GETTING TO GRIPS WITH THE THROWS The throws and in particular Shot and Discus have long been looked upon as the Cinderella events of British Athletics, and as such, until recently little has been done to develop the events at either National or Club level. At Club level the throws are treated by many coaches and team managers alike as events which have to be covered in order to gain points in league matches, with the end result being that the athlete not quite good enough to make the running events and with not enough spring in the legs to make the jumps ends up being press-ganged into the throws, or worse still endurance athletes, jumpers or sprinters being asked to double up You know how it goes "We need the points, This could win the match for us. Just one throw and don't forget to walk out the back of the circle". This is not a good first experience of the throws for anyone and particularly youngsters. In this and the next issue then, we will take a closer look at both Discus and Shot, dismissing a few myths, dispersing a few fears and hopefully creating an enthusiasm for an event which, if carried out well can be viewed as 2 1/2 seconds of strength, speed and skill moulded into sheer artistic and athletic brilliance. The Event (Discus) The objective of throwing the discus is to throw the implement as far as possible from within the confines of a 2.5 metre circle and within other rules laid down for the event. In order to do this the athlete must try to create the greatest possible velocity of the implement at the moment of release whilst controlling it so that it leaves the hand at a release angle and an angle of attack which results in the most efficient and therefore the longest possible flight through the air. In order to achieve the greatest release velocity, the athlete must summon the force required both horizontal and vertical by first of all using the slower, stronger muscle groups of the body and as acceleration is achieved recruit the faster but relatively weak muscle groups of the upper body and arm to give the final explosive fling. It's a bit like going through the gears when driving a car. If you try to pull away in fourth or fifth gear you don't get very far. It goes without saying then that the type of athlete we are looking for is the "power athlete". Far from the archetypal mould traditionally associated with the event - big and slow and not really all that fit - we are looking for an extremely fast, strong, dynamic athlete with a good range of mobility. Teaching the Event Teaching the event should be in two stages "Teaching to Throw" and "Teaching to Throw it Well". Teaching to throw should start at an early age and should be part of long term athlete development within the Club set up for all youngsters, when the root movements of all throwing events should be taught along with other disciplines. (Run, Jump Throw) Teaching to throw well starts when the athlete has gone through the first stage and has decided to pursue the event. This may involve a few hours a day for the next 15 to 20 years, as throwers tend to mature performance wise at a later age than in other events. Developing a skilled top-level discus thrower requires patience but has many rewards. To begin with, the discus is an event that requires a high level of specific skill. Unlike the sprints or jumps (excluding pole vault), a decent thrower is almost never beaten by a superior athlete who walks over and dabbles in the event. By becoming technically proficient, a thrower of very modest athletic ability will defeat the great majority of his competitors, and a truly gifted athlete will dominate the event. Compared to the demands of playing a game of tennis or football the skills needed to throw a discus is not great in number as there are many more skills required in those other sports. However, to compete successfully at throwing the Discus the athlete must hone the specific skills to razor sharp precision, arguably something which is not achieved in the aforementioned sports. Therefore to throw the Discus a long way will take time, dedication and concentrated effort, on the part of athlete and coach. How to Begin For the athlete. Find a coach or a Club that provides the service For the coach To begin the rule of thumb, dependent on the athlete, their maturity and their ability to understand, is to give them enough technical information to get them started but not so much that they will not take it all in, otherwise you will quickly lose them. RULE ONE - Don't overcoach. RULE TWO - Keep it simple. RULE THREE - Make it enjoyable.
