Caber Tossing Archives - www.oldtimestrongman.com

Vince Gironda Tossing The Caber

Posted on Wednesday, June 19th, 2019 by John Wood

Here’s something you don’t see every day: “The Iron Guru” Vince Gironda tossing the caber. Vince was, of course, well-known in bodybuilding circles but he had other talents as well. In the early 1970’s he used to get a gang together every Saturday morning to practice tossing the caber and other heavy events in order to represent Vince’s Gym at the annual Los Angeles Highland Games held at Corsair Field at Santa Monica City College.

Strength From The Highlands: Caber Tossing

Posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2016 by John Wood

Caber tossing is one of the most famous events at the Scottish Highland Games. A caber is a log, usually made of pine or larch, which the competitor stands upright and then hoists end over end. Scoring is not based on height or distance thrown but how closely their throws approximate the ideal 12 o’clock toss on an imaginary clock. If successful, the athlete is said to have “turned” the caber.

If no one can ‘turn’ a particular caber, it can be cut down a bit to give a better opportunity to do so but a caber that has been successfully turned remains intact from that point forward. Since cabers are made from natural wood, each one differs in length, weight, taper, and balance, offering a unique challenge.