Coaching Aspects of the Shot Put Technique for Young Athletes
Written by Peter Taylor
When discussing Shot Put technique, coaches must consider the two most used techniques available. These are the Glide (you might also see it referred to the Linear or O’Brien style) and the Rotational technique.
In Australia, most young athletes are taught the glide technique in its simplest form. This article will discuss some of the coaching aspects of the Shot Put technique, particularly for young athletes with an established basic technique and throwing in the 12-14 metre range. We will look at very simple methods to help you get your athletes to the 15-16 metre range.
Most young athletes will develop a basic technique in Shot Putting very quickly and have an overall mental picture of the technique movement that they are trying to achieve. The mental picture young athletes develop is usually influenced by watching other competitors against whom they compete or by observing high level athletes on TV (or more commonly these days, on YouTube).
Unfortunately, whist the mental picture that young athletes develop may be correct, the practical application and interpretation of the movement by the athlete rarely emerges. This is especially true if the athlete is not given adequate instruction and time to master each stage of the event.
Coaching the Shot Put - The Glide Technique
To consistently coach shot put technique, certain considerations need to be used as coaching aids. First of all to simplify discussion and enable identification of various faults, we should separate the action into five distinct phases. These are:
Starting Phase - The movement in the starting phase, which ends with the rear foot starting to leave the back of the circle.
Glide Phase - The movement from the rear foot leaving the circle to the foot landing in the centre of the circle.
Transition Phase - The movement from the rear foot landing in the centre of the circle to the other foot grounding in the front of the circle, including the initial movement of the legs upon landing.
Delivery Phase - The movement after the legs initiate the delivery of the shot until the shot has left the hand.
Recovery Phase - The movement of the athlete to balance and ensure that they remain in the throwing circle after the shot has left the hand.
If you’re looking for further clarification on the phases of the throw, a simple diagram and annotated slow-motion video can be found below.
The Starting Phase
All movements during this phase must be relaxed and performed slowly. Shoulders should be squared to the rear of the circle with most weight on the rear supporting leg.
Whether the athlete uses a single leg start or double leg start depends on the comfort of the individual athlete. Emphasis must be placed on the control of the body movement.
COMMON ERRORS
Starting too low: A low position might be comfortable for the athlete but strength levels of young athletes are usually limited and a high starting position commensurate with their strength levels is recommended.
Incorrect position of the body: It is essential that from the very beginning the athlete is coached to consistently position their shoulders square to the rear of the circle. The feet should be placed on each side of the centre line, so that the body is always in the same starting position.
The Glide Phase
During this phase, emphasis must be placed on keeping the line of the shoulders behind the line of the hips as the athlete extends to the centre of the circle.
To begin the glide, the rear leg must commence the movement - NOT the hips. The rear leg should extend towards the stop board with the rear inner thigh being raised, which effectively extends the leg to the stop board. It is very important at this stage for the rear foot to fully extend.
All movement during the glide phase is with the lower body, the upper body remains passive and under control.
COMMON ERRORS
Standing up too soon: Causes the rear leg to be carried across the circle.
‘Opening up’ or early lead of the free arm: Both of these errors result in the athlete landing with the majority of their body weight between the feet, which also causes an early strike of the putting arm.
Incorrect turning of the rear foot: Many young throwers hardly turn their rear foot during the glide phase. It is important to consistently turn the rear foot to at least 45 degrees to the centre line of the circle.
Transition Phase
From my experience, this phase covers one of the hardest positions for a young athlete to control as the desire to put the shot is at a maximum level when the athlete lands in the centre position.
Coaches should look for control of the upper body by ensuring the athlete’s shoulders remain square to the rear of the circle as well as a firm free arm, preferably held high and towards the rear of the circle. By controlling the upper body momentarily and initiating the delivery with the rear supporting leg, the athlete is able to get separation with the hips and legs leading the upper body into the final phase of the throw.
KEY COACHING TIPS
The delivery must be initiated by the upper body of the athlete, to avoid an early strike of the throwing arm and a shortening of the leg extension.
The athlete must control the hips to keep them ahead of the upper body to avoid an early rotation of the upper body in the front of the circle.
The free arm must be held towards the rear circle for as long as possible to help control the upper body.
Delivery Phase
The delivery phase can dramatically effect the distance of the throw. During this phase, the shot should be accelerated at a greater rate than during any of the other phases. During this phase the shot acquires momentum built up from forces applied by the body during the glide and transition phases.
Therefore during the final delivery action of the put, the athletes body must continue applying force to the shot for as long as possible.
COMMON ERRORS
Young athletes tend to ‘arm’ the shot early during this phase and tend to reverse too early, resulting in a loss of contact with the shot and shortening the movement. It is important for the athlete to push the delivery shoulder-arm as late as possible and as far as possible after the shot.
Pulling the free arm into the body during delivery causes a lowering of the shoulder which in turn causes an early strike of the putting arm. It is important to hold the free arm parallel to the ground during delivery. This allows the body to lift and extend into a more power delivery position.
KEY COACHING TIPS
Significant increases in distance can be achieved by concentrating on the development of a late reverse with full extension of the legs and upper body.
Use of a high sweeping free arm during delivery helps develop a late upper body hit on the shot.
Recovery Phase
This phase is sometimes referred to as the ‘reverse’ and is an essential component of a successful throw. In executing a reverse, the athlete should perform the movement as late as possible - preferably after the shot has fully left the putting hand.
The coach should encourage the athlete to land with the foot at 90 degrees to the direction of the throw.
Summary and Additional Thoughts
Shot put technique should always be taught in the context of the complete throw. Drills and partial movements can help the coach and the athlete highlight and concentrate on particular areas of technique, but the priority for young athletes should be learning rhythm and flow between the five phases.
Changes made to an athlete’s technique, no matter how slight, will take several training sessions for the athlete to adapt to and feel comfortable with. Therefore, coaches must be patient and most changes will only be slowly adopted. Continue to reinforce visually and audibly the actions which you want to see from your athletes.
Progression in distances from 10-12 metres to 14-15 metres can be quite rapid with young athletes, if strict development to body control and body position within the circle is applied.
Physical conditioning may be a limiting factor in technique development of a young athlete. Particular importance may need to be directed to increasing the athlete’s fitness level to consolidate new technique levels.
Partial drills and balance drills are essential in developing the technique considerations previously mentioned. Check out this article by Jim Aikens for a great overview of the drills that can be used to develop skills at each stage of the glide.
Let us know in the comments below what advice you have for athletes and coaches in teaching and coaching the glide technique.