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Anatomy of a Throw

To make our athletes more explosive we must create an adaptation via their routine engagement of reactive, speed-strength similar sport specific movements or through their involvement in actual sporting events or practice. For our athletes to become faster and more explosive, general and general specific physiological qualities can be developed in the weight room through the incorporation of throws. As we know, one of the greatest benefits of throws is that there is no deceleration at the end range of movement which is typical of strength training movements. Therefore, true kinetic extension of the engaged segments can be achieved. Another benefit is that various implements and movement patterns can be utilized. We must also acknowledge that in training, these explosive throwing movements are patterned, efficiently executed, without the hindrance of accumulated physiological and CNS fatigue and with optimal breathing. This is not the case in sport. Therefore, their inclusion should be a compliment to their sport and routine sport practice sessions.

How to teach an explosive throw:

Level 1: Uninstructed
Verbally instruct the athlete or lifter to perform the movement in general terms. Have them execute the pattern. Notice the weaknesses, where the form breaks down or the kinetic alignment throughout the throw. Provide greater step-by-step instruction on each transition and segment of the movement with specific attention to the needs of each individual athlete. Remember, perfect practice makes perfect.

Level 2: Braced / Breathing
Now, have the athlete repeat the movement with the specific additional instructions of breathing execution and visit Click Here bracing of the torso to ensure force transfer, speed of movement and rigidity.

Level 3: Speed
With the torso now visit Click Here isometrically stabilized and intra-abdominal pressure engaged, the speed of movement can progressively increase. Note: As the speed increases so does the shadowing of the compensations or inefficiencies of the movement. Incorrect movements can become harder to identify so reinforcement of proper movement should continue, focusing on the basics.

Level 4: Leg Drive / Extension
As the speed increases, explosiveness can also improve with the instruction of driving through the legs (driving the ground away) and “reaching” at the end of the movement.

Level 5: Visual Target / Accuracy
We’ve established the force transfer, increased the speed and explosiveness, now we will improve the accuracy of the movement with a visual target. Introduction of cognitive (conscious intellectual activity - dictionary.com) during the pattern will now bridge the mind/body interaction. This becomes essential as we are trying to increase the potential for sub-conscious movement on the field.

Level 6: Identify Weaknesses / Modify Training Protocol
After Level 5, we are now ready to record next step strategies for developing the general strength qualities that will enhance our athlete’s throwing performance. These are modifications and updates to their training protocol.

Throws will enhance starting and explosive strength. With the right means, we can also dynamically introduce these implements into a movement to elicit and enhance a reactive throwing expression.

Get creative and understand that without a strong Click Here we cannot develop the torso strength and rigidity our athletes need to perform explosive, multi-joint, unanticipated movements.

About the Author
Jim Smith is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and an expert trainer who writes for Men’s Fitness and the Elite Q/A Staff. Jim has been involved in strength training as a performance enhancement specialist for over 8 years and has worked with athletes from various sports who compete at various levels. He has published articles about his unique training style and innovative methods for many prominent strength and fitness related sites. He is also the authored of three renowned strength manuals. For more innovative training solutions, Click Here
Jim Smith, CSCS
Author Combat Core

There were some great fights this weekend and some surprising upsets.

Pavlik-Lockett

Kelly did what he was supposed to do against an over matched opponent. It didn’t matter that Ezno was Lockett’s trainer, Hell his son Joe slaps with his punches so what the hell did Kelly have to fear in this fight.

That’s what experience does for you in big fights, Lockett had NONE, Kelly has a nice back bone from his big fights with Zertuche, Miranda, Taylor.

Arum is aiming for an October match with Joe Calzaghe. If Kelly doesn’t change up his grueling over training and some of the other unnecessary training methods he’s performing, He’s in deep shit against Joe.

Daniel Ponce De Leon-Juan Manuel Lopez

We have another exciting puncher in Lopez to look forward to in future big fights with his destruction of Ponce De Leon. Juan wasted no time in grabbing that tile with his fast and savage attack. Once again, the smaller fighters deliver the bigger action and Juan will cause a lot of people to be glued to the TV set when he fights again. Out with the old in with the new. Plenty of action guaranteed. Great for boxing.

Quintana-Williams

This fight shocked me the most. I thought Quintana would give Paul fits again. Paul like Juan wasted no time in grabbing the title. Paul took care of business in a big way. He’s a very dangerous fighter when he comes into the ring focused and hungry. The question is, will he have another let down or keep the hunger, and ass beatings coming? He seems to have everything but consistency, lets see if he KO’s that label in his next fight.

