We live in Phoenix, which is where the annual Highland Athletics Women’s World Championships are held every year in early spring. It’s amazing to see these women in action, and as I specialize in women’s health and fitness, it seemed appropriate to cover this event.

There were eight women competing for the title of world champion. This year’s Games were particularly exciting, since one of the competitors, Adriane Wilson, was going for her third consecutive title. Wilson (maiden name Blewitt) has a long history with Highland Athletics. As she notes in an interview at DieselCrew.com:

I am very proud to be a two-time Women’s World Champion and the current world record holder in the 28lb. weight for distance at 50’11”. I am the first person, man or woman, to throw over 50 feet in the heavy weight event. I share the world record for the spinning weight for height event with Mindy Pockoski at 19’. I earned the World Caber Tossing Championship in Scotland at the Callender Games in 2010 and 2011 and won the overall Championship in Fergus, Ontario and Pleasanton, California.

Wilson also competed in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Trials. Oh, and did I mention she’s a cancer survivor? In other words, she’s one tough lady. This year, Wilson was the champion once again. She also set a new world record in the heavy weight throw for distance, as well as new field records in the Braemar stone and light weight throw for distance.

Wilson wasn’t the only tough one at the Games. Kate Burton, who placed second, also made a new field record in the heavy hammer, with an awesome throw of over 89 feet. And Kristy Scott, who finished third, made a new world record in the weight for height. Scott tossed the 28-pound weight an incredible 19 feet, surpassing Burton and Wilson by two feet.

What always impresses me most about all of the competitions at the Highland Games is the sense of camaraderie and sportsmanship between the players. All of the competitors are so encouraging to one another, and you really got the sense that, although they are certainly there to compete, they really love their sport. The weights may be heavy, but the overall mood is relaxed and a lot of fun. From a spectator’s perspective, it’s the way athletic competitions should be – focus the intensity during the events, and enjoy the rest.

Of course, warrior princesses don’t just throw big rocks and tree trunks – they also like to dance, at least as far as my three-year-old is concerned. Since September, she’s been taking Highland Dance and absolutely loves it. Her dance school competed at the Highland Games and made quite an impressing showing. After seeing my daughter’s improvement over the last six months, I’m convinced that Highland Dance is an awesome athletic activity for children. It’s an amazing test of strength and coordination, and it’s also a great way to build confidence and self-esteem through performance and competition.

According to Kari Maschino, founder of Maschino School of Highland Dance (MSHD), strength, endurance, and agility are the three primary benefits of Highland Dance for children and adolescents. Most of the dances are done entirely on the balls of the feet and require strength as well as stamina. “The younger and less experienced dancers have the biggest challenge holding their arm and leg positions. Elevation is another challenge that affects all dancers. These three things tie into strength,” says Maschino. To illustrate: in a typical six-step version of the Highland Fling, a dancer will jump vertically 192 times!

Highland Dance also gives kids the opportunity to perform and compete. Although Maschino doesn’t require her students to compete, she does think it can be beneficial for children’s self esteem and confidence. “Dancers put on their ‘game face’ and lay out their best work, hoping that their best will place out at the end of the day. Any placing is a nod that their work was a job well done. Sometimes just getting through the dance without stopping or turning the wrong way in front of a judge is a dancer’s goal. They can say at the end of the day, ‘Hey, I did it!’”

Another thing I love about Highland Dance is it doesn’t seem like there are as many of the body image standards that often come with other kinds of dance. What matters most is strength, grace, and stamina. You see all ages and body types at competitions, and as long as the technique is there, everyone has the potential to place. As noted by Maschino, “Highland Dancing provides different challenges to different body types. It’s like any physical activity, you just find a way to make it work for you.”

It’s also appropriate for both boys and girls; in fact, men were the first Highland Dancers. “Highland Dancing was originally created for the Scottish men-at-arms to help them stay in shape for battle…I personally love watching male dancers because they were the original Highland Dancers. They bring a certain nostalgic feel to any exhibition or dance competition. They are rare, but they are out there and they usually end up being amazing dancers because of their strong legs,” says Maschino. In fact, several of the past Highland Dance world champions have been male.

MSHD had an amazing weekend at the Games, and although my daughter is too young to compete, she was really excited about the other girls’ results and about competing in the future. And just in case Highland Dance falls through for some reason, she’s also been throwing boulders around.

