1)Identifying Potential Javelin Throwers

1)Identifying Potential Javelin Throwers

Javelin Development

1)Identifying Potential Javelin Throwers

2)Understanding Leverage and Conservation of Momentum

3)Special Strength Development and Injury Prevention

4)Advanced Technical Considerations

5)Advanced Training Considerations

Identifying Potential Javelin Throwers

  1. Flexibility considerations

Examples: gymnasts, hurdlers, high jumpers, swimmers

  1. Special strength considerations

Examples: gymnasts, swimmers, wrestlers, athletes with a martial arts background

  1. Agility and blocking ability

Examples: soccer players, soccer goalies, place kickers, hurdlers, high jumpers

  1. Speed considerations

Examples: hurdlers, long jumpers, sprinters, soccer players

  1. Throwing ability

Examples: soccer goalies, baseball/ softball players, quarterbacks

Understanding Leverage and Conservation of Momentum

  1. Throwing over center of gravity

Drills: double arm wall drill, single arm wall drill, alternate wall drill, one or two hand square throws with medicine ball, turbo javelin, or javelin

*repetition and volume is the key to developing awareness. Work up to 250-300 reps on the wall drills 2-3 times a week

  1. Stability – throwing base

Drills: squares throws, wide base one steps

  1. Throwing through the tip/ eliminating rotation

Drills: pole drill, basketball throws, tunnel throws, pullies, reverse pulls

*Establish consistency in drills then mix javelin throwing in with the drills.

Special Strength Development and Injury Prevention

  1. Shoulder development

Drills: Wall drills (double and single arm, alternates, rainbows)slam ball drills, reverse pulls, reverse throws, dumbbell draw backs

*When doing wall sets, make sure an equal number of reps is done on both the right and left side. About 25% of all drills should be done in the reverse direction.

  1. C – position development

Drills: Squares, boxes, pullies, hose drags, weighted run throughs

*Posture is the key! Master the more rudimentary or less demanding drills before trying more advanced drills. If a drill cannot be done with perfect posture, don’t do it!

  1. Cross over strength

Drills: Uphill run throughs, weighted runthroughs, hose drags, run throughsw/ sled pull

*Again posture is the key! Cross over work should be done 3-4 times a week and can be done on non throwing days.

  1. General core strength

Drills: plate drills (reach backs, halos, plate swings, plate chops, plate twists, plate walk) lay backs, roll outs, swing outs, bar twists, gymnastics (wall feet and hand walks, roothogs, pushups, pull ups, ring/bar dips, muscle ups, ring extensions, ring/bar leg lifts, ring/ bar leg ups, bar/ ring rotations

*Special strength and over all body strength must be developed before weight room strength in the beginner javelin thrower. There is no need for a javelin thrower in their first 1-3 years of throwing to lift weights if strength is developed through gymnastic and core strength work. Develop a strength plan including 3 days a week of gymnastic drills and two days a week of additional general core strength drills.

  1. Flexibility

Drills: partner stretches, gravity assistance

Additional Considerations for the Novice Javelin Thrower

  1. Gripping the javelin

Finnish grip, American grip, fork grip

  1. Learn to fly the javelin

*Use the first 1/3 to ½ of your season to develop special strength and ingrain the idea of throwing over the center of gravity without rotation. Once the athlete is comfortable and consistent in his/her drill, start learning to fly the javelin. Take 20-30 reps of very low effort throws for minimal distance, 2-3 times a week. Make sure the athlete focuses on alignment and throwing over the center of gravity.

Advanced Technical Considerations

  1. Posture

*Poor posture during any phase of the throw will make performing all other technical elements difficult if not impossible and can lead to injury. Watch for the relationship of the shoulders to the hips and feet during all phases.

  1. Draw backs

Drills: target drawbacks, walking draw backs, jogging draw backs, weighted draw backs, hose drags

  1. Approach development
  1. Acceleration phase

*Determine how your athlete with accelerate out of the back (upright or drive acceleration). A full upright running posture must be achieved before the transition.

