Basic Technique for the Shot Put

By: Mark Harsha cc

Portage High School Girls¶ Head Coachc
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 Holding the shot c

Ãc phe shot is held at the base of the fingers not the palmc
Ãc phe fingers are slightly spread apart with the thumb for
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Ãc phe hand will be bent back in the cocked position when
holding the shot It looks like you are caring a pizza c

2 Neck placement

Ãc aise the shot above your head

Ãc 0ower the shot straight down until it is under your jaw
Ãc Push the shot into your neck
Ãc 0ift your elbow parallel to the floor Don¶t squeeze your
elbow towards your back
Ãc Check to see that your thumb is pointing down towards
your clavicle c
Ãc phe palm should be pointing towards the throwing
direction

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 Delivery of the shot c

Ãc uyes to the ceilingc

Ãc Punch the shot away from the neckc
Ãc Œeep the elbow high at all times 0owering the elbow can
cause the shot to be thrown like a baseball and could
result in an injuryc
Ãc £inish the punch with a flip of the wristc
Ãc phe left side of the body will be stopped and locked to
help form the blockc
Ãc phe left arm will be tucked close to the side of the bodyc c

2 Drills used to teach the deliveryc c

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Ãc phe thrower will stand facing the sector
Ãc phe thrower starts with the shot above his head in his throwing hand
Ãc phe thrower will flip the shot out of his hand

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Two arm putts Ñ Use this drill for proper release of the shotc
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Ãc phe thrower will be facing the throwing direction with bent knees
Ãc phe thrower will place the shot against his neck
Ãc phe thrower will sky the eyes to the ceiling and push the shot away from his neck focusing on
driving through the shot towards the throwing area
Ãc ºhile the thrower is pushing the shot out he/she will push up with the legs extending the hips
out

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 Body position in the power position

Ãc phe thrower will stand perpendicular to the throwing direction

Ãc phe feet position will be shoulder width apart or a little wider with left foot
slightly behind the right foot (toe heel relationship)
Ãc phe right foot will be perpendicular to the throwing direction
Ãc phe thrower needs to be in an athletic position
Ãc phe thrower will shift 80% percent of his/her weight onto the right leg
Ãc phe thrower will twist his/her upper body completely opposite the throwing
direction phis position from up above will look like an Õ
Ãc phe chest, knee and toe should be in line with each other
Ãc phe thrower places the shot into his/her neck
Ãc phe left arm will be extended and out from the body with a right angle relationship to the right
elbow

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Basic Technique For Discus Throwing

By: Mark Harsha
Portage High School (IN) Girls' Head Coachc

doal One: Discus grip and releasec

 Holding the discus c

Ãc Place discus in your throwing handc

Ãc Spread fingers out with index finger inline with wristc
Ãc Place fingers first knuckles over the discc
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2 elease the discus c

Ãc ºhen releasing the discus have your palm downc

Ãc Squeeze the discus out (bar of soap)c
Ãc phe disc will come off the index fingerc
Ãc phe disc will spin in a clockwise direction for a right handed throwerc

3 Drills used to teach the grip and release Ñ excellent time for a competitionc

Vrm swings Ñ Use this drill to teach about centrifugal force

a) phe thrower stands with feet shoulder width apart
b) Place the disc into throwing hand
c) Swing the disc level with the shoulders back and forth catching it in your left hand
d) phe athlete should feel the discus pushing out on the handc

c
Discus bowling Ñ Use this drill for proper discus release
a) phe thrower will place the discus in his hand with proper placement
b) phe thrower will bowl the discus to his partner that is standing 
feet away
c) emember to squeeze the discus out making sure the discus rolls off the index finger and does not
wobble
d) Once the thrower becomes proficient at 
feet move the partners farther away form each other or
have the thrower bowl at a targetc

