Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE DISCUS THROW The first thing for the coach to teach the athlete is how to hold the discus. It should be placed so that the first joints of the fingers, comfortably spread, overlap the metal rim. The thumb is slightly turned out to act as a balancer. The arm should be straight but loose and the wrist slightly flexed. In Plate LXIII, Fig. 2 I I, Boyd Comstock, aided by L. Reavell-Carter, runner-up in the English Championship in Igg6, is demonstrating to a class at the English Summer School for Athletes the 'talon grip,' which is an important .feature in connection with the hand control. If the palm of the hand is entirely in contact with the surface of the discus the imple– ment can very easily be pulled from beneath the hand, but if only the first joints of the fingers overlapping the rim and the heel of the hand resting on the centre plate of the discus make contact with the surface it is impossible for even a strong man to pull the implement from under the instructor's hand. Obviously, there– fore, the second method just described should be used. ·When the hand-hold has been demonstrated the novice should become accustomed to the 'feel' of the discus, so that he may learn to control it. Let him try bowling the discus on edge straight along the ground from the balls of his fingers, starting the pull at the little finger and imparting the final impetus with the first finger. The discus may also be thrown straight up into the air on its edge and caught again in the thrower's hand as it descends. These are two good ways of learning to impart spin and to give the discus good direction. A simple standing throw. may then be tried, care being taken to keep the left shoulder well up. Distance should not be attempted. Standing throwing may then take place with the body well relaxed, but plenty of pull must be put on to the rim of the discus. After that teach the all-essential hip action, which is a rapid rotation ofthe hips from right to left, by making the thrower put the discus in flight with very strong hip action and the minimum amount of arm effort. ' When the turn is taught see that the athlete practises with the discus in hand, or the balance will be entirely different. Teach him first to make the turn as far as the throwing stance R2 and L2 (Fig. Ig8), and after that the hip-rotation action with a very quiet release. He is then ready to_ make some more standing throws, after which he should be taught the follow-through posi– tion by being hand-set, as seen in Plate LXIII, Fig. 2I2, in which the Services class is under instn;tction at the English Summer School for Athletes. 437