shot put faq

7/28/2019 Shot Put Faq

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2 Copyright 2010 www.coachthethrows.com

The Top 20 Questions Asked About the Shot Put | Dave Hahn

WWW.COACHTHETHROWS.COM SHOT PUT FAQ


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Which muscles are most importantfor throwing the shot put?

It is a common misconception that a strong arm or upper body is all that isneeded to successfully throw the shot put. While the upper body does play animportant role in throwing the shot, the majority of force generation comes fromthe larger muscles of the lower body.

To throw the shot put well, an athlete needs to employ all the musles of thebody from the ground up, explosively and in the correct sequence. Specialemphasis should be placed on developing strength and explosiveness in thelegs. Whether the athlete uses the glide or rotation technique, all forceapplication must start at the ground and travel up through the body and into theimplement.

Common exercises to help improve lower body strength and explosivenessinclude the squat, jumps, sprints, and Olympic lifts. Each of these exercisesrequire multi-joint movements that start with putting force into the ground.

What is the more effective shot

put technique, glide or rotation?There is always debate as to which technique is better. While the current worldmens world record in the shot put was set by an athlete using the rotationalmethod, the womens world record was set using the glide technique. Both are

effective methods of throwing the shot put.

Generally speaking, the glide technique requires more brute strength andexplosiveness, while the rotational technique requires more technical skill andkinesthetic awareness through the circle. The coach and athlete should discusswhich technique best suits their individual situation based on factors such as

training age, knowledge level, competitive level, and time available to train.


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What are the rules and regulations tothrowing the shot put?

Like all other track and field events, the shot put has its own set of rules and

regulations. Depending on the competition level and age class, there are multiplegoverning bodies that sanction track and field competitions. Each governing bodyhas slightly different rules for how competitions should be run.

Regardless of the governing body, shot puts should be weighed and certified bythe weights and measures official prior to competition. A high school boys shotput should weigh 12 lbs and the collegiate and open shot put should weigh 16 lbs,or 7.26 kilograms. The womens shot put remains 4 kilograms from high schoolthrough college and open divisions.

The shot put circle is 7 feet in diameter with a toeboard, and should consist of a

hard surface such as concrete. After entering the circle, the athlete must propelthe shot put in a putting motion while remaining inside the circle. After theimplement has landed in the throwing sector, the athlete must leave the back halfof the circle after pausing to show the judges that he is under control.

What are the best shoes for throwingthe shot put?

The best shoes to wear for shot putting allow the athlete to easily pivot and

feel the ground beneath them. Throwing shoes should fit snug and have fairlysmooth bottoms. Most of the major shoe manufacturers make shoesspecifically designed for the throwing events.

There are shoes specially designed for both the glide and the rotation. Glideshoes generally have more of a heel to them, while rotational shoes aresmoother and are very flat. Rotational shoes are often designed to help keepthe athlete on the balls of the feet.

The choice of shoes is highly individual and depends on the needs andcomfort of the athlete. Nike throwing shoes tend to be the most common andeasiest to find. The Nike Zoom SDs have proven to be a good multi-purposeshoe for the shot put, discus, and hammer throw. They remain functional on avariety of different throwing surfaces and weather conditions and have thedurability to hold up for a lot of repetitions.


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What are the best technique drills to improvean athletes ability to throw the shot put?

There are many retailers that sell throwing shoes. One that I personally havehad good success with is Dick Pond Athletics. Ive found them to have great

pricing, fantastic customer service, and fast shipping. You can see their currentcatalog at their websitewww.dickpondathletics.com.

Performing drills that break the throwing movement up into individual parts, is a great

way to allow the athlete to focus on particular aspects of the throw. The athlete can

master specific movements and skills before progressing to more advanced or

complicated movements. There are dozens of drills that can be done for the shot

put. Every coach and athlete has their own favorite drill to focus on a particular

component of the throw.

Some of the most common fundamental drills for the glide shot put are thefollowing:

Power Throw Drill (stand throw)

Half Wheel Drill

A Drill

Left-Right-Left Drill

Some of the common drills focused on fundamental aspects of the rotational shotput include the:

Power Throw Progression Wheel Drill

Walking Throws

Two-Turn Throws

For more complete explanations of these drills and video demonstrations, be sureto register for my mailing list atwww.coachthethrows.com/blogto recieve freeweekly drill demonstrations.
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What are the world records for the shot put, and

who are some good examples for my athlete to

watch?

