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Putting the Shot There are three primary styles of putting the shot: Standing put Slide Gliding put Warm-up is very important for shot put (as well as all other events) to prevent injury. The warm-up consists of jogging, stretching and light exercises. Special care needs to be taken to ensure the wrists and hands are thoroughly and properly warmed up.     Gripping the shot put is the same for all athletes. The following explanations use a right-handed put.     Gripping the Shot Put & Ready Position Hold shot with both hands. Place shot in throwing (right) hand and spread fingers around shot. Do not rest shot in palm of hand Place thumb and little finger wider apart for balance and support. Raise shot above head, wrist flexed backward. Shot is supported by thumb and little finger on sides; majority of weight is on other fingers. Bring arm down, place shot against neck, below ear, with palm turned out. Elbow is away from body. Apply pressure against neck to support shot.     Coaching Tips Elbow must stay behind shot. Do not let shot drop into palm of hand.     Standing Put From ready position, stand straddle near toe board, facing perpendicular to direction of throw (left shoulder at front of the ring). Shoulders are parallel to direction of throw. Left arm (non-throwing arm) is relaxed, extended in front of body. Step back and bend right leg, keeping back straight. Turn upper body 90 degrees away from direction of put. Body weight is over bent right leg. Drive hips and chest counterclockwise toward direction of put. Extend right arm and snap fingers, releasing shot.         Sliding Put From ready position, stand straddle near middle of ring, facing perpendicular to direction of throw (left shoulder at front of the ring). Lower upper body and flex right leg to quarter squat. Lift left foot and extend it forward, sliding body toward front of circle. Right leg remains flexed and body is perpendicular to direction of throw. Rotate right leg and extend body upward to force hips around to direction of put. Thrust chest forward and extend both legs. Transfer weight to left leg. Extend right arm and push shot with fingertips. Release shot, right arm extending in direction of put.   Coaching Tips Left foot is placed one length of the foot in front of right foot. Emphasize a strong leg push.     Gliding Put From ready position, stand at rear of circle, facing away from the direction of put; weight is on right leg. Place ball of left foot on throwing surface. Hop backward powerfully, turning both feet 90 degrees parallel to toe board. Land on both feet simultaneously. Rotate and raise trunk upward; feet begin turning 90 degrees toward direction of put. Transfer weight from right to left foot, pivoting both feet and knees toward direction of put. Keep right elbow away from body, and extend right arm forcefully. Keeping thumb down, put the shot and forcefully snap the wrist and fingers outward.       Coaching Tips Keep back straight and weight low during glide. Right leg provides majority of gliding force. Glide in a balanced position from the back to center of circle. Keep left toe close to throwing surface during extension, and ground the foot quickly. Drive to toe board with left foot and do not hop. Extend beyond toe board to improve release point.     The Reverse — Weight Transfer After shot is put, right arm continues past body to the left. Left arm continues back around body. Switch feet — right foot moves toward toe board, and left foot moves to the back. All of weight is on right leg.       Wheelchair Athlete — Ready Position Set front wheels of chair behind toe board of the ring, lock back wheels. Sit upright in chair with buttocks against chair and the feet on foot supports. Grip shot in right hand. Place shot against the side of neck, not under chin. Keep right elbow to the right side, pointing back away from body. Grab left armrest with left hand for balance. Extend right arm forcefully. Lower left shoulder, raise right shoulder. Keeping thumb down, put shot, snapping wrist and fingers outward.   Coaching Tips Emphasize sitting up straight in chair. Practice without a shot, then with a light softball, and finally with a shot. Maintain a strong erect posture in the chair during the putting action. Keep left arm at eye level.   Faults & Fixes Chart   Error Correction Drill/Test Reference Throwing the shot instead of "putting" it. Throwing elbow may have dropped below the shoulder. Shot may not be cradled directly under chin. Correct hand/arm/elbow positioning, keeping elbow high. Practice in standing put stance. Shot is not going upward when put. Use legs when thrusting; make sure upward direction is being followed with the body. Use a target to "put over" in the air (coach should hold a long stick/bar). Put has no thrust from fingers. Hold shot properly (pads of fingers and thumb). Do not let shot drop into palm of hand. Strengthen thumb and fingers. Practice without shot. No distance/power in put. Lift upward simultaneously with legs and back, making sure legs are "thrusting" and all parts are occurring in the right sequence. Break skill down. Practice without shot or use lightweight shot.   Coaches' Tips For Shot Putters — At-a-Glance Tips for Practice The athlete should always enter and exit the ring from the rear. Break down putting into parts and practice the parts. Elbow must stay behind the shot. Demonstrate proper way to enter and exit ring. Have athlete keep right elbow at shoulder level during put. Move hips forward and keep chest high and square to direction of put. Extend the legs during put. Put shot with fingers. Finish put with right arm extended in front of body, hand above head level. The athlete is balanced the entire time in the throwing circle. Practice without a shot, with a softball, and finally with the shot. Put begins with extension of legs. Do not watch shot after release. The athlete's chin and chest are straight and up. As technique improves, left arm gets more involved in putting action. Keep shot next to neck before the put, to avoid throwing shot.   Tips for Competition Use the legs. Explode from the bent position up toward sky. Put body weight behind the put. Bend knees and drop buttocks back toward middle of ring to prevent falling forward and incurring a foul.

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