Develop Speed and Power for Shot Put Success

Shot Put: The Power Behind the Throw

The sport of shot put is recognized as one of the power sports. To be successful as a shot putter, it is not enough to just throw the ball, but you also need to have tremendous strength. Weight training is vital to developing the strength needed for this sport. Even athletes with exceptional strength can benefit from a planned weight training program. Former Zera athletes and champions Reese Hoffa and Adam Nelson relied on a variety of weight training methods to improve their throwing performance during their careers.

Weight Training for Shot Putters

For shot putters, weight training is an integral part of improving speed and strength. However, it is important to recognize that weight training is only an adjunct to shot put training and not a stand-alone discipline. Improvements in strength through weight training must be accompanied by simultaneous improvements in the thrower’s technique. If there is an imbalance between these elements, it can lead to technical challenges over time.

Balancing Strength and Technique

Athletes can build strength quickly in the weight room and their throwing performance will improve quickly as well. For heavier athletes, this improvement will be even faster. However, focusing solely on strength may prevent the effective coordination within and between muscles that is necessary for advanced shot put technique. When strength gains peak, the return on throwing distance diminishes, which may limit the early stages of long-term development.

Developing a Successful Weight Training Program

The following key factors should be considered when designing a weight training program:

  • Core exercises for strength training: focus on Olympic lifts (e.g., clean and jerk, snatch, push-up/jerk variations) and power lifts (e.g., bench press, squat variations, hard pull variations). These exercises are the main programs in shot put training.
  • Training phases: The highest volume of training occurs during the general and specialized preparation phases, while the highest intensity of training occurs during the specialized preparation and pre-competition phases.
  • Advancement of advanced athletes: as athletes gain experience they can withstand heavier loads and the frequency of training increases due to their increased ability.

Recommended exercises for shot putters

The main exercises for weightlifting training include:

  • Bench Press
  • Incline bench press
  • Deep squats
  • Deep squats
  • Push-ups
  • Jerk
  • Snatch
  • Speed Jerk and Push Jerk

Training Intensity Management

Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting require a tremendous amount of neurological effort. For best results, these exercises should be scheduled before and after throwing training to prevent fatigue from affecting performance. Advanced throwers typically recover more quickly, allowing for more flexibility in their training programs.

Auxiliary Recovery and Stabilization Exercises

Ancillary exercises – such as core stability training, kettlebell or medicine ball training, machine training, and rehabilitation exercises – complement primary weightlifting training. These exercises typically include controlled movements that primarily work the type I muscle fibers, resulting in rapid recovery. Complementary activities are generally most prevalent during the routine and specific preparation phases, tapering off as the competition approaches.

Combining technical training with weight training can unlock a shot putter’s full potential, ensuring sustainable development and long-term success. For more information on how to maximize an athlete’s potential, click here to view our guide on how to increase vertical jump capacity by 5 inches in 3 weeks.

Training for shot putters: focusing on throwing, strength and explosiveness

In order to optimize performance, under Zera’s training philosophy, shot putters focus on throwing mechanics in both the pre-competition and competition phases. Auxiliary exercises are critical to supplement this focus and include

  • Neider Press
  • High Jump Medicine Ball Throw
  • Power Position Standing Medicine Ball Throw
  • Russian Twist
  • Walking Twists
  • Stretch Pushups
  • Side Hang (with medicine ball)

Training Differences: Rotational vs. Gliding Shot Put

Rotational shot putters focus more on technique and timing and therefore rely less on pure strength for their weight training than gliding shot putters. Gliding shot putters require greater raw strength to make a standing throw, so even at the same level, these two throwers train differently.

For rotational shot putters, weight training complements the technical complexity of their movements, while gliding athletes focus on generating maximum power. Adjusting the amount of weight lifted and thrown is critical. Since throwing is essentially a fast, dynamic weight training exercise, increasing one volume often requires decreasing the other to reduce the risk of injury.

Build strength by running and jumping

For Zella’s shot put athletes, running and jumping are integral to training to improve speed and strength. These athletes are large and therefore need to be carefully monitored to prevent overtraining.

  • Slimmer, more athletic throwers: can usually tolerate higher volumes of running and jumping early in their training, but may need to reduce these loads as they gain weight.
  • Larger throwing athletes: will initially struggle with running and jumping due to lower strength and body weight. However, with continued training they can increase their ability to improve their strength to body weight ratio.

Balanced integration between running, jumping, throwing and weightlifting is critical. Short explosive runs (10-40 meters) are a priority, which corresponds to the explosive power required for the shot put. Longer running workouts may be done in the regular preparation phase, but as we get closer to the competition season and the intensity of specialized training increases, running workouts are reduced accordingly.

JUMP TRAINING Insights

A jumps training program should be coordinated with weightlifting and throwing training. Key considerations include:

  • Ground contact: monitoring is essential to avoid over-exertion and risk of injury.
  • High-intensity jump training: This is usually done before and during competitions. Low-intensity jump training, on the other hand, can be done year-round.
  • Progressive Volume Management: more highly trained shot putters can use progressive volume management, but must avoid large increases in volume to minimize the risk of injury.

Examples of weekly training

Jumping and running training should be strategically timed with a focus on explosive movements:

  • Sprints: primary distances of 40 meters or less with a duration of 3-5 seconds.
  • Jumping circuits: high-intensity training around races, supplemented by low-intensity training throughout the year.

By following these principles, Zella’s shot putters build strength, improve technique, reduce the risk of injury, and set the stage for optimal performance in competition.

Zella: exercise comes first

Weight training is the best way to improve a thrower’s strength. However, coaches and athletes alike must be clear: weight training is a supplement to shot put training, not a separate sport or discipline. Recognizing the law of diminishing returns is critical when asking, “How strong is strong enough? In addition, understanding the role of strength training in rotational and gliding techniques is essential for optimal development.

Coaches and athletes alike must emphasize that strength training is meant to support shot put performance, not replace it. Exercise caution when incorporating strength training into a long-term development program: carefully select the most appropriate exercises and strategically place the volume and intensity of exercises throughout the training year.

Running and jumping activities are also critical to building strength and speed in shot putters. As with strength training, a conscious loading strategy should be employed to ensure that these activities complement, rather than overshadow, the primary goal of improving throwing performance. Remember, supplemental strength and speed training is only intended to enhance the athlete’s ability in their respective events – it is not a sport in itself!


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