The Grip Aim - To provide control of the discus during the turn and to deliver a proper release. To describe it as a grip is a misuse of the word. The discus rests between the last digit and the ends of the fingers. The thrower has the choice of two grips: The fingers evenly spread around the rim of the discus with the thumb at about 60% to 70% to the index finger and towards the leading edge of the discus. The discus held with the index and middle finger together with the rest of the fingers comfortably spread. The thumb again pointing towards the leading edge. The more mature athletes prefer the two fingers together grip as they feel this gives them more purchase on the discus at the moment of release. Starting Position Aim - To provide the thrower with a solid base in order to move freely without disrupting balance and alignment: At the rear of the circle and facing the rear, place feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Upper body erect, shoulders horizontal and in line with hips. Legs bent slightly maintaining low centre of gravity to maintain balance. Keep on the balls of feet. Preliminary Swing Aim - To create rhythm and relax the thrower and to move the discus to a position behind the hips: The discus is swept to the right and rear of the thrower. One preliminary swing is sufficient, certainly discourage any more than two or three. The range of movement is determined by the amount of flexibility in the athlete. Avoid going for a wide range of movement if the athlete is not supple. At the best it will affect alignment, body position and ultimately balance and at worst it will cause injury. Turn Aim - To establish and maintain an upper body and lower body separation with the lower body leading the upper body. :Begin to turn just before the discus has reached its furthest point to the right. Body weight should be transferred to over the ball of the left foot. The left knee should be turned anti clockwise to the left and then towards the centre of the circle. Get the feeling of the outside of the left thigh leading whilst the left shoulder stays slightly closed. Avoid starting too fast and leading with left shoulder, this will cause over rotation and will affect balance. The Drive or Sprint Across the Circle Aim - To drive and accelerate the thrower's body across the circle into a good rangey power position: Some throwers as they come to the end of the entry look for a pre-determined focal point. For beginners especially, this is not bad thing, for it first of all gives the thrower an awareness of where they are in the circle, and secondly if the head and shoulders remain fixed for as long as possible on the focal point it can help keep the upper body behind the hips and legs. The focal point should be established slightly to the left of the left sector line. With the weight still on the ball of the left foot push vigorously off the left leg and drive the body in a linear motion across the circle. The right foot will have lost contact at the back of the circle and should be brought around the left leg and driven towards the centre of the circle. Some throwers favour a wide sweeping right leg whilst others prefer a less vigorous sweep with a high knee action. This is more a matter of style than technique and providing optimum speed is gained and the right foot is planted near the centre of the circle with the thrower on balance, it matters little. Avoid "hopping" into the centre of the circle. With the left leg driving from the back of the circle and the right foot now on its way to the centre of the circle things start to speed up. The thrower should aim to get both feet in contact with the circle as quickly as possible. Landing on the ball of the foot of a flexed right leg the right foot will turn anti clockwise until the left foot which drives in behind the right knee stabs forward and makes contact with the front of the circle. The thrower should not allow the upper body to open out and should keep body weight over the right foot. Power Position Aim - To achieve a balanced, rangey and torqued position:
The power position is not so much a position that is arrived at, it is more of a position that is moved through. It is my opinion that far too many coaches and athletes spend far too much time doing standing throws from a static power position. The power position is achieved when the left foot is finally grounded at the front of the circle. The left foot is offset in relation to the right (Left heel in line with right toe). This will allow room for the hip drive through prior to delivery. How much range the thrower has to accelerate the discus through will depend on how quickly the left foot was "stabbed" through to the front and how much torque (wind up) has been achieved by keeping the upper body closed. Only when the left foot has grounded can the work of delivering the discus begin. Delivering the Throw Aim - To transfer the momentum built up by the turn, from the thrower's body into the discus, giving it as