Per Person

Weight lifting – applicable to all track and field events, or is most helpful in shot put, javelin, hammer, and discus training? Yes, it would make sense for weightlifting to be very beneficial for throwers, the more concentrated strength and power events, however weightlifting should not be incorporated into and athlete's training based on whether or not they do a certain event.

All track and field athletes should lift weights, only the intensity of their weight training should be decided by event, but even more so by body type, age, and structure. Weightlifting strengthens muscles that support the frame of the body, specifically the knee, hip, and ankle joints that are most stressed by runners, jumpers and throwers.

Circle Time

The best way to learn the discus is step by step, or turn by turn. Discus throwing drills in the teaching progression include:

• Discus swing
• Discus bowling
• Standing throw
• Quarter turn
• Half turn
• Full turn
• Wheel drill
• South African drill
• Full throws

Let the Professionals Handle It

If you want to do the multi events (the pentathlon, heptathlon, or decathlon), or have your athletes compete in them, would you do all of the event coaching yourself, regardless of your event specialty, or would you have the athlete split their time with more specialized coaches?

If the head coach or primary coach or can coordinate schedules for the athlete and the other coaches, it is best to allow the multi event athletes to be exposed to a range of specific coaching and varied coaching styles. For instance, wouldn't it be best for a high jump coach to teach the athletes to jump rather than have the discus coaching done by the high jump coach?

The Test of Time