Shot-Put
An athletic event where a competitor must hurl a heavy metallic ball as far as possible is called shot-put. The weight of the handful-metallic ball (known as shot) is varied from 2.7 kg to 7 kg depending on the event and players. Since the shot is quite heavy, the weight of the body and shoulders are transferred on the hand to generate enough force to push the ball as far as possible. The athlete needs to have enough strength in his shoulders, body, and arms to competing in this athletic event. The athlete pushes the ball rather than throwing as the weight is descent. The athlete projects the ball from a circular mark of radius 1.07m made on the horizontal ground.
Stages of Shot-Put
a) Holding
The first stage of shot-put is holding or gripping the ball with the fingers in a special way to deliver it to the maximum distance. The thumb and little finger are used to maintain balance and determine the direction while throwing the shot, whereas the remaining three fingers are kept at the middle by maintaining a slight distance between them. The weight of the ball should rest on the fingers and not the palm.
b) Stance
This is the second stage of the shot put in which the athlete stands behind the projection circle and faces 180° opposite to the direction of the throw. The upper trunk is slightly bent backward to generate better force. In the case of a right-hander, the toe of the right foot should be grounded, and the heel of the left foot should be raised for a perfect stance. The right leg holds the body's weight, while the left leg helps in the balance of the body.
C) Gliding
This is the third stage of shot-put, which helps transfer the bodyweight and momentum to deliver the ball. Gliding is an activity of spinning on the projection circle, making a good balance of the body to deliver the ball. Gliding is preferred to running or jumping to generate maximum force while delivering the ball. One of the legs is bent slightly while the other is spun in this stage for projecting the ball.
d) Release
After completing the gliding stage, the shot is delivered (pushed) away from the fingers to attain a distance called release. At the time, the left knee is extended, and the ball's weight is shifted on the left leg. The right hand is extended with the ball at the front with force attained through gliding, and the athlete delivers the ball with might. The angle of projection may vary from 39° to 42°. The athlete must rest the shot between the neck and shoulder and keep it tight to the neck while releasing. The shot must be released above the shoulder height. The right leg remains in the air at the release time, whereas the left leg is straight and grounded. The athlete must remain within the projection circle at the time of release. Keep the elbow high for distant delivery.
e) Reverse
After the shot is released, the body tends to whirl or become imbalanced. To regain the balance of the body, the right foot is stepped back on the stop board while the left foot is dragged behind, which is called reverse or recovery. This helps the athlete regain the position by preventing them from going away or above the stop board.
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