Putting Styles in Shot Put

The shot put was once an event reserved for large, muscular athletes who were not coordinated enough to compete in the discus. Today, because of increased emphasis on technique, the event is dominated not merely by giants but by quick and explosive athletes who win with superior technique. You can throw the shot in four basic ways, with each new technique requiring more coordination and athleticism to execute properly than the last. The power throw is the most basic technique, and each other style is designed to generate a great deal of momentum before you end up in position to complete a basic power throw.

  1. Power Throw

    • The power throw is the most basic technique. Standing at the front of the ring, you will bend at the knees and twist your torso, turning your back to the field. As you explode through your legs, rotate your upper body violently, keeping your chest pointed to the sky at 45-degrees. Push the shot straight out with your elbow up. As your arm extends, push the shot out of your hand with your fingers. Your thumb should always point to the ground to avoid elbow injuries. As you drive up and forward you will jump so that your hips can rotate completely. Your back foot will land where your front foot began, and you will now be facing the opposite direction. Hop on your back foot until you come to balance in the middle of the ring.

    Slide

    • The slide technique mimics the power throw almost exactly. However, instead of beginning from the front of the ring, you will start at the back of the ring and shuffle across to the front of the ring. The key to this technique is to maintain proper posture while traversing the ring. If you lose your knee bend or allow your chest to turn toward the field prematurely you lose potential energy behind your throw. Your movements must be quick because quickness across the ring will generate more momentum for your throw. Finally, because you are moving forward, you must jump completely off of the ground at the moment of the throw to allow your hips to rotate fully, landing on your back foot at the front of the ring. You likely will need to rotate in a circle as you hop on your back foot, slowing your momentum until you come to balance.

    Glide

    • One of the more advanced techniques, the glide requires a great deal of balance and coordination. Begin with your back to the field and all of your weight on your right foot if you are right-handed. Bend your left leg, pulling your foot underneath you without touching the ground. Kick back with your left leg while you push off of your right leg, driving yourself across the ring. As your right foot hits the ground in the middle of the ring, begin shifting your weight forward. Once your left foot touches the ground at the front of the ring, you are in the starting position for the power throw and can execute the rest of the movement.

    Spin

    • By far the most advanced technique is the spin. Because the shot-put ring is smaller than the discus ring, all of your movements must be more compact. Beginning with your back to the field and both feet underneath you at shoulder-width, spin over your left shoulder, swinging your right foot around and placing it in the middle of the ring with your toes pointing away from the field. Flip your hips quickly, generating a great deal of momentum, placing your left foot at the front of the ring. At this point you are in the starting position for the power throw. As you finish your throw, your momentum will carry you to the left of the ring. You must hop on your back foot as your body continues to rotate until the momentum slows and you can come to balance.