Shot Put & Discus Manual

I. Introduction
II. Do’s and Don’ts
III. Shot Basics 7th & 8th Grade w/drills
IV. Disc Basics for 7th & 8th Grade w/drills
V. Mock Weekly Practice Plan
VI. Shot & Discus Safety
VII. Competition/Practice Intensity
VIII. Information

I. Introduction

The purpose of this manual is to help you develop the basic skills of your junior
high throwers so when they come up to the high school as freshmen these skills will not
have to be taught; just reviewed. This will enable freshmen throwers to compete at a
higher lever, then in previous years.
If at any time while reading this you have questions, please email me and I will be
more than happy to help. My goal is to establish a system (as with football and
basketball) of staying in contact with the junior highs, helping them out, and attending
meets, so that we have a Ben Davis Throwing Program of sorts.

II. Do’s and Don’ts

After observing throwers through meets, practices, camps, and incoming

freshmen, there are some items that I believe need to be corrected to help the throwers.

Do’s (will be explained later in the drills sections)

- Run Sprints (no more than 50 meters/yards)
- Do drills daily
- Have a daily practice plan
- Throw daily
- Throw together as a group
- Stretch at the end of practice

Don’ts
- Don’t run long distances everyday
- Don’t throw more than 30 throws a practice
- Don’t leave throwers throwing by themselves for extending periods of time (over
10 minutes.)
- Don’t rush the kids: Don’t be in a hurry to spin in the discus or glide in the shot,
teach the kids the basics, not something just to do something. When they get to
the high school, those techniques will not work.
III. Shot Basics 7th & 8th Grade w/drills
It is important to remember that form needs to be stressed over distance; this
applies to high school throwers as well. Bad form will only get you so far, proper form
will win out in the end. As I said in the don’ts section, don’t rush the kids. If it takes two
months to master a skill, it takes two months. Below you will find skills that need to be
learned in order for the throwers to become successful. These progressions are common
throughout the throwing universe. We go through the same progressions at the high
school as well.

Proper Grip

1. Holding the shot put

 The shot is held at the base of the fingers not the palm, along the bridge
 The fingers are together with the thumb for support. The closer together a
thrower can keep their fingers the better.

GLIDE ROTATIONAL

2. Neck placement

 Raise the shot above your head

  Lower the shot straight down until it is under your jaw for a glider, and down
below the ear (on the neck) for a spinner.
 Push the shot into your neck, and keep pressure until it is time to release shot
 Lift your elbow parallel to the floor. Don’t squeeze your elbow towards your
back, elbow and arm remain parallel during the entire throw
 Check to see that your thumb is pointing down towards your clavicle
 The palm should be pointing towards the throwing direction which is out
away from the body, not up towards the sky

Foot Placement & Progression

o Follow the heel to toe relationship, as shown on the diagram above.

o Back foot should always be pointed to 90 degrees (right foot).
o Front foot is slightly open (left foot).

Right foot drive, Extremely important!!!

o Emphasizing right foot drive (or referred to as right foot turn) and leaving the
upper body back is critical. This is called separation, separating the lower
body from the upper body creates TORQUE. Thus, increasing the distance
and dynamic of the throw.
o TOE, KNEE, HIP, & ARM! This is a good drill to teach beginners,
emphasizing turning the toe, knee, and hip together, and then the arm. A lot of
throwers want to do it in reverse order, bringing only the arm. We emphasize
toe, knee, hip, and then the arm.
o Seperation: notice how the toe, knee, and hip are out ahead of the shotput.
Delivery

 Eyes to the horizon, see the sunset!

 Strike the shot away from the neck Quick!!
 Keep the elbow high at all times! Lowering the elbow can cause the shot to
be thrown like a baseball and could result in an injury to the wrist and/or
elbow. This is the most common mistake!!
 Keep the thumb down! If the elbow drops, watch the thumb, it will point to
the side.
 Finish the strike with a flip of the wrist, THUMB DOWN!
 The left arm (non throwing) will start pointing at a 45 degree angle straight
away from the body
 As the right arm (throwing) strikes the left arm comes back into the body (rib
cage)
 The left arm will be tucked close to the side of the body
 REACH OUT OVER THE TOE BOARD!! It is important that the arm
strikes out past the toe board. Creates a higher risk for fouling, but increases
the distance of the throw. Look at the picture below, for reference to reaching
out over the toe board.
Drills
Two arm putts- Use this drill for proper release

o The thrower will stand facing the sector

o Place the shot in both hands in chest pass position
o Check that the hands are behind the shot and the thumbs are down
o Push the shout out with both hands, make sure the elbows stay high
o Flip the wrists at the end of the throw
o This throw can also be done with a medicine ball

Arm strike – Use this drill for the arm delivery and blocking in the shot.

