United States Air Force Academy

Throws Manual
2015
2015--2016

Only those who have the patience

to do simple things perfectly will
acquire the skill to do difficult
things easily.
~ Friedrich Schiller

Table Of Contents
1. Discipline
1.1. Team Goals
1.2. Rules
1.3. NCAA Rules that you should know
1.4. Travel Squad Guideline
1.5 Weight Management; AFT/PFT/AF-PFT
1.6 Captains

2. Excellence
2.1. Purpose/Goals
2.2. Defining Success
2.3. Enthusiasm

3. Values
3.1. Family
3.2. Team
3.3. Academics

4.Attitude of Gratitude
4.1. Hope/Belief
4.2. Responsibility
4.3. Class
4.4. Focus

5. Tools for understanding

5.1. Action Determinate
5.2. Arousal
5.3. competition Arousal
5.4. Identifying Anxiety
5.5. Relieving Anxiety
5.6. Power Poses
5.7. The Confidence Feeling
5.8. Controlling the Controllable
5.9. Habits and Attention
5.10. Sleep
5.11. Nutrition
5.11.1Calloric Intake
5.11.2 Nutrient Timing
5.11.3 Competition Nutrient Timing
5.12. Weight Loss
5.13. Protein
5.14. Ice Baths & Static Stretching
5.15. The Role of Music
5.16. Pre-Meet Mentality
5.17. MeetConcentration and Distractions

Falcon Throwers,
Welcome to the 2015-2016 Throwers Manual. It is
meant to be both a guideline, a tool for understanding, and
an inspiration for you when times
become difficult. You are all amazing people, and these
concepts and this information will more than likely not be
new to you, but I ask you to please read through this entire
manual. As Im hoping you read from the quote on the first
page, this manual is dedicated to the little things. And
while the little things may seem insignificant, I can promise
you one thing, little things will define your career. Understand that all throwers at this level were very successful in High School, they would not be here otherwise. If
you want to compete at this level, you have to master the
little things that will make you a better athlete.
This manual has been a tradition over the past few
seasons, but it was never my intent for it to be my tradition, it belongs to you. From this point forward, if you
would like to add a page, a quote that you love, a story
that you heard, there is a folder on my desk labeled The
Manual, please submit anything you wish to be reviewed
for future years. No, you cannot amend the travel standards. Yes, you may add a team rule.
The idea of this Manual is to help you, as well as
future generations of throwers at the Air Force Academy
figure out how to be successful at this institution. It is not
easy, and there are many things that you and I both will
learn along the way. My hope is that this book can
become comprehensive enough to truly light the way for
being successful here. To prove that our tradition of
excellence can never graduate.

Team Goals:
We will win the Mountain West
Conference Championship.

We will have All-American

Athletes.
We will maintain a 3.0 GPA
We will grow together as a
team.
We will grow stronger as
individuals.

Rules:
1.) Never Lift Alone. Never Throw Alone.
2.) When you are at Practice, Be at Practice. Headphones
are not permitted during a team practice.
3.) Be aware of the dangers of Throwing at all times, pay attention in the sector and stand clear of the circle/
netting while watching others throw.
4.) Practice Schedules are flexible around your academic
schedule, but a text/email must be sent to Coach Vance prior to the missed practice time. Academic Day (AC DAYS) requests will not be denied
5.) If you wish to throw an implement at a meet, you are responsible for that implement getting to the meet.
6.) Captains are ultimately responsible for all Implements
taken to Competition to insure their return.
7.) It is your responsibility to know the time and dates in
which you compete, this includes updated time schedules.
8.) Be respectful to Teammates, Coaches, Officials at all
times.
9.) Mandatory 8 hours of sleep 2 nights prior to any competition.
10.) No gum chewing the day of competition, prior to the
competition.
11.) Be Awake 4 hours prior to any major
competition.
12.) Follow Nutrient Guideline for Food Timing prior to any
major Competition.

NCAA Rules You Should Know:

1.) Summer Time/Pre-Season is Voluntary practice, which
means that Coach Vance cannot schedule any type of practice. Technical help is available if you would like to do a
voluntary practice.
2.) During summer hours, Coach Vance is not allowed in the
weight room for any reason to monitor Lifting.
3.) During Pre-Season, Practice is limited to 8 hours per
week with a mandated 2 days off. During regular season,
practice is limited to 20 hours per week (Max 4 hours a day)
with one mandated day off.
4.) At no time should you ever accept a gift that has or
Potentially could have monetary value in recognition of
your athletic ability.

Weight Management & AFT/PFT/AF-PFT

At the Academy, you are not just a Thrower, you are an Air
Force Thrower, and this means that you are different than
every other thrower in the United States. We are charged
not only with being on of the best in the country throwing
wise, but also with size maximums and conditioning
minimums. Deviating from these maximums and Minimums can
lead to you being removed from the team, so it is important
to understand the following concepts:
Weight ManagementIf you have weight management issues
with the amount of exercise that we put forward, then
your diet is incorrect. Please do not fall into the line of
thinking that All Weight is good, because that line of
thinking allows you to think that Fat is good. Fat is not
good. Fat does not help you. Lean muscle is good. Lean
Muscle helps you. Ultimately, conforming to these rules is
your responsibility, if you fail to do so, the consequences
are on you. We, as coaches, will give you workouts to help
you build your strength and size of muscles, but at no time
would we ever encourage you to eat giant portion sizes or
poor quality of food. Calculate your calories and eat
appropriate foods.
AFT/PFTIn the fall of every season, you are responsible
for passing your AFT/PFT. We will do some training which
will help in this, but ultimately it is your responsibility to
ensure that you can do what is necessary to pass these
physical tests. If you would like exercises to help with
this, please let your coaches know.
AF-PFTSeniorsYou are responsible for meeting the minimums of the AF-PFT before graduation. I heavily encourage
you to do this in the Fall before your senior season. Failure to do so can lead to you having to run a mile and a half
in the middle of your senior year, and that is not conducive
to throwing well.

