas with caffeine, and alcoholic
beverages have diuretic properties, and should not be used in place of water. For everyday hydration, eight 8-oz. glasses of water are
generally recommended.
For exercise lasting under an hour, drink at least two cups of cool water during the two hours before your workout. Then during exercise, try
to drink 1/2 - 3/4 cups of cool water every fifteen minutes. Carrying a sports bottle that lets you drink during exercise is a good idea. After
exercise, drink two cups of water for every pound lost during exercise, since lost weight during exercise signifies fluid loss.
For exercise lasting over an hour, solutions containing less than 10 percent carbohydrate may be necessary to replace fluid and replete blood
glucose. Drink them at the same rate as you would water.
The early symptoms of dehydration are fatigue, loss of appetite, heat intolerance, and low quantities of dark yellow urine. Severe dehydration
can cause muscle spasms, high body-core temperatures, and complete exhaustion.
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