o The thrower will be standing tall facing the throwing direction

o The thrower will place the shot against his neck
o The 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
o The thrower needs to flip the wrist at the end
o The thrower will drive the left elbow into the side of his body (rib cage) while the
shot is being delivered
Power Position: This is the most important skill. Many throwers come up to the
high school with no knowledge of this. Once the basic delivery and grip are taught,
this should take up the rest of the season. I would rather have a thrower know the
power position and nothing else

1. Body position in the power position

 The thrower will stand perpendicular to the throwing direction

 The feet position will be shoulder width apart or a little wider with left foot
slightly behind the right foot (toe heel relationship)
 The thrower needs to be in an athletic position, knees slightly bent
 Power Position: The thrower will shift 80% percent of his/her weight onto the
right leg
 The right leg is bent, with the left leg being almost completely straight, DO
NOT SQUAT! It’s a lean onto the right leg.
 The thrower will twist his/her upper body completely opposite the throwing
direction, in the case of a right handed thrower twist to the right. The thrower
should be looking to the back of the ring or 180 degrees from the throwing
directions
 This position from up above will look like an X, hips and lower body
perpendicular to the front of the ring, the upper body parallel to the front of
the ring
 The chest, knee and right toe should be in line with each other
 The thrower places the shot into his/her neck

2. Throwing from the power position

 Over exaggerate the use of the legs in the throw especially the hips
 Sequence of the throw will be legs - hips - back – arm
 Push the weight from right leg to the left leg in an upwards direction before
moving the upper body, the upper body comes LAST!
 When driving up with your legs your right heel (hips) needs to be turned out,
turn on the right toe.
 At this point, the hips should be facing the throw
 The upper body will start coming around at last
 As your upper body comes around sweep the left arm around and then bring it
tight to your body
 Stop the left side of your body to aid in accelerating the shot
 Deliver the shot as mentioned above

Drills

Over head throws- teaches hip explosiveness.

 o The athletes stands on the toe board with back facing to the sector (stand on balls
of feet)
o The athlete cups the shot in both hands
o Bend the knees
o Extend legs and hips, and throw the shot over the head
o There should be a nice arc!

1-2-3 drill – Use this drill to teach the thrower to keep the shot back on the hip.

o The thrower gets into the power position with a shot against the neck
o On the command of “one” the thrower opens his left elbow to the throwing
direction and turns his heel out. Check to see if the shot has stayed in place at the
back of the ring
o On the command of “two” the thrower creates separation from the upper and
lower body. The toe, the knee, and the hip turn to the direction of the throw.
o On the command of “three” the thrower releases the shot.

IV. Discus Basics 7th & 8th Grade w/drills

It is important to remember that form needs to be stressed over distance; this
applies to high school throwers as well. Bad form will only get you so far, proper form
will win out in the end. As I said in the don’ts section, don’t rush the kids. If it takes two
months to master a skill, it takes two months. Below you will find skills that need to be
learned in order for the throwers to become successful. These progressions are common
throughout the throwing universe. We go through the same progressions at the high
school as well.

Proper Grip

The two most common holds:

1) Fingers evenly spaced.
2) Index and middle fingers together for power.
 The athlete should experiment with both holds to determine which is the most
comfortable.
 With both holds, the discus is held not grasped. The discus should be held
slightly to the right of the implement’s center. This can vary slightly
depending on the size of the athlete’s hands. Also, the first joint of the fingers
should overlap the edge of the discus.

Teaching the Release

After the beginner has gotten used to the proper way to hold the discus, they are now
ready to learn the release. Many times, when a beginner is asked to release the discus, he
will throw the discus out the "back" of the hand instead of the "front". An easy way to
teach the proper direction in which to let go of the discus is to have the thrower hold the
discus by the waist, as described in the previous paragraph.

1) From this position the thrower will tilt the hand backward and let the discus roll out of
the hand and fall onto the ground.

 When this happens, the discus should roll forward off each finger, starting
with the pinky and ending with the index finger. The coach should make sure
that the discus does not fall out the "back" of the hand, causing it to roll off
the index finger first and the pinky last.

2) The next step in teaching the proper release of the discus is to have the thrower bowl
the discus.

 This drill can be done with a partner who should start by standing roughly ten
yards apart from the thrower who is about to bowl the discus. This drill is
fairly easy since it requires the thrower to just roll the discus on its edge, to his
partner as if releasing a bowling ball down a bowling alley. The partner in
this drill can then bowl the discus back to the other partner to complete the
drill. As the throwers get more proficient at this drill, they can increase the
distance between themselves and work on releasing the discus with a little
more pace.
3) Another type of release drill is an advanced variation of the pendulum drill.