Captains
Mens Throws Captain:

Womens Throws Captain:

Grant Hamilton

Cydnee Reese

Responsibilities:
1. Communicate any/all issues that may have an effect on
the team with Coach Vance.
2. Communicate any changes to the standard practice
schedule to the throwers via group text.
3. Set the standard for the team that you want.
4. Inform Coach Vance of Any Individual who is not
performing up to the standards of the team.

Abilities:
1. Captains have the ability to call for a throwers meeting
or practice at any time that they wish. (Athletes Only)
2. Develop a Team Motto that will last through the season.
3. Confront any individual about any negative actions and
discuss positive solutions.
The Strength of the group is the strength of the leaders.
~Vince Lombardi

Throwers Travel Guideline

Elite Standards: Most likely to Travel. On weeks where
that particular event group is traveling, you will be likely
to travel and will need to plan accordingly unless designated a recovery weekend by Coach.

Womens:
Shot Put:
47
Weight:
58
Discus:
160
Hammer:
180
Javelin:
140

Mens:
Shot Put:
55
Weight:
60
Discus:
170
Hammer:
190
Javelin
195

Conference Standards: Will Travel to some meets, not all.

May compete at the Conference Meet if the squad limit allows, spots limited to those who are more likely to score
the highest in the most events.

Womens:
Top 16 on the
Mountain West
Conference
TFRRS List

Mens:
Top 8 on the
Mountain West
Conference
TFRRS List

Bubble Kids: Individuals who are close to hitting Conference Standards MIGHT travel, budget permitting, to some
meets. These athletes will be chosen at the Coachs discretion based on circumstances.

All Decisions to Travel are made by the Head Coach, this is

simply a guideline for potential travel.

Excellence
Purpose/Goals
One important distinction that I wish to impress upon you
early is the difference between purpose and goals.
Purpose is the reason that you exist, it is directly influenced by your values and beliefs. It is the reason that gives
meaning to your actions.
goals are the things which you wish to achieve, it is a measurable result, a specific target.
There is always a purpose behind all goals.
Though there is a temporary fulfillment in the achievement
of a goal, it is our purpose which defines the meaning of
our lives.
The pursuit of a goal should come from an overflow of
your lifes purpose, not from a need to define yourself.
With this in mind, I challenge you to define yourself by your
purpose, not by the success and failures of your goals. If
you strive live in that purpose, then success of your goals
will follow.

goals are a means to an end, not the ultimate purpose of

our lives. They are simply a tool to concentrate our focus
and move us in a direction. The only reason we really
pursue goals is to cause ourselves to expand and grow.
Achieving goals by themselves will never make us happy in
the long term; it is who you become, as you overcome the obstacles necessary to achieve your goals, that can give you
the deepest and most long-lasting sense of fulfillment.
~Anthony Robbins

Excellence
Defining Success
Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of
self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.
~John Wooden
Success is an everyday proposition. It isnt defined by a
championship game or the day you get your diploma Dont
get me wrong, those are great days, and we should celebrate those accomplishments. But the key to a successful
life is in the journey and the process. Its that emphasis on
the journey to success that we work on each day, step by
step.
~ Jim Tressel
The end of the road is not the goal, the road is the goal.
~ Mike Shmitz
I believe that in goal setting, it is useful to clearly define what you
consider to be successful. Undoubtedly, some of the statements you
made on your goals page will have clear and decisive results that
you either will, or will not accomplish this season. The simple truth
of the matter is that you will fail at some of the endeavors that you
choose to take in life. But does that define you as a failure?
In terms of defining success, in my life, I have found that success
can be a great thing, but the bottom line is that if you were not
enough without the success, you will never be enough with it. The obsession to win can drive individuals to do unhealthy things, illegal
things, things that can end your career just as it is beginning.
Whether you are a national champion, or a person who has the goal
to make the travel squad this season, success for you should be determined before the competition. Knowing that you have done all
that you can do to prepare, giving all you can everyday to move forward to your goals, that is success. The competition itself is merely
a stage for you to demonstrate the work that you have done, and an
indicator of what else we need to work on.
On the next page, I want you to take time to define for yourself what
your goals are, what your definition of success is, and what is going
to drive you to that success.

is very important to me.

Family

Spiritual

Team

Career

Academics

Your

Fitness

Health

Giving

Caring

my life. I will do what is right!

Moral

I will achieve great things for the team.

I am in school to achieve academically
and
obtain a valuable degree. I want to
grow both
productively and profitability in my
career

I will develop lifetime fitness habits.

I am part of a great team. I count on
my
teammates, and they are counting on
me.

Health is a great gift. My physical

conditioning is a controllable commodity.

to my community.

society is important, I will give back

How I function as a total person in

beliefs and my moral values will shape

Above all else, I realize that my spiritual

unit of our society. My family

The family is the basic social

Personal

General Thoughts

The Ring O' Life: Purpose/Goals

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Name: _______________________________
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How I plan to Accomplish

my Short-Range Goals

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Short Range Goals

Date:

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GOALS MUST BE SPECIFIC AND MEASURABLE.

How I Plan to Accomplish
My Dreams
Dreams

What is my definition of Success?

What will drive me to success?

