COMPARISON OF WORLD ELITE AND JAPANESE ELITE THROWERS IN THE DISCUS THROW

The aim of this study is to clarify the differences between world elite and Japanese elite throwers in the discus throw by comparing their hip-shoulder and shoulder-arm separation angles. The performances of 12 male world elite discus throwers (the World group) and 12 male Japanese elite discus throwers (the National group) were analysed. The hip-shoulder and shoulder-arm separation through the throwing motion were greater in the World group than in the National group. In the World group, the hip-shoulder separation reached its local maximum at the middle of 2nd single support phase, and the shoulder-arm separation reached its local maximum around left-foot touchdown to the ground; whereas in the National group, the former reached its local maximum in the first half of 2nd single support phase, and the latter reached its local maximum in the middle of the delivery phase. Although the shoulder led hip in both the World and National groups, the shoulder led the arm in the National group and the arm led the shoulder in the World group at release. These results showed that the World group released the discus in front of the shoulder while utilising the kinematic-chain appropriately, while the National group released the discus with the arm still trailing behind the shoulder