Athletics of To-Day 1929

Athletics of To-day hip. (See sketch of C. J. Lindh in Fig. 43.) It should be noted that the thrower is turned towards the hammer, which is out at the fullest extension of the perfectly straightened arms and shoulders, the body is leaning away from the hammer to resist its pull, and the knees are flexed, the left one being bent more than the right. Most of the pulling power is now on the left side, and the weight therefore is on the left foot. The arms must be kept straight; if bent at the elbows the rhythm of movement will be broken. They must move with the hammer until the last FIG. 43 moment. In the final heave-effort the body must turn ahead of the hammer with thrust from the right foot and full resistance from the left leg and side. As the arms execute the throw, out over the left shoulder, they are lifted as high as possible and the legs are fully straightened, so that the power travels right up from the toes, through the body and is transmitted to the hammer through the fingers. This combination of movements should leave the thrower with legs crossed at the knees, body at extreme stretch, and arms completing the full follow through, as shown in Fig. 45, page 317. This balance is retained as long as possible ; when the position can be held no longer the