Congratulations to all the competitors at the Games – can’t wait until next year!

The post Warrior Princesses and World Records at the Arizona Highland Games appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

“That won’t work if you’re going to marry me,” he said.

“Why?”

“Because it doesn’t match my kilt.”

My heart sunk. I really liked this guy and all, but did I really want to marry a guy in a skirt?!

Two years later I was happily walking down the aisle, accompanied by my daddy and a bagpiper, my kilted groom awaiting me. Then I attended my first Highland Games, and I decided I really liked this Scottish stuff after all. The music, the Highland dance, the single-malt scotch, the haggis, all captured me – but the Highland Games themselves, the heavy athletics, really stood out.

If you’ve never been to a Highland Games, you’ve got to check it out. It may not be as mainstream as other events, but it sure is one-of-a-kind, and the competitors are tough. It’s also a great way to spend a leisurely afternoon while also getting some athletic inspiration. And although you’ll see a good number of kilted men, Highland athletics have become more and more popular with women in recent years. According to a 2007 article in the San Diego Union-Tribune, in Scotland approximately 60-percent of the competitors are men and 40-percent are women.

The Highland Games are thought to have originated in ancient Scotland as a way to find the best warriors in the clan. In medieval Scotland, the games became official and were organized by the king to find the fastest and strongest men in the kingdom. They first came to America in the 1800s and have spread across the country ever since. Now you can find a Highland gathering in almost every state, although some are more prestigious than others. If you’re interested in serious heavy athletics, look for events that have professional athletes. The North American Scottish Games Athletics (NASGA) website has a great database of Highland Games where you can search for upcoming events and see current stats and rankings.

All Scottish Heavy Athletics games must have a minimum of five events. The rules are pretty straightforward, and many of the techniques resemble other more mainstream lifting events pretty closely. In fact, if you train with kettlebells you’ll probably find that Scottish athletics come pretty naturally. Some people even claim kettlebells originated in Scotland. (Of course, like the Irish, the Scots are quick to claim things as their own, so this may or may not be historically accurate.) Then again, some of the events, like the stone put and caber toss, may require a change of perspective, depending on your background.

As noted by Dan John:

It [throwing] is really the opposite of powerlifting. The squat, deadlift and bench press are sometimes simply summarized as “explode out of the hole” or “grip it and rip it.” The Olympic lifts, however, mimic the acceleration of the throwing events. The pull from the floor to the knees is certainly done at maximal speed, yet the athlete must hold the proper positions or all that speed will go to waste. The best lifts for the throws are the clean and press, the snatch, the clean and jerk and all the one-arm variations.

Highland Games are also a great way for amateurs and athletes of all levels to gain competition experience. Although professional classes are invitation-only, anyone can compete at the amateur level. NASGA recommends reserving a spot a few months in advance to ensure you get a slot.

Here are a few of the events you might find at a typical game:

The Caber Toss

The caber toss may be the most famous event at the Highland Games, and for good reason. This event consists of each player taking turn “tossing” a giant wooden caber. The goal is to turn the caber so when it lands, it ends up as close to the 12 o’clock position as possible. However, turning the caber is itself a challenging feat, and anywhere between 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock is considered to be a valid throw. If the caber doesn’t turn, it is judged based on the angle at which it falls in relation to the judge, who stands behind the player during the toss.

Stone Put

There are two types of stones used in the Highland Games: the open stone and the Braemar stone. Basically, the idea is to throw the stone, which can be anywhere from 16 to 22 pounds for men or 8 to 12 pounds for women, with only one hand. For the Braemar stone put, the feet must remain stationary until the throw is complete.

The Hammer Throw

The Scottish hammer throw is the ancient predecessor of the modern hammer throw seen at the Olympics. According to the official NASGA rules, “The hammer head shall be spherical and made of metal, and the shaft shall be of wood, rattan, bamboo, or plastic (PVC pipe is sometimes used for increased durability). Rattan or bamboo is recommended over wood or plastic.” Women throw either a 12 or 16 pound hammer, whereas men throw a 16 or 22 pound hammer. The thrower can only move his or her feet after the hammer has been thrown.

These three events are the staples of most Highland Games, although other events include the weight toss for height and distance, as well as the sheaf toss in some areas of the country. Spring and summer are great times for Highland Games, whether you want to watch or participate.

Just remember, if you want to compete, you do have to wear a kilt!

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