Shot Put

Shot put is an athletic competition where a heavy metal ball is thrown as far as possible. This competition requires much skill as much as strength, as the ball needs to be throwing in a specific way for it to be successful. The name 'shot put' is referring to the ball as well as how it is thrown.

According to how the history of shot put goes, it started on the beaches of Ibiza. After having a little too much too drink, strong men would go on the beach and throw large stones to see who threw the farthest. The accuracy of this account is somewhat sketchy, but the Gaelic nations have been known for this sport.

The shot put throwers stand inside a circle 7 feet in diameter, with toe board approximately 4 inches high at the front of the circle. The distance that it is thrown from the inside of the circumference of the circle to where it lands is measured. Each competitor gets so many throws, usually 6, and the one with the farthest legal put is considered the winner.

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In men's shot put, the shot weighs 7.26 kilograms (16 pounds) and the women's shot put is 4 kg (8.8 pounds). American high schools use 5.44 kg (12 pounds) for boys and 4 kg (8.8 pounds) for girl’s shot put.

It's easy to learn how to throw shot put. Most children learn this in elementary school track and field events. The coaches usually put the students in shot put drills as a form of practice. There are two different putting styles used by shot put competitors: the shot put glide and the shot put spin.

The glide shot put technique was invented in the United States in 1876. The shot put thrower faces the rear of the circle and kicks to the front with his left leg, while at the same time, pushing off forcefully with the right leg. This shot put technique is best used with right-handed throwers. The secret is to move across the circle quickly with as little air under the feet as possible, in a gliding motion. This is where the term "glide" comes from. As the thrower crosses over the circle, the hips will twist toward the front first and then the shoulders will follow. This will initiate a putting motion with their arm. The spin shot put technique was started in 1951. With this method, the thrower faces backwards, rotates 180 degrees across the circle and tosses the shot. Each of these shot put techniques work well, but it's a personal choice of which to use. It's important for competitors awaiting their turn to stand behind the thrower to avoid a shot put accident.

There are shot put videos you can purchase to help you learn more about this event. This can often be found in stores that sell other shot put supplies such as shot put shoes and shot put t shirts.