Introduction to Coaching Hammer Throw - Part 1
The difference between teaching and coaching throwing events - there is a difference!
Australia is quite unique in the fact that Little Athletics when first introduced in Australia, has developed into a major source of athletes that transfer into senior athletics. Most overseas countries in Europe, Asia and North America have many different systems. Many parents that start as helpers in Little Athletics become coaches and officials - many of these dedicated people were not really competing athletes who continued in the sport to become coaches and Officials.
Hammer throwing is not included in the Little Athletics throwing events, the entry level for most young athletes to hammer throwing is around aged 12-13 years, so many young athletes and their coaches are not exposed or introduce'd to the event except at State and National School championships. The model that is put forward and that has been followed and used was developed by Anatoli Bondarchuk the master Russian coach, who is regarded as the person who really developed and simplified modern Hammer Throwing technique. I have used this technique personally with much success.
Point Number 1 - The Initial Acceleration of the Hammer
This is an essential part of the throw and one of the most poorly executed currently in Australia.
Teaching Technique (for right handed throwers)
The hammer can only be accelerated with two feet in contact with the circle (called double support phase). Once the athlete has been taught how to hold the hammer handle (left hand on handle with right hand over lapping left- hand fingers). The athlete stands at the rear of the circle with their back to the direction of throwing, knees slightly bent. The athlete starts to swing the hammer from right to left and continues a full swing so that the hammer finishes in front of the athlete.
Coaching Point
The coach should ensure the athlete from the very start ensures that the arms are fully extended, are not bent and fighting the hammer and that the initial swings are slow and relaxed. Using a broom handle or lighter hammer enable the athlete to feel comfortable with the swings and develops an easy swinging rhythm.
Point Number 2 - Turning 90 Degrees
The next teaching sequence is to teach the athlete to turn head and the shoulders from facing the rear of the circle to the right by about 90 degrees.
Teaching Technique (for right handed throwers)
The shoulder turn allows the athlete to increase the path of the hammer and allows the high point of the swing to be above the right shoulder. Both feet remain on the ground with the knees slightly bent. This enables the athlete to accelerate the hammer to a low point approximately opposite the right foot. The movement allows the athlete to get a long swing and the athlete should start to get a feeling of a high point and low point, whilst being in control of the hammer.
Coaching Point
Once a balanced starting swing has been established, it is important to control the athletes head. To control the athletes' head, a very effective coaching aid is to hang a shoe or towel on the hammer cage immediately at 90 degrees to the athletes' right shoulder, this movement also helps the athlete to turn their shoulders to 90 degrees to the right and extend the Hammer’s path in the double support phase. As the athlete starts the preliminary swings, the athlete should watch the shoe/towel and allow the hands swinging the hammer to pass the position of the head so that the hammer is leading towards the low point opposite the right foot.
From my experience, most young Hammer throwers seem to keep their head, eyes and body facing the rear of the circle. With the athlete's head and shoulders in this position it is impossible to accelerate the hammer effectively. The control of the athletes' head and body position is a very critical coaching point that needs to be emphasised by the coach.
YOU WILL NOTE THAT AT THIS POINT THE ATHLETE HAS NOT TURNED
OR TRIED TO THROW THE HAMMER.
Point Number 3 - Accelerating the Hammer
It is very important that both the coach and athlete understand and can apply the technique principles very early. By extending the distance that the hammer travels from the high point to its low point with 2 feet still in contact with circle enable the athlete to accelerate and set up the first turn with the hammer in the best position. The same principle applies to each additional turn, except the whole movement of throwing the hammer starts with the first turn.
Coaching Point
With the high point of the hammer in the first turn somewhere over the right shoulder and the low point of the hammer usually off the right foot. The hammer can only be accelerated at this point with both feet still in contact with the circle. Many throwers try to accelerate the hammer from the low point off the right foot to the left foot. In actual fact it is momentum that moves the hammer from the low point to the left foot and this is aided by the early turning of the feet to aid the momentum, which enables a very early landing of the right foot as then thrower finishes the first turn.
