2015 Off-Season Coaching With: Nathan Fanger

Who do you coach? 

I am currently coach Matthias Tayala, Danniel Thomas, Reggie Jaggers, Jackie and Becca Leppelmemeir, Mke King and the rest of Kent State throws squad.

I am going to do one question at a time. if that’s cool.

Where do you train? 

We train at Kent State year round we are fortunate to have a sweet field house when the weather turns nasty, but the hammer throwers still endure the cold weather.

What is the core of your off-season training goals, philosophy?

Our off season goals are to fix functional weakness. Some athletes have an enormous amounts of throwing volume others have a focus on the weight room others have a focus on position and foot work. The overall goal is to keep our strength strong but improve our weak points this is a challenge at times,

Do your athletes throw in the off-season? If so, what is the goal of the throwing?

We always throw in the off season, the volume of throws depends upon the athlete and what issues we are working through. For example if I have an athlete focusing on weight gains in the weight room the number of throws will go down so as to utilize their energy where I want it. I would say for the majority of my throwers take a high volume of throws with a lot of variation in their specific implements.

 What weight lifting exercises do you focus on? Does that change during the competitive-season? 

Our weight lifting is phased in 4 different parts, a hypertrophy phase, strength phase, explosive phase and meet phase. There are some athletes that so not fall into these categories but most follow this pattern. The over all exercises stay similar like back and front squat, cleans, snatch, bench but sets and reps and the depth and explosiveness of each exercise changes. And supplementary exercises do change so as to gain more explosive fibers.

Are you going to try anything new this off-season? If so, what?

Nothing new this off season but I have 5 freshman women and man that takes time. I don’t rush anything so I have had one girl on stands and 180s all fall in the discus. Haha you’ve gotta love coaching, deep breaths. I have added some new things, John Smith has helped me over the past year. I like the addition to short wire hammers it adds some different stimulus in the hammer and I have added 3k discus for more specific strength.

Are you using any new equipment? Is there anything you would like to do but cannot? Such as?

I feel like I have most everything I want. My head coach Bill Lawson really gives me the freedom to do what I please. Really the better athletes I get forces me to grow in my knowledge as a coach and there for forcing me to get new stuff.

Do you take your group to warm weather training? 

We try to go south every spring break to give us as much opportunity to get in the warmth as we can. But I have learned with these long season not to rush into the outdoor season, so spring break is really have become all about volume and work load

When do you plan to compete again? 

At home on January 10th

What do you do to relax? Vacations planned? 

I actually breed nephrurus geckos, I needed something to relax my day after coaching and the wife and 3 kids. Vacation wise we try to get out west every 2 or 3 years a big 7000 miles of driving to Montana, Oregon, Colorado visiting family.

What do you do to for your own fitness/ health?

Well I still love to train with my athletes I usually train in the fall hard and then relax in the spring but this year I’m training for France. World master, I’m only 38 so by no means masters but my 2 older guys I train are 68 really want me to go so I’ve been training a little harder this year.

What are your goals for 2015 and 2016?

Goals for this season are the same as normal get kids to throw far. My job is to make sure we are ready for the conference championships but beyond that it up to the athletes.

 Please add anything else you find interesting.

I would regret writing an article about my program and my philosophy and not mention Christ and his importance in my life. Death burial and resurrection is the utmost importance. Another side note would be the psychological aspect of coaching. No matter how much training we do physically we as coaches need to understand each athletes mental state. Knowing when to push and when to back off, the art of coaching is caring. I expect the best out of each athlete and they know this but there are tons of variables that make or brake athletes. Have fun with them and make their experience fun if we think everyone will win a gold medal it leads to frustration, remember have FUN.