Excellence
Enthusiasm
Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch.
~Ivern Ball
Flaming Enthusiasm, backed by a horse sense of persistence is
the quality that most frequently makes for success.
~Dale Carnegie
My college coach used to say that there are three types of
people in this world Those who make things happen, those
who watch things happen, and those who dont know what happened. Then he would ask Which one are you? That question
has always stuck with me. At different times in your life you
will play different roles, but the one thing that I ask of you in
your throwing career is that you strive to be a person that
makes things happen. It is a habit that you develop every day,
approaching things with vigor, even when you do not have the
energy to do it, you have the ability to change the outcome just
by approaching your task with enthusiasm.
We have talked previously about what it means to be successful, enthusiasm is a huge part of this. It is easy to be enthusiastic when it comes to meet day. It is not easy to be enthusiastic
in October with two months before your first meet. Yet the difference in having a successful season and not is often found
in that month or two of growth when you have nothing more to
focus on than the training. If you can get an extra rep, an extra few quality throws, an extra few drills, sprints, anything
out of a practice, you have made yourself that much better.
And if you can do that every day, it adds up.
The higher the energy level, the more efficient your body is.
The more efficient your body is, the better you feel and the
more you will use your talent to produce outstanding results
~ Anthony Robbins

Values
Family
A Family in Harmony will prosper in everything
~Chinese Proverb
Family traditions counter alienation and confusion, they help define who we are; they also provide
something steady, reliable, and safe in a confusing
world.
~Susan Lieberman
College presents a unique experience for most individuals coming in, for the first time in your life,
you are away from your family unit. It is understandable that at some point during the year, you will
miss being home terribly. Part of having a balanced
life is maintaining the relationship with your family.
If you take one thing away from this section of the
manual, take this: your family will always be a part
of your life, there is nothing in this world that can
change the bonds of blood, cherish those relationships and nurture them to the best of your ability.
That being said, my goal for you is to consider The
Air Force Academy an extension of your family, it is
by no way a replacement for your family. It is simply
another place that you can call home with individuals around that will support you.
If your parents have any questions at any time, or
would simply like to talk with me, please encourage
them to do so.

Values
TEAM
Together
Everyone
Achieves
More.
Coming together is a beginning; Keeping together
is a process; working together is success.
~ Henry Ford
A Team of Geese
When Geese fly in formation, they travel about 70% faster than
when they fly alone.
Geese share leadership. When the lead goose tires, he or she
rotates back into the V and another goose flies forward to become
the leader.
Geese keep company with the fallen. When a sick or weak goose
drops out of flight formation, at least one other goose will leave
the formation to help and protect the weaker goose.
By being a part of a team, we, too, can accomplish much more,
much faster. Words of encouragement and support (honking from
behind) inspire and energize those on the front lines and help them
to keep pace in spite of day-to-day pressures and fatigue.
Finally, show compassion and active caring for your fellow
mana member of the ultimate team: Humankind.
The next time you see a formation of geese, remember that it is a
reward, a challenge, and a privilege to be a contributing member of a
team.
The throws squad is a small part of a large team. We cannot
win a conference championship without a full and united team. We
are all human, and we all want to feel good about ourselves. Thats
why, when someone else doesnt do well, in a perverse way it can
make us feel better about ourselves. That is an immature way of
thinking, but its a reality. We have to work on our team skills everyday, because were never entirely squared away in anything we do;
growth is always a process, no matter who we are. People who say
they dont have petty thoughts occasionally are either far better
than anyone Ive ever met, or theyre not being honest. We succeed
or fail as a team, not a portion of a team, a full track and field program.

Values
Academics
Only the educated are free.
~Epictetus
Education is our passport for the future, for
tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it
today.
~Malcolm X
We all know that people without academic degrees
are capable of wonderful things. I would never suggest
that having a degree makes someone a better person. But if
you have the opportunity to move toward a degree and find
something that you are passionate about, you will find
yourself with choices that someone without a degree may
not have. Academics is an opportunity, and the more we take
advantage of that, the more opportunities we will face in
the future.
My goal for this throws program is that every individual on it maintains over a 3.00 GPA, and that is no easy task.
A dedication to academics is a dedication to your future. If
excellence is indeed a habit, there should be no facet in
your life where you do not strive to constantly improve.
Set your goals and know what it takes to reach them, formulate a plan to achieve them. After that, it is simply a matter of discipline and focus.
One note: The Academy is slightly different than any
other institution in the country in that prog grades count
towards eligibility. If you are ineligible at prog, you may
lose your eligibility for the entire season, so dont drop
the ball early!
It is easy to be ordinary, but it takes courage to excel.and we must
excel.
~Eddie Finnegan

Attitude of Gratitude
Hope/Belief
Hope is an adventure, a going forward, a confident search
for a rewarding life.
~ Karl Menninger
The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.
Sometimes life will put unexpected obstacles in your way,
and you wont know how to handle it. It is tempting in those
times to lose hope, to lose belief in yourself. Nothing goes
exactly as planned, but how you respond to your adversity
will ultimately define your character. Hope and Belief are
your two biggest assets in times of doubt, however far away
they may seem, you must hold them close to your heart.
Here is a story that I want you to look back to in times when
you feel you are losing that hope/belief:
A farmers mule fell into a dry well. After assessing the situation, the farmer decided the mule wasnt worth the time and expense
it would take to save it. Essentially, he lost all hope for the old
mule. So he called his neighbors together and asked them to help him
haul the dirt to bury the animal and put it out of its misery.
When the first shovelfuls of dirt came down, the mule became
hysterical and began to kick. But as the dirt continued to hit his
back, it dawned on the creature that he should shake it off each time
and step up on the growing mound of dirt beneath him. Load after
load of dirt hit him square in the back, but no matter how painful it
was, he shook the dirt off and stepped on it.
Before long, the accumulation of dirt was such that the old
mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of
the well. The dirt that had been meant to bury him had actually
saved his life because of the manner in which he had responded to
the situation.

