DIFFERENCES IN THROWING

TECHNIQUE (DISCUS) FOR MEN

AND WOMEN
By Dr. Ekkart Arbeit, K. Bartoneitz, L. Hillebrand, GDR
Thi
sar
t
i
cl
e,or
i
gi
nal
l
ypubl
i
shedi
n
TheThr
owsOfficial Report of the European
At
hl
et
i
cCoachesAssoci
at
i
onCongr
ess,1987i
sanexcellent overview of discus
technique from the German Democratic Republic perspective and offers some
comparisons between the technique of men and women. Re-printed with
permission from the European Athletic Coaches Association.
1. Introduction
Discus throwing is one of the oldest athletic competitive exercises. It was entirely
appropriate that the Ancient Greeks should have made the discus thrower into a
figure symbolizing their ideal of beauty. Performed skillfully, the movement of
throwing the discus is a movement of great aesthetic beauty. Because of its
complexity, the technical quality of the movement possesses the character of a
dominating factor in determining performance.
The development of performances in the past five Olympic cycles shows clearly,
by the example of discus throwing, the enormous potential that the athlete has at
his disposal for improving his capacity through training.
As a result of ontogenetic and phylogenetic processes of development, the
human organism is uniquely capable of achieving a maximum of
motor precision and reliability
and an optimum of
motor speed and speed in action
with a minimum expenditure of energy.
The demand for carrying out a performance of elastic strength, i.e. with a
maximum release of energy in a short period of time, a maximum velocity (VO)
and at the same time a maximum of motor precision and reliability (that is, an
action that is also reproducible) represents a demand on the organism that it
rarely ever encounters in the course of daily life.

Just how universally adaptable the human organism is has been shown by the
performances achieved as a result of training. There is no doubt that the capacity
of elastic strength is substantially determined by genetic tendencies or
predispositions. The genetic constitution, however, provides only the potential.
For top level performances, training is of decisive importance, i.e. the system of
demands to which I submit the athlete. The decisive factor is the extent to which I
am, as a coach, able to activate my athlete in the motor sphere.
Today it is generally accepted that the central nervous system (CNS) which
can be compared to a self-programming computer can fulfill all the basic
mathematical functions and possesses the capacity to program itself. Of decisive
importance for the quality of the program is the setting of a formal goal. Only if
t
heCNSi
spr
ov
i
dedwi
t
hadequat
ei
nf
or
mat
i
onaboutt
hegoal
,wi
l
lt
he
r
i
ght
pr
ogr
ambedev
el
oped.I
nt
hi
ss
ense,the so-cal
l
ed
mot
orl
ear
ni
ngis nothing
more or less than the internal programming of an algorithm.
Only if the goal is exactly formulated can the CNS develop an optimal timing
program which, like an algorithm, can be recalled (in the computer sense).
These apparently very theoretical considerations have a very practical
significance for training in technique. Whereas previously we were of the opinion
that begi
nner
sneededonl
yt
ol
ear
na
r
ough
orappr
ox
i
mat
ef
or
m ofapar
t
i
cul
ar
technique, today, there is a well-founded belief that the acquisition of the fine
form of the technique stands as the beginning of every process of training. In a
certain sense, in respect of the spatial-temporal structure of movement and the
coordinatives of partial body movements contained therein, the final technique is
to be developed already in the initial training of the beginner (1).
It is crucially important that, on the basis of a stable timing program, an
individual, effective rhythm should be developed that will enable the athlete to
transform his physical potential into the competition movement.
The dynamic structure of the movement is, on the other hand, subject to greater
quantitative alterations, i.e. in particular thef
unct
i
on
acc
el
er
at
i
v
ef
or
ce-t
i
me
.I
t
s
expression as a quantity is substantially determined by:
the development of capacities of condition or fitness, and;
the development of athletic form.
And it is well known that athletic form is subject to considerable fluctuations in the
course of the year.
In our training system, we start out from the fact that the effectiveness of training,
i.e. the effectiveness of the stimulation brought about by all training exercises
used, is substantially determined by the quality of technical perfection, the extent