 The thrower will start this drill by swinging the discus from a dangling arm, as
previously described. As the thrower's arm is swinging forward, he will
release the discus out the front of his hand, which will cause the discus to be
thrown straight up in the air. The coach should make sure that the discus has
a good amount of rotation on it, and that the discus lands on its edge when it
comes back to the ground, not flat. It is important that these two things occur
because they are indicators for a proper release.

4) The next step will have the thrower swing the discus back and forth in a place that is
parallel to the ground. This poses a problem for many beginners because they are afraid
that the discus will fall out of the hand as they are swinging the discus. It’s ok if it does,
then you know they are holding it correctly.

 During this exercise, their tendency will be to grab onto the discus instead of
letting the centrifugal force generated by the swinging motion, hold the discus
in the hand. To begin this drill, the thrower will hold the discus in the
outstretched palm of the non-throwing hand, while the throwing hand is
placed on top of the discus. The grip should be the same as described in the
grip section. The thrower will then swing the discus back into the palm of the
non-throwing arm. As this drill is being performed, the thrower should make
an effort to keep the throwing hand on top of the discus while swinging the
arm and not turn the discus over so the hand is underneath the discus. This
drill should be repeated many times in succession with no pause between the
direction changes on the throwing arm.

Standthrow from a Kneeling Position

Once the thrower is comfortable with swinging the discus back and forth, and is
able to do this without "cupping" or grabbing the discus, they should be ready to work on
an actual throw. The first drill that can be introduced that involves an actual throw, is a
standthrow from a kneeling position. Throwing from a kneeling position may seem
strange but it serves to reduce the power that can be achieved by the thrower, by
eliminating the legs from the throw, which in turn will reduce the possibility of an errant
throw. It also serves to focus on the upper body's role in the throwing action. This will
allow the thrower to concentrate better on the arm action of the throw.

1) To begin this drill, the thrower should assume a kneeling position on one knee, with
the left foot forward and the right knee supporting the body weight.

 The thrower then takes the discus and swings it back as he relaxes and
stretches the throwing arm during the back swing. The coach should make
sure that the thrower rotates the trunk backward, along with the throwing arm,
so that the whole upper body stays "in contact" with the discus. Once the arm
has been pulled back as far as possible, the thrower should "pull" the discus
 through by turning the trunk and pulling the arm forward. The release should
be flat and the discus should land flat against the ground anywhere from 15
to 45 feet in front of the thrower. If this drill is performed properly, the discus
should slide to a halt at some distance directly in front of the thrower. Once
again, the coach should make sure that the discus is coming out of the
thrower's hand properly and that it has the proper flight and rotation.

The Stand Throw

When the beginning thrower is able to perform ALL of the previously mentioned
drills, he should be able to make the transition into the standthrow with relative ease. To
introduce the proper position for the standthrow, the coach should have the thrower stand
in the front of the discus ring facing the entire body out toward the center of the sector.

 From this position, the thrower steps his right foot back in toward the center
of the discus ring so that the feet are a little more than shoulder-width apart
and the right heel is lined up with the left toe.
 The thrower should then bend the right knee and shift his weight (80%) back
on the ball of the right foot. At the same time, the thrower should swing the
discus as far back behind his body as it will go, which will usually be a
position back over the left heel.
 From this position, the thrower will immediately initiate the throw by pivoting
the right foot, so his foot is facing the throw, which will then cause the right
hip and shoulder to rotate through. This action will cause the throwing arm to
be whipped around and the discus will be released, as in the previously
described release drills.

The coach will also want to look for the following things when the thrower is
performing the standthrow:

1) The thrower pivots on the ball of the right foot during the throw, and finishes the pivot
with the right foot pointing in the direction of the throw.
2) The left leg (i.e., block leg) straightens out to form a solid block as the discus is being
swung around to be released. The block is caused by a sudden deceleration of the left
side of the body, which in turn will cause an acceleration of the right side, thus
accelerating the discus as it is being released.
3) The orbit is the path that the discus follows as it is being thrown. The orbit of the
discus should follow a high-low-high pattern. This means that the discus will be at its
highest point as it is fully drawn back (i.e., when it is over the left heel). The discus will
hit the lowest point in its orbit when it is passing by the right foot. From this point, the
discus will start to rise back up to its high point as the throwing arm is brought around to
release the discus. The right arm and torso should make a 90 degree angle (arm pit)
through the entire throw, the arm SHOULD NEVER DIP. The action of high to low to
high is caused by the hips shifting during the throw.
4) The head should always be facing straight away from the chest during the throw.
Make sure that the thrower does not turn his head away during the release. The head
should actually be thrown back during the release to allow the chest to get up into the
throw.

V. Mock Practice Plan

This is just an example of what I would do on a day.