When we possess the hope and belief that ultimately

we are going to be successful in our journeys, theres not
much of what comes our way on a daily basis that we cannot handle. My hope for you is that you can read these
words in a time of need and believe that no matter what the
circumstance, you can be successful.

Attitude of Gratitude
Responsibility
The reputation of a thousand years may be determined by the conduct of one hour.
~Japanese Proverb
Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own
reputation: for tis better to be alone than in bad company.
~George Washington
There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in
mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.
John Wooden
Honor is better than honors.
Abraham Lincoln
You are a Division 1 athlete at a Nationally recognized institution. More than that, you are a thrower at an institution known for
having a quality throws program. What has been built here is larger
than any of us, it is a tradition of excellence. With that tradition
comes a tremendous amount of responsibility. My hope is that you
hold yourself to the highest standard simply because you recognize
that you have the potential to be something great, a leader amongst
your peers. Inside each of us we have the capacity to see situations
for what they really are, and it is my sincere hope that you choose to
be responsible and do what is right. Be the kind of person who is
above reproach, have that kind of integrity. If you do that, then you
will never have a fear of the truth.
When someone has been given much, much will be required in return;
and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be
required.
Luke 12:48

Attitude of Gratitude
Class
Do it with Class
Class is respect for others. It is a deep and genuine respect for every
human being, regardless of his status in life.
Class is having manners. It is always saying thank you and Please. It
is complimenting people for any and every task done well.
Class is treating every other person as you would want them to treat
you in a similar situation.
Class never makes excuses for ones own shortcomings, but it always
helps other s bounce back from their mistakes.
Class never brags or boasts about ones own accomplishments, and it
never tears down or diminishes the achievements of another person.
Class does not depend on money, status, success, or ancestry. The
wealthy aristocrat may not even know the meaning of the word, yet the
poorest man in town may radiate class in everything he does.
If you have class, everyone will know it, and you will have self-respect.
If you are without classgood luck, because no matter what you
accomplish, it will never have meaning.

The reason that class is so highly regarded by most is because it is so hard to master. No doubt that reading through
that list you read one or more of those and said Okay maybe I
havent done that all of the time. I did the same thing. Class
is difficult because it is confident and selfless at the same
time, it is a constant state of emotional maturity. It is the ability to leave situations, places, and relationships better than
they were when you found them. As an athlete, I challenge
you to approach every person, place, and thing you do with
the class commensurate to your appreciation for being an Air
Force Academy Cadet.

Never Let your persistence and passion turn into stubbornness and
ignorance.
~Anthony DAngelo

Attitude of Gratitude
Focus
Paradise is where I am.
~Voltaire
Nothing is worth more than this day.
~Goethe
Focus is often the determining factor in how successful you will be. We talk so much about handling things on a
day to day basis, focus is the foundation for that. So often
we find ourselves letting our mind wander, reliving something that has happened, worrying about something on the
horizon, or thinking of things what we have to do later in
the day. The most unproductive time is spent worrying
about what needs doing.
To find proper balance in your life, be in the moment
that you are in. If you are at practice, be at practice. If you
are in the classroom, be in the classroom. Dedicate yourself to the task at hand and ultimately you will find things
will come easier. When you arent worried about a test,
practices will be more productive, likewise when you
arent stressed about a competition, tests will be less of a
challenge.

Only when your consciousness is totally focused on the

moment you are in can you receive whatever gift, lesson, or
delight that moment has to offer.
~Barbra De Angelis

Tools for Understanding

Humans are, by nature, creatures of habit. Throwers
are, by nature, perfectionists. We understand that the
smallest change in movement can often lead to a large result in performance. But for all of the times that we talk
about technique, we rarely discuss belief, when belief all
to often will ultimately determine if we are successful.
When a person believes something, whether that belief is true or not, they tap into their potential. The potential of the human body is absolutely incredible, yet that potential will only match the expectation set by belief. Action is the result of belief plus potential. Action then produces a result, which, due to human nature is repeated and
will either confirm or deter from future belief. In graph
form, it looks like this:

Success breeds success as the belief rises from results. Likewise, if results are poor, belief suffers. As
throwers, we have a tendency to focus so much on the action that the belief suffers. If we doubt the potential or
the action, the results will be less than desired, which has
a tendency to reduce belief in the future. One thing that I
have found in my years of coaching, is that if you have any
doubt either in your potential or your action, your results
will not meet your goals. Many times when I hear people
say that they do have belief, they are telling themselves
just as much as they are telling me. Belief is something
that you have to feel inside of yourself, and it comes from
the mental preparation weeks in advance of competition.

Tools for Understanding

Belief, as discussed on the previous page, is part of
your cognitive arousal. the physiological counterpart
to cognitive arousal is somatic arousal, or how ready
your body is to compete. Prior to a meet, it is normal
for athletes to have cognitive and somatic arousal.
Both somatic and cognitive arousal add together
to produce your overall arousal level for any given
competition. Arousal can be a good or bad thing for
performance, and ultimately it is determined by how
you handle it. Either cognitive or somatic arousal can
help if you are particularly low on the other, so if your
mind is amped but your body is not, a good warm-up may
make you successful. If your body is feeling great but
your head is not in it, taking time to step away and focusing on your goal, visualizing the result can push you to
success.
Catastrophe theory is when your overall Arousal
is too high. When your somatic arousal is high and you
raise cognitive arousal too far, or vice versa, results
tend to diminish for most all individuals. You may know
this by another name: Anxiety. anxiety is the negative
side to arousal, and it is also divided into cognitive and
Somatic, it appears when your arousal level has begun
to rise too much. Anxiety is the fear of failure, and it
can effect the mind as well as the body.
Arousal has another key component, Attention.
Any athlete has a limited amount of attention at a certain time. This attention is narrowed with additional
arousal, letting athletes focus more on the task at
hand. The more aroused an athlete is, the smaller the
window for attention. This is the reason that it is difficult to work on multiple cues and keep a high arousal
level. At best, an athlete can focus on one or two cues
and still maintain the ability to perform at a maximum
capacity. If your arousal level is too high, you cannot
focus on any.
(Continued on the next page)

Tools for understanding

Several factors go into exactly how much arousal you
will need to perform at a peak level. Your skill level, your
environment, even your personality can come into play. The
graph below does a great job of explaining:

The hard part about arousal is that you can

Always bring it up, but it is not so easy to bring down. Usually once someone has hit the catastrophe point, if they
can bring their arousal back down, they will find that
their peak performance will not be as good as it would
have been had they not pushed their arousal so high at the
start. The Key is to note when your arousal is getting too
high or low, and making an adjustment to your routine to
adapt to the stress at hand.
To find what arousal level you should have, you need to
consider the event that you throw. Usually the length of
the path of the implement tells you how much arousal you
should have, the shorter the path, the more arousal. If you
are a glide shot putter, you will need a very high level of
arousal. If you are a javelin thrower, you should have a
fairly low level to stay relaxed. Likewise, Weight Throwers should have a higher level than Hammer Throwers. Discus Throwers need less intensity than Rotational Shot Putters, but more than hammer Throwers.

Tools for understanding

Controlling Arousal
Identifying Anxiety
We spoke of Anxiety earlier when talking about arousal.
The hard part about Arousal for throwers is that for most
strength events (Like Shot Put), arousal levels have to be
very high, which opens the door for Anxiety to present itself. Anxiety can be detrimental to performance as it
begins to wear on your belief, which in turn effects your
potential. Below is a list of anxieties, I want you to circle
the ones that you have realized when anxious.

Cognitive:
Indecision, Sense of confusion, feeling heavy, negative
thoughts, poor concentration, irritability, fear, forgetfulness, loss of confidence, images of failure, defeatist selftalk, feeling rushed, feeling weak, constant dissatisfaction, unable to take instructions, thoughts of avoidance

Somatic:
Increased blood pressure, Pounding Heart, Increased respiration rate, sweating, clammy hands and feet, butterflies in stomach, Adrenaline surge, dry mouth, need to urinate, muscular tension, tightness in neck and shoulders,
trembling, blushing, distorted vision, twitching, yawning,
voice distortion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of
appetite, sleeplessness

Behavioral:
Biting Fingernails, Lethargic movements, inhibited posture
(low power pose), Playing safe, Going through the motions,
Introversion, Uncharacteristic displays of extroversion,
Uncharacteristic displays of aggression, avoidance of eye
contact, covering face with hand, Incessant talking,
Pacing.

Tools for understanding

Controlling Arousal
Relieving Anxiety
There are a few ways to reduce anxiety, but one thing is
clear with all of them, they require practice. You cannot
master these techniques with one or two uses, you have to
practice them. I will introduce one to you in the throwers
manual, if it does not work for you and you need another,
please feel free to contact me about it.

The Five Breath Technique:

This technique can work quickly, but needs to be done in a
place where you can focus purely on your breathing. It is
to be done in a seated or lying position. The first few times
you try it, you will need either a friend to read the instructions to you slowly and clearly, or pre-record them on an
MP3 file and listen to them while you perform it. After a
few times, you should not need help remembering how to do
it.
~Take a deep Breath. Allow your face and neck to relax as
you breathe out.
~Take a second deep breath. Allow your shoulders and
arms to relax as you breathe out.
~Take a third deep breath. Allow your chest, abdomen, and
back to relax as you breathe out.
~Take a fourth deep breath. Allow your legs and feet to
relax as you breathe out.
~Take a fifth deep breath. Allow your whole body to relax
as you breathe out.
~ Continue to breathe deeply, and each time you breathe
out, say the word Relax.
Repeat if necessary.

Tools for understanding

Controlling Arousal
Power Poses
So often we find that body language reflects attitude, but what has recently been found is that body
language can also effect your attitude. Studies have
shown something that we have always seen, but never
really understood until now. Humans are not exempt
from the animal kingdom, and this is a great example.
Strong Power Poses are expansive, open postures
that reflect high power. Whereas contractive, closed
postures reflect that of low power. Think about a time
when you were really nervous, odds are you were
slouching in a chair with your head down, arms close
to your sides, legs together. You were taking up very
little space, and you were emanating the body language that you were scared. Now think about a time
when you won a large event, youve all been successful, you know what it feels like. Odds are your hands
went up in the air, your head was up and you felt like or
did jump around. These are power poses, they are seen
in primates as well.
How this is applicable to throwing is part physiological, part psychological. Before an event, adopt the
habit of always standing in power poses for 5-10
minutes. This increases testosterone levels in the
body, which in turn increases explicit and implicit feelings of power and dominance, risk-taking behavior, it increases your pain tolerance, and action orientation.
High Power Poses have also proven to reduce cortisol
levels, which reduces stress and anxiety. These feelings are essential for achieving an optimal performance. So get used to standing in power poses and you
will become more successful.