Forrest-Mora

This fight was a bit of a surprise too. Forrest was by far the more polished technician and early on it appeared he would have his way with Mora. I’m so impressed with how accurate Vernon is with his punches while fighting fresh. He didn’t come into the fight in the shape he needed to to match Mora’s energy and tenacity. Mora’s awkwardness and aggresiveness was just too much for Vernon. Blame this loss on his team for not taking Sergio serious and not having Forrest in the condition he needed to be in. They thought Vernon’s skill would make the labeled contender Mora look like a pretender. Big mistake and big win for Sergio against a highly skilled but under prepared fighter in Vernon. Mora’s going to grow to a whole new level after this big win. His team deserves much praise after taking so much criticism. They showed their professionalism by having their fighter FULLY prepared by taking the title against heavy odds and snears.

In this article ”http://www.maxboxing.com/Gerbasi/Gerbasi060308.asp on maxboxing.com

Vernon Forrest talks about what i so much agree with in regards to young boxers development in skills today. Below are two great Forrest quotes from the article.

“I’m one of those guys that was taught correctly and taught the technical side of the game,” he said. “A lot of these young guys aren’t taught that. One thing I know about boxers nowadays are that they are the most athletic boxers in the history of the game. These guys could play any other sport, but they chose to compete in boxing. But in terms of the most skilled guys, those are the older guys that are still around.”

“Back in the day you had the older guys, and then the young guys came in and took them out,” Forrest continues. “Nowadays they can’t do that because the older guys are that much more skilled. Guys know how to roll punches, how to pull away from punches, how to not take the full brunt of a punch, and most importantly, guys know how to not get hit with that second punch. It ain’t that first punch that gets you - 9 times out of 10 it’s the second punch that knocks you out.

I was taught by an old school coach and I’m SO grateful for that. I like to teach these old school skills, but why should we call them old school, this is what boxing is and how it must be taught, I always say, just because it’s called boxing that doesn’t mean that’s what your watching.

I’ll never forget being at several coaching clinics to renew my license and listening to the instructor ask coaches who were taking the course for their level 1 coaching license to define boxing. They COULDN’T!! Why the fuck were they there in the first place I was thinking. Know what you are getting into and know how to teach the true skills if you are going to do this. That’s bullshit that coaches like this are allowed to train fighters.

I remember being at the NY State Fair back in 98 and watching this team from Niagara compete. I’m serious in saying that everyone of those fighters got smoked. No skill at all. Some in the crowd probably thought that the fighter stunk. It was the trainer that stunk as HE represented those fighters. Learn how to teach the damn skills. I experienced the same shit down here in Florida a few years back from this coach in Green Cove Springs. He told a friend of mine that his fighter was going to kick my fighters ass. I’m confident in my fighters skill so there was no trash talking back from me. In fact one of the best compliments I get is when an old school trainer praises me for my young fighters skill, I take that to heart when that happens and we all should take pride in teaching real boxing skills to our fighters. Getting back to the story, We fought and beat that kid that night and every fighter of that coach lost that night, many getting stopped. I haven’t seen that coach since at any show.

Trainers just aren’t teaching what Vernon is talking about, not many anyways.

We young coaches must get back to bringing the sweet science back to boxing.

Hey Rob,

Couple of questions as to your approach to fighters training. Do you favour a block training approach programmed from fight to fight, and have you ever experienced one of your athletes who perhaps relies on natural talent too much prompting them to become lackdaisical with regard to their athletic development?

Last question, Nigel Benn/Roy Jones both in their prime how do you see it going?

Kevin, Great questions as always. I use a conjugated approach with cybernetic periodization. This is boxing and life, the real world.

Yes, I’ve had several fighters who relied on natural talent too much and didn’t put in more quality hard work so what I did and do is put these fighters in way over there head with very experienced fighters OR I myself spar them( I can still get down pretty good in the ring) and light them up a bit to make them realize what they really need more of and that talent isn’t enough without hard work and the talent they have has only taken them so far and the bar has now been raised on them with this sparring. The others see this and get the point.

That is coaching. Ass beatings/gym wars do have their place so as not to sound like a hypocrite as I do not favor them except for certain instances or scenarios like this. I will NOT ever put up with fighters who don’t put in the work, I’m their trainer, my name is stamped on them, if they don’t put in the work even after an ass kicking, out the door they go. I take full responsibility for my fighters and everyone knows right off the bat upon working with me that half ass work ethic is not accepted no matter what talent level.

I also give my fighters home work on youtube as far as old time fighters they must study and what to study, this keeps the bar raised too but in a more pleasant way. This study is FAR overlooked by many. You got to go way back for true skill or watch a young Pernell Whitaker, James Tony, Winky, Hopkins.