Highland Games Basics: Caber Carry

Highland Games Basics: Caber Carry

When I first started throwing, I struggled greatly with the caber, and that’s no exaggeration. Just ask some of my fellow HASA members and they’ll tell you.. So, I did what any newbie would do - I turned to YouTube. Through my rigorous research, one man kept coming up as a dude who crushed monster cabers; legend was that there wasn't a caber this guy couldn't turn. Mike Smith is this man's name, and I quickly decided that if I want to be even pedestrian at this event (it took me five games before I even turned my first one), I had better replicate what this man was doing. His "pick" was pretty standard, but it was his carry that set him apart. Mike Smith would carry the stick so high, it was almost at shoulder level, it seemed. In each instance I saw, he made a conscience effort to get the caber positioned higher.  I'm no smart man, but I did the math:

Dude turns more monster cabers than anyone
+
No one carries it like him
____________________________ 

Worth trying

Now, before I describe a caber carry or even defend it, know that I'm not saying there aren't plenty of different, and successful, ways to carry a caber. I'm just explaining how I do it and how I coach it.

We've already gone over the "pick" so let's jump into the carry. Once you've gathered yourself after catching this huge toothpick, work your hands up to chest level. So, what you have now is you're holding the caber with your elbows bent and the stick tucked in tight against your neck and shoulder.  It doesn't matter what side you carry the caber on (I throw right-handed but carry the caber on my left side), just that you're comfortable with the caber and feel as if you can somewhat control it … yeah, I know, I know..

I like to carry it high for a few reasons:

Less Drop - When I'm about to pull the caber and flip it, the "drop" of that caber is critical. If you jump stop your approach (don't, by the way, but again, more on that later), you're fighting yourself. The lower my carry is, the longer pull I have at the finish, and the more momentum I have to fit as I pull that stick all the way up. With a high carry, I can more easily hit that explosive finish position I want, without having to drop down in the basement to gather for a big turn.

Tight Shoulder - I want to feel in control of the caber. The higher I hold it and the tighter it is against my chest, shoulder and neck, the more control I feel that I have on it. I can pull it in closer to my body as needed for counter-balance and more easily give it a final "nudge" when it's time to pull it (more on that in another section). This all leads me to the last reason ...

Drive the Caber - I think a lot of people make the mistake of a simple mindset; don’t just run with the caber, drive it! With a high carry, I can really drive the caber - kind of like a football sled. You cannot carry a sled and run, you have to drive it forward – let’s do the same with a caber.  I even go to the extreme of keeping my head down during the entire "drive" phase.  In my thought process, if I can apply forward force to the caber, then I am speeding up the top end of the stick, making it that much more likely to turn.

And if you've not Googled Mike Smith by now, I've done you the favor of linking one of my all-time favorite caber tosses.

Carry on. 

 

678 comments

  • Bart Asmund

    I thought I had lost everything when I mistakenly forgot the seed phrase to my crypto wallet holding coins worth $855,000, however, Morphohack Cyber Service was there to help me retrieve my seed phrase and my wallet back. A few weeks back, I lost the seed phrase to my crypto wallet and I was dumbfounded by that incident, I was wondering how the hell I was going to get back my crypto funds, this left me devastated and scared. Who knew the walls could hear? I sat on my couch thinking and depressed about it when I saw a pop-up video on my phone talking about Morphohack Cyber Service, a company skilled at hacking and recovery of data, crypto funds, and lost wallets. I contacted them and 72 hours was how long it took them to retrieve my seed phrases and help me secure my crypto wallet. I’m going to put this out there, Morphohack is the most trusted and reliable source for your digital assets and crypto assets recovery. Their information is below
    E-mail:(MorphoHack@CyberServices.com)
    WhatsApp:(+1 213  672- 4092)

  • Abdul Rahman B.

    I’m still in shock and can’t believe I was able to recover my lost Bitcoin. I had invested a significant amount of money in BTC back in 2017. but unfortunately, I lost access to my wallet due to a combination of factors, including a forgotten password and a corrupted wallet file.

