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One of the technical aspects athletes need to master is the release angle in the discus. Throw the discus at an angle too low and it will quickly fall to the ground. Throw the discus at an angle that is too high and it will lob up and down instead of going for distance.
Therefore, athletes must train themselves to release the discus at an optimal angle so that the discus will travel as far as possible.
What is the best throwing angle for the discus?
The ideal angle to release the discus is at 32-37 degrees.
Why should athletes aim for this angle range?
The discus will travel at the velocity of its release. Based on the velocity and the angle that the discus is released, the discus will travel further. So it is possible for a discus competitor to beat another competitor by throwing at a lower velocity, but a more optimal throwing angle, which allows them to get greater distance.
More insights can be seen in this study.
What if the athlete is already throwing at an optimal projection angle?
If this is the case, the athlete needs to develop the projection speed once the discus is released. So the athlete will need to develop their strength and speed release at the projection angle in order to increase the velocity of the discus once it has been released.
You can watch the video below where there’s a comparison of the discus throwing angles and the changes in distance.
This video below also explains how to correctly adjust the discus throwing angle correctly.
Additional resources & references
Discus Throwing – Digital Track and Field
Want to practice your discus throwing technique?
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