Athletics (British Sports Library)

182 ATHLETICS will drag around the thrower instead of remaining under his control. It should be noted that the hammer reaches its highest elevation just over the right shoulder and its lowest as it passes the right hip, the point at which the turn commences (Sketch 3). The standing throw is made at the conclusion of the three preliminary swings. The actual heave commences as the hands come down to the level of the right hip for the third time, and is effected by an increased swing of the arms upwards and a straightening up of the whole body and legs so that the thrower rises right up on his toes as he hurls the hammer away over his left shoulder (Sketch 4). Two or three weeks should be devoted to mastering the standing throw, as early accuracy in this phase will pay for itself over and over again later on. At the same time that swinging and standing throws are being practised, the athlete may be doing some preliminary turning in slow time without the hammer. He should first learn the single turn. For his present purpose it consists simply of spinning upon the toes of the left foot, placing the right foot down hard without quite completing the full turn, otherwise no ground will be gained, and then, when the right foot is planted firmly, drawing back the left foot quickly to a fresh position parallel to that of the right. From this position the throw