Discus

Discus is an athletic competition in track and field, in which the object is to throw a heavy lenticular disc a long distance. A shot put and discus are similar contests, and are considered throwing events in Track And Field. The discus for men measures 220 mm and weighs 4 kilograms. The women's discus measures 181 mm and one kilogram. Children and teenagers throw a lighter discus. The object is made has sides made out of rubber, plastic, wood or metal so as to increase the weight. A discus that is heavier in the rim makes for better angular momentum. The heavier the discus the more stable the throw, but the more difficult it is for the athlete to throw it.

Discus Rules

The setting is a slightly recessed concrete circle, measuring a little over eight feet in diameter. To make a discus throw the competitor takes a stance facing away from the direction of the throw. He or she spins around the discus one and a half times in the circle area to build momentum. The discus is released and must land within a 40 or 60 degrees arc, which is marked by lines in the landing zone. The rules state that a competitor cannot exit the circle until the discus has landed and until given permission by the judge. At that point, the distance thrown is measured and rounded down to the nearest centimeter. He or she will get from 3-6 throws and the best throw will be recorded. Ties are decided by the second-best throw.

Discus Throwing Technique

Discus throwing involves a fore handed sidearm movement. The discus thrower spins the discus off the index finger or middle finger of the throwing hand. It spins clockwise for right-handed discus throwers and counter-clockwise for left-handed throwers. Knowing how to throw a discus far involves not only building the maximum level of momentum but also by the trajectory of the thrower and the aerodynamic behavior of the discus. An Olympic discus thrower should throw into a moderate headwind to achieve far distances. The faster the Olympic style discus spends, the greatest the gyroscopic stability.

Interestingly, in discus technique, a noticeable trend is that younger throwers avoid spinning and jump forward a step so that they can gather more momentum. While this is easy to do, it takes away from the power of the throw. It is observed that most discus throwers are over 30, having had many years of throwing experience to learn the technique.

Discus drills for young athletes can certainly help teach techniques to young track and field students, and the right size of discus shoes is another important part of the sport. Some popular stores to buy discus throwing shoes include Running Unlimited, Fitness Sports and Everything Track And Field.