Episode 15

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Published on:

6th Jun 2021

EvelChat #15: "The Hammer": A Chat with Don Babbitt

Welcome to my 2nd EvelChat with US / Georgia throws coach Don Babbitt. This podcast is heavy on the hammer, with some general discussion about Don's former athletes at the beginning.

  • Reese Hoffa, massage, the Rubik’s Cube & my kitchen
  • Coaching Adam Nelson & Reese Hoffa
  • The SuperGroup
  • Changing faulty “go-to” moves and the relevance of timelines
  • Drilling vs. the intent to throw
  • The Hammer & the Pole Vault as cousins
  • Using drills in hammer training
  • The importance of single support competence
  • Balance in turns 3 & 4
  • Anticipation of double support & force applications in the hammer
  • Heel turn entries vs. toe turn entries 
  • Positioning in single support
  • The importance of the entry as a setup for the throw
  • Bondarchuk, Sedych & teaching hammer technique
  • Interpreting foreign cues & instruction
  • Understanding & interpreting foreign translations in technical writings
  • Insights regarding Koji Murofushi’s training & technique
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About the Podcast

EvelChat
The EveltrakSport.com Coaching Podcast with Derek Evely
A Podcast about Coaching, from specialist turn-ons to general piss-offs… & everything in between.

About your host

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Derek Evely

Derek Evely has taken a career path unique in Olympic sport. As an athletics coach, he has coached professionally at all levels along the developmental continuum and is widely regarded as a foremost expert in both youth development programming and elite training methodology. As a coach he has produced three World Junior Championship medalists, two of whom went on to win Olympic medals. He was the development coach for Gary Reed (IAAF World Championships 800m Silver Medalist), Dylan Armstrong (Beijing Olympic Shot Put Bronze Medalist) and Sophie Hitchon (2016 Olympic Hammer Throw Bronze Medalist). He has been a national team coach for both Britain and Canada to every major championship on the global calendar including the Olympic Games, IAAF World Championships and European Championships. He was a High Performance Training Centre Director for British Athletics leading into the 2012 Olympic Games where he coached the youngest athlete on the British athletics team (Hitchon) to her first Olympic final. From 2005 to 2009 he was the Sport Science Manager for the Canadian Athletics Coaching Center. He consults and coaches with federations and individuals worldwide on all aspects of developmental and high performance programming. He currently lives in Chicago with his wife and three teenagers.