Athletic Training

THE HAMMER THROW 131 After the athlete has learned to throw fairly well with one turn he should try the do~e turn, that is, to spin around twice be– fore letting go of the hammer. Two turns are made exactly like the single turn, the pur– pose being to increase the momentum of the body. The athlete'~ greatest difficulty in mastering the double or single turn, as the case may be, will be to stay ·within the 7- ioot circle. Unconsciously, he will find him– self taking more room for his turns than he needs. In his practice he will find it a great help if he can keep in. his mind the picture of himself spinning around on some small ob.. ject. I have seen hammer throwers who mas– tered the double turn by trying to spin around on a penny, and have seen some who could execute the double turn while using hardly more than half the circle. This .is something which will come only with practice: The following general directions will be valuable to the beginner: (1) The leg which does the throwing is the right leg. (2) It is the right leg which goes around the left, not the left which goes around the