much speed at release as is possible: From the moment the ball of the right foot is grounded in the centre of the circle, it should continue to turn anti clockwise. The left side of the body should act as a post for the right side to work around. The throw is initiated by the right leg driving the hip forward as it continues to turn in the direction of the throw. This should be a vigorous drive which will eventually result in the right leg extending and driving the hips forward and up before the body weight is transferred from right leg to left. The left leg pushes down and locks whilst the right leg is extended upwards, the left leg being straightened just before delivery. The blocking action of the left side causes an increase of speed on the right side as well as an upward motion. The thrower should aim to keep the shoulders level throughout the throw and especially in the final flinging action when the arm comes through fast, last and relaxed. Reverse Aim - To prevent fouling at the front of the circle. Younger athletes should not need to reverse and should not be encouraged to do so This should occur naturally as the athlete gets stronger and needs to stay in the circle in order not to foul. After en explosive lift both feet will leave the ground. Whilst in the air the hips will continue to rotate bringing the right foot forward to the front of the circle On landing it is achieved by bending the legs and lowering the centre of gravity and transferring the weight to the right foot which should "clip" in at the front of the circle. Always encourage athletes to "stay in" and not fall out even during training throws. Key Points Key Points to be borne in mind: Balance - at the start and all the way through the throw. Rhythm - Slow and sweeping at the back, fast and sharp at the front. Acceleration - Gradual acceleration to optimum speed working through the gear box. Range - The longer the path the discus has to accelerate through the faster it will leave. Left Side - A rigid left side post should be created for the right to work against. Relaxation - Long throws can't be forced. More tension - less mobility. Less mobility - less range. Less range - less acceleration. Less acceleration - less speed. Less speed - less distance. "And don't forget to walk out the back of the circle!" Even team managers know something about throwing.. Next issue - The Shot. Hugh Murray UKA Level 4 Performance Coach
DON T DRAG YOUR FEET - BECOME A SPIN DOCTOR In the last issue of PB we took a look at the Discus. In this issue I would like to take a look at the history of the relatively recently emerged Rotational Shot technique and explore the basics of coaching the event. THE STORY SO FAR In the early 1970 s Brian Oldfield USA and Alexandra Barishnikov USSR tried something different. Instead of persevering with the long established O Brien Shift the linear style of shot putting,at which they were both accomplished athletes, they developed a technical model similar to, but definitely not the same as the technique used by discus throwers, and the Rotational Shot Put had arrived. Arrive it may have, but it did not take off the same as the Fosbury Flop did in the High Jump, if you will excuse the pun. Even though Oldfield took it to a World Class 22.86 metres in 1975 it was not until 1990 that Randy Barnes also USA took it to 23.12 metres Probably the main reason for the lack of popularity was the lack of success at Major Championships, for although some of the best performances over the past 30 years have been produced rotationally, until relatively recently very few had been produced at the Major Games i.e. Olympics, World Championships, which are the main viewing platform for all athletics. The breakthrough probably arrived when Halvari of Finland won the Gold at the World Indoor Championships 1994, followed by John Godina, USA wining Gold at the World Championships 1995. With Randy Barnes USA, winning the Olympic title in Atlanta and Godina taking Silver before going on to win the Grand Prix Final in 1996. The event had finally arrive on the World Stage. At the 1997 World Championships Bagash Ukraine, showed that even with the absence of Werner Guntor (retired), there was still room for the Linear putter to succeed, only to be stripped of the title for drug abuse with the Gold going to Spinner Godina. On the domestic front both Shaun Pickering and Mark Proctor had been persevering for several years with domestic success but little else. In 1996 the first Scot for many years to break the 18 metre barrier and certainly the first spinner arrived on the scene in the daunting shape of Steph Hayward. Things were looking good for the circle circumnavigators. After the visit of Art Venagas and John Godina to a clinic at Crystal Palace in the Autumn of 1996, many coaches, myself included realised we were on a steep learning curve, and as the winter approached we all went home with enthusiasm and a lot to ponder on. We were not to be disappointed. Early indicators that 