Drills
1. Initially practice the turning of the shoulders towards the high point of the swing
2. Place an object at right angles to the right shoulder (a shoe works well) to control the head and get used to this position as the athletes' hands travel past the turned head position.
3. A forward walking drill is very effective to develop rhythm and control of the initial swings. The drill involves the athlete facing the direction of throwing and the athlete starts with 2 or 3 swings and walks forward slowly in time of the swings. An athlete can develop the rhythm and walk forward 3-5 times swinging the hammer a very good coordinating exercise.
Point Number 4 - Introducing the Turn
Once the early teaching of the start position has been introduced the athlete can then be taught to turn, initially without a hammer to execute one two or three turns and then holding a light weight disc. The focus should be on turning both feet as the hands past the right shoulder with the right foot leaving the ground as soon as the hammer passes the turning right foot.
Next step is to use a weighted plate or stick to initiate the first turn, to get used to initiating the first turn.
The next progression is to introduce throwing from a single turn, using the above coaching tips and as soon the athlete can complete a single turn after a short period of time. Progressively, 2, 3, and 4 turns are introduced as the athlete’s ability develops. Ensure that each turn increases in speed from slower to faster for the last turn. Establishing rhythm is very important and will take practice to develop.
Coaching Point
An early introduction to multiple continuous turns is needed to help create balance, continual turning of both feet and control of the upper body. Initially turning without any aids holding arms extended as if holding and hammer handle. It is important to use a flat surface that will allow the athlete to make up to 10 easy turns is necessary.
As the athlete is able, add a stick or small weight held in the hands as well. Holding a very small weight in each hand and continuing to make multiple turns is a very useful drill to develop rhythm and confidence. Not every athlete initially has natural balance mechanisms in their make-up, so the balance and turning drills enables an athlete to develop and can then transfer the balance to the actual throwing. It is also very important that the coach is always aware of the basic technical model being coached.
Point Number 5 - Controlling the Hammer
It is important that the athlete as well as the coach understands why the initial control of the hammer is so important, because the next step in establishing a basic technique as well as enabling the athlete to complete the first turn under control. After the athlete can to complete more than one turn and is able to complete at least 3 turns any way at all, it is time to develop the next important teaching technique ofthe basic technique.
As the hammer reaches the low point opposite the right foot and both feet have been able to begin turning to the left, the athlete allows the hammer to travel from the low point opposite the right foot past the left foot, with its own momentum, this allows the athlete to concentrate on an early lifting of the right foot and enable a very early placement of the right foot as the first turn is completed. See the diagram below.
Note: Active path double support phase and passive path single support phase.
Coaching Point
The coach must ensure that the athlete places the right foot see diagram 2, instead of allowing the athlete to finish the first turn with both feet together pointing to the rear of the circle. If the athlete tries to accelerate the hammer from the right foot across to opposite the left foot instead of letting momentum move the hammer this will cause the athlete to overturn on the first turn reducing the double support stage which reduces the amount of effort the athlete can apply to accelerate the hammer and causes the athlete to start to drag the hammer and not accelerate, The early placement of the right foot will take some time for the athlete to master as the athlete will still be trying to accelerate the hammer past the left foot, which causes a late entry to the first turn and a slower entry to the 2nd turn.
The main points to look for are:
1. As the hammer reaches the low point opposite the right foot, the athlete allows the hammer to move to the left foot with momentum. The athlete allows their right arm to fully extend (pushing the right arm out from the low point).
2. Early turning and lift off of the right foot.
3. Early placement of the right foot.
4. The whole movement is practised as one continuous movement with the emphasis on accelerating the hammer and not overturning.
Conclusion
The above teaching and coaching information can be applied to athletes just beginning to learn to throw the Hammer as well applying the technique and coaching tips to more experienced Hammer Throwers, as the above technical model does not change. The development of the technique is progressive over some months. The introduction of conditioning, strength and weight training to the athlete, will influence the establishment of continued technique development. Once a very basic technical model has been established the next step is teach and coach the athlete to further improve. Once the above technical changes have been introduced and the athlete has adapted to the necessary changes then it is possible for the coach to continue with the development of the advanced model, remembering that each athlete has their own strengths and weaknesses that need to be considered.