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. 

 

751 comments

  • huarte collen

    I was scammed in a BEC and cryptocurrency exchange fraud. DUNE NECTAR WEB EXPERT (Email: SUPPORT @ DUNENECTARWEBEXPERT . C O M; Telegram: @DUNENECTARWEBEXPERT) completely recovered my lost funds. They specialize in recovering funds lost to various online scams (lotteries, compensation schemes, binary trading, inheritance scams, cryptocurrency investment scams, and forex scams) and data breaches. Their expertise extends to recovering stolen crypto assets, navigating complex withdrawal issues, and implementing comprehensive data protection strategies. They provided exceptional assistance in recovering my funds and securing my online accounts. I highly recommend their services.

  • Adams Murphy

    Can your crypto wallet be recovered if you lose your seed phrase?

    Yes, I can confidently assure you that it can be recovered. I lost my seed phrase about two weeks ago and all hope of getting it restored was lost, and I couldn’t access my wallet. I was in distress need of my funds so I contacted a friend of mine who works privately for HackMetrix, a crypto recovery team. They were able to recover and restore access to my crypto wallet within 72 hours.
    Their service was professional and reliable, I’m pleased to have worked with them and I can say they are the best.
    You can reach them via:
    Email:hackmetrix@cyberservices.com
    WhatsApp: +44 737845 0946

  • Bryan Li Wong

    HOW CAN I RECOVER MY LOST CRYPTO (BTC, USDT) investment.

    It’s very easy when you contact: Trojanhack@qualityservice.com

    Hi Guys, I’m Bryan Li wong from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ok let me start this way.

    Though At first i was very skeptical when a friend Davies Frank from Chicago Illinois told me about them and how they were able to help him recovered his Crypto Loss during the Covid 19 pandermic.

    I was a victim of a Fake Forex Trading Guru Investment online in 2023 and i was so gullible to get scammed to the tone of 254,650 USDT. i believed them after seeing multiples of their trade result online. little did i know they were all scam and i was so foolish to fell for such stunt. i got depressed and my whole world was shattered as a result of my heavy mistakes.

    I couldnt’ withdraw my USDT profit from them. they came up with stories and they kept demanding for more and more from me and it was them i confirmed further they were syndicates.

    it was such a terrible and ugly ordeals i went through.

    After contacting TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY, i experienced a life changing recovery process, they were able to trace and recovered all for me within 4 days.

    Their team are the best and very good at what they do. which if not could have been my life’s greatest mishap. I am forever indebted to this reputable company (TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY) and i know there are thousands of people who are undergoing same situation as mine and for that reason i’d be listing their contact details once again which are as follows:

    Email: Trojanhack@qualityservice.com

  • Bryan Li Wong

    HOW CAN I RECOVER MY LOST CRYPTO (BTC, USDT) investment.

    It’s very easy when you contact: Trojanhack@qualityservice.com

    Hi Guys, I’m Bryan Li wong from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ok let me start this way.

    Though At first i was very skeptical when a friend Davies Frank from Chicago Illinois told me about them and how they were able to help him recovered his Crypto Loss during the Covid 19 pandermic.

    I was a victim of a Fake Forex Trading Guru Investment online in 2023 and i was so gullible to get scammed to the tone of 254,650 USDT. i believed them after seeing multiples of their trade result online. little did i know they were all scam and i was so foolish to fell for such stunt. i got depressed and my whole world was shattered as a result of my heavy mistakes.

    I couldnt’ withdraw my USDT profit from them. they came up with stories and they kept demanding for more and more from me and it was them i confirmed further they were syndicates.

    it was such a terrible and ugly ordeals i went through.

    After contacting TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY, i experienced a life changing recovery process, they were able to trace and recovered all for me within 4 days.

    Their team are the best and very good at what they do. which if not could have been my life’s greatest mishap. I am forever indebted to this reputable company (TROJANHACK CYBER SECURITY COMPANY) and i know there are thousands of people who are undergoing same situation as mine and for that reason i’d be listing their contact details once again which are as follows:

    Email: Trojanhack@qualityservice.com

  • prof ibrahim

    Revenge spells to punish someone until you are fully avenged. Revenge spells to teach someone a lesson they will never forget using voodoo revenge spells. My spells of revenge will inflict serious harm on your enemies, so do not use my revenge spells unless you are sure. Revenge spells for cheaters & your enemies. Revenge spells and curses to help you get the ultimate revenge. Voodoo revenge spells for cheaters, ex lovers, your enemies & people who want to harm you. Give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot & to punish your enemies with revenge curses & spells for revenge.

    Tel: +27785149508 /

    Email:profibrahim98@gmail.com
    https://africanacientspellscaster.com
    https://africanspellcaster.mystrikingly.com
    https://psychicmedium.nolt.io/
    https://imgur.com/gallery/27785149508-powerful-revenge-spells-to-punish-someone-deeds-ntbT5KN
    powerfulspellcastertraditionalhealer27785149508197.home.blog
    https://rumble.com/v4htqxi-astrology-love-spells-that-work-immediately-call-27785149508.html

    +27785149508

Leave a comment