Zen and the Art of Hammer Throwing

Koji Murofushi Throws Conference

Loughborough UniversityDec 15th -16th , 2007

Personal Info

Koji Murofushi8 October 1974 in Numazu-city Japan

1.87m (6’2”)100kg (221 lbs)

83.33m @ 94kg (Doha)84.86m @ 97kg (Prague)

Personal BestsHammer: 84.86m

Power Clean: 195kgSnatch (narrow): 132.5kgSnatch (together): 120kgBench Press: 170kgFull Squat: 240kg

SLJ 3.60m5 Bounds 19.30m5 Steps 18.20m60m 6.43sBaseball: 82mph/131kmh

History

16-Sep AthínaWCp12006 82.0104-JunTokyoNC12005 76.4723-SepYokohamaSeiko12004 83.1529-JunPrahaOdložila12003 84.86 AR15-MayDohaGP12002 83.33

14-JulToyota12001 83.4709-SepYokohamaSuper12000 81.0824-OctKumamotoKokutai11999 79.1713-DecBangkokAsianG11998 78.5719-OctMarugameNGPF11997 75.7206-OctKyoto11996 73.8219-OctFukushima11995 72.3227-AugSapporo11994 69.54

Hammer

2007 82.62 1 Rieti 9-Sep

My Family

Father: Shigenobu: 75.96m

Sister:Yuka: 67.77m

The Importance of Rivals

You need challenges!

My first Rivalry

Adam Connolly

1984: Los Angeles

Koji: 10 years oldAdam: 9 years old

All Challenge is good!

Barrel Toss!

Current Rivals

There are no Borders!

Hammer Throw is International…

Many Friends around the World…

It is not about how many metres?

My Ultimate Goal

DiscobolosTotal Relaxation

Japanese Culture

Small MovementsGreater Control of BodyFlow through Movement

Lots of this training when young

Dr Hammer!

2007: Focus on PhD StudiesBiomechanics of Hammer ThrowLess focus on Training2008: Now Free to Train fully

Biomechanics

What do we know?

How can we apply this?

Research Project

Research Project

Research Project

Tension on Wire: Azimuth angle

Wire Tension

More tension=more distance

Vertical Displacement

What is the relation between the vertical displacement of the hammer head and the thrower’s centre of gravity ?Center of Mass of Thrower against High and Low point of Hammer

Vertical Displacement: 80m

Hammer Trajectory

Cg of Thrower

Right foot touch down: 80m

Vertical Displacement: 60m

Hammer Trajectory

Cg of Thrower

Right foot touch down: 60m

Vertical Displacement: 50m

Hammer Trajectory

Cg of Thrower

Right foot touch down: 50m

What does this mean?

Good Throwers move against the Hammer

Drop c.o.g at High Point Maintain c.o.g at Low PointFootwork is importantNot by too much bending of knee

Poor throwers move with the hammer (c.o.g high at High Point)

Asynchrony

The vertical asynchrony patterns between the thrower’s centre of gravity and the hammer head are resulting from lowering body during single supportAlso from consciously keeping his/her body at a certain height during double support phases.

Centre of Gravity

How was the relation between the vertical displacement of the hammer head and the thrower’s centre of gravity again ?

Trajectory of the thrower’s centre of gravity.

Centre of Gravity

Do not lose against gravity!

Winding and Unwinding

We know that dragging is not good!

How to unwind (untie) from wind @ entry?

How to accelerate the hammer from wound up position?

Translational movement

Translational movement is the key!!

You are already moving across the circle, with just using the heel and toe movement. But there is no active movement for center of rotation. Speed is important

Radial Velocity

ABC

High Point

Low Point

Radius

Is the main factor of an 80m thrower to lengthen the radius ?

Hammer rotational acceleration is derived from the translational movement of the centre of rotation.

Radius of Curvature

Radius is constantly changing

60cm 120cm

180cm

r = 180r >180 r < 180

Centre of Rotation

Radius is constantly changing

60cm 120cm

180cm

r = 180r >180 r < 180

Centre of Rotation

eg 150cm

Change of Radius of System

60cm 120cm

180cm

Trajectory of hammer

Time of throw

r < 180r >180

What does this mean?

The Radius is not fixedConstantly movingNot always trying to lengthen radiusUnderstand the patternsIndividual TimingMust have Image/Understanding

What type of speed

It is not only about rotational speedBUT

Speed towards Centre of RotationSpeed TOWARD hammer headMaintain Tension on WireBalance between Hammer and Body

Hammer and Body = SystemWire is KEY for system

Philosophy of Training

There is no Manual!

Find concept for the future.

90m?

Is it possible?How to get there?

New training methodsWhat was good from past training

Learn from past…create future!Challenge should be Fun!

Don’t feel forced to do it.Always enjoy your training!

Past: Continuous Training

Stress on BodyBody Changes due to agingStopped competing in 2005

Same RoutineYear on Year Increase in Load

Same Movement PatternsRepetition of Same exercise / movementBecomes Routine

Lack of Training Effect!

Need for New Concept

Always feel freshPhysically and Mentally

Excited about TrainingNew challengesNo RepetitionNo “Getting used to it!”

Feeling is Key!Improvise wherever possible

Future Technique?

We are missing something…

We can learn from the past…We can learn from Science…

Perhaps “Feeling” is missing…

how to develop this?

New methods of Training

HammerobicsFree-moving weights

Air TrainingLighter = stronger

SplittingSpreading forces

Training without routine!Newspaper training!

Inspiration for the future.

Appreciation for British throwers Togher, Weir, PickeringCompetitors of my Father:

Chris Black, Paul Dickenson,

Hoping London 2012 will be success!Swansong for Koji?Want to encourage British success

Understand your role as Athlete…Be Inspirational for Future.

Thank You