“Learning how to throw the shot put and the discus is hard!”
This is the number one complaint I get from athletes and throws coaches from around the world.
No matter where you are, the #1 thing we wanna be thinking about is how to simplify to get the best results—fast!
SIMPLICITY is the fastest way to get lasting results.
When I’m coaching either at a throws camp, a private coaching session, or an online coaching session, putting all 6 pillars of the throw together -“Pillar Connection”)- and starting to actually throw,
we really emphasize 2 things in our Pillar Connection segment:
1. The Wind Up 1 Start
2. The Pillar 2 Start
These are 2 different technical positions that teach the right movement mechanics.
The Wind Up 1 start and the Pillar 2 start have similar objectives, but both eliminate a lot of excess motion in different ways.
Excess motion is what destroys
- technique,
- crushes balance
- and thus speed,
and increases the likelihood of fouls, lost distance, and slow-down of technical development.
It’s also where young throwers tend to get out of control.
One of the MOST COMMON mistakes in the set up of a rotational throw we want to eliminate is the multi-wind.
There are several variations of the multi-wind, but it’s basically when the thrower is winding back and forth, multiple times, shifting side to side instead of twisting to create separation and stretch reflex.
Shifting back and forth sets the wrong rhythm and motion pattern.
Let’s see what I’m talking about in action!
For Example: In the discus, what you want a thrower to focus on is setting up the throw via the arm swing to set up the beginning of the wind that creates twisting vs shifting. The right swing sets up the correct long path, that turns into a twisting motion and that helps set the correct rhythm and long path in the rotational throw.
Pillar 1 Wind Up
Pillar 2 Start
It’s a bit different in the Rotational Shot. We’ll save that for a video soon!
At our Summer Throws Camps, Pillar 1 & 2 start up is talked about a lot and in the TCR system online inside the membership.
The Wind up is what makes, or breaks the overall success of the throw EVERY SINGLE TIME!
… and there are numerous other details that are often overlooked.
It’s a big part of how Jason Harrell went from never making an NCAA championship (Top 24 in college) to 4 consecutive US championships (2 finals, and #16 in the world this year.)
Correctly setting up the Trigger in Pillar 1, ie the wind up, connects the chain reaction of the throw into Pillar 2 correctly…. and this is where we are setting up MAXIMUM POWER.
* Remember me talking about the “Windows” in technique a few emails ago? Yup, here it is again!
If the technique falls out of the window in Pillar 2, it is usually due to the Wind Up being set up incorrectly.
This technique tip is a biggie, and I can go on and on, but if you would like A LOT more on this and of all 6 pillars of the throw for discus, rotational shot and glide shot,
then I highly recommend you join the the TCR online membership.
Thrower Strong!
– Coach Johnson
