Field Events

Many are under the false impression to participate in track and field competition; one has to be a good distance runner or an incredibly fast sprinter. These qualities will definitely enhance the performance of some of the field events but they are not absolutely necessary. There are a long series of filed events that relay more on strength, agility and coordination rather than endurance and speed.

There are several such field events. One of which is the discuss throw. In this field event competition the athlete tosses a large disk to achieve the greatest distance. The athlete is expected to learn a spin that helps gain distance in the throw. A good discus thrower will work to actually develop their legs rather than arms. The momentum actually comes largely from the lower part of the body rather than the upper.

Something similar to the discus throw is the shot put. This requires the thrower to launch a spherical shaped metal ball forward. As with the discus throw, the athlete learns a spin movement, again to help achieve the greatest amount of distance. Similar to the discus throw, the shot put relies heavily on leg strength. Both throwing events have their origins in the ancient Greek Olympic makes them two of the oldest practiced field events.

Another of the old field events is the Javelin throw. This involves launching a spear forward after a long sprint. This sprint helps to get greater distance on the throw. The javelin has a long history as a hunting ritual. Javelin isn’t always allowed in competition as a field event due to potential danger it poses.

Those who want to get involved in athletics do not have to necessarily be the fastest or strongest runner. There are a series of field events that rely on strength and agility. The field events also require a fair amount of skill and conditioning for the entire body. Field events training offer many health benefits for the body and anyone interested is encouraged to give it a try.