The importance of fitness and good mechanics...

[roald62]

Several weeks ago at the Olympic Trials I got a chance to show the importance of being (staying) fit and having good throwing mechanics.

It was my 8th Olympic Trials and despite being 50 years old (and two months) I came second, beating guys up to 30 years younger than me, and just missed out on making the Olympic Team. My throw broke a 24 year old World Age Record by 23 feet - A record that was believed by many to be impossible to break!

OK I am not a baseball pitcher, I am a javelin thrower, but the mechanics are very similar in each.

Not surprisingly I got a lot of media coverage and the most asked question by journalists ( and other athletes and coaches for that matter) after the competition is how I have managed to stay healthy and still be able to throw at such an advanced age.

The answer is that I focus on fitness and a well balanced training program which has allowed me to keep throwing, with few injuries and no surgeries. In addition to that I have always worked on having good throwing mechanics so that I am efficient in my throw and minimize stress on my joints ( I would like to point out I have never had any problems even now with my shoulder or elbow).

For several years now I have posting on this site with regard my training methods and ideas. I don't have any gadget or special device that will make you a better pitcher but I believe my training method is unique in both its approach and its execution. A lot of it is just common sense.

I am going to be doing throwing clinics around the US this fall / winter and would like to start to branch out into doing training camps for baseball players / pitchers.

If there is anyone out there that would like to host / co-host such an event I would love to hear from you.

FYI: My silver medal winning throw is now up on You-Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Roald62

[johnlanza]

Awesome! Congratulations on the record.

[dominik]

I started a thread for you:

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?109574-congrat-Roald&highlight=

I agree that many pitchers even at the high levels don't even remotely work enough on fitness and strength. some guys like colon or joba are just in embarassing shape for a pro athlete that makes millions. I believe this is one reason for the many injuries we have. pitchers are athletes too not just an arm attached to a body. too long pitching was about throwing every 5 days and messing around in between.

but fortunately the trend is towards more conditioning, flexibility and specific strength like we see with guys like verlander or bauer.

BTW: who held that record before you?

[Jake Patterson]

Roald,
First - I am sorry to hear you were nudged out of the Olympic team. Whether competing for an Olympic medal or not I feel you do more than most in representing your country in a positive way. Many on this side of the pond were pulling for you.

Second, A good place to talk would be the World Baseball Convention. See here: http://www.baseballcoachesclinic.com/ if you are interested I might still know some of the guys running it.

[Dirtberry]

Roald62,

“Several weeks ago at the Olympic Trials I got a chance to show the importance of being (staying) fit and having good throwing mechanics.”

As you well know this is the holey grail of athletics for adults, to bad American pitchers think rest in between performances is the way to go. Rest = atrophy.

”It was my 8th Olympic Trials and despite being 50 years old (and two months) I came second, beating guys up to 30 years younger than me, and just missed out on making the Olympic Team. My throw broke a 24 year old World Age Record by 23 feet - A record that was believed by many to be impossible to break!”

What a great go of it Roald, we were pulling for you over here

”OK I am not a baseball pitcher, I am a javelin thrower, but the mechanics are very similar in each.”

No, they are not!!! We want them to be this way though and there is one coach here in the US that has it right and you know who he is.

”Not surprisingly I got a lot of media coverage and the most asked question by journalists ( and other athletes and coaches for that matter) after the competition is how I have managed to stay healthy and still be able to throw at such an advanced age”

Pitchers could also attain this if they trained seriously and daily.

”The answer is that I focus on fitness and a well balanced training program which has allowed me to keep throwing, with few injuries and no surgeries.”

Traditionally taught pitchers are always in a detraining mode of recovery just to be able pitch again 5 days latter, what a pity

“In addition to that I have always worked on having good throwing mechanics so that I am efficient in my throw and minimize stress on my joints ( I would like to point out I have never had any problems even now with my shoulder or elbow).”

You are spot on, mechanics has much to do with it also and the Javelin lat and triceps driven mechanic needs to be attained by pitchers.

”For several years now I have posting on this site with regard my training methods and ideas.”

Please keep posting, I can’t get enough of it.
I noticed there are Javelin throwers who drop down and get injured also.

“I don't have any gadget or special device that will make you a better pitcher but I believe my training method is unique in both its approach and its execution. A lot of it is just common sense”.

“Sport specific” training is the main principle in sports exercise physiology.
Did you ever train using the overload principle for strength and underload principle for ballistic reaction sport specifically?

”I am going to be doing throwing clinics around the US this fall / winter and would like to start to branch out into doing training camps for baseball players / pitchers.”

