Medicine Ball Drills for Throwing Events (Video)

Posted by Boo Schexnayder



In the video below, Coach Boo Schexnayder introduces two medicine ball drills designed to teach upper and lower body mechanics in the throwing events. These drills are simple and easy to follow, allowing the thrower to focus on basic mechanics during each phase of the throw.

 

 

This exercise is designed to teach basic upper and lower body mechanics and the proper integration of the two.

 

* Related article:  Upper Body Mechanics in the Throws

* Related article:  Lower Body Mechanics in the Throws

 

–The exercises are all double arm throws done with medicine balls.

–The simplicity of the double arm ball throw enable the thrower to focus on basic mechanics and eliminates any distraction the strike may cause.

–The first drill is a kneeling square push.

–The term square refers to the fact that the throw begins with the shoulder square to the direction of the throw.

–This exercise enables teaching of the proper physical positioning of the ball with respect to the thrower’s body throughout the throw. 

–It also introduces the concept of the strike occurring late after the ball is initiated in the body’s core.

–In this exercise, the thrower kneels with the ball at the chest with the arms and wrists flexed.  

–The thrower rocks back a bit and then moves forward a bit so that the ball is already moving forward when struck.

–The key point here is teaching the thrower to strike a moving ball.

–The strike is a pushing movement with the thumbs directed downward as the wrists extend at release.

–Drill two is a kneeling square overhead forward throw.

–The premise of this drill is identical to the previous one but an overhead throw takes the place of the push.

–The ball is positioned high and just behind the head.

–Note that on all our overhead forward throw work, that the forearms are turned outward slightly so that the elbows are wider than the shoulders and wrists and the elbows are flexed slightly.

 

* Coaching Resource:  Teaching Progressions for the Throwing Events

 

–Striking a moving ball as the thrower rocks forward again is a key point. 

–Note the pronation and that the thumbs are directed downward at release.

–Here the idea of preserving positional relationships is introduced by making sure the ball does not lag excessively as the thrower rocks forward. 

 

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Boo Schexnayder - Irving “Boo” Schexnayder is regarded internationally as one of the leading authorities in training design, bringing 39 years of experience in the coaching and consulting fields. Regarded as one of the world’s premier field event coaches, he was the mastermind behind 19 NCAA Champions during his collegiate coaching career. Schexnayder has also been a prominent figure on the international scene, having coached 11 Olympians, and has served on coaching staffs for Team USA to the 2003 Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, the 2006 World Junior Championships in Beijing, and was the Jumps Coach for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Prior to his collegiate and international career, Schexnayder was a successful mathematics teacher and prep coach at St. James High School for 11 years, coaching football, track and field, and cross country. The Vacherie, La., native was class valedictorian at St. James High in 1979, and earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Nicholls State University. He graduated cum laude with a B.S. in physical education in 1983 and later added a master’s degree in administration and supervision in 1988, again earning cum laude honors.

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