Throws for height Ñ Use this drill for proper release of the discus
a) phe thrower stands with feet shoulder width apart
b) Place the disc into throwing hand
c) Swing the discus forward and back next to your body two times
d) After two swings throw the discus straight up with a proper release remembering to squeeze the
discus out Make sure the throwing arm is straightc

c
Skip throws Ñ Use this drill for proper discus release
a) the thrower stands with feet shoulder width apart and facing perpendicular to the throwing direction
b) place the disc into throwing hand
c) swing the disc level with the shoulders back and forth catching it in your left hand
d) After two swings throw the disc close to the ground with proper release remembering to squeeze the
disc out and keep the palm flatc

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doal two: Power Positionc

 Body position in the power positionc

Ãc phe thrower will stand perpendicular to the throwing directioncc

Ãc phe feet position will be shoulder width apart with left foot slightly behind
the right footc
Ãc phe thrower needs to be in an athletic positionc
Ãc phe thrower will shift 80% percent of his/her weight onto the right legc
Ãc phe thrower will twist his/her upper body completely opposite the throwing
direction phis position from up above will look like an Xc
Ãc phe chest, knee and toe should be in linec
Ãc phe thrower extends the right arm out from the side of the bodyc
Ãc phe left arm will be extended out from the body with a right angle
relationship to the right armc

2 phrowing from the power positionc

Ãc Use cones when first teaching to throw from the power position, so the athlete does not have to
worry about the discus falling out of his /her handsc
Ãc Over exaggerate the use of the legs in the throw especially the hipsc
Ãc phe sequence of the throw will be hips Ñ legs Ñ armc
Ãc Start the throw by turning the right hip to the front of the ringc
Ãc Once the hips start moving the legs will extend upwardsc
Ãc Sweep the left arm out and around c
Ãc Once the left arm reaches the front of the ring bring it in tight to the body to form a blockc
Ãc phe left side of the body will stop to aid in accelerating the discusc
Ãc elease the discus c

3 Drills used to teach throwing from the power positionc

Ãc Heel turns with partner Ñ Use this drill to over exaggerate the hips coming through before the
shoulders Surgical tubing could be used to add resistance c

a) phe thrower gets into the power position without a discus

b) phe partner will place his hand near the right heel of the thrower
c) phe thrower will attempt to smack and drive through his partners hand with his heel Ñ focusing on
the speed of his heelc
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Ãc Cone throwing ÑUse for any parts of the throw c

a) Use cones so athletes can concentrate on the throw and not the disc
b) Use cones for inside throwing
c) Use cones to produce a long pullc

c
Ãc 2 drill Ñ Use this drill to teach the thrower to keep the disc back on the hip c

a) phe thrower gets into the power position with the disc held in the right hand
b) On the command of "one"he opens his left arm to the throwing direction and turns his heel out
c) On the command of "two" the thrower completes the throw Ñ release the disc
feet in front of the
ringc

c
doal Three: Middle of the ringc

 Body position in the middle of the ring c

Ãc Stand facing the throwing directionc

Ãc pake a step with your right footc
Ãc Place 80% of your body weight on the right footc
Ãc Put your body in an athletic position in relation to your right legc
Ãc phe alignment of your body should be chest right knee right toec

2 phrowing from the middle of the ring c

Ãc Swing your right arm back where you can hit your right cheek of your buttocksc
Ãc 0eft arm will be pointed towards the throwing directionc
Ãc Start the reverse 80 by pivoting counterclockwise on your right footc
Ãc phe left leg will be picked up off the ground and driven to the front of the ring in a straight line
as the right foot rotatesc
Ãc phe left foot should try to hit the right heel as it is being placed in the front of the ring (knee to
knee)c
Ãc Complete the throw once you are in the power positionc

