Support for athletes' flexibility, muscle strength & recovery
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Training in the professional javelin sport requires as much flexibility as muscle strength. Just ask our corporate coordinator Freddie, who represented Great Britain at the World Junior Athletics Championships and won national titles for juniors and U23 juniors.
Freddie says that the training for javelin is quite varied: "I spend 5-6 hours a week in the gym, strength training and just as much time with other exercises, such as throwing medicine balls over the head and one-arm throws over the head. As a javelin thrower, I naturally spend time throwing, but not as much as people might think. We don't throw every day."
The athlete explains that the castanet means a great strain on the elbow, shoulder and back. This limits javelin throwing to only two to three days a week. He rounds off his training sessions with gymnastics: "Besides the fun and challenging aspect, gymnastics training provides great value for javelin throwers. It helps to develop balance, flexibility, upper body strength and core stability in one and the same session!"
To balance his sports schedule with his working life, Freddie says he trains in the morning before work. He keeps double training passes until the weekend. He has discovered an extra bonus: "Training in the morning keeps me a little sharper throughout the day too."
How did Freddie discover his love for javelin throwing? "As a child, I first realized that I had a talent for throwing when I threw tennis balls over the roof together with my two brothers. There was something peaceful about seeing a tennis ball come out of nowhere and fly over the house", he recalls. "My older brother joined the local athletics club, so I followed along and watched. The following week I decided to try out and was hooked! I was about 9 years old at the time."
Freddie uses Aarja Health's nutritional supplements daily. "I use Magnesium3 every day and take them in the evening. I take it together with a small snack. I find it easier to fall asleep and I feel much more rested in the morning. I have also seen a huge difference in my recovery during training."
In addition, the javelin thrower also uses other Aarja products, including Vitamin C 500 with zinc and changa , Vitamin D3 + lingonberry , K collagen with pine bark and Curcumin with ginger and B12 . "Both vitamin C and D3 help me prevent myself from catching a cold or suffering from minor illnesses. The collagen has helped me with joint pain, from the many hours of training. Curcumin has been good as an anti-inflammatory."
He admits that muscle fatigue is normal with so much training during the week. "It is important to have the right amount of training load and not to overdo it," advises Freddie. "We try to avoid injuries at all costs. Working with the small supporting muscles and doing prehab exercises is the best way. We try to be proactive when it comes to injury prevention and not reactive when it comes to problems. I have physiotherapy sessions and massages regularly. But I think that effective sleep and proper recovery are the most important things here."
Focus is absolutely necessary during competitions. "Naturally, I can get a little nervous at major championships," says Freddie. I work with a sports psychologist to develop a few different techniques to keep me calm and relaxed. For me, there is nothing that hinders my performance more than a racing mind and a tense body. In the days before a big competition, I try not to think too much about it. I just try to carry on with everyday life as usual."
Aarja Health is proud to support athletes like Freddie with our healthy nutritional supplements.