Tools for understanding

Controlling Arousal
Confidence
Merge with the
Motion
Stick with the
Gameplan

Fire in my belly,
Ice in my head

Hawkeyed

Jacked full of
Energy

The Winning
Feeling

Talk the Talk

Walk the Walk

Controlled
Aggression
Stare Through
Opponents

The Winning Feeling

Everyone knows the feeling of great confidence,
unfortunately, it is not something that we have all
of the time. The example above is full of feelings
that are associated with that great confidence. Focusing on these feelings can help to build a feeling
of confidence when you need it.
The feeling of great confidence is something very
personal, and odds are, most of the above example
will not correlate to your Winning Feeling. On the
next page, there is an empty Winning Feeling chart.
If you have issues with not feeling confident prior
to a competition, focus on the feeling that provide
that confidence in the days before, it should help
you find the confidence you need for any
competition.

Tools for understanding

Controlling Arousal
Confidence

My Winning
Feeling

Recreating the Confident Feeling

1. Relax and try to recreate a feeling of complete confidence.
2. Picture yourself preparing to perform.
3. Notice the sights, sounds, and atmosphere of the scene. What are you
wearing? What colors can you see? Are there any distinctive noises or
smells?
4. Look at your opponents. How does your opponent appear? How does
your opponent make you feel?
5. You are performing very well indeed. Pick out what is especially good
about your performance.
6. Notice the outcome, the way you are moving, and the way you feel.
7. You are performing as well as you possibly can and are feeling very confident. You are a tough opponent for anybody when you feel like this.
8. Notice how intensely focused you are and how relaxed your body feels.
9. Who or what do you remind yourself of when you perform like this?
10.Imagine yourself performing like this for a few more moments. Everything is easy.
11.In a moment, you will let the scene fade, but before you do, pick out any
other details that seem important to you.
12.Now, slowly return to a state of full awareness.

Tools for understanding

Controlling Arousal
Controlling the Uncontrollable
Many athletes get caught up in things that they have no
control over, and these athletes usually are not happy
with the result of the competition.
The following is a list of Uncontrollable things:
The Weather
Officials
How other Athletes Perform
The competition surface
Other Athletes using your Implement
Long Warm-ups/Short Warm-ups
The Starter/National Anthem
Broken Implements
Music Playing
Spectators (Standing behind the ring/along side the runway)

There is nothing you can do about any of these things, but

what you can control is how you react to it. My challenge
to you, learn to love adversity. Love the rain, the snow, the
heat and the cold. Plan for implements not to weigh in.
Love when officials call foul on what looked like a P.R.,
they are challenging you to do it again. Love that other
Athletes are getting better, but be ready to show them you
have outworked them. Love slow rings, fast rings, sticky
rings, slick rings, fast runways, runways with slick plant
spots, short runways that arent even minimum runway distance, slow runways with excessive grip that make crossovers extra tricky, see them as challenges to be overcome.
Every athlete there has to deal with them, be the athlete
that handles them the best. Even if your implement has
been thrown and isnt waiting for you when your name
called, love the wait and be ready to overcome the obstacle. Love Adversity and you will have no problems controlling the uncontrollable.

Tools for understanding

Habits and Attention
The first dimension of attention is Selectivity. Selectivity
allows for you to choose what you focus on. Your central
nervous system is constantly bombarded with sensory information, sights, smells, sounds, internal feelings,
environmental conditions, information, etc. From the time
that you are born, you learn to focus on the things that
are important to filter some of the information. That
filter is your ability to concentrate.
Recent findings in regards to habit have also shed some
light onto this topic. Your mind learns much like the motor
units learn motor patterns. Repetition provides efficiency.
When faced with certain stimuli, the brain can be trained
to automatically phase out most sensory information to
focus more intently on the task at hand. This is why you
will generally see better performances from home
facilities in athletics, because the athlete is very familiar
with the stimuli of the competition and therefore is able to
handle the sensory information without fatiguing the
Central nervous system.
This is also why detailed visualization and visiting the
Facility, if possible, prior to a competition is important. it
gives you the opportunity to handle some of the sensory information prior to actually competing, therefore allowing
you to concentrate on the competition in the future. New
Stimulus, like having to find the weigh station, looking at
the track for the first time, finding throwing areas, how to
check in, where the warm-up area is, if it is higher elevation,
if it is in the city or country, if the crowd is closer or farther than you are accustomed to, if they play music at that
facility or dont and you are used to listening to music, all
of these things are stimuli that together can fatigue the
Central Nervous system prior to competition. This is why
you are heavily encouraged to find a quiet place in the
hours before competition to relax, recharge your CNS, and
visualize the upcoming competition.

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Sleep
One of the largest factors that will determine how successful of
an athlete you will become is sleep. Studies have proven that the
body is consistently able to reproduce efforts if the subject has had
a minimum of 8-10 hours of sleep versus individuals who has not. For
athletes, it is paramount. The ability to get your body back to homeostasis is critical in the development process. It reduces the likelihood of injury, and promotes recovery in the body.
R.E.M. sleep, sleep where you dream, has proven in recent years to
be even more important than once thought. During R.E.M. sleep, your
mind subconsciously goes through the activities of the day before.
Meaning, your mind has just gone through the motor pattern for an
ideal performance.
This is why sleep, particularly after heavy technical sessions, has
to be a high priority. Individuals who sleep 9 to12 hours after heavy
technical sessions are more likely to repeat the skills the learned
on the previous day in the following session.

Having Problems Sleeping?

