APEX PWR  |  Athlete Angle

Track Throws Performance Training in Portland, Oregon

Throwing is one of the most underserved events in track and field when it comes to real, specialized coaching. Most throwers get a few minutes of technique work at practice and are left to figure out the strength and power side on their own. That is exactly the gap APEX is built to fill.

This summer we are launching Track Throws Performance Training, a specialized program for shot put, discus, javelin, and hammer athletes in the Portland metro. Throw farther, move better, perform stronger. It starts June 22nd, and spots are limited.

Where Can Throwers Train in the Portland, Oregon Area?

Right here in Tigard, central to the Westside metro and an easy drive from Beaverton, Tualatin, Lake Oswego, and Southwest Portland. APEX PWR is a performance wellness and rehab facility with the space, equipment, and coaching to train throwers the way the event actually demands, which is rare for this niche. Most throwers in the area simply do not have access to a dedicated throws strength and power program led by someone who knows both the lift and the throw.

Coached by Dr. Jon van den Boogaard, DPT, OCS, USATF Level 2

What makes this program different is who runs it. Dr. Jon van den Boogaard, DPT, OCS, USATF Level 2, is APEX's Director of Rehab and the throws coach behind the program. He brings a combination you almost never find in one person: a USATF Level 2 throws coaching certification, a Doctorate of Physical Therapy, and over 10 years coaching high school throws.

That blend matters. A throws coach knows the technical model. A physical therapist knows how the body produces force and where it breaks down. Dr. van den Boogaard does both, which means athletes get technical coaching, performance programming, and an expert eye on durability all from the same person. His throwers were on display this spring, including athletes who competed at the state meet, which we covered in last week's feature on throwing physical therapy.

How Does Strength Training Help Throwers?

Here is the part most throwers misunderstand. A throw is powered from the ground up. The legs and trunk generate most of the force, and the arm simply delivers what they create. Train only the arm and the throw stalls. Build the engine, the legs, hips, and trunk, and the implement goes farther.

The program is organized around the three things that actually move a throw:

• Strength. Heavy, structured lifting to build the raw force production a big throw requires. This is the foundation everything else sits on.
• Power. Rotational and explosive work to express that strength fast. A throw is over in a fraction of a second, so the ability to produce force quickly is what separates good from great.
• Durability. Targeted shoulder, hip, and trunk work. The throwing motion places real stress on the shoulder and elbow, and building the strength and stability around those joints is one of the most effective ways to decrease injury risk in a sport built on repeated maximal efforts.

This is also where having a Doctor of Physical Therapy running the program pays off directly. Programming for strength and power while proactively protecting the shoulder, elbow, and back is exactly the intersection of skills APEX is built on.

What Does the Program Include?

Already Dealing With a Throwing Injury?

If your athlete is throwing through shoulder, elbow, or back pain, the place to start is not a performance program, it is our clinical team. The same expertise that runs the throws program also leads our throwing-specific physical therapy, so an injured thrower can rehab and return to the circle or runway under one roof. Start with our physical therapy team, and read more about our approach to throwing injuries in last week's throwing PT feature.

For healthy throwers who want a baseline before training begins, the Sports Science Assessment establishes an objective picture of an athlete's strength, power, and movement, then anchors a plan built around what they actually need.

Frequently Asked Questions