71 ft Discus PR Achieved by Avoiding This 1 Thing

Aug 30, 2022

One of the trickiest things to understand about throwing is it's a sport that requires hard work, persistence and the BIG ONE....patience.

Like you, I love big results and I like them fast.

However, after a few decades of coaching, I understand that fast is an objective statement based on each athlete's athletic ability & work ethic.

This is going to bring me to a throws training mistake that athletes and coaches do...

Lack of Patience

If you've been to a TCR Throws Camps, a TCR throws coaching online workshop, or attended one of our TCR members only training session... you’ve likely heard me mention this little story below:

A couple of years ago, in our ATN Throws Club here in Phoenix, we hit a club record for " Largest PR in a Single Season"

A PR increase of 71 ft in the Discus Throw

... and man, this will be a hard-pressed record to beat for a while.

This athlete, named Joe, came to the ATN Throws Club after football season in his senior year.

He had thrown 101 ft as a junior in the discus.

So here we were, in December, and after a couple of training sessions Joe said, “Hey coach, I just don't think I'm a very good discus thrower.”

And my response was “Just be patient. Let's just give it a month and we'll see where you're at by that point."

By the end of January, Joe was throwing about 115 to 120 ft

Can you imagine the tragedy if I had I said to this athlete, "Hey you know, you're right, you only throw about 85-90 ft consistently & it's not coming easy to you... so, let's just focus on the shot put." 🤦🏻‍♂️

Had I given in to his lack of patience, he would have had a very different season.

Obviously, he didn't jump to a 71 ft PR at one time!

He went from 90 to 100 to 115 to 125 to 135 to 140 to 145.... until he went all the way to 171.🏆

In the age of instant gratification & everything being fed to us via social media in 20 seconds, it can be challenging to trust in a process and a plan.

... but, here's what's important to understand - you have to go through the process of proper throws training - like the TCR SYSYEM

By coaching Joe using the TCR system, he learned

WHERE he needed the most work- like most athletes, it was Pillar 1- the set up
What drills would be the MOST impactful to his success
How to train more efficiently
How the throw ACTUALLY works

The video at the top of this article shows you what Joe's throw looked like when he started...

... we call it B-TCR ( before the TCR System)

Then after learning the TCR system and being coached with a structured plan

Joe learned, to be patient, lean into the TCR System, and go with the process

>> ____ <<

Recently, I saw another way a lack of patience is STOPPING an athlete's ability to continue progressing with his throw and continue to PR.

It hurts just writing that.

The deal is this athlete, who had successfully used the TCR System this past season,

added about 40 ft to his discus PR going from around 125 to 165 +
and PR'd in his shot put, going from 42 ft to 53 ft
AND made the switch from the glide to the Rotational Shot!

Now every indicator should tell you that this athlete needs to continue to work the very things that improve him 40 ft in the discus throw and 11ft in the shot- right?

However, his impatience creeped in and he found himself facing that temptation MANY athletes, in any sport, have......

"There must be something else I can do to make me throw even farther"

Any veteran athlete who has made this mistake knows, this is the kiss of death to forward progress in your training....

and as a coach, you have the natural reaction of - huh? ....

Now this athlete has chosen to do different things with his training and "try new methods"....

I'll be honest, from what I'm seeing, it's not biomechanically correct & he's risked undoing the progress he has made.

... he has the ability to do a lot more if he'd just be patient and continue on the trajectory he was on.

>> ____ <<

Hey, I get the temptation to want more....

but you have to ask yourself-

Why am I not seeing improvement?
Do I know how to properly see the throw
Do I understand the technical positions of the throw?
Do I have training program that is designed to have the athletes ( or yourself) progress, building on your skills and moving you forward?

If you can relate to any of these questions, then I assume it's why you're reading this right now!

I can tell you this, a 190 ft /60 ft double is getting you to the next level and at many schools is getting you a nice chunk of scholarship money too.

So, if you're achieving significant PRs, and improving with your structured throws training program, then why on earth would you abandon the process that has created such a big improvement???

…. LACK OF PATIENCE.

Like my first example with Joe, don't sell yourself short!

Learn HOW to see your throw, how to assess it technically, then dig into the TCR system and start designing your throws training program that is going to get you where you want to go

You have access to not only tons of video content, online courses and lessons, but also monthly work shops, guides and support!!

And like my 2nd example, don't exit your bullet train throws training program that is taking you EXACTLY where you want to go.

Trust me, below is what it looks like training for the discus throw, rotational shot, or the glide shot without a killer throws training system and what it looks like when you have one. 😎

Throwing is a sport of neuromuscular memory which means through proper training, using repetition, drills and the likes, you're programing the biomechanics and technical positions into your spine.

That's why you'll hear me say: THERE ARE NO SHORTCUTS!

You need to stick to the things that produce results.

In your Throws training & in your strength training programs.

- Coach Johnson