Learning to train
Discussion
I have to my astonishment at the age of 30 found myself getting quite seriously into sport, to a degre where I am becoming competitive locally.
My sport is boccia, a paralympic ball-throwing/rolling accuracy and tactical game a lot like bowls, although I think that's kind of irrelevant because this is a pretty general question.
The query is: how do you train? The things I need to improve on are, basically, accuracy. Fine control over the direction of the ball (where the ramp is aimed) and the speed of the ball (the angle of the ramp and the height at which I release the ball). My tactics aren't bad and those are mostly learned by watching the masters, like this lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwqb5SEZHUU (I am a ramp player, a BC3 - there are 4 competitive classifications, think weight classes in boxing only for levels or types of impairment).
So I need to train, but I can't figure out how to get going, how to build a program I'll not get bored with. How long, how often, how many reps - I have contact with a serious coach about 8 times a year, but shared with 3 other aspiring players in the Boccia England training academy, so I mostly need to figure this out on my own. Which is where the general stuff comes in: when you want to build a skill, how do you go about starting?
My sport is boccia, a paralympic ball-throwing/rolling accuracy and tactical game a lot like bowls, although I think that's kind of irrelevant because this is a pretty general question.
The query is: how do you train? The things I need to improve on are, basically, accuracy. Fine control over the direction of the ball (where the ramp is aimed) and the speed of the ball (the angle of the ramp and the height at which I release the ball). My tactics aren't bad and those are mostly learned by watching the masters, like this lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwqb5SEZHUU (I am a ramp player, a BC3 - there are 4 competitive classifications, think weight classes in boxing only for levels or types of impairment).
So I need to train, but I can't figure out how to get going, how to build a program I'll not get bored with. How long, how often, how many reps - I have contact with a serious coach about 8 times a year, but shared with 3 other aspiring players in the Boccia England training academy, so I mostly need to figure this out on my own. Which is where the general stuff comes in: when you want to build a skill, how do you go about starting?
Having watched the video (and having never heard of / seen the sport before), the only thing I have experience of, where practice drills could possibly be of use, would be golf.
If you replace the golf hole with the ball that you use as the jack (do you call it a jack?), there's probably quite a lot of putting and chipping drills that could translate.
You say that you use a ramp to aim / propel the ball and that has some similarities with chipping the golf ball i.e. working out how far to swing the club back, to send the ball the required distance = working out where to start the ball on the ramp to achieve the desired trajectory and distance.
Have a look on YouTube for putting / chipping drills and see if any translate.
If you replace the golf hole with the ball that you use as the jack (do you call it a jack?), there's probably quite a lot of putting and chipping drills that could translate.
You say that you use a ramp to aim / propel the ball and that has some similarities with chipping the golf ball i.e. working out how far to swing the club back, to send the ball the required distance = working out where to start the ball on the ramp to achieve the desired trajectory and distance.
Have a look on YouTube for putting / chipping drills and see if any translate.
Firstly, that game looks excellent.
My thoughts are that it has a lot of similarities to Petanque, have you had a read of any sites like this: https://petanque.wordpress.com/ferg-method-1/ that list Petanque training techniques.
My thoughts are that it has a lot of similarities to Petanque, have you had a read of any sites like this: https://petanque.wordpress.com/ferg-method-1/ that list Petanque training techniques.
That pétanque site is bloody FANTASTIC, thankyou. That is pretty much exactly what I was hoping for - and yes, it is indeed quite similar. It's played indoors, and ramp players are obviously rolling not throwing balls, but that's it.
Yup, the white target ball is called the jack. An unpleasant tactical factor in a match is that you and your opponent each use your own personal set of balls, jack included, so you have to try to factor how far their balls may roll when knocked - the variation is vast, with some so soft and squishy that they're more beanbag than ball and others rock hard and unyielding and liable to go *miles* if you're unlucky - those tend to bounce off things well so players who use them can pull some flashy snooker moves.
One of the golf similarities, which I hadn't really thought of, is how much the floor surface affects the game - less so for throwing players, but hugely for my lot.
Yup, the white target ball is called the jack. An unpleasant tactical factor in a match is that you and your opponent each use your own personal set of balls, jack included, so you have to try to factor how far their balls may roll when knocked - the variation is vast, with some so soft and squishy that they're more beanbag than ball and others rock hard and unyielding and liable to go *miles* if you're unlucky - those tend to bounce off things well so players who use them can pull some flashy snooker moves.
One of the golf similarities, which I hadn't really thought of, is how much the floor surface affects the game - less so for throwing players, but hugely for my lot.
I stayed at a hotel last year that had a Petanque 'pitch?', it was a great alternative to sun-bathing! I used to nip up with a few bottles of beer and waste an hour or so.
I'm not advocating adding beer into your training but you have to reward yourself for sticking to your new training plan!
I'm not advocating adding beer into your training but you have to reward yourself for sticking to your new training plan!
SHutchinson said:
I stayed at a hotel last year that had a Petanque 'pitch?', it was a great alternative to sun-bathing! I used to nip up with a few bottles of beer and waste an hour or so.
I'm not advocating adding beer into your training but you have to reward yourself for sticking to your new training plan!
Where on earth was that - Canada somewhere?!I'm not advocating adding beer into your training but you have to reward yourself for sticking to your new training plan!
My first day at the Boccia England athlete academy (I am their newest and by far worst player) was nearly a month ago; Easter Sunday. We finished up with chocolate eggs; each given a basket of 6, send ramp assistant to place them somewhere tactically awkward on the court (near the back, near an edge) and your opponent got to nick one of your eggs every time one of their balls hit the basket.
I struck a gentleman's agreement with my partner, we played for bragging rights only and each took our 6 eggs home to eat. Gassing Station | Sports | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff