Stillness
I often talk about stillness, or being still in the midst of the “storm” that is the throw. Let’s dive a bit deeper into this.
As you develop, the hammer velocity continues to accelerate faster and faster. Often, you will come to a point when it feels too scary to allow the ball to go where it must go. This feeling occurs in every stage of an athletes development just before a BREAKTHROUGH. Conversely, at every stage, fewer and fewer athletes pass to the next level because of this fear.
When things feel scary attempting to let the ball go in the throw, rest in your Stillness.
Stillness is the constant conscious intention toward a “thing.” In the case of this particular post, it’s hammer throw.
When you are still, nothing can shake you. You are the eye of the hurricane. Unshakable.
You will of course feel everything. This isn’t to say ignore or pretend what is actually there, isn’t. I’m saying what comes doesn’t need to be reacted to. Hammer gets faster? Be still. Hammer pulls you harder in the direction of the throw? Be still. Make a “mistake”? Be still. Time to release? Be still. Want to throw *harder*? Be still.
Inexorably, we arrive back at the idea of the hammer embodying the feminine energy, and the athlete embodying the masculine energy (again, regardless of gender).
What allows the hammer to be free and feel safe to move about as it wants, is for you, the athlete, to *be unwaveringly present in your commitment to connection with it*. The hammer moving in orbit around you is a very vulnerable position for it to be in. It must be protected. The hammer is protected by knowing you won’t give in when it pushes your limits. If not, the orbit will waver. If the orbit wavers, it decelerates.
This concept exists within the foundation of the FORTIUS Mindset as well. Perhaps a discussion for later.
You are the eye of the storm.
The eye of the storm is Tao.