    I had tried everything to recover my BTC, from using password recovery tools to seeking help from online forums and communities. However, nothing seemed to work, and I had almost given up hope.

    That was when I stumbled upon a professional BTC recovery service called TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY. I was skeptical at first. but after reading reviews and testimonials from other satisfied customers. I decided to give it a try.

    The recovery process was surprisingly smooth and efficient. The team at the recovery service was highly professional and communicative, keeping me updated every step of the way. They used advanced techniques and tools to recover my wallet and private keys, and within a few days, I had access to my BTC again.

    I was able to recover approximately 90% of my lost BTC, which was a huge relief. I had thought that my investment was gone forever, but thanks to the recovery service, I was able to recover a significant portion of it.

    I would highly recommend TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY to anyone who has lost access to their BTC. Their expertise and professionalism are unparalleled, and they truly care about their customers. I’m grateful for their help and would not hesitate to use their services again if needed.

    Get in touch with them via their contact details written below.

    Email: Trojanhack@qualityservice.com

  • Abdul Rahman B.

    I’m still in shock and can’t believe I was able to recover my lost Bitcoin. I had invested a significant amount of money in BTC back in 2017. but unfortunately, I lost access to my wallet due to a combination of factors, including a forgotten password and a corrupted wallet file.

    I had tried everything to recover my BTC, from using password recovery tools to seeking help from online forums and communities. However, nothing seemed to work, and I had almost given up hope.

    That was when I stumbled upon a professional BTC recovery service called TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY. I was skeptical at first. but after reading reviews and testimonials from other satisfied customers. I decided to give it a try.

    The recovery process was surprisingly smooth and efficient. The team at the recovery service was highly professional and communicative, keeping me updated every step of the way. They used advanced techniques and tools to recover my wallet and private keys, and within a few days, I had access to my BTC again.

    I was able to recover approximately 90% of my lost BTC, which was a huge relief. I had thought that my investment was gone forever, but thanks to the recovery service, I was able to recover a significant portion of it.

    I would highly recommend TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY to anyone who has lost access to their BTC. Their expertise and professionalism are unparalleled, and they truly care about their customers. I’m grateful for their help and would not hesitate to use their services again if needed.

    Get in touch with them via their contact details written below.

    Email: Trojanhack@qualityservice.com

  • Madison Zoe

    Ryan Ackroyd Wizard Expert is the best when it comes to recovery of stolen and lost cryptocurrency funds, I’m a living witness to their success. Some months back, I invested some money into a cryptocurrency investment platform and I was asked to pay 20% to withdraw my profits, I did some research and found out it was a scam to defraud me of my money. I didn’t know bitcoin could be recovered until my colleague at work told me about Ryan Ackroyd Wizard Expert I contacted Ryan Ackroyd Wizard Expertand in the space of 48 hours, all the money invested in this fake investment platform was fully recovered. I’m truly grateful to
    Ryan Ackroyd Wizard Expert and I want to share this with anyone who must have had the same experience. You can easily contact Ryan Ackroyd Wizard Expertat: EMAIL ryanackroydwizardfundsrecovery@gmail.com WHATSAPP +7(930)660-72-54
    Telegram @Ryan129913

  • Diego Olivia

    When my Bitcoin disappeared into the digital ether, I thought it was an irreversible loss. But little did I know that a team of brilliant minds was dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the blockchain. Their innovative approach and deep understanding of the ever-evolving crypto landscape breathed life back into my dreams. Their unwavering commitment, fueled by a passion for making a difference, paved the way for the recovery of what I thought was forever gone. In an industry full of uncertainty, they are the guiding light that dispels the shadows of doubt.” Email: (ryanackroydwizardfundsrecovery@gmail.com) WHATSAPP +7(930)660-72-54
    Telegram @Ryan129913

Leave a comment