to which a perfect technique has been achieved. In this sense, we are not
satisfied with the state of development of technique in a large number of our
athletes.
(Footnote 1 : For other branches of sport, such as gymnastics, diving or skijumping, there is no possible alternative to this approach, since otherwise, the
development of that branch of sport itself would not be possible, on account of
the danger of injuries.)
2. Basic ideas on the discus throwing technique that is
biomechanically appropriate and suitable in terms of training method
In the literature, there is no lack of descriptions of the technique of discus
throwing. And time and again, the development of the necessary preconditions
gives us cause to discuss anew the problems of the perfecting of technique. We
would like to contribute to this discussion.
Quite often, the movement is subdivided into phases of movement:
initial impetus - initial turn
jump round (phase without support)
amortization phase
principal accelerative phase
release
Undoubtedly such a division is didactically justified, because it is necessary to
possess as much comprehensive information as possible on the internal ballistic
situation of the discus throw movement.
But for motor learning, it is of primary importance to consider the movement as a
whole and to acquire it as such. Only when the overall movement is mastered
does the possibility exist of practicing the details.
Coach and athlete have to comprehend the movement as a whole, and to direct
special attention to specific points of the internal ballistics involved (emphasizing
over and over again special nodal points in the sphere of control by the central
nervous system) and to exercise a constant
qual
i
t
ycont
r
ol
i
nt
hepr
ocess of
perfection of technique.
The predominant importance of motor rhythms has already been discussed. In
contrast to bio-mechanical functions of timing, rhythm is an expression of the
qualitative side of the movement.

The alternation of tension and relaxation finds expression in it, and reflects in this
sense the control program of the nervous system.
For coach and athlete, the following elements of the movement, which take their
place within the total course of movement, are of special importance;
1. Thedi
spl
acementoft
hebody

scent
r
eofgr
avi
t
yont
ot
hel
ef
t(
st
andi
ng)
leg, the rotation round the left leg, without rushing into the movement. The
active action of the right (swing) leg, with the aim of achieving an optimal
angular velocity with a high moment of inertia.
2. The active gripping (positive hold) of the ground with the right leg as it is
placed down in the centre of the circle, and the immediate continued
working of the right leg with the aim of working actively against the right
hip, with the left side of the body fixed (two essential elements of the buildup of tension).
3. Developmentoft
het
hr
ow
comi
ngupoutoft
hel
egswi
t
hav
er
ymar
ked

t
or
queact
i
on,i
.
e.t
heact
i
v
euseoft
het
hr
owi
ngar
mi
sdel
ay
edasl
ong
as possible, so that, as a result of a high preliminary tension, a flinging,
catapulting movement is made possible.
4. Rapid placing of the left leg with the aim of transferring the entirety of the
kinetic energy that has been developed on to the implement. If, as a result
of:
a. passive yielding on the left leg, or
b. untwisting of the left side (rotational throw)
there is a break-down in the system of tension that has been built up, it is
impossible for the principal phase of acceleration to be given optimal form.
5. The release of the discus with an angle of release of 36 degrees and an
angle of incidence of 10 to 20 degrees, depending upon the strength and
direction of the wind.
A factor of decisive importance for the quality of the entire movement is the
posture of the head (tonic neck positioning reflex). If the head precedes the
movement (without justification), or if the head is inclined backward prematurely,
(a risk of this exists primarily before the placing down of the left leg), the basic
requirement of the discus throwing technique, namely the flinging or catapulting
action, cannot be fulfilled or can be fulfilled only incompletely.
In our experience, there are four main elements that the coach has to pay
attention to:

1. leg action
right leg middle of circle
left leg in the throwing position with counter-bracing
2. control of head
3. build-up of tension by way of the right hip, and
4. looseness in the shoulder girdle.
These requirements concerning motor technique that have been made are the
concrete expression of biomechanical investigations.
We make use of two bio-mechanical functions to achieve an objective
assessment of the movement:
the velocity-time function of the discus
the path described by the point of the hip, the point of the shoulder and the
discus.
In the v-t function, we are interested primarily in two dimensions and they are to
be considered as criteria of functionality:
VO as the physical final product of the total movement, and;
the ascent or rise in the v-t curve (graph) as an expression of the
explosive force realized.
Within a build-up of several years and within the course of a single year,
depending upon athletic form (as already mentioned in paragraph 1), the v-t
pattern is subject to quantitative alterations.
The path described by selected points of the body or of the discus, on the other
hand, is the expression of the exactitude of the movement and in intra-individual
comparison made over long periods of time, it remains constant.
3. The structure of performance for J. Schult and D. Sachse as the
result of a process of development covering several years
Because there is no such thing as a technique existing on its own, but it is
possible for a movement to be realized only when the appropriate capacities and
skills have been developed, it is necessary for this connection to be established
in the assessment of the quality of the movement.