The current womens world record is held by Natalya Lisovskaya of the Soviet Union.She set the mark of 22.63 meters (74 3) in Moscow, on June 7, 1987. She won

Olympic gold in Seoul at the 1988 Summer Olympics, and was World Champion 3times during her career. Natalya used the glide technique. She still owns the fourfarthest throws in history for the womens shot put.

The current mens world record is held by Randy Barnes of the United States. He setthe mark of 23.12 meters (75 10.25) in Westwood, California, on May 20, 1990. Hewon the Gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. He was also the Silvermedalist in Seoul in 1988. You can learn more about Randy Barnes at his officialwebsite www.randybarnes.com.

While world record holders and other elite athletes have achieved the pinnacle of the

sport it is not always wise to try to emulate what they do in the circle. Unless you areworking with athletes who excel in international competition, your athletes most likelydo not have the strength levels, training age, nor the necessary time to dedicate to theshot put that world record holders and Olympic athletes do. Therefore some of thepositions and things that they do in their technique simply cannot be done by otherathletes.

It is important to look at a variety of athletes who have experienced success at yourlevel. See what unique talents they have and how they use those talents tosuccessfully develop their own individual throwing style. What are the commonalitiesyou see in many different throwing styles? You will see that shorter throwers have

different styles than taller throwers and so on.


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7 . Is it useful to throw differently weightedshot puts in practice?There is a lot of different research that shows the benefit of throwing differently

weighted implements in practice settings. The specific weight and the number of

repititions taken by the athlete depends on skill level and the individual athletes

traits such as strength level and rate of fatigue. The general rule of thumb is that

athletes should throw implements that remain within 10% of the weight of the

competition implement. Some coaches use heavy implements during the pre

season to build sport specific strength, then as the competition phase approaches

they switch to lighter implements for speed development. Other coaches have

athletes throw a variety of differently weighted implements with the athlete striving

to use the same rhythm and technique with each weight.

What are important points to look for whenwatching video of the shot put?

A video camera can be a great tool in any coachs

arsenal. When reviewing film of your athletes, stayfocused on what youve been working on in practice,and dont get the athletes focusing on too many things

at once. It is important to trace errors back to the rootcause, instead of just pointing out the flaw.

Remember to finish the throw well, the athlete mustenter the throw correctly. A lot of emphasis should beplaced on proper entry positions.

I have a set of video checklists that I use with athletes.The checklist breaks the throw down into 3 or 4 partsand gives them specific points to focus on when

watching the throw. The athlete grades each portion of the throw looking forprogress being made over time. You can get a copy of my video checklists bysigning up for my Coach The Throws Insider Newsletter atwww.coachthethrows.com/blog.
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Does the diameter of the shot put matter?

Shot puts can be purchased in a variety of diameters, depending on the type of

metal used and the method of manufacture. Shot puts are commonly made of

either iron, brass or stainless steel. Implements of the smallest legal diameter can

often be found in either brass or stainless steel. Brass is a soft metal that is easilydented and scratched. Stainless steel is a hard metal that does not rust and is very

smooth.

Iron and steel shot puts are the most common, and usually the most economical.

Iron shot puts are usually made by pouring molten metal into a mold. This leads to

imperfections in roundness and center of gravity of the shot put. Steel shot puts are

usually formed by turning them on a lathe. This process ensures the best quality

shot put, forming a consistent surface free from defects. Turned shot puts usually

have a plug where the weight can be slightly adjusted, when it comes time to tune

up the shot put.

You will find that when it comes to shot put diameters, novice throwers oftenprefer the feel of the smaller shot put. While more experienced athletes preferthe larger diameter shot put (128 mm for men, 116 mm for boys, and 110 mmfor women) as this gives them a larger surface to push against. This spreadsthe force out more evenly over the hand, losing less throws through thefingers.

Where can I purchase shot put

equipment?There are many retailers or track and field equipment. There are three maincompanies that supply most of the equipment to all the other retailers: UCS,Gill, and M-F Athletics. M-F Athletics is a major supporter of the NTCA(National Throws Coaches Association) and usually offers a 10% discount tomembers. You can see their catalog atM-FAthletics.com.
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What other competitive opportunities exist

for throwing the shot put outside of high

school and college?

You do not necessarily have to be affiliated with a high school or

college track and field team to continue to compete in the shot

put. There are additional opportunities to compete available

through the USATF, AAU, and city leagues. For more information

check outwww.usatf.org.

