TRACK AND FIELD: Aspects of strength, power and speed in shot put training

• * This paper was gleaned from a survev of long-term theoretical research and practical ob.servations in the ihrows area. The research was conducted belween 1976-80 al The .Sport Insiitule in Poznan, Poland by myself, Prof. E. Wachowski, W. Osinski', Phd. R. Slrzelczyk, Phd, A. Winkler, M.A. and G. Jarecki. M.A. The iheoretical observations were accented by my years of coaching, both in Poland and at The (. anadian High Perfoi-mance Cenire for Track and Field al The University of Toronio. During this period of practical applicaiion I have discovered thai the theories of iraining thai were created, tested and modelled in the laboratory are still valid and arc being emphasized in modern-day shot put training. Much like the man who walks lo work each day by the same route, yet is so intent on making his destination on lime he is unaware of the great works of art he passes during the course of his route, coaches are often guilty of the same myopic vision and ignore what is right before their eyes. In our effort to help our athletes achieve greater and greater results we sometimes ignore the common-sensical approaches lo Iraining, which with hindsight seem embarrassingly obvious. A case in point is the use of weighl training in the development of shot putters. Everyone involved in the sport would agree weighl training is necessary and you would find almost universal acceptance that the main exercises used by shot putter are;