Football QB’s, tennis and badminton players could use this info also.

”If there is anyone out there that would like to host / co-host such an event I would love to hear from you.”

What months will you be here?

Keep up the good info no matter what the nay Sayers do!!!!

[HeinekenMan]

In college, I wrote two stories about a guy who was in the Olympic Trials for javelin. He missed the qualifying mark and finished behind Beau Greer, who holds the American record. I just read a Guardian story, and it says that you were the oldest to medal at the trials since 1936. That's quite an achievement, and I think it probably gives younger guys like myself (39) some hope that our most productive years are not behind us.

This talk of the mechanics is interesting. I know that Ron White, the guy I wrote about, said he was a pitcher in high school and was asked to throw the javelin when he was a junior or senior. His instant success convinced him that the motions were similar.

Congrats on your success. Though you missed the Olympic qualifying mark, you clearly serve as an inspiration to any athlete who learns of your story.

I'd be interested in hearing what you think of the popular Youtube video of Dylan Bundy working out with a punching bag.

[dominik]

Breaux Greer said that he was clocked at 98 mph pitching a baseball. They said nothing about his control though.

[roald62]

Roald,
First - I am sorry to hear you were nudged out of the Olympic team. Whether competing for an Olympic medal or not I feel you do more than most in representing your country in a positive way. Many on this side of the pond were pulling for you.

Second, A good place to talk would be the World Baseball Convention. See here: http://www.baseballcoachesclinic.com/ if you are interested I might still know some of the guys running it.

Thanks Jake. I knew making the team would be a long shot but to get just a heart beat away aged 50 I would have to say is my greatest athletic achievement to date.

I would definately be interested in doing something in/ around / at the World Baseball Convention, even it was just to meet people and talk about my training and ideas on throwing. So if you could help out in anyway that would be great

[roald62]

Responses:

Domink:
The previous World Age Record (with a 800g javelin) was 65.76m thrown by Larry Stuart in April 1988.

I coached Breaux Greer - The American Javelin Record holder - from 2005 to 2007 leading up to his American Record of 91.29 / 299ft6".
He is/was the most talented javelin thrower that I have ever seen. The biggest problem he had was every throw ( position) was different so he was alway getting injured -so much power!

Dirtberry:
I live in Atlanta and do not have any plans on travelling very far, for a while at least.

HeinekenMan:
Yes I know and have competed with Ron White - another great talent but his technique is all over the place: different positions, different approach each time and he throws from a different location every time.

The video of Dylan Bundy is very interesting. I like the exercises, the rythmn, the speed focus - working on fast twitch in chest, delts, lats, triceps, SITS muscles - and the sequence foot, hip, chest punches are great.

[tradosaurus]

The mechanics in the javelin throw kind of looks like long toss. :gt

[tradosaurus]

Several weeks ago at the Olympic Trials I got a chance to show the importance of being (staying) fit and having good throwing mechanics.

It was my 8th Olympic Trials and despite being 50 years old (and two months) I came second, beating guys up to 30 years younger than me, and just missed out on making the Olympic Team. My throw broke a 24 year old World Age Record by 23 feet - A record that was believed by many to be impossible to break!

OK I am not a baseball pitcher, I am a javelin thrower, but the mechanics are very similar in each.

Not surprisingly I got a lot of media coverage and the most asked question by journalists ( and other athletes and coaches for that matter) after the competition is how I have managed to stay healthy and still be able to throw at such an advanced age.

The answer is that I focus on fitness and a well balanced training program which has allowed me to keep throwing, with few injuries and no surgeries. In addition to that I have always worked on having good throwing mechanics so that I am efficient in my throw and minimize stress on my joints ( I would like to point out I have never had any problems even now with my shoulder or elbow).

For several years now I have posting on this site with regard my training methods and ideas. I don't have any gadget or special device that will make you a better pitcher but I believe my training method is unique in both its approach and its execution. A lot of it is just common sense.

I am going to be doing throwing clinics around the US this fall / winter and would like to start to branch out into doing training camps for baseball players / pitchers.

If there is anyone out there that would like to host / co-host such an event I would love to hear from you.

FYI: My silver medal winning throw is now up on You-Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Roald62

Congratulations! That's fantastic.

I would be interested in your nutrition program.

[shake-n-bake]

Another importance of fitness is having a good motor. It's rare, though I think you're seeing more of it, bigger guys with more heft having athleticism and the ability to play the game with intensity. Without that it's difficult to make the break throughs that lead to layering improvement even at the mechanical level. It can be a like perpetually playing with an injury.