Shot putters have also proven to be successful in Scottics

Highland Games competitions. Highland games are primarily

strength based activities, many of which include throwing heavy

objects. Search for Highland Games competitions in your area.

How can an athlete earn a scholarship to

throw the shot put at an American college?Every high school athlete dreams of receiving a scholarship to play their sportof choice in college. The majority of college scholarships are given byinstitutions that are members of the NCAA.

The NCAA is broken into three different divisions. Each division has a

different philosophy regarding the balance of academics and athletics.Division 3 prohibits the granted of any athletic scholarships. Division 2 allowslimited amount ofathletic scholarships. Division 1 allows the most athleticscholarships.

Athletic scholarships are offered to those athletes that coaches feel willsignificantly help their programs at the conference and national levels.Coaches want to get the most bang for the buck, and therefore prefer to offerscholarships to athletes who excel in multiple events. For a thrower, this oftenmeans qualifying for the state meet in both the shot put and the discus andfinishing in the top 5 both their junior and senior years.

Every coach and program has different criteria for offering athleticscholarships, so you will want to be sure to start contacting coaches fromschools that you are interested in attending your junior year of high school.Introduce yourself, expressing your interest in their program and request thatyou be added to their recruiting list.
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If you are offered an athletic scholarship, you will want to fully research all of theschools you are considering and weigh the pros and cons of each. It is very rarefor a shot putter to be awarded a full scholarship for track and field. Partialscholarships can come in nearly any dollar amount, so you may have theopportunity to compete for a better program for less of a financial cost than aprogram that offers you a partial scholarship after all other factors are assessed.


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What should an effective practice

include?Every training group will differ based on the training age, talent level, facilitiesavailable and personalities of coaches and athletes. Therefore it is important todevelop a practice format that is unique and effective for your training group. The

same principles that apply to structuring practice for any other sport should alsoapply to throws practice. Practice segments should include:

Warmup

Technique Work

Conditioning

Cool DownEach practice should follow this general sequence. You should always try to dotechnique work when the athlete is fresh for best results. As a general rule ofthumb, you should work from simple to more complex movements.

In what order should shot put skills betaught?

As mentioned in the previous question, you should generally teach skills with less

complexity first and the gradually increase complexity of skills and movements.

With the shot put, this usually means breaking the throw into at least 3 parts: The Power Position

The Middle

The EntryEach of these parts can then be broken down further into specific drillsfocusing on particular skills needed in each. Since the power position is socritical for success in the shot put, it is usually wise with teaching beginnersthe power position first and then working backward toward the entry as theathlete masters specific skills.


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How long should a practice session

be and how many throws should be

taken?

Athletes of different ages and skill levels require different approaches to practice. If

working with athletes younger than high school age, practices should be kept to lessthan 90 minutes, focused on having fun while developing fundamental skills. Athletes

should be introduced to multiple events, avoiding too much specialization in single

events. Throwing volume should not exceed 20 throws per session or 60 per week.

High school level athletes generally have more attention span and physical stamina

to complete longer practices. Practice sessions should last about 2 hours, with the

maximum throws per session not to exceed 50, or 200 per week.

High school athletes are more specialized in their events.

A strength and conditioning component should be added in addition to throwing

practices to develop their overall strength levels while also building sport specific

strength. However, strength and conditioning work should not come at the expenseof throwing and skill development.

What are some common misconceptions orerrors in many shot put training regiments?

One of the big misconceptions about throwing the shot put is that it is done onlywith the upper body. This leads to multiple flaws in training and throwing. Firstly,

there is an overemphasis on upper body strength exercises like the bench press.

While it is important to have a good base of strength to effectively throw the shot

put, emphasis should be placed on exercises that build explosiveness in the lower

body such as the Olympic lifts.

This upper body emphasis also leads to major flaws in technique. One of the

common errors is throwing with the shoulders instead of the hips. Force

application must start from the ground up, actively using each major muscle group

in the correct sequence.


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What facilities are needed to train forthe shot put, and what alternatives arethere to training if access is limited?

The shot put does not require very much specialized equipment or facilities in order

to train. The primary need is to have a landing area that allows shot puts to be

thrown. Ideally you will have a track facility to train at with a shot put circle and

dedicated landing area as well as access to shot puts.

