The Discus

Table of Contents

• Origin
• Equipment
• Rules of the Game
• Characteristics of a Good Discus Thrower
• Additional Information

Origin

The discus is one of the competitions that did not have any relation to military exercises or farm work. It does have a long tradition, though, beginning with Homer's account of how the discus was one event in the games Achilles held to honor the dead Patroklos.

The discus in Greek mythology has been connected with numerous accidental killings. For instance, it is said that Apollo accidentally killed his friend Hyakinthos with the discus, when the Zephar blew it off its course.

Equipment

Archeological finds and a vase paintings indicate that the discus was originally made of stone, and then later made of iron, lead, or bronze.

The discus, like it is today, was circular with two convex curves in section, and had a large circumference. It ranged from 17 to 32 centimeters in diameter, and weigh from 1.3 to 6.6 kilograms.

Small wooden pegs marked a thrower's performance, and this was measured with rods.

Rules of the Game

Since the movements a man has to make to throw a discus are mainly dictated by nature, the way in which the discus was thrown does not differ very much from the way it is thrown today. In fact, the technique is very similar to that of the freestyle discus today.

To throw the discus well, an athlete would hold the discus high with one hand and support it with the other. He would then swing it forcefully down and forwards or from the side and behind forwards. This motion brings the muscles of the shoulder and shoulder-blades and of the chest and ribs into play.

The throwing of the discus was as follows: A right-handed discus-thrower stood with his left leg forward and the weight of his body on his right foot. He swung the discus up and down a few times, holding it in his right hand and supporting it with his left when it came above his head. Each time the discus swung down and behind him, he turned his body slightly to the right. After a few initial swings, the thrower tensed his knees as the discus was at the backward arc of the swing, transferred his weight from his right foot to his left, front foot, and threw the discus upwards and forwards, with a vigorous accelerating swing.

Characteristics of a Good Discus Thrower

The throwing of the discus weight called for rhythm, precision, and power.

Additional Information

Engraved scenes were inscribed on the discuses, sometimes pictures of athletes and often purely decorative in nature, with pictures of animals such as dolphins or birds. Also, inscriptions, poems, and even treaties were incised on discuses.

Unlike in mythology, not a single instance of an accident during the competition is reported, for spectators sat on the embankments.