Athletics of To-Day 1929

Athletics of To-day through the air in the direction of its own length as it should do. The recommended starting position for the throw in the Scandinavian style is shown in Fig. 28, page 263. The reason the point of the javelin is held so much downward is to counter– act its tendency to tip up when the throwing arm is drawn back. As will be seen from the diagrams in Fig. 29, page 264, depicting the footwork, the athlete stands facing squarely to the direction in which he is going to throw before he steps off to start his run up. During the run the shoulders should be kept square to the front until the arm is drawn back for the throw; and, right from starting point to delivery, keep the javelin in line with the direction of its proposed flight, since a large percentage of throwing success lies in the thrower's ability to transmit his strength to the javelin in its longitudinal direction, so that it follows the path of its own length in flight. Apart from the dynamics of javelin throwing there is this consideration for straight throwing-that all throws are measured perpendicularly to the scratch line, or the scratch line produced, so that a man who actually throws 130ft. but lets the javelin break even 5 degrees sideways instead of throwing it at right angles to the scratch line, will lose nearly 5 ft. when the measurements are made perpendicularly to that scratch line. The run-up should be formed in exactly the same way as that laid down for the use of long jumpers (see Chapter XVI). The scratch line, however, must not be treated as the take-off. It is assumed that the athlete will throw with his right hand. In which case the take-off mark is put down 9 ft. in rear of the scratch line, and it is from that mark that the athlete must work in forming his approach run. early all the best throwers use an approach run of approximately 68 ft., making the length a little more or a little less according to their indi– vidual requirements. The run must not be made at random, but must be carefully measured and so constantly practised that the strides fit in accurately, and the thrower, without any fear of ov rstepping the scratch line, can employ his full strength in the throw. To this end the run should have a