Discus Throw | How to throw a Discus | Types of Skills in Discus Throw

Ground of Discus Throw

Equipment: Discus, measure-tape, flags etc.

Weight of Discus:

Men: 2 kg

Junior Boys: 1.5 kg

Women and Sub-junior Boys: 1 kg

Skills:

(1) Grip

(2) Stance

(3) Hand swings

(4) Turning

(5) Throw

(6) Release and

(7) Balance (Reverse)

(1) Grip:

The Force of push depends mainly on the grip. Hence the discus is held at the edges with the tips of the fingers to balance it properly in the hand and can be given momentum while turning. The palm remains pressed against the discus while the thumb is spread in a straight line with the wrist.

The way the discus should be held depends mainly on the size of a thrower's palm and the length of his fingers.

The types of the grips are as follows:

(i) All the fingers spreaded equally on the discus.

(ii) If the fingers are long the first two fingers joined together and others spreaded on the discus.

(iii) The last (small) finger spreaded away from the others.

(iv) First two fingers are kept joined together and the other fingers are spreaded.

(2) Stance:

A right handed thrower should place his right foot touching the hind part of the circle from inside and left foot should be placed at the shoulder wide distance from the right foot. The back shall be facing the throwing direction. The weigth of the body shall be equally distributed on both the legs.

(3) Hand Swings:

To remove the inertia of the discus and to give the body more freedom of movement, hand swings are taken. During the swing the discus is brought from above the left shoulder toward the right shoulder. When the discus reaches in the front side while swinging from backward to forward direction, the left hand support is given in front of the left shoulder from below. The right hand is bent from the elbow and the trunk is turned from the waist. Mostly a thrower takes three swings. In the last swing when the discus reaches far behind the turning of the body starts.

(4) Turning:

The acting of swerving with the discus in the hand is called turning. There are two types of turning. 

(i) Hinge Turning and

(ii) Jump Turning.

(i) Hinge Turning:

In this method the turning is done on the toes of the foot. When the discus reaches far behinnd, half turning on the left foot starts. While having this half turning the left foot is placed near the circle ring in the throwing direction. The throwing action starts from this junctute. While performing the turning, the body remains little leaned in front.

(ii) Jump Turning:

In this method the turning is performed with a jump. When the hand swing reaches far behind the half turning is being taken with a jump on the left leg. The turning of the body is like the hinge turning. But in this, the turning action is performed in the air with the right leg. The throwing action starts when the left foot is placed a little left side from the front side of the circle.

(5) Throw:

After completing the turning, the thrower begins the action of throwing with a push from the ground straightening his knee. He gives a jerk from the waist and turns the trunk on the left side and then he extends his right hand forward from behind with a jerk to the wrist and throws the discus.

(6) Release:

The discus is released at an angle of 30 to 35 degree at the level of the shoulder rotating the arm in the clockwise direction so that the discus also rotates in the clockwise direction. While released the discus the last push form the index finger is given.

(7) Balance (Reverse):

During the action of throwing, the balance of the body in momentum, changing of the foot is being done. After releasing the discus, the right foot is placed at the spot where the left leg was and the left foot is raised on the back side to keep the balance of the body.