FREE ESSAY ON SHOTPUT

SHOTPUT

Shot PutPhysics is everywhere in the world of sports. It can be found when a boxer punches
a guy, or when a person is stabbing something. The shot put is an event which has many
practical applications to physics. From the time the thrower begins moving, to the time
the shot hits the ground, physics can be applied.The first track and field events began
over two thousands years ago in Greece. People participated in sprints, endurance races,
shot put, and discus. Track and Field events were held first in the Olympics in 776 B.C.
They were held again every four years: however, under the Roman Empire, track and field
started to die (McMane, 5). It didn't begin to flourish again until the middle of the
eighteenth century. In 1896, the Olympics started again in Athens, Greece. Since then,
they have been held every four years with few exception. The shot put event evolved with
the maturing of Olympic Games. It advanced from a very basic understanding of the sport,
to a precise approach to each athlete's technique.It is important to understand the set
of events that should be followed in each throw. The shot should be placed over the head
balancing the shot on all four fingers. The left arm should then be raised above the
head. Both hands are turned so that the palm of each hand are looking down at each ear.
In that position the arms are lowered to rest on the shoulder. Then both hands are
squeezed to the neck. The rhythm for shot placement is described as up, turn, down,
squeeze(Naclerio 117). There are many different styles used in the shot. Parry O'Brien
developed a 180 degree shot rather than the usual 90and found that the longer he pushed
the faster the shot would travel. The most descriptive word for the action of the shot
putter's arm is punch ( Naclerio, 116). The motion of the arms should be like punching
towards a tall person. The legs of the putter should move in a violent manner and the
right heel should get around the right knee. The throwing motion of the shot than begins.
In the up position the athlete will then balance the shot on the base of the fingers. In
the turn position, the athlete faces his or her palms to the ears, then lowers his arms
to prepare for the squeeze. In the squeeze phase, the ball is nestled against the neck.
The left arm is than relaxed to become an extension of the left shoulder.The physical
properties of the shot may also be important. The shot is generally made of brass or iron
(Matson 1). It is thrown from a circle of 2.135 meters in diameter into a sector about 65
degrees from the center of the circle. The circle has a board 10 centimeters high around
the front.Tall heavy and strong athletes are suited to shot putting. The release velocity
of the shot is very much dependent on the speed at which the thrower moves across the
circle. Therefore, shot-putters are generally fast and powerful. Strength, power and
flexibility form the foundation of shot putters. In order to avoid injuries in trial runs
the subject should engage in arm, waist, hamstring, hip and quadriceps stretching. Also a
light jog or brisk before stretching may be appropriate. Warming up each day will also be
vital to results. If the same warm-up routine is used each day then the results will be
more uniform because the subject will be similarly ready for each day of putting.
Videotaping is used extensively in shot-putting. Video taping can be helpful because
there is often a big gap between what one thinks he/she is doing between what he/she is
actually doing. The techniques of athletes use in throwing the shot have changed
dramatically over the past century. The first style was a crude approach to throwing the
shot. An athlete simply threw from an upright stance perpendicular to the toe board
(Judge, 30). In the 1950's, Parry O'Brian added momentum to his technique by introducing
the back to the toe board stance. This involved sliding towards the toebaord to add speed
and momentum behind the shot. And finally, in the 1970's , Brian Oldfield added the
rotary discus spin to create the third technique used in throwing the shot(Judge 30).
Oldfield's style was revolutionary for the shot put world. He was able to toss farther
than anyone had before in history. Oldfield's technique has many advantages over the
other styles. First, it allows the athlete to generate more horizontal velocity.
Secondly, it allows an athlete to generate more force over a greater period of time.
Lastly, this technique gives throwers of modest strength and weight an opportunity to be
competitive (Judge 30). The spin style does have its drawbacks. It is a technique which
can lead to an off-balance throw should the slightest detail be overlooked (Judge 30).
There is no set code used in deciding which technique is best for an athlete. Even top
class athletes have their own styles. For example, Huang Zhihong has a very simple style.
The Chinese thrower has an explosive release which sets her apart from her competitors
(Moore, 93). Although an athlete can bring some individuality to his/her technique, there
are basic components required to throw well. The shot is not actually thrown, but punched
outward. The key is to concentrate on an up-over-out motion throughout the entire throw.
The focus on a linear path ensures that no force will dissipate in other directions,
which would limit an athlete's performance. The shot should be held deep in the hands,
with the thumb and little finger providing support. The elbow should stay behind the shot
at all times to maximize the effect of the throw. Precise bodymovements, agility,
strength, explosiveness, and coordination mixed with a focus on linear motion can, and
will produce a good throw. Just like the water balloon lab, distance is maximized when
the projectile reaches a 45 degree angle. Once the shot is air borne, projectile motion
can be applied. Projectile motion refers to the motion of an object into the air
subjected to the downward acceleration of gravity. A thrown baseball, a driven golf ball,
and a shot are all examples of projectile motion (Giancoli, 39). We regard only its
motion after it has been projectedand is moving freely through the air under the action
of gravity which has a magnitude of 9.8 meters per second. Galileo was the first to
accurately describe projectile motion. He described that it could be understood by
analyzing the horizontal and vertical components of motion separately. Once the shot
leaves the thrower's hand, and is projected at a certain angle, the analysis is
essentially the same. The difference is that now there is an initial vertical component
of velocity. The downward acceleration of gravity continually decreases until the shot
reached the highest point of its path. At that point the shotpu begins to increase in the
downward direction. It can be shown that the path of the projectile is a parabola.The
physics behind the shot put event has many different aspects which can be investigated.
The different techniques, the angle at which it is thrown, and the motion it follows in
the air are interesting points which deserve further analysis on my part. By
understanding the relationship between a sport and physics, an athlete can improve his or
her performance.