His VHS tape was the only visual that I had when I was in high school. I had a couple of articles I found online, maybe from Andy Bloom and a couple of other people, but his video helped me the most. He emphasized getting use to pivoting. I would just pivot down a line in the parking lot, down the track, or just to the discus circle. For most discus throwers, pivoting is not a normal movement - you need to practice it so it becomes fluid. When he comes out of the South African position at 1:47, he emphasized holding the X (a line through the shoulders and another through the hips) through the pivot. When I was in high school, I thought that was just about keeping the discus back, but a few years back I realize it was also about opening the left side of your body as well. The biggest problems I had with the VHS was what to do at the front of ring. I was so confused about reversing, lower leg blocks, holding the foot flat, or jumping. I literally watched that VHS hundreds of times, but I couldn't figure it out. I broke some many good throws because of that and lost some good distance too. I didn't really have a coach that could help in that area. I'm jealous of all the resources people have today. It would be neat to interview him to see what he thinks about his throwing style today and how it changed over the years.
John Powell's bench press PR was 385. In 87 when he won silver at worlds, I think his bench press max was maybe at 325. Weight room accomplishments are over-rated when it comes to achieving distance in the discuss. On the margin, per units of time and effort, focusing on technique yields more results.
John Powell pioneered left leg drive out of the back of the circle. Up until him bringing left leg drive to the professional discus world, most people were generating momentum with a right leg out of the back of the circle. That was the big difference I saw between Mac Wilkens and John. Left leg orientation vs right leg orientation out of the back of the circle. And Johns technique has now gone on to produce many world record holding throwers.
John Powell was my coach at Stanford and I had the opportunity to train with him in the ring and in the weight room from 87-90. He was quite unimpressive in the weight room compared to his major competitors, particularly by the time he was 40 (when he won silver at the Worlds).. His only somewhat impressive lift was his straight leg dead lift; he was very strong in his lower back. His success was almost all technique. John was spotting his main competitors 50-100 pounds on the bench and even more on squats. He was also spotting them several inches in height and wing span. All of this puts his accomplishments in perspective from a technical perspective.
You're very lucky to have had him as a coach. I wanted to attend his camp as a young thrower but never got a chance to. I still have the flyer that was sent to my highschool. My highschool coach was Andy Blooms highschool coach and alot of what John Powell started was how we were taught. Left leg drive out of the back. Focusing on getting your left leg to the front of the circle fast via a sprint with the left leg vs focusing on flinging your right leg across the circle to get your momentum going. It really is two different worlds.
Ludvik Danek was the guy that John Powell used to develop his technique. He also talked a lot about sprinting in the circle. Looking back at Ludvik's throwing technique, you can "see" how John's technique started and then it evolved into his own style of throwing. It is also an opinion that looking atJay Silvester's throwing that there are remnants of Danek's throwing in his technique.
Left leg drive out of the back of the circle. That's what John was all about. Left leg drive....as opposed to generating your momentum with your right leg being flung across the circle.
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His VHS tape was the only visual that I had when I was in high school. I had a couple of articles I found online, maybe from Andy Bloom and a couple of other people, but his video helped me the most. He emphasized getting use to pivoting. I would just pivot down a line in the parking lot, down the track, or just to the discus circle. For most discus throwers, pivoting is not a normal movement - you need to practice it so it becomes fluid. When he comes out of the South African position at 1:47, he emphasized holding the X (a line through the shoulders and another through the hips) through the pivot. When I was in high school, I thought that was just about keeping the discus back, but a few years back I realize it was also about opening the left side of your body as well.
The biggest problems I had with the VHS was what to do at the front of ring. I was so confused about reversing, lower leg blocks, holding the foot flat, or jumping. I literally watched that VHS hundreds of times, but I couldn't figure it out. I broke some many good throws because of that and lost some good distance too. I didn't really have a coach that could help in that area. I'm jealous of all the resources people have today.
It would be neat to interview him to see what he thinks about his throwing style today and how it changed over the years.
Love how relaxed his throwing style is. Looks so fluid and controlled
John Powell's bench press PR was 385. In 87 when he won silver at worlds, I think his bench press max was maybe at 325. Weight room accomplishments are over-rated when it comes to achieving distance in the discuss. On the margin, per units of time and effort, focusing on technique yields more results.
John Powell pioneered left leg drive out of the back of the circle. Up until him bringing left leg drive to the professional discus world, most people were generating momentum with a right leg out of the back of the circle. That was the big difference I saw between Mac Wilkens and John. Left leg orientation vs right leg orientation out of the back of the circle. And Johns technique has now gone on to produce many world record holding throwers.
John Powell was my coach at Stanford and I had the opportunity to train with him in the ring and in the weight room from 87-90. He was quite unimpressive in the weight room compared to his major competitors, particularly by the time he was 40 (when he won silver at the Worlds).. His only somewhat impressive lift was his straight leg dead lift; he was very strong in his lower back. His success was almost all technique. John was spotting his main competitors 50-100 pounds on the bench and even more on squats. He was also spotting them several inches in height and wing span. All of this puts his accomplishments in perspective from a technical perspective.
You're very lucky to have had him as a coach. I wanted to attend his camp as a young thrower but never got a chance to. I still have the flyer that was sent to my highschool. My highschool coach was Andy Blooms highschool coach and alot of what John Powell started was how we were taught. Left leg drive out of the back. Focusing on getting your left leg to the front of the circle fast via a sprint with the left leg vs focusing on flinging your right leg across the circle to get your momentum going. It really is two different worlds.
This would be his throw at the 1985 World Cup in Canberra Australia. He was 38 in this video
Ludvik Danek was the guy that John Powell used to develop his technique. He also talked a lot about sprinting in the circle. Looking back at Ludvik's throwing technique, you can "see" how John's technique started and then it evolved into his own style of throwing. It is also an opinion that looking atJay Silvester's throwing that there are remnants of Danek's throwing in his technique.
How do you build more momentum. I’m 147 lbs and throwing 125-130
Probably speed
Clean up your technique. Speed comes with greater technical ease
Left leg drive out of the back of the circle. That's what John was all about. Left leg drive....as opposed to generating your momentum with your right leg being flung across the circle.
Rip
I just learned of his passing. Very sorry to hear about the death of a legend