3 Drills used to teach the middle of the ring c

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s Ñ Use for pivoting at the center of the ring c

a) phe thrower will start with the right foot in the middle of the ring
b) phe thrower will complete a reverse 80 concentrating on picking up the left foot and bringing both
knees together (cue knee to knee)
c) It is critical that the right foot does not stop turningc

c
Ãc ºheels Ñ Use this drill to teach balance and continue turning of the right foot c

a) phe thrower will start with the right foot in the middle of the ring
b) phe thrower will complete a reverse 80 concentrating on picking up the left foot and bringing both
knees together (cue knee to knee)
c) It is critical that the right foot does not stop turning
d) Continue for five repetitionsc

c
Ãc High knees Ñ Use this drill to teach the transition from back of the ring to the middle of the
ring c

a) Stand at the back of the ring facing the throwing direction

b) Bring the right thigh parallel to the ground
c) phe right foot should be dorsi flexed
d) phe left arm will point towards the throwing direction
e) Swing the right arm back where it will be able to hit the right cheek
f) £all into the middle of the ring Ñ do not step
g) Once the right foot makes contact start the reverse 80c

doal four: the drive through the center of the ringc

 Drive or sprint across the ring c

Ãc phis phase of the throw is a transition from the back of the ring
to the middlec
Ãc phe drive from the back of ring comes from a push off from the
left ankle and a strong high knee punch from the right legc
Ãc phe thrower will not spend much time in the airc
Ãc Once the left ankle pushes off then the left leg is tucked close
the right legc
Ãc phe thrower will drive down a straight line (backward seven)c
Ãc phe left ankle will push off once the thrower reaches the 3
o¶clock positionc
Ãc phe thrower will not step with the right leg but instead the right
will be locked and let the ground come to themc c
c

2 Drills to teach the drive across the ringc

Ãc South Vfricans  Use this drill to teach the sprint across the ring c

a) phe thrower will face the front of the ring

b) Place the left foot into the ring at the
o¶clock position
c) phe right foot will be placed outside the ring
d) phe thrower will draw the discus back behind his hip allowing his body to wind up
e) Drive off the left foot and make a wide arc while leading with the right leg
f) Make sure the thrower drives straight down the line
g) Once the right foot hits center the foot continues to turn while the thrower does a reverse pivot
h) phe left leg will plant in the front of the ring
i) phe thrower will be in a good power position to throw the discusc

Ãc ºalking turns ÑUse this drill so the athlete becomes accustomed to turning c

a) Do this drill walking around the track or walking to and from practice
b) Step with the left foot
c) Step with the right foot underneath the body
d) everse pivot on the right foot
e) ºalk two steps and do another turnc

doal five: Back of the ringc

 Body position in the back of the ring c

Ãc phe thrower will face opposite the back of the ringc

Ãc phe thrower will be in an athletic positionc
Ãc phe thrower will raise his/her arms to their sides at shoulder levelc
Ãc phe thrower will twist their arms and shoulders to the right forming an X
with shoulders and hip axisc
Ãc phe thrower will shift 80% of their weight onto the left legc

c c
2 Pivoting out of the back of the ringc

Ãc Pivot the left foot (squash the bug) towards the three o¶clock positionc
Ãc Pickup the right foot as soon as the left foot is pivotingc
Ãc ºork only the lower body, the upper body needs to stay backc
Ãc phe right foot will take a wide and low path outside the circlec
Ãc Once the left foot reaches the 3 o¶clock position drive and sprint to the center of the ringc
Ãc As the thrower is driving to the center bring the right leg in towards the center of the ring (high
knee locked)c

3 Drills to teach the pivot at the back of the ringc

Ãc 
s back of the ring Ñ Use this drill for balance in the back of the ring c

a) phe thrower will start in the back of the ring in a good athletic position with arms shoulder level
b) 80% of the weight will be on the left leg
c) purn the arms and shoulders to the right to form an X with the shoulders and hips
d) 0ock the arm back and turn 80 degrees on the left foot  slow and balanced
e) Œeep the right foot away from the left footc

c
Ãc Small steps 80 and throw (step & go) Ñ Use this drill to teach the back of the ring movement c

a) Start in the back of the ring with a discus

b) phe thrower will touch the ground with his right foot while doing a 80 (small steps)
c) Once the thrower hits the three o¶clock position continue the throwc

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