Discus

To achieve maximum distance in the Discus the athlete will have to balance three components - speed, technique and strength. The information on this page is for a right handed thrower.

The hold

Place the left hand under the discus for support Place the right hand on top of the discus Spread the fingers evenly but not stretched The first joint of the fingers curling over the rim of the discus Do not to grip the discus Allow the discus to rest on the first joint of the fingers with the tips of the fingers over the rim.

Throwing Technique

• Figs a & b
  • Adopt a shoulder width stance and perform preliminary swings
  • Keep everything very long to provide maximum possible radius on the discus
  • Body weight in the middle of the stance
  • Aim for chin over knee over toe on the left leg
• Fig c & d
  • As the right foot leaves the ground the weight must be over the left leg
  • Discus kept high and relaxed, trailing behind the hips
  • Swing the right foot wide of the left foot into the centre of the circle
• Fig e
  • On grounding the right foot pivots on the ball of the foot
  • Keep the left foot low and fast

• Fig f
  • Discus held high and back
  • Keep the shoulders level and balanced
  • As the right foot lands aim for a chin over knee over toe on the right leg
  • Keep the left foot low and fast
• Fig g
  • Real power position is at the moment the left foot makes contact with the ground
  • Left arm points in direction of the throw
  • Right foot pivots
  • Left side of the body is braced
  • Drive the right hip forward
• Fig h
  • Right hip has been driven forward - note the "bow" position
  • The right arm is long and relaxed ready to strike
  • Left side kept firm and braced
• Fig i
  • The right arm comes through fast and last
  • The release angle (angle between the horizontal and the right arm) for the discus has to take into consideration aerodynamic lift and drag. The optimum angle for the discus is about 35 degrees (Bartonietz, 2000).
  • Left foot is kept grounded until well after the discus is released
  • Check right thumb is pointing forward and in line with the arm

Specifications

The specification for the discus depends on your gender and age.

Evaluation Tests

The following evaluation tests can be used to monitor the athlete's development:

• 60 metre speed test
• Quadrathlon
• Strength test - upper body (Bench Press)
• Strength test - lower body (Leg Press)
• Sit Ups test - abdominal strength
• Sit and Reach test - lower back and hamstring test
• Vertical Jump test

Rules of Competition

The competition rules for this event can be obtained from:

• International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF)
• UK Athletics (UKA)

Associated Pages

The following Sports Coach pages should be read in conjunction with this page:

• Discus Technique
• Discus Training Program
• Discus Throwing Photo Sequence
• Planning the Training - 6 stages of development
• Find a Coach
• Sport/Event specific articles

Associated Books

The following books provide more information related to this topic:

• How to Teach the Throws, M. Jones