Any shot putters out there ?

[oldguy]

Because I’m an idiot, I signed up for a meet in 3 months. My question - is it possible without great natural strength and no experience,to learn to put in 3 months ? The minimum distance is 37 ft for someone my age. Did I just waste an entrance fee ?

[hsilman]

Because I’m an idiot, I signed up for a meet in 3 months. My question - is it possible without great natural strength and no experience,to learn to put in 3 months ? The minimum distance is 37 ft for someone my age. Did I just waste an entrance fee ?

@SeanHerbison and maybe @Hanley?

[JonA]

What size shot? Standard high school for men is 12lbs. College+ is 16lbs.

Some age group meets will use the women's shot (4kg/8.8lbs) for the younger boys or older men's groups.

37ft is middle of the pack for our relatively small high school boys meets.

Do you need an official 37ft to qualify? What happens if you only throw 29ft? Otherwise, just do it. It's actually pretty fun!

Eta:. Forgot to recommend buying a cheap shot on eBay. Practice in the backyard when significant other is not around. Be proactive, and complain about the moles and gophers being really active this year....

[SeanHerbison]

Because I’m an idiot, I signed up for a meet in 3 months. My question - is it possible without great natural strength and no experience,to learn to put in 3 months ? The minimum distance is 37 ft for someone my age. Did I just waste an entrance fee ?

Learn to glide. Even a poor glide is generally better than a stand throw or weird scoot throw.

[oldguy]

What size shot? Standard high school for men is 12lbs. College+ is 16lbs.

Some age group meets will use the women's shot (4kg/8.8lbs) for the younger boys or older men's groups.

37ft is middle of the pack for our relatively small high school boys meets.

Do you need an official 37ft to qualify? What happens if you only throw 29ft? Otherwise, just do it. It's actually pretty fun!

Eta:. Forgot to recommend buying a cheap shot on eBay. Practice in the backyard when significant other is not around. Be proactive, and complain about the moles and gophers being really active this year....

Jon,

Thanks. Shot is 11 pound so there is some break for being old. Yeah, I'll give it a shot (yuk, yuk). I thought "how hard can it be ?" until I watched the guys spinning and throwing. As @SeanHerbison says - I should learn to glide. That looks reasonble to learn somewhat in 3 moths. Ordered a shot for $ 30. If I can't put it at least 30 feet after some practice, I probably won't waste the time but otherwise, I'm game.

[ChrisMcCarthy1979]

How did you get on? I apologise if you posted it elsewhere and I missed it.

From experience, shot putt ability can be a little hard to predict!!

[oldguy]

How did you get on? I apologise if you posted it elsewhere and I missed it.

From experience, shot putt ability can be a little hard to predict!!

I sucked. I finished 7 out of 10.

For some strange reason, I thought I could just go out there and throw the damn thing after three days of practice. Rest of competitors had thrown in high school, a few in college and were gliding or spinning. I grabbed the shot and did a "power throw" - bascially stand like statue and throw.

After the competition I have become more serious and am doing a shuffle now and consistently throwing distances ( in 3 practices) where I would have placed 2nd or 3r. So, my plan is to shuffle for a while ( entered a meet in September) and work my way up to a glide next year.

[mbasic]

I'm thinking about teaching my son to throw the shot....

I've messed around with the spin myself as a youth, but will likely teach him (he'll teach himself really) the glide.

I need a throwing event for him to work on so he can stay away from the track coach (running events coach), and politely 'save face' or whatever.

Throw and lift at school. Sprint on own elsewhere.

Will check in here later for tips and report on our own progress.

[ChrisMcCarthy1979]

How did you get on? I apologise if you posted it elsewhere and I missed it.

From experience, shot putt ability can be a little hard to predict!!

I sucked. I finished 7 out of 10.

For some strange reason, I thought I could just go out there and throw the damn thing after three days of practice. Rest of competitors had thrown in high school, a few in college and were gliding or spinning. I grabbed the shot and did a "power throw" - bascially stand like statue and throw.

After the competition I have become more serious and am doing a shuffle now and consistently throwing distances ( in 3 practices) where I would have placed 2nd or 3r. So, my plan is to shuffle for a while ( entered a meet in September) and work my way up to a glide next year.

Good Job, like forward to seeing how you get on!!

[mbasic]

Some of you throwers might find this funny (sure its HS based humor)

[BostonRugger]

I used to enjoy watching the throwers in high school do the 55m during indoor track season. IIRC there was some requirement at the time for T&F that you had to have at least one track event. So the big football guys would do their throws and they'd have to do the "Fat Man Dash" too.

[mbasic]

I used to enjoy watching the throwers in high school do the 55m during indoor track season. IIRC there was some requirement at the time for T&F that you had to have at least one track event. So the big football guys would do their throws and they'd have to do the "Fat Man Dash" too.

I have not seen it in a while:
Here in my state, they called it the "fat man" relay.
They ran a 4x100 relay with the throwers.....
...but used a watermelon in place of a baton.**
(more "serious" meets, they would use a baton)

I think now they use the term "throwers relay".
Becuz "fat" is seen as a pejorative.
Which makes me wonder if they ever used "fat girl" relay before?
I seriously doubt it.

There's no way they are doing any of this stuff nowadays.

-----------------

** I don't think it was possible to do a legal exchange in the zones, staying within your lane, with two "girthy" throwers ....side by side ...
(can't do a front to back baton exchange with a watermelon).
But it was fun to watch.

=============

Edit:



this sucks. They're gaming the system. Probably use all their "skinny" discus underclassmen to win the event. Should be a weight requirement of 275.

[Hardartery]

I used to enjoy watching the throwers in high school do the 55m during indoor track season. IIRC there was some requirement at the time for T&F that you had to have at least one track event. So the big football guys would do their throws and they'd have to do the "Fat Man Dash" too.

Wait, there was a 55m Dash? They didn't do that where I was in Ontario. That would have been the dream event, I was actually fast for about that far but the fast 100m guys would catch me around there.

[mbasic]

I used to enjoy watching the throwers in high school do the 55m during indoor track season. IIRC there was some requirement at the time for T&F that you had to have at least one track event. So the big football guys would do their throws and they'd have to do the "Fat Man Dash" too.

Wait, there was a 55m Dash? They didn't do that where I was in Ontario. That would have been the dream event, I was actually fast for about that far but the fast 100m guys would catch me around there.

Its an indoor event typically, for indoor tracks. (~200m indoor oval typically ... instead of a 400 track)

but at times they will run that in a fair weather state outdoor .....during the indoor track season.

55m is a little more popular in high school than 60m.

60m is high school and college. 60m pro (indoor).

Its a hoot, because some/most tracks are so small, the 55/60 sprint ends into a bunch of crash pads.