Thursday, June 24, 2010

Ocala Scottish Highland Games

In 1057 King Malcolm Ceanmore began his reign, and was credited with initiating crude forms of the Scottish Highland Games' athletic competition that we are see today. He developed them as a means of improving the abilities of his military. Scottish men have tested their strength against each other at Highland gatherings for centuries. By the sixteenth century the games had become festive occasions drawing large crowds of spectators. Even though they had become crowd pleasers they were still utilized for leaders to find the best of the best.

The evolution of the equipment currently used for the Highland Games began with items locally available to the early Scotsman. The woodsmen produced the Gaelic or cader (tree) for their event. While the blacksmith's hammer or mall for driving fence posts was what is now called the 22 pound hammer. Steelyard weights weighing 28 pound and 56 pound were used to throw for height and distance. The agricultural region is likely the origin of the sheaf toss. The clachneart stone was originally derived from a rounded riverbed stone.

In today's Scottish Highland Games athletes combine strength, skill and endurance to compete in these time-honored events. In the spirit of the affable Scot, these competitors combine the attributes of the athlete with the fellowship of clansmen to promote and perpetrate the heart of the Scottish Festival, the Highland Games.

Read the rest here. Let me know if you are interested in competing for fun, I am.


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We're working up to tall buildings in a single bound.

400m Med Ball Run

Turkish Get Ups

Rest 5 minutes then
3 Rounds for time
10 Muscle Ups
10 Burpees

1 comment:

  1. 10:19 as Rx'ed with a gas mask. I took the mask off halfway through the second round of MU's and back on on the last two MU's of the last round. if that doesn't improve anaerobic endurance I don't know what will.

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