Foam Javelins

[Jim]

Alright all,

What's everyones thoughts on the foam javelins. Our young athletes group (U11, U13 & U15) have been competing in sportshall athletics matches and have been using the foam javelins a lot. They've now come outside and a lot of them are petrified of the real thing! They worry about hitting themselves with the javelin and so don't commit to the throw making the chances of actually hitting themselves much higher!! Anyone got any bright ideas how to make them more comfortable with the javelins?

[SCater]

introduce them to turbo javs....plastic version of the foam ones. this will give the youngsters a feel for the weight..plus you can use games with them to improve technique

more info about the turbo jav can be found here
www.geocities.com/jabalina_2y/INDICE_TZONE.html

[motherhen]

OK you have actually two issues to deal with. Athletes when they move up from foam javelins are scared of either the length of the new javelin or the weight.

Length depends to be the most common issue as they dont know how to control it. There are many progressions available:-

"Long" foam javelins - help control the length of a real javelin but still very light.

Turbo javelin - I prefer the petrnoff ones as there more durable, suitable for left handers and are better weighted but whilst they help woth the weight they dont help with control.

Long Tom Turbo Javelin - New out and quite expenses but these are available in 500g / 600g weights are longer in length helping develop control and get youngster use to the weight. Whilst still being bright plastic. They also fly similarly to a real javelin (I tested them as soon as they arrived ;D)

Also ensure you build in basic control drills and perhaps some mobility exercises (depending on group size) using the javelin. Its about making the athlete feel comfortable with them rather than it being a big scary piece of metal!

Making throwing more game based using targets etc. may also help as it will distract the athlete. A younger athlete will think intially about hitting the target rather than the throw. It sometimes works that because there relaxing they throw better which helps confidence etc.

Targets have loads of uses. Using targets will help develop a straight pull through and give training a focus for example. I've thrown many a PB aiming for a cone in a field. Nobody had told me it was put past my PB afterall.

Hope this helps a little

Motherhen