Coach ,

As you know there are two prevailing techniques for the shot put: the spin and the glide.

And there are few better coaches of the glide technique for developing athletes than René Sack.

Coach Sack has been the German national coach for the women’s discus since 2016. Before that, he was also a national junior coach for the discus throw and hammer throw. 

Technical Progression

Technical Progression

Coach Sack considers the glide shot put’s technical progression training as a pyramid. At the pyramid’s base are basic and special throws.

These are all of the medicine ball throws, kettlebell throws, and other exercises that make your athletes get a basic feel for various aspects of the throw, as well as provide core and strength stability training. 

Coach Sack says the next rung of the pyramid should be implement-handling/standing throw training, which will break down the glide technique into different segments that will tell the athlete what they should be feeling in each phase of the movement. 

The next rung up in the training pyramid will be to add throws with pre-acceleration, which will help to build on rhythm. 

At the top of the pyramid is the competition technique, which simulates what the complete technique will be when the actual competition is taking place. 

Where To Put

Where to Put

Coach Sack notes that, if we were to envision the neck as a clock (with the adam’s apple at six o’clock and the back of one’s back at twelve o’clock), most spin coaches would have their athletes holding at about ten o’clock.

But the glide technique is vastly different. Coach Sack suggests that athletes should be holding the shot at about seven o’clock on their neck, in a position where it sits above the athlete’s clavicle bone and tucked beneath their chin.

This is because if the right leg is in the right position during the glide shot’s execution, the chest will open up, which will naturally cause the arm (and shot) to separate from the body.  

In addition, holding the shot further back will force the arm to remain flexed and tight throughout the throw, rather than the throw starting relaxed.

Lifting Drill

Lifting Drill

Coach Sack believes that the most effective powerlifting exercise for glide shot put throwers is the power clean. 

Many aspects of the power clean relate to the actual glide throw, in terms of which muscles are being used at what phases of the lift. 

Coach Sack’s ‘Glide Shot Put’ clinic reveals keys that he used as a world-class athlete and as a coach to master the glide shot put. 

Never get out coached,

Coaches Clinic Community of Coaches Helping Coaches