Drills: Sprint drills (e.g. A, B, and C skips, straight leg bounding, ankle and knee over’s, high knees, skips for height and distance) run drawbacks

  1. Transition

* Make sure the athlete maintains good posture, transitions the hips all the way through, and draws back smoothly into the correct position consistently. A right handed thrower should transition on the right foot.

Drills: two step transition drill

  1. Cross Over’s

*The three goals during the cross over’s are: Maintain speed; maintain control of your body and javelin, set up the block. Maintain speed by maintaining good posture, running with light steps and increasing footfall frequency. Maintain control by staying relaxed and preparing your body with special strength conditioning. Set up the block by maintain posture, crossing over with the feet close to the ground and by staying relaxed.

Drills: Run draw backs, weighted run throughs, uphill runs throughs, hose drags

  1. Determining the number of steps

*The number of cross over steps should not exceed 7 with 5 being optimal for most athletes. The number in the acceleration phase will be determined by the type of acceleration used (upright or drive) and the speed the athlete is able to handle at a given time. Determine the natural number of steps by doing numerous run throughs without and with throwing but without a toe board early in the season. Watch for trends within each athlete. Most athletes will trend to a consistent number of steps which will be your starting point when you move to the runway. If the athlete doesn’t show a trend additional work will be needed on phase mechanics. Develop a consistent approach length by using a check mark at the cross over step and at the left foot block.

  1. Left Arm Block

*Make sure the left arm blocks without rotation with the elbow tight to the rib cage. Make sure there is no rotation.

Drills: pullies, weighted left arm drills

  1. “Soft step”

*The purpose of the soft step is to enable all the energy from the approach to transfer into the left leg block. An effective soft step will also allow the right hip to rotate forward into the throw. In order for these two things to happen, the right knee must drop immediately upon contact with ground. Any delay will slow the thrower’s momentum and delay the rotation of the right hip.

Drills: One step off a low box,3 step off a box, downhill throws, sand throws,

  1. Left leg block

Drills: bungie plants, downhill throws

  1. Rhythm

*Rhythm is the key to consistent throwing. An athlete’s rhythm must be the same through all drills and throws although temp can change. The rhythm of a javelin throw is unique with the rhythm of the acceleration phase different from that of the cross over’s.

Drills: gallop throws, cross over’s over cones

Advanced Training Considerations: Developing a Training Plan

  1. Improve speed
  1. Improve sprint form with sprint drills 2-3 times a week plus core strength development 5 times a week
  2. Improve sprint conditioning with intervals 2-3 times a week
  3. Improve lower body strength in the weight room with squats, Olympic lifts, RDL’s, lunges, etc.
  1. Improve Agility
  1. Improve posture and core strength 5 days a week
  2. Plyometric training 2-3 times a week
  3. Javelin technique specific drills 2-3 times a week
  1. Improve power output
  1. Improve postural strength through core work 5 days a week
  2. Develop base strength in the weight room
  3. Improve technical efficiencies through technical work 3 times a week
  1. Improve technical efficiency
  1. Develop special strength 3-4 times a week
  2. Work on approach components 3 times a week
  3. Throwing drills 3 times a week (50-80 reps depending on the drills and athlete)
  4. Javelin throwing 3 times a week (20-40 reps depending on the intensity, time of the year and athlete). Practice throws should all be sub maximal efforts in the range of 50-80% effort.
  1. Putting it together: Neuro days
  1. 2-3 Neuro days a week
  2. At least one day off between neuro practices
  3. Activities: sprints, plyos, full speed approaches, heavy lifts, intense throwing days (typically only during the last part of the competition season), competition
  1. Putting it together: Recovery days
  1. 3-4 days a week
  2. Activities: core development (gymnastics, hurdle drills, plate and medicine ball drills), recovery aerobic activities, sprint drills, special assistance lifting, low intensity throwing
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