Success in Athletics and how to obtain it

176 SUCCESS IN ATHLETICS a glance at the muscles of the right leg, it will be fairly obvious that the weight is now disposed over that limb; it will also be seen that the body is swung back at the hips, and that the abdominal muscles are greatly in evidence. Without any hesitation and with perfect smooth– ness of action after the limit of the swing-back has been reached, the right · shoulder begins to come round to the front again, and, as the body is square to the line the "put " is going _/} 5 to take, the right arm is straight- t'~/:? ened out from the shoulder, and ( \ j simultaneously the athlete gets a t' \ powerful drive from the right 1-MJ leg; the hips must be well up and ~ forward, to get the full benefit ~~ ----._, of this leg drive. At this stage ---- / the right leg and the right arm are in line. As the shot leaves the hand with a final flick from the wrist and fingers the feet are reversed (sketch 5), and the thrower must balance himself at the toe:..board, with eyes directed upwards and arm outstretched until the shot has come to ground. It is a good tip at this point to hollow the back, 'for it helps, not a little, in retaining the equilibrium. (See fig. 71.) The fourth photo of R. S. Woods (fig. 70) gives a good idea of the way in which. the athlete may stretch out his body over the edge of the circle and yet retain his balance when the right leg comes forward. In this picture Woods is looking well up at the shot, but has got his foot-work wrong ; at this point the right leg should be farther back, and the left foot, which should be more under the body, should not yet have left the ground. Another point is