Living in monotony and rigid lifestyle has made it essential to keep track of our vitals and take part in strenuous physical exercises that keep our heart rate up and improve our stamina. Physical activities may not provide instant or immediate benefits but dedicating a small percentage of time per day or week significantly develops your inclusive health and fitness levels. Getting a gym membership, running, walking, swimming, cycling, or treadmill usage is a common way to improve life productivity and wellbeing; however,r it is not the only way individuals can work out based on their preferences, habits, and hobbies. Some people prefer participating in athletics which is considered the mother of all physical activities and is a way of life, not just a category of sports. It is defined as a collection of sporting events that involve jumping, throwing, shooting, running, and shot put.
One of the well-known athletic activities involves putting or throwing a hemispherical ball in a track and field event. The athletes should throw the heavy ball or the shot as far as possible, covering a substantial distance. The shot put competition has been a significant part of the current Olympics and is propelled in a trajectory by pushing rather than throwing. According to the rules, the arms should not extend behind the shoulders during the pushing session, and the athletes should manage to cover a sizeable distance to maintain an upper hand in the game. The weight and mass of the men’s shot is around 7.2 6 KG or 16 pounds, and for the women’s shot, it is 4 kg or 8.82 pounds. The dimensions of the shot are 110 to 130mm in diameter and 95 to 110mm, respectively. Shot putters are available in all sizes, shapes, and dimensions. This game or activity can accommodate individuals of all physical capabilities and ages. A 60-year-old man, and an eight-year-old girl, can also participate in the shot put, but they would be allocated balls of different heaviness. The variations are all dependent on the athlete’s sex and age, and as far as the US competition is concerned, they only allow eight weights of shots. In addition, differently-abled individuals can also participate in the shot put with different sets of additional rules applied. The weights, dimensions, and mass threshold are laid out by the National Federation of State High School Associations, USA Track and Field, and the NCAA.
How Heavy Is Shot Put Ball?
The shot put is a spherical metal ball that weighs about 16lb. However, this differs according to the age and gender of the game players. For men, the ball weighs 16 pounds. For women, it weighs 8.8 pounds, which is 7.26kg. In middle schools and high schools, the weight of shot put is 4.0kg for male and female players. Boys under 12 years old use a shot put that weigh 6 pounds, and girls in middle school use a shot set that weighs 2.72kg (6 pounds), just like the boys their age.
Children 8 years and below use a shot put that weighs 4lb and as they grow older to about 9-12 years, use a shot put of 6lb as mentioned above. Boys at ages 13-14 upgrade to using a shot put ball of 8.8lb. The older a player gets, the increase in the weight of shot put the player uses.
Why Are Shot Putters So Big?
Shot putters can be so big because a player’s weight needs to correspond to the size and weight of the ball being lifted. Unlike a considerable person, a weak or slim person may find it quite difficult to lift the ball and throw it. Most often, shotputters are pretty big. People who are significant in size tend to develop an interest in playing shotput as it is a game that perfectly fits their size.
The heavier the implement l, the more severe or more significant the player, whereas the lighter the implement, the lighter the player. Anyone considering shot put may need to be substantial in size and strength.
What Is The Average Shot Put Distance?
The average shot put distance varies in gender; 55 feet is a decent throw for a shot put distance for a man. For a woman, 50 feet is a perfect throw, and above 50 feet is an excellent throw for a woman and is well impressive.
For young girls in high school, 30 feet is a good throw. A female who throws up to about 40 feet will make it to the state championship. The higher the female player throws, the more impressive for the team. If a high school boy throws 28 feet, it’s a good throw for a start. Above 35 feet may be considered an outstanding player.
Every international event has different items of equipment that are pertinent to enforce the conduct of the event. All the athletes must wear custom-designed shoes that provide grip and protection with minimum weight. Another list of items includes starting blocks used by sprinters and hurdlers, hurdles, and vaulting poles. Similarly, like any other throwing sports, there are specific rules and conduct to follow and overall weights and dimensions to be considered depending on the age category of the athlete.
Young athletUSATF organizes international competitions and tournaments for young children in different age groups of up to two years. The categories of age groups are determined by evaluating the child’s age at the start of the year. For children who are eight years of age or young, we advise using a 4.4 pounds shot. This weight gradually increases to 6 pounds for 9 to 12 years old. At the beginning of the teenage years, girls are provided with a 6-pound shot, while adolescent boys are required to use an 8.8-pound shot put. For 15 to 18-year-old athletes, the size, weight, and dimensions of the shot are similar to high school weight laid out by NFHS, in which boys throw a 12-pound shot while girls remain at 8.8 pounds.
Open age group athletes
Men must use a 16-pound shot, while women must use an 8.8-pound shot in the NCAA, Olympic, national or international competitions. For national and international events, junior men or athletes younger than 20 years oar are required to use a 13.2-pound shot at the start of the year.
Professionals
Shot put athletes who have significant experience in the field tend to compete among five different age groups. A middle-aged man from 30 to 49 years old must use a 16-pound shot as per the rules. Older age men, for example, 50-year-old athletes, are required to use a 13.2-pound weight. However, with their passing age, the weight of the shot gradually decreases by 2.2 pounds every decade. Men older than 60-year-old require an 11-pound shot, whereas older men of 70 years old are advised to use 8.8 pounds shot. Senior citizens or men over 80 years of age are recommended to use a 6.6 pounds shot. This was the threshold set for the older men. However, older age women are required to use an 8.8-pound shot until they reach the age of 50 years. After getting 50, the weight of the shot gradually plummets to 6.6 pounds, and for old age women up to 74 years of age, a shot of 6.6 pounds is appropriate. The weight of the shot further decreases down to 4.4 pounds for women older than 75 years of age.
Differently-abled athletes
For Paralympic events, the athletes are categorized based on keeping ability, sitting balance, trunk control, and the ability to stand and balance. The international Olympics rules for exceptional people to monitor the features of the wheelchairs and how well they are manufactured and secured for effective shot putting. Some specific regulations and guidelines determine if a Paralympic athlete can rise out of the wheelchair and stand by maintaining balance and equilibrium. Again, this is based on disability classification and is given standard-weight shot balls.
Specifications and characteristics of the shot put
In Outdoor events, the shots must be composed of bras or more complex material or metal. For indoor events, the shot put used must be made of plastic with the metal shell covering made of metal pellets. For large-scale competitions, the authorities analyze the shots and ensure they are according to the standards. It is essential to check that the shots in each weight category have the specified minimum and maximum diameter specifications. The smallest shot weighs 4.4 pounds and should be 80 to 90mm in diameter. The biggest shot weighs around 16 pounds and has a diameter range of 110 to 130 mm. The authorities and officials meticulously check and investigate the ball and make sure it is unblemished, has no dents, and is completely round as it would help in better control.
To begin shot putting, hold the shot at the base of your fingers and not the palm. Get into the starting position by pressing the shot towards the neck area just beneath the jaw. Keep the elbow high, so it appears aligned to the shoulders. If the shot drops below the shoulder during the put, it will be considered a foul. The left shoulder should be pointing towards the target, and the body should be facing the direction perpendicular to the shoulder. We should keep the feet wide apart, and the right leg should be bent so that the body automatically tilts backward. Twist the body as much as possible so that the face is in the opposite direction of the target. By accomplishing this, you have achieved the starting position. Once you are ready, you need to put a shot by pushing off the back foot and twisting your hips. Propel the shot to a distance of 45° angle. Try flicking your rest in a similar action to how you would throw a basketball or netball.
On this website, I will try to cover basic sports game rules. Additionally, I want to present the best athletes from US and Europe.
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