A well-designed teaching progression is necessary to effectively coach the discus.

In the video clip below esigned to teach each fundamental move. In the video clip Don Babbitt,
University of Georgia Associate Head Coach breaks down one of the key drills in his teaching progression – The Front Throw

Coach Babbitt states that once he completes the Stand Throw from the Knee, he progresses to the Front Throw.

To begin the Front Throw have your athlete face the throwing area with their toes against the ring. This will take any right to left shifting out of the picture and allow the athlete to focus on rotating the trunk and releasing the discus properly.

A key coaching point is to make sure that the athlete is timing the extension legs with the release of the arm as they throw the discus into the center third of the sector. You will also want to make sure that they are getting proper rotation on the discus.

Another key coaching point with respect to the non-throwing arm. When the throwing arm goes back the non-throwing arm should extend forward and then when the throwing arm comes forward the non-throwing arm should shorten to the body.

Once the mechanics of the Front Throw are mastered, then you can move on to the Stand Throw.

This clip is taken from Coach Bobbitts instructional DVD entitled Don Babbitt’s Teaching Progression for the Discus.

Coach Bobbitt has been highly successful in coaching throwers. He has coached 29 NCAA Champions and 139 All-Americans;
has coached 53 throwers who have competed at the Olympic Games & World Championships.

If you would like to learn more about how he coaches the Discus Click Here.

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are turned on.

These two high jump drills both utilize hurdles and can be done of soft surfaces thus reducing training stress on your jumpers.

In the video clip below USC assistant coach Michale Pullins uses his athletes to demonstrate two different hurdle hop drill that can be utilized to effectively train your high jumpers.

This first drill is called the Double Arm Hurdle Hop. In this drill, the coach should mark off a circle with a radius of 10-15 feet and place hurdles along the perimeter of the circle. The spacing of the hurdles will be dependant on the abilities of the athlete. This will require that you adjust the distance between each hurdle so that the athletes can mimic their normal approach.

This is a critical exercise that can teach your jumpers to use both arms and to create a forceful drive that is upward and outward.

The second drill is the Zig Zag Hurdle Hop Drill. In this drill 4 hurdles are placed at 90-degree angles to each other forming a zig-zag line. The athlete will then explode up off two feet to clear the first hurdle. Upon landing the will immediately jump again to the side to clear the next hurdle.  This plyometric exercise is typically done once per week.

Both of these can be done of soft surfaces (grass) thus helping to reduce injuries like shin splints and tendonitis.

These drills come from a high jump training DVD that contains over 90 drills from some of the nations best high jump coaches. For more information about that DVD click the link The Best of Championship Productions – Track & Field: 90+ High Jump Drills

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are turned on and that you can access the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube.

This post was provided by Complete Track and Field

In this remedial crossover exercises series, Coach Boo Schexnayder has outlined several exercises that can be used to teach the shuffle, in addition to a series of movements that are essential to the proper set up for the delivery in the javelin, discus and rotational shot put events.

Here the key points Coach Schexnayder shares in the video below:

—This exercise teaches the remedial movements associated with setting up for the throw after the approach.

—The thrower assumes a staggered stance with the left foot forward.

—The feet and body are pointed just right of the throwing direction so that the hips are directed just 45 degrees from the throwing direction.

—Bodyweight is placed predominately on the front leg and the front leg is bent significantly.

—The drill begins with a strong push off propelling the body into flight in the throwing direction.

—This flight time provides the thrower a chance to position the body correctly for landing.

—While the thrower pushes off the right leg performs a sweep.

—The right leg sweeps forward in an extended position with the foot remaining close to the ground throughout.

—During this sweep the leg is everted, meaning the toe is turned outward and the inner thigh leads the sweeping movement.

—Care should be taken not to over emphasize the sweep in coaching practice.

—Emphasize the push off in the teaching process because over emphasizing the sweep disrupts timing and is a common coaching mistake.

—An insufficiently strong sweep is a very small error. But an overdone sweep produces major problems.

—During flight the left leg is recovered and extended in front of the body contacting on the inside ball of the foot in a heel ball relationship.

—The right foot contacts on the ball of the foot but nearly flat and the right leg yields a bit flexing at impact.

—In spite of this yielding the pelvis must remain close to neutral at impact.

—The butt should not stick out at landing.

—The left leg should land only a fraction of a second after the right. This ensures that the thrower is not leaning back excessively.

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are turned on and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube.

For more great tips from Coach Boo Schexnayder click the link: Complete Teaching and Drill Progressions for Glide and Rotational Shot Put, Discus and Javelin”

Here is a drill to teach movement out of the back of the ring for both the rotational shot and discus.

In the clip below Seth Roberson, Grand View University Associate Head Coach, demonstrates his Kick the Cone Sweep Drill that he uses to help teach his rotational shot and discus throwers when to begin accelerating out of the back.

Coach Roberson states that you must push off the left leg, but that you need the right leg to help create the rotational momentum that is needed in the rotational shot and discus.

The first issue is timing. When should the athlete begin to accelerate out of the back? If the start too late, they will be off balance and not generate as much power. For this reason,  Coach Roberson feels that it is better to be slightly early than too late.

The Kick the Cone Sweep drill is designed to give the throwers a visual cue when of when to accelerate forward out of the back. A cone is placed out in front of the thrower and on the sector line. After rotating 90-degrees, the thrower should have his/her hips and shoulders in line with the sector. This is the point when you want them to begin moving out of the back.

The movement should be a push with the left foot towards the cone and a sweep of the right foot. The right foot should remain open to the cone. The athlete should attempt to sweep the right leg forward and kick the cone down the line.

This drill is taken from coach Roberson’s instructional DVD. For more information about that DVD, click the link Rotational Progressions and Finish Mechanics for Shot Put and Discus

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are turned on. Click the arrow to play the video. Note that some schools block access to YouTube

Here are 7 great exercises High Jump Exercises with 5-Time Olympian Amy Acuff that you can use with your athletes.

In the video below Amy demonstrates at 9 different types of exercises designed to increase the strength, flexibility and mobility needed to be a successful high jumper.

Here is a list of the exercises:

1. Single Leg Hop Series – to strengthen the ankle and hip
2. Skips – helps develop the rhythm needed for the penultimate step
3.  Hanging Knee Drill – works on lig drive on the takeoff
4. Swiss Ball Hamstring Exercises – stretches 3 divisions of the hamstring
5. Swiss Ball Hip Exercises – increase hip mobility
6. Air Hurdles – stimulates the nervous system
7. Core Strength – two exercises: V-ups and Back Hypers w/Twist
8. 3 Step Pop-up w/ Med Ball – simulates the end of the approach
9. Freeze Depth Jumps

This video is part of a coaching course that can be found on CoachTube. For more information about this Free course click the link: Amy Acuff’s High Jump

The video below has audio, so please make sure that your speakers are on and the volume is turned up