If you do not have access to a dedicated shot put facility, you do not want to be

throwing a shot put on a competition soccer, football, or baseball field as it will

destroy the grass. You will generally need a landing area about 60 feet long and 40

feet wide. Other necessities include a paved throwing surface and a shot put. You

do not necessarily need to have a circle with a toeboard for training. Instead you can

use chalk to draw a 7 foot circle onto a sidewalk or other paved surface. While it may

be helpful to have access to multiple shot puts of different weights, you can easily

train with just a single shot put of the competition weight.

If you do not have access to a weight room or other training facilities, you will want to

be creative in your post-throwing training. Use equipment and facilities to the best of

your ability doing body weight exercises, sprints, and using the shot put as a

medicine ball.

Why is the core or abdominals so

important to throwing the shot put?A strong core is vital to success in throwing the as shot put as well as all other

throwing events. Think about trying to swing a baseball bat underwater. Unless

your feet are locked into the ground somehow, your body moves backward,

reducing force application or bat speed in this case.

Although the shot put leaves from the hand, it is actually a lower body event. All

force application for all track and field events must start with the ground. A strong

core acts as a more conductive conduit efficiently transferring force from the

ground through the body and into the implement.

.


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What can be expected of an athlete

transitioning from the high school shot put to college

weight?The weight of the womens shot put remains the same (4 kilograms) from high school

through college. However, the mens shot put goes from 12 pounds in high school to

16 pounds in collegiate competition. This is a significant increase that really amplifies

any weakness of technique or physical strength. High school boys that rely soley on

upper body strength to throw the 12 lb implement find it difficult to be successful with

the 16 lb shot without a significant increase in strength. On average, it can beexpected that an athlete throwing in the 54 foot range at the end of their high school

career will be capable of throwing 50 feet with the 16 lb shot by the end of their

freshman year of college.

Where can I find additional help and

resources pertaining to the shot put?

It is important to strengthen the core using a variety of activities and planes of

motion. Some activities that help strenghthen the core include: standard

abdominal exercises like crunches, medicine ball workouts, and weight room.

There are many books, websites and videos dedicated to throwing the shot put.

You can find many resources for coaching the shot put and links to other useful

materials athttp://www.coachthethrows.comincluding an online coaching seminar

for beginning coaches to get off to a successful start in coaching the shot put and

other throwing events.
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About:

Dave Hahn has been recognized as one of the top throwscoaches in the United States. He has coached for 7 years at thecollegiate level, during which time his athletes have earned All-

American status 30 times, 7 NCAA D3 National Championships, 3

National Records, along with many school and conference recordsand awards. He was selected in 2006 by the USOC and USATF asan Emerging Elite Coach.

In 2008, Hahn founded the websitewww.coachthethrows.com. Which provides resources andassistance to young throws coaches just getting started coachingthe throws. Register for his newsletter at coachthethrows.com forexclusive content and notifications of updates to his blog and otherservices.

Testimonial

Dave,

Not only are you a good teacher, but your approach to handling athletes

plays a large role in their success. I believe you and I share a belief that it is

essential to get the athletes to understand the importance of seeking

excellence and improvement day in and day out. The winning,

championships, and titles are the by-product of constantly seeking to get

better and to help make those around you better.

-Mark Maas Former President of WISTCA
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Testimonial

Even before entering my freshman year at the University level, I knew

Coach Hahn was the right man for the job. I attended a summer camp at

the University while still in high school and just working with him for that

week changed my work ethic and technique in the throws; what I learnedfrom him in that short amount of time was largely part of the reason I

chose Whitewater.

Out of all the years Ive been a track and field athlete, I have never

experienced a more technique-focused coach. The preseason focus we

have is all technique and learning the steps individually, and eventually

putting them together to create the throw. Coach Hahns methods of

teaching have always been creative and it makes learning the steps

enjoyable when in actuality, it can be very frustrating.

The more enjoyable experience we athletes have the better we become

and theres proof in the numbers. Coach Hahn has produced numerous

National Champions, young National qualifiers as well as getting athletes to

conference. One accomplishment I was lucky enough to be a part of was

getting a record-breaking number of female throwers to the conference

meet.

The success our throws program has is the pairing of our desire as athletes

to be the best we can, and his ability to point us in the right direction.

Theres a different thing to focus on weekly, like explosiveness or footwork

among others, and that breaking down of the throw is extremely beneficial

rather than just going out and throwing the implement whatever way you

can. One of the things I like best about his methods is he forces you to

reflect on your throw, the positions you felt yourself in throughout and in

my opinion that has made us better throwers, which is the ultimate goal of

any coach.

-Megan Blake Athlete

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