My Trip To China Part 3: Insights from German Throws Coaches

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        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on June 3, 2009 at 7:24 am #15830

          For the third installment in this blog series I want to discuss not something directly related to China per se, but more a connection that I made as a result of the trip. Joining me at the throws conference in Beijing were two legendary figures of German track and field: Karl-Heinz Steinmetz and Rolf Danneberg. Karl-Heinz is the former coach of Rolf as well as the man who is arguably the greatest

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        • Participant
          Matt Norquist on June 3, 2009 at 11:36 am #84372

          Interesting stuff.

          Those were surprisingly unremarkable lifting #s for top throwers.

          A couple questions:

          1) What is a “bench pull” and what is its utility?
          2) Do they seem to train throwers now the same he did with the athletes mentioned from back in the 80s-90s?

        • Participant
          lumberjack on June 3, 2009 at 11:39 am #84373

          Great stuff Mike. Did they say why they used the ‘reverse grip clean’? Do they think it is more specific for the discus?
          What is a bench pull?

          Amazing Lars could compete at the top of the sport for so long without doing lower body lifting.

        • Participant
          Mccabe on June 3, 2009 at 6:19 pm #84393

          “Karl-Heinz suggested that Lars was not very strong in the bench press with a 1 rep max of 217.5 kg” is that meant to be a joke??

        • Participant
          Craig Pickering on June 4, 2009 at 2:14 am #84407

          Bench pull is where you lie face down on a raised bench, start with your arms straight with a bench grip around a bar, then pull the bar up to the bench.

          Ive seen Lars Riedl do this, which was fun. He then came into the sauna fully naked – which was less fun.

        • Participant
          Mccabe on June 4, 2009 at 7:30 am #84423

          Wouldn’t it be the same as doing a bent over row? well there would be less chance for your spine to curve..

        • Participant
          sizerp on June 4, 2009 at 7:36 am #84424

          Wouldn’t it be the same as doing a bent over row? well there would be less chance for your spine to curve..

          Using the bench as support takes out any help from the leg muscles, and makes it harder for the lower back to assist in the lift.

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on June 4, 2009 at 11:37 pm #84444

          1) What is a “bench pull” and what is its utility?

          Described accurately / perfectly below. It is used to balance all of the pec work that is done and also many German coaches believe you can actively place the discus behind you as opposed to it being ‘left behind’ passively.

          2) Do they seem to train throwers now the same he did with the athletes mentioned from back in the 80s-90s?

          They train the same (at least these two coaches do).

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on June 4, 2009 at 11:40 pm #84445

          Great stuff Mike. Did they say why they used the ‘reverse grip clean’? Do they think it is more specific for the discus?[quote]They didn’t really say but it was mentioned 3 times. The only thing I could think of is that it works the bicep a little more and the bicep is active as a shoulder flexor in the discus.

          [quote]Amazing Lars could compete at the top of the sport for so long without doing lower body lifting.

          I thought so too. Perhaps it was possible because he always used a non-reverse technique.

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on June 4, 2009 at 11:40 pm #84446

          Ive seen Lars Riedl do this, which was fun. He then came into the sauna fully naked – which was less fun.

          Awesome!

          ELITETRACK Founder

        • Participant
          Chad Williams on June 5, 2009 at 12:14 am #84453

          Described accurately / perfectly below. It is used to balance all of the pec work that is done and also many German coaches believe you can actively place the discus behind you as opposed to it being ‘left behind’ passively.

          What are your thoughts on this? I was originally taught to be passive but the arm always snuck up. Then I was told to actively hold the arm back, as if to squeeze a popsicle stick between your lat and tricep and had much better results.

        • Keymaster
          Mike Young on June 5, 2009 at 12:18 am #84454

          I have looked at quite a bit of research on elite discus throwers and the discus always catches up during the flight phase. Many people swear by active protraction though so the benefits may be due to something other than leaving the discus behind.

          ELITETRACK Founder

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