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Overview

The shot put is a track and field throwing event in which the athlete accelerates a metal ball (the shot) across the throwing circle — using either a glide or spin technique — before releasing it from the shoulder with full extension of the throwing arm. The thrower drives across the circle with the legs and hips, transferring momentum through the trunk into the arm, and releases the shot at an angle that balances height and distance. Distance depends on release speed, release angle and height, and how efficiently the lower body’s momentum transfers into the throw. Biomechanical analysis of the shot put can address foot-off and foot-down timing across the circle, trunk and hip-shoulder separation, arm position and trunk lean at release, and release speed, height, and angle.

Dimensions

Required inputs for processing are not yet defined. When supported, typical dimensions may include:
  • handedness: the handedness of the athlete [‘left’, ‘right’], which determines throw direction and rotation

Output Variables

Generic Outputs

Every capture includes session metadata, standard joint angle/velocity time series, and 3D keypoint positions common to all movements. See Generic Outputs for the full list.

Events

Phases and Stages of the Shot Put

Discrete Metrics

Notes

  • Kinematic data typically captured at 240Hz