1997 was going to be a good season were reflected when Proctor at a low key meeting indoors in East Anglia putted 20.17 metres, whilst the rest of our best put in a mediocre performance at the AAA Indoors. Unfortunately Mark never did produce that sort of form again in 97, finishing with an outdoor best of 19.51 metres. Shaun Pickering was the one to surprise us all, but probably not himself, with a late season 20.45 metres, truly returning respectability to British Shot Putting with distances not seen since the days of Geoff Capes. From a Scottish perspective Steph Hayward 18.79 metres in 2000 continued to improve showing signs of the technique moving forward in Scotland however this progress was short lived and with the early retirement of Steph the nearest any domestic spinner has got since was Neil Elliott 17.03 metres in 2004. However looking to the future at the age of sixteen Jamie Stevenson putted 17.32 metres in 2006 to set a new Scottish age group record. At UK level the Blackpool Tower Carl Myerscough finally eclipsed Geoff Capes UK best of 21.68m with a best of 21.92m in 2003 returning to competition after a 2 year drugs ban. He has not however been able to produce such a performance at a major championship. At World level the USA have continued to produce good rotational performances from the likes of Godina, Cantwell, and 1
Nelson. But with the Spinners now producing consistently good performances in the 22 metre plus category, the best for 2006 being 22.45 metres from Christian Cantwell, we have to go back to that 1990 performance of 23.12 metres from drugs cheat Randy Barnes as being the World Best. Women have been late to change from linear to rotational and we have only recently seen the spinners emerge at Major Championships and with limited success. On the Scottish front however a move from linear to rotational by Alison Rodger in 2004 has brought significant improvement to her PB and ranked her UK No1 U23 in 2006. So that then concludes the story so far. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The answer is get involved, don t miss the bus, get on board. Rotational shot is here to stay. Read all you can on the event the internet is full of websites with discussion and mpegs Help yourself to some of the ever increasing television coverage now given to the event especially on satellite television. Rotational Shot Putters need not be failed Linear Putters. So coaches don t wait to long. Expose your athletes of both sexes to Rotational Shot as well as linear at an early age with light implements and let them decide. GETTING STARTED First we must take a look at the basic requirements of good throwing:- RHYTHM BALANCE ACCELERATION ACTIVE LEGS RANGE RELAXATION Balance and rhythm go together and 90, 180, 360 and 270 degree balance turning drills are an essential part of day to day training, even for the experienced athlete. Acceleration can only be achieved through range therefore specific mobility drills are vitally important with the emphasis on acceleration being from slow to fast through a long range. The legs dominate the throw they dictate the speed, rhythm, timing and direction of the throw. If the legs are right and the feet active the whole throw will be right. The imaginative use of partial drills will make teaching the whole throw so much easier. So lets take a look at the whole throw. For ease of reference we will break down the throw into six easy to follow elements:- The Grip Back of the circle to Entry The Turn The Throw (legs) The Throw (arms) The Reverse The Grip. The grip is much the same as the grip for linear shot with the ball resting between the middle and top joint of evenly spread fingers. It is the placement of the shot in the neck that varies slightly from the linear, with the shot being placed towards the rear of the neck. This assists with delivery in the later stages of the throw. 2
Back of the Circle to Entry Aim: To enter the turn on balance with optimum speed With feet shoulder width apart adopt a sitting position. Preliminary swing sitting a little lower whilst transferring weight over the left leg. Torso erect, Putting arm high Don t rush it - optimum speed Wide sweep of the right foot, then drive into centre keeping knee up chest up, head up. Correctly executed this should give a displacement of the lower body with the left hip getting a lead on the left shoulder. (Separation). Right foot grounding at 2 to 3 o clock The Turn Aim - To gather speed and land in an efficient throwing position Vigorous drive off the left leg at the back of the circle Right foot becomes active as soon as ground contact made - Turn on ball of foot Flick the left foot to the front of the circle Aim for a narrower base than the linear putter Power Position Aim - To achieve balanced rangy position for delivery Left toe in line with right heel Hips lead shoulders Narrow base Shot in Back Pocket - behind the hips The Throw (Legs) Aim - To transfer maximum velocity to the shot Right and left feet continue