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Post by wez on Sept 22, 2006 12:06:29 GMT 1
Plyometrics are perhaps the most important form of training to be performed over the winter period as they directly increase general and specific power levels which are highly desirable as Javelin throwers. It has been suggested that we sketch out a general training program that anyone can follow and eventually monitor improvements. So i am getting the ball rolling. The following link gives a great basic idea of the concept, i highly reccomend all to read it. www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/plymo.htmIn summary, there are 2 basic types of muscle action, concentric contraction where the muscle shortens creating force and movement and eccentic contraction where the muscle lengthens resisting a force applied against it. eg during a standing high jump your leg muscles perform a concentric contraction thrusting you up into the air and when you land your leg muscles perform an eccentric contraction lenghtening again to resist the downward force. A plyometric movement is a combination of the two muscle actions firstly a fast ecccentric contraction where the muscles stretch followed immediatley by a concentric contraction. In this way a greater output of force is possible by retaining some initial energy in the muscles before the desired athletic movement. Hence using the example of the standing high jump; if after the first jump a second one is immediately performed. Some of the energy of the initial jump is retained in the muscles and tendons by this eccentric contraction causing them to stretch and the resulting concentric action gives a greater total output of power so the second jump is higher than the first. This muscle stretch into contraction is the common basis of all Plyometric exercises including; medicine ball throws, consecutive jumps, depth jumps, Over-head shot, and several others. Javelin throwing itself relies heavily on creating an intial stretch between the hip and shoulder before finally pulling the javelin over. Training Plyometric can take a heavy toll on the body so i would recommend attaining a basic level of condition before entering such a program, eg 4-6 weeks of resistance training and hurdling. Once a reasonable level of condition is achieved 1-2 sessions per week of general and specific plyomterics should be possible depending on the individual. From the perspective of a young male athlete 16yrs+: Session 1 3x5 Overhead shot Forwards 2.5,2,1kg (soccer style throw), Overhead shot backwards 4,3,2,kg 3x10 jav ball throws 1000,800,600g (+1 set with off hand) Medball throws 3x10 5,4,3kg situp throw, vertical throw, hip driving chest pass, overhead rebound throw, swanbeck swing 1x5 3 bunny hop, 5 strides jump into sandpit. 5x 30m sprints Session 2 2x10 Overhead shot Forwards 2,1kg (soccer style throw), Overhead shot backwards 3,2,kg 3x10 jav ball throws 800,600,400g (+1 set with off hand) Medball throws 3x10 4,3,2kg situp throw, vertical throw, hip driving chest pass, overhead rebound throw, swanbeck swing 1x5 3 hurdle bounds, 10 strides jump into sandpit. 5x60m sprints Adjust ball weights for sex and ability, note also that these types of program are highly adaptable to the individual for specific needs and there are many variations of these exercises, so this is not a totaly rigid program. In addition variation of ball weights can help to promote both specific strength and speed.
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Post by Patience on Sept 22, 2006 13:33:58 GMT 1
Good information. I took particular note of the following: I can only assume my body is weird. Whenever I try running or any ply work on a soft surface or grass, my achilles hurt a lot. Hard tracks and concrete floors for me.
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Post by slinger on Sept 22, 2006 15:52:29 GMT 1
wez, after a level of condition is achieved both generally and specifically for plyo's, would you consider placing more emphasis on single foot contact exercises? with the thinking that these are more "jav specific" but still of course continuing some double foot contact jumps exercises too......
you've mentioned hurdling, i would advocate that hurdle drills [along with very basic jan zelezny style foot drills] are an excellent introduction to plyo's, with other aspects such as co-ordination, agility and proprioception thrown in too with some of the exercises that can be done.
what sort of exercises would you include for female athletes, any different?......tbh i don't think i'd change any of them, as by 16 years most girls are more advanced than their male counterparts biologically anyway, the only consideration there i feel is that female athletes during puberty are not as strong generally as male athletes, so maybe the use of lighter implements should/could be used, it's interesting though that girls of the same age of boys do have a similar level of leg strength.
what sort of other sessions should be done too?
.......a javelin throwing session and then a general conditioning circuit session?.......so 3 in all per week?
i posted what we'll be doing the start of the next month in an earlier post but i'll post it here again, it follows wez's ideas i think......