~ Read a fictional book that captures your imagination.
~Avoid looking at any screen for 45 min prior to bedthis includes computer, TV, Cell Phone, as the light mimics the effect of sunlight in your brain.
~ Try the Five Breath Technique
~ Listen to soft music/nature Music
~ Try a milk based hot drinkNo Caffeine
~ Avoid Cheese, Spicy Food, Caffeine
~ Soak in a hot bath containing 6 to 8 drops of Lavender Oil.
~ Keep your room warm, but not too warm 64-68 Degrees to
prevent dehydration
~ Sleep Alone.
~ Supplement Melatonin

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Nutrition
Along with sleep, nutrition will also be a large deciding factor on how good of an athlete you will become. At different times of the year, your diet
should change pretty drastically to fit with your
goals. During loading (Hypertrophy/Strength)
times, your caloric intake can increase greatly,
while at other times during the season, you should
be eating less (Power/speed).
Here is a General Guideline:
Estimated Daily Caloric Needs of Male and Female
Athletes By Activity Level:

Male

Female

Activity Level

Calories/Pound

Calories/Pound

Light

17

16

Moderate

19

17

Heavy

23

20

To estimate your daily intake, multiply the number

corresponding to your activity level and sex by
your body weight. This number is around what your
body needs to maintain your current body weight.

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Nutrition
Below are breakdowns of what you should be eating once
you have figured out what your caloric intake should be.
3200 calories will be low for some of you, so I am hoping
you get the idea of how to estimate based on the below table. Im not suggesting that you take a measuring cup to the
cafeteria, but it should give you an idea of how much of
each group you should eat in a day.

Calorie
Level(Per
Day)

2000

2200

2400

2600

2800

3000

3200

Grains

6oz

7oz

8oz

9oz

10oz

10oz

10oz

Vegetables

2.5 Cups

3 Cups

3 Cups

3.5 Cups

3.5 Cups

4 Cups

4 Cups

2 Cups

2 Cups

2 Cups

2 Cups

2.5 Cups

2.5 Cups

2.5 Cups

Milk

3 Cups

3 Cups

3 Cups

3 Cups

3 Cups

3 Cups

3 Cups

Meat and
Beans

5.5 oz

6 oz

6.5 oz

6.5 oz

7 oz

7 oz

7 oz

Oils

6 tsp

6tsp

7tsp

8tsp

8tsp

10tsp

11tsp

Fruits

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Nutrient Timing

Before
Activity

Strength & Power

Weight Room

2-3 Hrs. Before:

200-400 Calories
w/ 35-85g from
carbs plus 10-15g
Protein or 6g Amino Acids

During
Activity

After
Activity

20-60g of Carbohydrates
Per Hour

Snack of 1-1.2 g /
kg plus .1-.2 g/kg
of protein. Repeat intake or
have meal within 2
hours.

1-2 Hours Before: 30-60g Carb per

200 Calories of up hour as needed
to 50g carbs; protein and fat intake
as tolerated

1-1.5 g/kg carb

plus .1-2 g/kg protein. Repeat intake or have meal
within 2 hours.

<1 Hr. Before: up

to 200 Calories of
up to 35g Carbs,
10g protein , 6g
Amino
Stop and Go
Practice and Comp

15-30 Min Before:

25g Carb
Immediately Before:
15g Carb

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Nutrient Timing
Competition Day:
The Goal is to be sure that caloric intake is sufficient to fuel your day, not just
your activity. You want adequate fuel available, but no need to load. You should
feel good and not be under-fueled or overloaded. Be sure to include familiar
foods that sit well. Avoid spicy foods and high fat foods before competition. For
multiple events, you will have different fueling requirements based on the timing
of your events.
Morning Events:
For morning events, a good supply of quick-digesting carbohydrate is in order. If
you are able to leave some time for digestion, including protein will keep you from
getting hungry. Keep fat to a minimum, as it will keep food in your stomach longer.
Aim to have one-quarter to one-third of your daily calories before the event, so
this could mean getting up early to be sure that you are properly fueled. Your preevent meal should be similar in size and style to your normal pre-training meal.
For example, if you usually train in the afternoon and eat pasta before training,
have pasta for breakfast; otherwise, any carbohydrate-rich breakfast including
familiar foods will do.
Afternoon Events:
Fueling begins at breakfast, so absolutely no skipping. Your breakfast and lunch
should be a meal, not just a bar. Sufficient carbohydrate is the most important
thing to focus on here. Include protein and fat at breakfast because, for afternoon events, there is enough time to digest. Depending on the timing of your event
and meals, go for a slightly larger carbohydrate-rich breakfast (pancakes or waffles with eggs and juice; add bacon or breakfast potatoes if you like, or bagels
with yogurt and fruit) and smaller carbohydrate-rich lunch (Wrap or sandwich
with pretzels and an apple). Remember to top off the tank with 15g Carbohydrates
before you begin.
Evening Events:
For evening events, be sure you have two-thirds or more of your calories through
the day before the event. As with morning and evening events, stay away from fatty foods 3 hours from the competition.
Remember: When you compete is different than your Event Time. Do not plan your
meals based around your event time, base them around when you will be throwing.
Add a minimum of 40 Minutes per flight if you are in a later flight. To top off the
tank, I highly recommend taking 15g Carbohydrates during the last round of the
flight before you begin, or before you begin throwing warm-ups.