4:00-6:00

- Warm up with the team 20 minutes

- Sprint Work w/rest 20 minutes
o Short, 20-40 yards/meters
o Do relay races, add backwards runs, etc. to make it more interesting
o Running Stairs could be used as well
o Plyometrics
- Drills for either Shot or Disc
o Knee Drills, Bowling Drills, etc.
- Power Throws for either Shot or Disc
o In the ring one at a time
o I would not throw more than 30 throws in a day including drills, their arms
can’t take it.
o Have heavy days (30 throws) and light days (15 throws)
- Stretch

Weekly: For a weekly practice plan I would do everything listed above, but alternate
heavy throw days and light throw days. When you get into the meets have your heavy
throw days after your meet, and the light throw days take place the day before the meet.
In between those, vary the amount based upon the time until the next meet. Long
time=more throws, less time=less throws.

VI. Shot & Discus Safety

General Rules of Throwing Safety

1. Never turn your back to the circle or runway

2. Never allow anyone else to turn their back to the circle or
runway
3. Keep the sector and area near the boundaries as clear as
possible
4. Walk the implements back - don't throw them back
5. Never assume that everyone is watching and aware of heir
surroundings
 6. Cages are there to dissipate the energy of the implement -
not necessarily to stop it!
7. Safety is an all-the-time, every day thing!

Inspection routine

1. Inspect the surface of the ring for any protrusions or indentations. These can cause
the athlete to loose their balance and potentially fall, causing injury
2. Make sure that the ring is swept and free of any grass, dirt or other material that
may effect the traction of the competitors' shoes
3. Make sure that the yellow area is flagged off or otherwise partitioned so that non-
competitors cannot wander into it
4. Make sure that the landing area will not create unusual bounces or ricochets.
o don't allow anything foreign in the sector that may cause a bounce (i.e.
markers)
o large stones can be a problem as well
o make officials, workers and others aware of wet grass that will cause the
discus to skid
5. Inspect the cage and netting at least once per week, and as needed if the
implement comes in contact with the cage or its supports

Practice Considerations

 Consider having a meeting with parents of athletes (and the athletes) to explain
your safety procedures and why throwing safety is important
 Use pennants or other visual devices to indicate where the light red zone is
o As much as possible, keep ALL athletes out of the light red zone
 Practice/warm-up with implements does not begin until the coach is present
 Remember: the cage is there to dissipate the energy of the implement, not
necessarily stop it. Athletes should stay back from the cage, outside the red zone
(see the information in #5 above.)
 Inspect any implement that has come in contact with any hard surface (ring, cage
support, etc.) for damage
 Depending on the number of throwers and the number of implements, consider
using "salvo throwing"
o Assume that you have 5 implements and 10 throwers. Have the 1st 5
throwers each take a throw, then have the second five throwers retrieve
them and takes their throws.
o No one enters the red zone until all of the implements have been thrown.
o Never allow athletes to throw anywhere other than into the landing sector.
 When practice is over, all implements should be put away.
 Have a set time for practice.
o Never allow unsupervised practice.

Competition Considerations
 Coaches:

 Identify the head official so that if problems arise, you know who to address
 If you see a potentially hazardous situation, bring it to the attention of the head
official IMMEDIATELY.
o This is also true if a situation becomes hazardous during the course of
competition.
 Don't assume that the head official sees the potential hazard and has corrected it.
 If the situation is not corrected, and you feel that there is potential for injury to
your athlete or another athlete, seek out the head field judge and point out the
hazard, and the fact that you have asked the chief judge to address it.
 If not satisfied, make the tough call - do you want your athlete to continue with
the potential for harm?
 Document the hazard through a formal protest.
o Documentation is key should there be any situation that would arise

Officials:

 When the circle is closed from further warm-ups, place a cone in the center of the
circle.
This provides a strong visual reminder for the athlete that the circle is closed.
 When the competition is completed, if possible, close the cage doors and secure
them, if this is the conclusion of throwing from that facility for the day.
 Be conscious of, and observe, wind conditions.
Remember: winds aloft can be different from winds at ground level.
 Carry all implements back to the designated return area - never throw them back.
 If at all possible, ask meet management to do any mowing around the circle at
least 2 days in advance of the competition, and to clear any grass clippings from
the circle.
 Do not allow athletes or coaches into the impact area during warm-ups or
competition.
 Refer to the inspection routine guidelines above.

VII. Competition & Practice Intensity

 o During competition, encourage the athletes to be intense, especially at the
finish/release of the throw.
o The easiest way to increase practice intensity is to have a competition. I
recommend there be at least 1 competition weekly. Try to avoid having them do
full throws. Incorporate an activity that is relevant to throwing. This can include,
over-heads, sprints, standing throws, standing long jump, triple jump, medicine
ball throws, etc. I can provide more activities if necessary, please contact me.

VIII. Information

Dameion Smith

Cell Phone #-317-223-5271, call if you have questions or email me,

smithdam3232@att.net