Initial Conditioning phase October 1st – December 1st
Aim of this initial phase is to prepare the body for later schedules, which will stress the body, it will still include one throwing session, a medi. Ball/hurdle session and a circuit session, also including lifting technique.
Session 1, javelin throwing [Tuesday]
Warm up….
o 400m jog, o stretch all body parts [10 minutes] o footwork drills, 8 exercises X 2.,
Javelin throwing……
o 9 X 3 stride throws, o 12 X 5 stride throws, o 8 - how many felt needed X ¾ - full run up throws,
The throwing from the 3 and 5 stride approaches should be very good technical examples, working on the specifics which need addressing at that time, the ¾ length run up throws should be controlled and the added speed must be utilized, hence the javelin should fly further.
Session 2, med ball, hurdle session [Thursday]
Warm up……..
o 400m jog, o stretch all body parts [10 minutes] o footwork drills, 8 exercises X 2,
session exercises…….
o 6 – 8 medi ball exercises, utilizing power, o 10 X 1 kg ball throws, both hands, o 6 X hurdle exercises, core, flexibility and co-ordination o 4 X plyo’s. o 6 X progressive sprints.
Session 3, circuits, general conditioning and lifting technique [Friday]
Warmp up……..
o 400/800m jog o stretch all body parts [10-15 minutes]
Lifting technique drills
o 4 – 5 exercises
Specific running and strength
sled running drills X 5 exercises, both right and left handed and forwards and backwards.
Circuit training
6 exercises X 3 for the first 3 weeks, then 7 exercises for 2 weeks, then 8 for 2 week followed by 9 exercises for 1 week………total 8 weeks.
Warm down.
o 800m – 1500m jog, stretch.
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Post by wez on Sept 22, 2006 16:05:07 GMT 1
Totally agree...
Single foot contact exercises are of course a must for us Jav'ers. Jumps-Stride jumps are alternating single leg hops Throws- jav ball, swanbeck swing and chest pass are all left leg plant throws. Thats about 50% of the session. I'm now off to practise what i preach- so have fun chaps- hopefully this clears up the mystery behind Plyo for any confused bods out there.
As for girls, i think the session should be about the same but bear in mind that in terms of jav balls they should be a bit lighter and for overhead shot while us guys are eventually aiming to throw the 4kg for maximum distance forwards and 5kg backwards- the ladies are really only aiming at 2.5kg and 3kg
Please suggest alternative exercises etc if you have any..... i would be interested to hear.
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Post by slinger on Sept 22, 2006 16:08:28 GMT 1
i love the actual med ball throws you've included already in that - simple and very effective ones for the beginner.......in fact EXACTLY what we've done in the past! top job fella........
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Post by robyn06 on Sept 22, 2006 18:50:37 GMT 1
I like plyometric training! do lots of bounding,different skips and hops and jumps ect my favourite plyometric esercises though are sikippin atm I am doing 1 leg double spins just for a challange!
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Post by wez on Sept 22, 2006 19:42:19 GMT 1
Good to hear Robyn! Are you also doing overhead shot and javball/medball? If not then i highly recommend that you start. What is written above would be a good start point for anyone, although for a young female i might suggest that you stick to 1-3kg medballs and jav balls under 1kg. PS i love it too- all plyo is great fun, especially when you can measure how far you can jump or throw ;D I just got back from a great session of around 350 throws and will soon be tucking into a nice steak dinner as a reward- yum yum
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Post by Patience on Sept 22, 2006 21:01:42 GMT 1
Wez, for the ignorant among us and for those who know things by another name, could you just explain what the following are? situp throw vertical throw hip driving chest pass overhead rebound throw swanbeck swing Overhead shot backwards and also, if possible what we are working on with each exercise? For instance (and I'm very guilty of this when I get tired) - for a sit up throw, is it important to ensure you sit up using your abs and leaving the arms "trailing behind" or is it OK just to fling your arms forward and use that momentum to sit up and let go at the end? Thanks, petal.
