SHOT PUT

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
-The Ancient Greeks threw stones as a sport and soldiers are
recorded as throwing cannon balls in the Middle Ages.(but a version
of the modern form of the discipline can be traced to the Highland
Games in Scotland during the 19th century where competitors threw
a rounded cube, stone or metal weight from behind a line. )
-In the 17th century, cannonball throwing competitions within the
English military provided a precursor to the modern sport.
-Shot put originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of "putting
the stone"( which, according to Scottish folklore, was used by Clan
chieftains to help them identify their strongest men for battle
purposes. )
RULING/MECHANICS/HOW TO PLAY
 RULES FOR LEGAL THROW
• Upon calling the athlete's name, they have sixty seconds to
commence the throwing motion.
• The athlete may NOT wear gloves
• The athlete must rest the shot close to the neck, and keep it tight
to the neck throughout the motion.
• The shot must be released above the height of the shoulder, using
only one hand. (The ball is to be put (i.e. pushed), not thrown with
an overhead motion. At no time may the shot move behind the
plane of the shoulders.)
• The athlete may touch the inside surface of the circle or stop
board, but must not touch the top or outside of the circle or stop
board, or the ground beyond the circle. (Limbs may however extend
over the lines of the circle in the air.)
• The shot must land in the legal sector (34.92°) of the throwing
area(Inside of / not including the line
• The athlete must exit the throwing circle from the back half of the
circle.
 FOUL THROWS OCCUR WHEN AN ATHLETE:
• Does not pause within the circle before beginning the throwing
motion.
• Does not begin the throwing movement within sixty seconds of
having his or her name called.
• Allows the shot to drop below his shoulder or outside the vertical
plane of his shoulder during the put.
• During the throwing motion, touches, with any part of the body
(including shoes):
• the top or ends of the stopboard
• the top of the iron ring
• anywhere outside the circle.
• Throws a shot which either falls outside the throwing sector or
touches a sector line on the initial impact.
• Leaves the circle before the shot has landed.
• Does not exit from the rear half of the circle.
The first three rounds of throws is taken by each competitor in
an order determined randomly at entry registration. The top 8
throwers, once established, will have three more attempts in order
of increasing distance. The final rankings will result from all 6
attempts.
 MECHANICS
The throw mechanics of the shot put involve primarily four factors.
-Projection speed (v)- this is measured from the point the shot-
putter releases the shot; also projection speed (v) is the most
important of these four factors. It is determined by the magnitude
and direction of the forces applied to the shot and by the distance
over which these forces act.
-Projection angle θ -is the angle between the horizontal and the
initial shot direction,The optimum projection angle θ is for achieving
maximum horizontal range (R) depends on the size, strength, and
throwing technique of each particular athlete. The optimum
projection angle usually ranges from 26 to 38°. The projection speed
(v) and the launch height (h) are dependent on the projection
[Link] have shown that the projection speed generated
by an athlete steadily decreases with increasing projection angle.
The decrease in projection speed with the increase in projection
angle is the result of two [Link] the projection angle increases,
the shot-putter must expend a greater effort to overcome the
weight of the shot, and so less effort is available to accelerate the
shot (or produce the projection speed).
-Range (R)- is the horizontal distance from the release of the shot
to where it lands;
-Height difference (h)- is the distance from the ground to the
vertical
release point. the release height of the shot put is determined by
the athlete's body position at the moment of release.
(If all other factors are equal, the athlete who attains a position in
which the throwing arm, trunk, and legs are fully extended at the
instant of release will achieve greater distances than the athlete
who is in a less-desirable position.)
 HOW TO PLAY
1. Start with a lightweight shot.
-The word "shot" refers to a heavy ball, which contestants try to hurl
as far as they can. Beginners should start with a light shot, between
4 and 8 pounds (1.8–3.6 kilograms), since this lowers the risk of
injury if the wrong throwing form is [Link] you have the basic
throwing technique down, and some practice under your belt, you
can move on to heavier shot puts.
2. Stand inside the circle.
-When shot putting, you must stay within the circle during the entire
throw. The circle is usually painted on a slab of concrete and is 7
feet (2.13 meters) wide for official competitions. If you step outside
the circle during the throw, it is a foul and is not counted in the
competition.
-After throwing, the athlete must exit the circle through the back
half of the ring, not the front, or the throw becomes foul.
-The circle usually has a "toe board" in front that will block the
athlete's foot from going too far forward. You are not allowed to step
on top of the toe board.
3. Determine the winner.
-After the shot lands, the distance from the front of the circle, and
the location of the landing is measured. However, the shot must
land within the cone-shaped throwing field, or else it is a foul. The
athlete whose shot lands farthest from the circle, without
committing a foul, wins the round.
4. Push, don't toss.
Because the shot is so much heavier than balls in other sports, it
cannot be tossed overhand or underhand without a high risk of
causing a pulled muscle or other injuries. Always "push" the shot put
out by extending your arm in one direction, without swinging it.
 PRACTICING BASIC THROW
1. Grip the shot with your fingers. Cup the "shot," or heavy ball,
with your fingers and thumb along the backside of the ball. Don't
touch the shot with your palm, and don't spread out your fingers
around the ball. Use your dominant hand.
2. Stand sideways at the back of the circle. Place your right
foot on the back of the circle, and face the right side of the
circle. Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder's width
apart. While you'll move on to a more powerful throwing position
later, this is a good stance to get you started while you
concentrate on the arm and leg motions [Link] "right"
and "left" if you are left-handed.
3. Place the shot under your jawbone. Stick the shot
underneath your jawbone next to your neck. Keep your right
elbow raised so the arm can push directly into your neck.
4. Extend your left arm upward. Point your left arm upward in
the direction you'll be throwing. During the rotation leading up to
the throw, pull this arm inward so your hand is against the center of
your chest.
5. Put your weight on your back leg. Surprisingly, most of the
strength in shot putting comes from the legs, not the arms. Put
almost all of your weight on your right leg, at the back of the circle,
bending your knee as much as you find comfortable while keeping
your balance.
6. Turn your hips and push forward. Push forward as hard as
you can with your back leg, turning your hips so you face forward as
you do so. Step or jump forward as you do this, sticking your front
(left) foot as close to the front of the circle as you [Link] you are
having trouble keeping your balance and aim while you do this, start
out in the center of the circle instead and take shorter steps while
you practice.
7. Extend your arm directly outward to "put" the shot. As you
straighten out, move the shot out from under your jaw and send
your arm out in a straight line at about a 40º angle upward, toward
the field. Always keep your elbow raised and your wrist straight. If
your elbow drops or your wrist bends downward during the release,
this will result in a "tossing" motion that risks injury and fails to
make full use of your [Link] optimal angle is between 37º
and 38º.
8. Move forward more as you practice. Keep practicing this
throw, especially the final delivery of the shot put. Once you can
perform a good throw consistently, start pushing off more vigorously
during the throw, so your left foot lands as close to the front of the
circle as possible. Once you can keep your balance and aim while
leaping and turning hard, move on to the glide throw, one of the
techniques used by serious competitors.