Are you a track and field athlete looking to maximize your throwing performance? One key aspect to focus on is mobility. To excel in disciplines like discus, hammer throw, and shot put, athletes need optimal mobility in crucial areas. These include the shoulders, spine, hips, and ankles. We work with top athletes around the world in all of these disciplines all of which are doing these 5 mobility exercises for throwers! Get better distance and more accuracy by incorporating these into your regular routine.
Why These Areas?
Improving mobility in the shoulders, spine, hips, and ankles is crucial for track and field throwers. Ideal mobility in these areas allows athletes to achieve a greater range of motion. This is essential for generating power and torque during throwing motions. Let’s break it down by area:
- Excellent shoulder mobility lets athletes achieve proper positioning and alignment. This maximizes the transfer of force from the lower body to the implement.
- A mobile spine allows for efficient rotation. Rotational flexibility allows throwers to generate rotational force and transfer energy effectively.
- Improved hip mobility enhances the athlete’s ability to engage the lower body muscles. Better use of your lower body allows for better transfer of energy from the ground up through the kinetic chain.
- Lastly, ankle mobility ensures stability and proper balance. Plus, it helps you get your hip and leg into the best driving position possible. This inevitably unlocks the best alignment possible throughout the throwing motion.
By focusing on improving mobility in these key areas, track and field throwers can unlock their full potential achieving greater distance and accuracy in their throws. Here are our five favorite dynamic mobility exercises to enhance your range of motion and power up your throws:
1. Thoracic Rotations
Why It’s Important: Thoracic rotations improve rotational mobility in the spine, essential for generating power and torque during throwing motions. Enhanced thoracic mobility allows athletes to achieve a greater range of motion and generate more force from their upper body.
2. Arm Sweeps
Why It’s Important: Arm sweeps promote flexibility and mobility in the shoulders which is crucial for the full range of motion required in throwing events. Improved shoulder mobility enables athletes to achieve optimal positioning during the throwing motion, leading to greater distance and accuracy in their throws.
3. Twisted Angels
PRO TIP: This exercise is particularly great for shot put as you can imagine holding the ball while getting your shoulder into a better position.
Why It’s Important: Twisted angels target rotational mobility in the spine and hips, essential for generating rotational force during throwing movements. By improving mobility in these areas, athletes can enhance their ability to rotate efficiently and transfer power from the lower body to the upper body during the throwing motion.
4. Ankle Mobilization
Why It’s Important: Ankle mobilization exercises target the ankles, a critical area for stability and force transmission in throwing events. Improved ankle mobility enables athletes to maintain proper balance and alignment throughout the throwing motion, maximizing the transfer of power from the lower body to the implement.
5. Scorpions
Why it’s important: Scorpions incorporate shoulder, pec, and spine mobility. Targeting thoracic spine mobility helps you improve your shoulder position. This will help unlock your spine allowing for better follow through and more power.
Watch This Video All About Mobility Exercises For Throwers!
Incorporating these five mobility exercises into your training routine can help you unlock your full potential as a track and field thrower. Remember to perform each exercise with control and focus on proper form to reap the maximum benefits. Stay mobile, stay powerful, and watch your throws soar!
Check out how to Drive Through Your Throws!
Looking For More Snap?
It comes from improved hip mobility. Not being able to open fully through the front of your hip is going to block your block! Do this 4 week hip focused program to alleviate tightness in your hips. This will alleviate low back pain (if you’re having any) and help you throw even further. Use MDRx Hip Mobility for Throwers.
Athlete Highlights
Congratulations to Rachel Fatherly, T’Mond Johnson, and Nik Curtiss! These Mobility-Doc athletes competed this past weekend at USA Track and Field Indoor Championships!
