Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE SHOT PUT the shot, which is right up on the fingers, and the little finger, half flexed, supplies lateral support. This style is shown by Kotkas in Plate LIII, Fig. I6g. In Plate LII, Fig. I68, Clark is using a style which calls also for the shot to be disposed well up on the fingers. This is the most popular style. In it the three fingers behind the shot are wider apart, and both the thumb and little finger, which is not flexed, aid in the propulsion, in addition to providing lateral support for the shot. Novices cannot use either of these forms of support for the shot until the muscles of the hand, and especially those of the fingers, have d~veloped the required strength. When your shot-putter can hold the shot correctly let him get even better acquainted with the feel of it by shooting it up into the air from a full arm extension. He will soon acquire the knack of catchiiJ.g it in his hand as it descends. Next place him in the position shown in Plate LII, Fig. I65. Tell him to relax his muscles and, by bending his right knee and dropping his left arm, to sink into the position shown in Plate LV, Fig. I76, by the South Mrican shot-putter Van der Merwe, wl_w stands 5 ft. I I ins., weighs I7 stone IO lb., and puts the shot round about 50 ft. From: the position shown in Plate LV, Fig. I 76, the novice should move his body very slowly forward, at the same time extending his legs, until he is in the position shown in Plate LV, Fig. I 77, by Armas Valste, who has beaten 50 ft. with the shot and 6 ft. 4 ins . in the high jump. The coach should correct faults when the athlete is holding the poses seen in Plate LII, Fig. I65, and Plate LV, Figs. I 76 and. I77, arranging the athlete in the right postures by hand if necessary. Th~ next move is to get the novice to make a standing put, st~rting from the position shown in Plate LV, Fig. I 76, and polish– ing off the effort, from the position shown in Plate LV, Fig. I 77, by rotating the hips rapidly from right to left and at the same time shooting the right arm up and forward at an angle of about 40° to 45° (Plate LV, Fig. I79)· Make him straighten his legs, but do not allow him to take either foot off the ground until the shot is fully in flight. Get another athlete to hold down his right foot if necessary. If you work this way the reverse of the feet is bound to develop as a natural reaction movement. For the development of synchronized leg- and arm-drive in the delivery action the shot- 4I I