The reason for this situation is that as yet we do not fully understand the internal
complex structure of conditions required to achieve top level performances.
Without taking into consideration the structure of performance, any analysis of
the dynamic structure of the movement is only partially possible. Differences
exist in the structure of performance for men and for women, and resulting from
this fact, differences also exist in the throwing technique of men and women.
What are these differences we are speaking of?
1. Men possess a substantially higher muscle tonicity (tonus) and in addition,
a slighter degree of mobility in the area of the shoulder girdle.
2. Because the weight of the discus used by men is double that used by
women, the performance structure of men is orientated more towards
strength than is that of women.
3. In the majority of men, the coordinative capacities are not as well
developed as they are in women. These objective factors are overlaid by
the subjective attitudes to technique training in the men.
4. Differences in the throwing technique of men (J. Schult) and women (D.
Sachse).
There exists a multiplicity of individual variations in technique. We have
expounded our view. For us, rhythm is the decisive criterion. As already stated,
the athlete must feel comfortable and at ease in his own rhythm, and must have
the impression that he can make full use of his physical potential.
In our opinion, it is of subsidiary importance how individual details are carried out,
e.g. the various forms of the initial swing (Delis, Sawinkowa, Hellmann).
On the other hand, the nature of the release structure is of importance:
with a jump turn, or;
with a two-leg support phase.
At the moment, both forms of the release exist concurrently with equality of
status.
Diana Sachse throws without the jump; until 1985, Jurgen Schult also threw
without a jump turn, and in our opinion, demonstrated a good technique. In the
course of the 1985/86 training year, he made a change in his technique. This
process is not concluded.

Independent of the question of whether differences between men and women in

the nature of the technical solution of the discus throwing movement ought to be
brought out, and whether that should be done on the basis of the example of
Sachse and Schult, the nature of handling of the principal phase of acceleration
represents for us the principal criterion according to which the action should be
assessed or judged.
4. Differences in the throwing technique in the case of Schult and
Sachse
And what are the differences?
Whereas Schult performs the initial turn as a controlled movement,
Sachse carries out the initial turn energetically and explosively. The initial
turn is therefore of importance, because as a result of this part of the
movement
Sachse achieves a great
erdegr
eeof
t
or
que
,andt
her
ef
or
eagr
eat
er
muscular tension than Schult, as a result of which she achieves
better pre-conditions for the explosive unloading or discharge (flinging) of
the pre-stretched muscles than Schult.
In this context, it is necessary to mention that many of our colleagues are of the
opinion that fundamentally, men are less good at the slinging action than are
women. Our view is that, starting with the basic training in technique and
continuing especially in strength training, they have not trained this special
capacity and skill.
It has been proved physiologically that a stretched muscle increases and raises
to a higher power its working capacity, achieving in particular a greater impulse.
Independent of the fact that Schult has achieved the world record throw, we are
collectively of the opinion that his principal reserve capacities lie in the perfecting
of his technique. This includes in particular, an improved build-up of tension,
starting with the initial turn by way of the left leg, the transmission of force to the
r
i
ghthi
pwi
t
ht
hel
ef
tsi
deoft
hebodyf
i
x
edandwi
t
hmar
ked
t
or
queof the upper
part of the body.
In contrast to this, we are of the opinion that for Diana Sachse, the principal
reserve capacity lies in the further development of capacities of condition - while
retaining the same quality of technical development.
5. Future prospects for the development of technique
We are forced to the conclusion that, for our country, over a specific period of
time, in the training of beginners and in the training of second stage athletes, we

have not carried out training in technique with the meticulous care and
scrupulous precision that is its due.
The reason for this development is the fact that in discus throwing, it is possible
to develop performances in young people more quickly by an excessive forcing
of the parameters of condition and in particular by the forcing of the development
of maximum strength.
But in the final analysis, when it comes to the age of top level performances,
faults in technique act as limiting factors on the development of performance, and
this is quite apart from the fact that because of the high tensile stresses involved
in discus throwing, faulty or poorly performed movements imply an increased risk
of injury.
As a result equally of practical experience and theoretical considerations, we
have come to the conclusion thati
nt
het
r
ai
ni
ngofbegi
nner

straining in
technique must start with the development of the movement to its fine form
before ever the processes of the development of condition are initiated. Apart
from the fact that with 13 to 15 year old athletes, we find ourselves in a phase of
favorable motor learning, we increase the effectiveness of training significantly in
the subsequent stage of development if we are able to carry out the training on a
solid basis of correctly developed technique. This is true not only of the
competition movement but also of all other exercises as well which we will want
to employ in later years as a means of training.
For the rest, it is our opinion, that for future world records in discus throwing, the
slinging action is an essential prerequisite. We believe that in order to realize this
primary requirement, the release without a jump represents the answer as the
technique of the future, because the two-legged support phase ensures the
better conditions of work for the legs. In particular, the working of the right leg
against the counter-force built up by the left leg, ensures the realization of the
principl
e
act
i
oetr
eact
i
o
,t
heact
i
v
at
i
onofgr
eat
erf
or
cesi
nt
heent
i
r
esy
st
em.
Greater deployment of strength per unit of time, i.e. only a greater impulse,
ensures a higher take-off speed for the missile, the prerequisite for a greater
distance of throw.