Field Events/Shot Put: Shot Put Glide Drill

Dick Moss, Editor

Shot putters using the glide technique often nullify the benefits of the glide because they lose their balance or don't have the specific strength to stay low as they cross the ring.

Here's a simple drill that will teach your shot putters to produce a low, balanced glide that will place them in the ideal position to generate maximum power.

The Drill
The drill is simple. Have your putters hold a shot in the throwing position against their neck. They assume the starting position of the glide: knees bent, non-throwing arm held out for balance, eyes on a fixed point behind them.

They then hop backwards on their drive leg, attempting to maintain a bent leg position, landing with the knee over or forward of the foot. Have them hop as far as they can while maintaining the correct position, with the focus on powering off the bent leg. Give them several minutes to recover then repeat.

Coaching Pointers
Watch for the position of the bent leg as it lands—once it starts to straighten, stop the repetition. In the shot put technique, landing on a straight leg reduces that leg's ability to generate power and produces a premature lifting of the center of gravity.

Reference: From a training session conducted by Julie Alleyn. Ms. Alleyn is a former national class heptathlete.

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