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Weight Loss
Weight Loss is tricky, particularly during training. Your
body needs certain nutrients to get back to Homeostasis,
without these nutrients, the risk for injury is increased.
So the question becomes, how do you lose weight while still
giving the body what it needs?
The answer is not an easy one, but it is possible. One thing
to understand, weight loss MUST happen slowly. Gradual
weight loss ensures maximum fat loss and preservation of
Lean Tissue. What we are aiming to do to lose weight is to
change your body composition, not simply lose weight.
Weight lost by lean tissue loss is muscle lost, meaning the
hard work you put into the weight room just went out the
window. Here are some rules:
1. Calorie intake should drop no lower than 2000 Calories
to start. Do not attempt a 1200-1500 calorie a day diet to
start, your body will go into shock, save fat and break
down muscle.
2. The diet should be composed primarily of foods high in nutrient density. Nutrient density refers to the nutrients
(vitamins, minerals and protein) present per calorie of
food.
3. The diet should be composed of food low in energy density. Energy density refers to the calories per weight or volume of food. (In Englishit means food you can eat a lot of
without getting that many calories, helps fill you up without skyrocketing your caloric intake). Ex. Broth Based
Soups, Salad Greens, Vegetables and fruits. Foods that
are high in water content and contain fiber.
4. Weight Loss is best achieved in the off-season or Preseason.
5. If you would like help with a diet, feel free to keep a food
journal and set up an appointment to speak with me about
your diet.

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery
Supplementation
Protein
Then general rule for Protein intake is .8 to 1 gram
per pound of body weight during hypertrophy and
strength cycles. This does vary though, based
Primarily on to things:
1. What your caloric intake is. If your body isnt getting enough calories, protein will be broken down
as a source of energy, therefore not being beneficial in replacing your amino Acid Pool. If you are interested in the strength benefits of protein, you
must have adequate calories in your diet.
2. Quality of the protein. The higher the biological
value is, the lower the protein requirement. A majority of protein should be taken from animal form
(Meat, Fish, Poultry, Dairy Products, and Eggs). If
you are using supplemental Powder protein, understand that the absorption of that protein is not as
high, therefore you may need to take more of it to
gain the intended effect.

Tools for understanding

The Importance Of Recovery

Static Stretching,
PNF Stretching and Flexibility
Static Stretching for throwers is critically important. range of motion for any thrower can be directly correlated to how successful they are. Believe me, Ive been there, after a hard weight room
day where you can barely stand, the last thing on
your mind is static stretching to cool down. Take
the 10-15 minutes and get it done. It promotes recovery, and increases range of motion. Static Stretching/Yoga/PNF Stretching/other regenerative exercises should be done at the end of every lifting
session for the appropriate muscle groups.
During the summer and pre-season, I strongly encourage you to get involved with activities that will
help you improve your flexibility. Activities like Yoga, Pilates, etc can serve a purpose in your training
if they can successfully improve your range of motion. It can also increase core strength, posture,
and help you to maintain your fitness level. Maintaining this strength and flexibility will ultimately
lead to less injury throughout the year. Though it
is not technically a recovery method, it is considered a preventative measure which will ultimately
reduce recovery time in the future.

Tools for understanding

The Role of Music
Music can be an effective way to train, it can also hinder
what you are trying to accomplish, as with all things, it depends on how you use it. Say for instance, you want to use
music as part of your pre-meet ritual, first there is the consideration that no electronics are allowed on the infield,
so you will need to time when you listen to music. Not only
that, you should also be very selective of the music that
you do listen to. Any music that drives your arousal level
to a catastrophe point is not constructive. However, music
that regulates your warm-up as to not warm up too fast,
can be considerably beneficial. Also, if you are cognitively
dependant on music to get you into the right state of mind,
then it can be fantastic for arousal. Not all athletes like
this though, as some like to listen to their bodies and struggle with the outside stimulus. During meet day, it is left to
personal preference.
Music has been proven to aid in arousal level, which can be
very beneficial in some parts of training. Weight room
Workouts, particularly Short duration High Intensity
tasks, familiar drills done for repetition, Warm-Ups or
Cool-Downs to regulate tempo. The idea is to attempt to
correlate the music with the activity, so up tempo songs
would be recommended for strength work, medium tempo
music for Drills, Slow tempo for Warm-up or cool down.
The only time that music is not encouraged during practice
time is time spent learning a new skill. Learning new skills
requires maximum concentration, and listening to music
can detract considerably from athletes ability to concentrate on what they should be learning. During technical
practices, do not to listen to music.

Tools for understanding

Pre-Meet
Pre-Meet rituals are a good thing, as they alleviate excessive stimulus to the C.N.S.. They are habits that you develop either consciously or unconsciously in the morning prior to competition. One useful activity I would encourage
you to do in the notes section of the manual is to write
down your pre-meet habits. What you normally eat and
when, when you like to be at the track, if you visualize before the competition, listen to music, anything you do habitually. This will help you identify your arousal level and
make changes if necessary.
In terms of pre-meet warm-upthere is one issue that I want
to address. When I attend meets, I often see individuals
warming up much longer and harder than they do in practice in preparation for the meet. Please, do not be one of
these people. Competition is all about mimicking what you
have practiced. If you warm-up longer, your body will have
an increased range of motion, one that your technique is
not accustomed to. This increased range of motion can
change the timing of your throw, which in turn makes it
impossible to simply trust in your technique.

Training Mindset v. Trusting Mindset

Training MindsetWhere you analyze your performance as
you go.
Trusting MindsetWhere you use your skills, not your head.
When the Training mindset is turned on, performance
suffers. When you are in your pre-meet, dont get too
technical. Start to shut the mind off and get into the
rhythm of your throwing.

Tools for understanding

Concentration and Distraction

Key Details to Concentrate

on in Competition:
~ Your Arousal Level
~ Coachs Instructions
~ Visualizing the Timing of
the Throw
~ Staying in the Moment
~ Time until your next attempt

Distractions:
~ Other Competitors
~ Spectators
~ Surrounding Landscape
~ Media/Photographers
~ Past Errors
~ Mind Drifting to Private
Life
~ Feeling hot and sweaty
~ Fear of taking a risk
~ Success
~ Technical Issues

Notes and Thoughts:

Notes and Thoughts

(cont.)