to rotate to the direction of the throw Upper body begins to unwind Dynamic two legged lift The Throw (Arms) Aim - To transfer maximum velocity to the shot Arm comes in fast and last Head Back - Keeping larger muscle of legs and trunk engaged in throwing process Chase shot out but don t watch it go - this will increase range of shoulder arm movement. Reverse Aim - To stay in the circle and avoid fouling Land with right foot clipped in against the stop board with both feet turned away from the direction of the throw (3 o clock) Land flat footed - Aids balance and deceleration Extend body with right knee locked out - right shoulder and arm held high Left leg and arm extended to the back of the circle. And that s all there is to it Go on give it a spin. Hugh Murray UKA Level 4 Coach Performance 3
DON T DRAG YOUR FEET - BECOME A SPIN DOCTOR In the last issue of PB we took a look at the Discus. In this issue I would like to take a look at the history of the relatively recently emerged Rotational Shot technique and explore the basics of coaching the event. THE STORY SO FAR In the early 1970 s Brian Oldfield USA and Alexandra Barishnikov USSR tried something different. Instead of persevering with the long established O Brien Shift the linear style of shot putting,at which they were both accomplished athletes, they developed a technical model similar to, but definitely not the same as the technique used by discus throwers, and the Rotational Shot Put had arrived. Arrive it may have, but it did not take off the same as the Fosbury Flop did in the High Jump, if you will excuse the pun. Even though Oldfield took it to a World Class 22.86 metres in 1975 it was not until 1990 that Randy Barnes also USA took it to 23.12 metres Probably the main reason for the lack of popularity was the lack of success at Major Championships, for although some of the best performances over the past 30 years have been produced rotationally, until relatively recently very few had been produced at the Major Games i.e. Olympics, World Championships, which are the main viewing platform for all athletics. The breakthrough probably arrived when Halvari of Finland won the Gold at the World Indoor Championships 1994, followed by John Godina, USA wining Gold at the World Championships 1995. With Randy Barnes USA, winning the Olympic title in Atlanta and Godina taking Silver before going on to win the Grand Prix Final in 1996. The event had finally arrive on the World Stage. At the 1997 World Championships Bagash Ukraine, showed that even with the absence of Werner Guntor (retired), there was still room for the Linear putter to succeed, only to be stripped of the title for drug abuse with the Gold going to Spinner Godina. On the domestic front both Shaun Pickering and Mark Proctor had been persevering for several years with domestic success but little else. In 1996 the first Scot for many years to break the 18 metre barrier and certainly the first spinner arrived on the scene in the daunting shape of Steph Hayward. Things were looking good for the circle circumnavigators. After the visit of Art Venagas and John Godina to a clinic at Crystal Palace in the Autumn of 1996, many coaches, myself included realised we were on a steep learning curve, and as the winter approached we all went home with enthusiasm and a lot to ponder on. We were not to be disappointed. Early indicators that 1997 was going to be a good season were reflected when Proctor at a low key meeting indoors in East Anglia putted 20.17 metres, whilst the rest of our best put in a mediocre performance at the AAA Indoors. Unfortunately Mark never did produce that sort of form again in 97, finishing with an outdoor best of 19.51 metres. Shaun Pickering was the one to surprise us all, but probably not himself, with a late season 20.45 metres, truly returning respectability to British Shot Putting with distances not seen since the days of Geoff Capes. From a Scottish perspective Steph Hayward 18.79 metres in 2000 continued to improve showing signs of the technique moving forward in Scotland however this progress was short lived and with the early retirement of Steph the nearest any domestic spinner has got since was Neil Elliott 17.03 metres in 2004. However looking to the future at the age of sixteen Jamie Stevenson putted 17.32 metres in 2006 to set a new Scottish age group record. At UK level the Blackpool Tower Carl Myerscough finally eclipsed Geoff Capes UK best of 21.68m with a best of 21.92m in 2003 returning to competition after a 2 year drugs ban. He has not however been able to produce such a performance at a major championship. At World level the USA have continued to produce good rotational performances from the likes of Godina, Cantwell, and 1