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Post by slinger on Sept 22, 2006 22:30:11 GMT 1
for my two penneth worth......... patience says... "for a sit up throw, is it important to ensure you sit up using your abs and leaving the arms "trailing behind" - correct, the feeling should be the delay of the shoulders and arms throwing the implement, certainly not as easy as it sounds.....should feel the stretch as the weight of the implement is left....."trailing behind" vertical throw. ......is where one holds the ball above their head with two hands and then sharply lowers it between their legs keeping the back reasonably straight, bending the legs and then powerfully driving up the whole body and then throwing the ball as high as poss. the whole body should then leave the ground as the athlete drives and uses as much momentum as poss. - it's a superb ex. fro 1. leg power development but more importantly and perhaps lesser realised 2. the actual sequence the ex. happens - it's similar to the actual javelin throw - the legs commence the throw, leaving the arms long and yet to work, just as you want in javelin, lets call it neural sequencing.......cleans and snatch in weightlifting - similar. hip driving chest pass. .......again very similar in the "neural recruitment" but is perhaps more specific as force is being applied into a solid left blocking moment [of course the ex. should be done both sides ] a feeling of delay in the top half of the "push" should be desired with the sudden jolt of the block triggering the push from the chest. overhead re - bound throw. can be done two ways in my mind, one where the athlete is with a partner or one their own and throws the ball against a wall - the idea is that the ball thrown and then "caught by almost absorbing the weight of it and then in the same movement thrown back.........SO the muscles are stretched by the "catch" and the "bam!" it's thrown back in one smooth movement.......it's this stretch - shortening of the muscles we are looking at and in particular the time it takes for this action or "re-action" if you like that is the key to the ex. - the quicker it happens the better, you see it's exactly what you want to happen when you throw the javelin - the muscles used gets stretched and then shortens when throwing........it is this cycle we are working during this ex.........over all a great exercise for jav throwers. the swanbeck swing is where the athlete stands sideways to the direction of the intended throwing [imagine a standing jav throw]and hold the ball above head height and then circles the ball forwards, down and round and then back up and throws the ball over head powerfully.........now i've seen people do this both with feet completely on the ground fully through the ex. and where they actively drive the lower right side into a solid left bracing leg [for right handers ] - this in my mind is better, as it's again what you want to do in actual javelin throwing.........the idea is with the prior circling of the ball prior to throwing the thing gives you a good stretch and then by working the lower right side accentuates this, it's too a great ex. for improving the block.......what you mustn't do though is if you do block really well the tendency is to almost push back off the left so you "pike" at the hips, you want to finish the ex. being tall with no "going backwards" at all. overhead shot backwards. .......is simple! often you'll see shot throwers warming up doing this, they stand facing the wrong way ie backwards to the intended direction of throw actually on the stop board with shot above head then sharply they take th shot down through the legs, keeping back relatively straight, bending the legs.........NOW here's the key!!!! at this moment the athlete should begin a slight lean back toward the way they want to throw [this ensures the throw has horizontal and not too much vertical on it] then they should EXPLODE!!! backwards with the legs leaving the arms long and straight and almost imagining they are still between the legs, the arms should the follow straight over the top of the head and the athlete should then have so much backward momentum they find themselves backward running towards the shot..................OR if you are lasher going head over heels on the floor! btw not recommended on a cinder shot sector!!! ;D ouch!...............again this exercise works very similar along side "vertical throw" in that it's the neural sequencing that's important or in other words the order in which your body works. well i hope that's helped!
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Post by wez on Sept 23, 2006 12:42:20 GMT 1
Perfect descriptions Mr Slinger- that is exactly what i meant! One point though about the situp throw and i think Patience would be interested in this, If you situp from a flat surface it is difficult to leave the arms behind and to be honest i think when i do it this way i situp and throw at almost the same time. BUT you can put a big med ball behind your back (below the shoulder blades) and then it is alot easier to co-ordinate and of course there is a longer pull too. In this way i find that i get alot more power and can throw the ball almost as far as i can with a swanbeck swing. I do both variations each session because i like to do alot of abs and it seems to work slightly different muscles. One more exercise i have to mention as it is another whole body one and is a realtive new discovery for me. Its what i call the seesaw throw. Lie on your front holding the medball infront of your face and thurst your legs up behind you rapidly (like a hamstring curl). You will rock forward slightly- as you rock back force your body up so you lunge off the ground in a belly pull position with the ball behind your head in extended arms. (your shoulders should clear the floor by 50cm+/-) Then as you begin to rock forward again from this body stretch postion throw the ball forwards. This works the abs and back muscles together as well as being a body stretching throw- in addition it forces you to learn good timing and explosive coordination, if you don't you will barely leave the ground and will throw the ball with very little power if it leaves the ground atall ;D If people are still confused then i will put together some vids
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