Throwing Activities
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WEB COPY
©EVEQUE
WEB COPY
©EVEQUE
The young athletes should be allowed to practise the following:
• Swinging the hammer in the correct plane
• Correct movement of the feet
• Releasing the hammer at the correct position and at the correct angle
A common fault in young athletes participating in the hammer is that of swinging the hammer in
the vertical plane in front of the body or in the horizontal plane above the head. This should be
discouraged at an early stage in the development of technique and can be avoided by allowing no
more than two swings and then throwing on the third swing. Limiting the number of swings will
also speed up the throwing time and thus allow young athletes to have more throws.
4.5.4 Hammer Progressions for a Moving Throw
After the young athletes have perfected swinging the hammer in the correct position, they can
progress to trying a turn. Using a size 4 soccer ball or 1kg medicine ball, the young athletes should
practise: one (first swing), two (second swing), follow the ball (first turn) and throw. They will find
this relatively easy with a size 4 soccer ball or 1kg medicine ball. It is a safer way of introducing the
turn than working with any kind of hammers. After several practices and when they are feeling
comfortable with the turning actions, young athletes can then progress towards using a 1.5 kg
plastic hammer.