Nelson. But with the Spinners now producing consistently good performances in the 22 metre plus category, the best for 2006 being 22.45 metres from Christian Cantwell, we have to go back to that 1990 performance of 23.12 metres from drugs cheat Randy Barnes as being the World Best. Women have been late to change from linear to rotational and we have only recently seen the spinners emerge at Major Championships and with limited success. On the Scottish front however a move from linear to rotational by Alison Rodger in 2004 has brought significant improvement to her PB and ranked her UK No1 U23 in 2006. So that then concludes the story so far. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? The answer is get involved, don t miss the bus, get on board. Rotational shot is here to stay. Read all you can on the event the internet is full of websites with discussion and mpegs Help yourself to some of the ever increasing television coverage now given to the event especially on satellite television. Rotational Shot Putters need not be failed Linear Putters. So coaches don t wait to long. Expose your athletes of both sexes to Rotational Shot as well as linear at an early age with light implements and let them decide. GETTING STARTED First we must take a look at the basic requirements of good throwing:- RHYTHM BALANCE ACCELERATION ACTIVE LEGS RANGE RELAXATION Balance and rhythm go together and 90, 180, 360 and 270 degree balance turning drills are an essential part of day to day training, even for the experienced athlete. Acceleration can only be achieved through range therefore specific mobility drills are vitally important with the emphasis on acceleration being from slow to fast through a long range. The legs dominate the throw they dictate the speed, rhythm, timing and direction of the throw. If the legs are right and the feet active the whole throw will be right. The imaginative use of partial drills will make teaching the whole throw so much easier. So lets take a look at the whole throw. For ease of reference we will break down the throw into six easy to follow elements:- The Grip Back of the circle to Entry The Turn The Throw (legs) The Throw (arms) The Reverse The Grip. The grip is much the same as the grip for linear shot with the ball resting between the middle and top joint of evenly spread fingers. It is the placement of the shot in the neck that varies slightly from the linear, with the shot being placed towards the rear of the neck. This assists with delivery in the later stages of the throw. 2
Back of the Circle to Entry Aim: To enter the turn on balance with optimum speed With feet shoulder width apart adopt a sitting position. Preliminary swing sitting a little lower whilst transferring weight over the left leg. Torso erect, Putting arm high Don t rush it - optimum speed Wide sweep of the right foot, then drive into centre keeping knee up chest up, head up. Correctly executed this should give a displacement of the lower body with the left hip getting a lead on the left shoulder. (Separation). Right foot grounding at 2 to 3 o clock The Turn Aim - To gather speed and land in an efficient throwing position Vigorous drive off the left leg at the back of the circle Right foot becomes active as soon as ground contact made - Turn on ball of foot Flick the left foot to the front of the circle Aim for a narrower base than the linear putter Power Position Aim - To achieve balanced rangy position for delivery Left toe in line with right heel Hips lead shoulders Narrow base Shot in Back Pocket - behind the hips The Throw (Legs) Aim - To transfer maximum velocity to the shot Right and left feet continue to rotate to the direction of the throw Upper body begins to unwind Dynamic two legged lift The Throw (Arms) Aim - To transfer maximum velocity to the shot Arm comes in fast and last Head Back - Keeping larger muscle of legs and trunk engaged in throwing process Chase shot out but don t watch it go - this will increase range of shoulder arm movement. Reverse Aim - To stay in the circle and avoid fouling Land with right foot clipped in against the stop board with both feet turned away from the direction of the throw (3 o clock) Land flat footed - Aids balance and deceleration Extend body with right knee locked out - right shoulder and arm held high Left leg and arm extended to the back of the circle. And that s all there is to it Go on give it a spin. Hugh Murray UKA Level 4 Coach Performance 3
STRAIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE William Parry O Brien revolutionized the Shot Put event at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki. He won Gold with a Put of 17.41 metres. But it was not winning the Gold that surprised the athletics world it was the technique he used to achieve it. He started by facing the back of the circle and drove backwards rotating 180 degrees to shift to the front of the circle before delivering the Shot. The O Brien Shift Linear Shot Put - had arrived and was to remain the most popular style of delivery for the next fifty years. O Brien was to go on and win Olympic Gold again in 1956 and compete at a further two Olympiads in 1960 and 1964. He improved the World Record on sixteen occasions. But he will probably always be remembered more for