Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

142 SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS to show the position of the feet at the psychological moment just as the thrower has risen right up on the toes in delivering the hammer; it 1s as drawn in diagram 19 ~ and sketch 6. 6 );':::. , "' At this stage the ~)/ legs are crossed at the knee~, /{fj as sketch 6 will convey; the body 1s L..l bent slightly back and twisted round ·~v~ with arms upstretched in tl~e direction of the throw. Instantly the impetus of r the turning will whirl the thrower around '"- until he is -facing the direction of the ~ hammer's flight (see fig. 52). It is to be clearly understood that diagram 19 shows the position of the thrower's feet at the psychological moment just as the hammer leaves the hands, at which moment, incidentally, the vigorous stretching of the body from the toes upwards, combined with the speed of the last turn (no matter whether it be the second, third, or fourth), contributes materially to the success of the effort. · One other thing the hammer-thrower must be at pains to learn is to preserve his balance after the hammer has left his hands; if he comes outside the circle before the hammer has come to ground the throw will not count, for he will have been guilty of fouling (see the cinematograph pictures, fig. 51). At this point, when he is balancing at the Diagram 19.