2015 DECASTAR Talence Portia BING

Throwing events have always been a special challenge for combined events athletes. Performances in the throws are not really rewarding when compared to the amount of work and the specific training needed to achieve them. The priority of training is sprint/jumps oriented as it is beneficial to most of the events. Therefore combined event athletes have often been considered as good athletes but "poor" throwers" . Things and mentalities are progressively changing because to be a performing thrower , you don't need anymore to spend most of your time lifting heavy weights and increasing your body mass . SPEED has also progressively become the number 1 preoccupation of the throwers , as it is for the combined event athletes. And what concerns the combined events athletes , it is really possible to make it without becoming weightlifters ,and even without need of sophisticated techniques . In the heptathlon it is even more evident as 6 of the 7 events are directly speed and reactive strength related and can benefit from an appropriate general training. It is possible to throw 15m in the shot and 50m in the javelin without big loads in bench press or squat . This is a real challenge for a throw coach to be able to adapt to the athlete's specificity and needs. Portia BING is a young talent from New Zealand , her heptathlon PB is 6103 pts and she succeeded to make it in the top 16 at the last BEIJING world champs . Participating for the 1st time at the 2015 Decastar in Talence (France) , a wonderful combined events only competition , she was unlucky to get injured just before the last event and have to withdraw , without what she was going for a new PB and a possible Olympic qualification. With a lot of improvement potential (especially in the throws) , she will prepare for another international appearance in Gôtzis , may 2016 , and hopefully make it to RIO 2016. DP

[@chrisholloman7159]

Didier, really happy to hear you confirm my thoughts on the 'loads' necessary in training to have good throws. I feel that, between shot/disc/jav, technical aspects influence the throw performance far superior to plain brute strength. Combined with the body type necessary to excel in the sprints and jumps, I agree with you completely that trying to excessively load in the weight room may not ultimately be as beneficial as thought.

[@chrisholloman7159]

(and to Portia...get healthy! It's gonna be a fun ride to Rio!! Go Kiwis!)