his style of throwing than for his performance. Although the Rotational Shot appears to be the more successful technique practiced today there are still instances of considerable success with the Linear Shot at World level especially amongst the women. GETTING STARTED First we must take a look at the basic requirements of all throwing events RHYTHM BALANCE ACCELERATION ACTIVE LEGS RANGE RELAXATION Balance and rhythm go together. Being off balance at the start of the throw will mean lack of balance throughout the throw Acceleration can only be achieved through range therefore specific mobility drills are vitally important with the emphasis on acceleration being from slow to fast through a long range. The legs dominate the throw they dictate the speed, rhythm, timing and direction of the throw. If the legs are right and the feet active the whole throw will be right. The imaginative use of partial drills will make teaching the whole throw so much easier. So lets take a look at the whole throw. For ease of reference we will break down the throw into six easy to follow elements:- Grip Glide or Shift Mid Glide Power Position Throwing Action Reverse The Grip. The grip is much the same as the grip for Rotational shot with the ball resting between the middle and top joint of evenly spread fingers. It is the placement of the shot in the neck that varies slightly from the rotational, with the shot being placed under the jaw and ear. Glide or Shift (Preliminary Stance) Aim -To select a balanced position at the back of the circle from which to commence the Put. There is a choice of three start positions dependant upon balance, mobility and experience1 of the thrower. 1. The Classic T position can increase the range of movement across the circle but is a gymnastic feat in it s self. The Thrower balances on the right leg at the rear of the circle and bends forward with the left leg and trunk forming the top of the letter T Classic T Modified T 2. The Modified T is a less excessive version of the Classic T and is used by the Majority of throwers. 3.Two footed start is a good stance for beginners and those with balance problems. It is basically what it says on the tin.. Both feet on the ground hip width apart in a semi squat position. Whichever position is selected the athlete must be:- Relaxed Balanced Hips and Shoulders square to the rear of the circle Shot placed in neck to the right of the right knee
Glide or Shift (Initial Movement) Aim To instigate initial movement and arrive in the centre of the circle at optimum speed. KEY POINTS Hips drop backwards Right Leg drives vigorously off the heel from the back of the circle Left leg vigorously extends towards the front Upper body stays closed and relaxed Shoulders stay square to the rear Start low and stay low Right foot, knee and hips rotate inwards to achieve throwing position BALANCE RIGHT LEG DRIVE LEFT LEG EXTENSION DRIVE OFF HEEL FOOT KNEE HIP ROTATE Mid Glide Aim To arrive in the centre of the circle in an active Power Position Avoid the right foot scraping the surface of the circle Keep upper body relaxed Combined force of right leg push and left leg extension creates an anti clockwise rotation of the pelvis, right hip and leg. KEY POINTS SHOULDERS CLOSED UPPER BODY RELAXED HIPS OPENING RIGHT FOOT TURNING Power Position Aim To achieve a balanced rangy position from which to deliver the shot As with the other throws the Power Position should be looked upon as a position the athlete moves through rather than arrives at. Think of the circle as a clock face with 12 being the rear and 6 being the front 12 The athlete should aim to half the circle pulling the right foot under the body and grounding it at 10 o clock. Left foot grounded at 8 o clock heel toe relationship between right and left Shoulders face the rear creating torque
KEY POINTS Not a stationary position stay on balls of feet. HIPS OPEN SHOULDERS CLOSED KEEP MOVING Throwing Action (Delivery) Aim To transfer velocity from thrower to Shot, accelerating over as great a range as possible. Body weight over right foot on a bent leg Right elbow at 90º angle to trunk Right foot initiates knee and hip turn to front Right leg extended in an explosive twisting movement pushing right hip forward to face front of circle Left leg extended and braced on to toes lifting the body Anti clockwise twisting movement of trunk blocked by braced left side. Full extension of right leg and trunk Right elbow extended and putting arm strikes ARM FAST AND LAST Reverse (Recovery) Aim To stay in the circle and avoid fouling without inhibiting the throwing action. Starts after and not before final delivery Should be the result of the thrownot part of it Legs change reverse quickly with right leg replacing left leg at front of circle. Right leg can be bent to help balance and absorb forward momentum Left leg swings backwards with upper body held high Hugh Murray UKA Level 4 Coach Performance KEY POINTS LEGS ROTATE THEN LIFT LEFT SIDE BRACE HIGH FINISH WITH HIPS FORWARD