Essential Practice Drills

Weekly Practice Sessions:  

1.  Mondays = Javelin Practice

2. Tuesdays = Runway Practice

3. Wednesdays = Med Ball Practice

4. Thursdays = Javelin Rehearsal Practice/Flight

5.  Fridays = Optional in-season weight room

6.  Saturdays = Optional extra technique practice 

If there isn't a meet scheduled on a particular week,  then Thursday is the 2nd Javelin Practice of the week.  If there is a Friday or Saturday Meet, then Thursday is a Javelin Rehearsal Practice!

In order to have success in throwing the javelin, you must master various movements and throwing positions that make up three phases (Approach, Transition, Throw):

1. APPROACH: Successful javelin throwers have a slow to fast approach where the number of steps are measured to avoid crossing the foul board.  Therefore, you must practice the approach many times at school (and home) to be able to master the approach so that it is consistently the same with every competitive throw. 

2. TRANSITION (Crossover Steps):  During the approach, the javelin is gripped properly and withdrawn from the over the shoulder carry to a straight arm "reach back". You must master the turning of your shoulders, the setting of both arms into the proper positions, and execute an impulse lift step while keeping your approach speed fast. 

3. THE THROW:  The release of the javelin is very fast.  The fast release is the result of a chain of body movements (kinetic chain) beginning with your legs, followed by your hips, shoulders, arms, and throwing hand.  Like a leather whip or fly fishing rod, your push off foot is the base and your hand is the tip.  The muscles In your throwing arm are passive!  

The best time to learn how to throw the javelin, or to continue improving your javelin technique, is during preseason and/or postseason through membership in a Track Club or on your own.  Once the regular season begins, then trying to learn proper technique, while competing in weekly meets is very challenging!  It’s like ‘Building the Plane, while Flying It”.

This ‘Javelin Elite’ website is best designed for throwers, who are javelin only athletes that can devote every practice to technique work during the season. 

For multi-event track & field athletes, who have to train for their other track & field events, it may not be ideal.  Therefore, this ‘Essential Javelin Workout’ page is designed for those multi-event athletes, and for veteran throwers, who have mastered most of the proper techniques.  

Essential Javelin Practice:   

I.  Jog & Stretch    

II. Daily 5 Routine (3 to 5 reps done correctly*): 

1. Styx Drills 

2. Stretch Cord Drills

3. Sockball/Med Ball Drills

4. Rope Snaps  

5. Towel Throws

6. If available, do above drills on a hillside gentle slope. 

III.  Runway Drills (3 to 5 reps done correctly*):  

1. A Skips, B Skips, C Skips

2. High Knees

3. Crossovers

4. Hop & Block (steps =  Impulse to Penultimate Step & Block)

5. Drum Beat Drill: Repeat Crossovers & Impulse Steps (right handed thrower steps = rt left rt Impulse, rt left rt Impulse, repeat)

6. Full Approach to Impulse & Float (run out, no throw, keep shoulders at 90 degree turn)

7. Javelin Carry Drills (high knees, repeat crossovers, repeat impulse, 3 count to impulse float).

8. Sand Pit Drills 

IV. Net/Med Ball Drills (3 to 5 reps done correctly*):  

1. Two hands overhead; knee in/hip turn - chest punch throw.

2. C to D throws + hip hinge; B to D throws + hip hinge; A to D throws + hip hinge (standing)

3. Sockball Slams (8 steps right handed thrower = rt left rt left rt Impulse rt left block Hinge & Skate) 

4. Target Throws (5 yards, 10 yards, add 5 yard increments and hit the target with sockball)

5. Banks/Petranoff 12 o'clock Drills

6. Full Approach & Throw (sockball)

V.  Flight Drills with javelin (3 steps and  8 steps done correctly*): 

1. 'Spear Fish' (also called pegging or picking - throwing the javelin into the ground) - Feet together, split feet, walking, bouncy chest forward pegs with spin release.

2. 8 Steps Pegs to a target  count & 1 & 2 & 3 & throw to target with spin release.

3. 8 Steps Flight Shelve (Nail It!) 

* One set, or more, if needed to achieve proficiency  & muscle memory.

'Daily 5' detailed:

1.  Styx Drill (done on a gradual hillside slope): 

A Position: Assume correct ready to throw position;  

B Position: Rotate Knee In/Heel Out and throwing elbow up while sliding onto front block leg (hips will turn from 45 degrees to 0 degrees square to target; shoulders, at the same time, will turn from 90 degrees to 45 degrees;  

C Position: While holding the lower body B Position block, turn your shoulders from 45 degrees to 0 degrees square to target and add a shoulder tilt.  Pinch your shoulder blades together and keep throwing arm stretched behind;  

D Position: Hinge at the waist while keep left leg straight and back leg fixed. Use your throwing shoulder to fling the arm forward and release the STYX beyond your block foot.

E Position:  Ride your straight block leg up and lift your back leg straight up into the 'Skate' position.

F Position:  From the E position, continue forward to a 2 step finish recovery position.

2.  Stretch Cord:

• A to B - Set the proper amount of cord slack, then assume the A Position. Then slide into the B Position and hold that position for three seconds.  

• B to C - Release the position and reset the cord slack, then assume the B Position and rotate your body into the C Position and hold that position for 3 seconds. 

• C to D - Release that position and  reset the cord slack, then assume the C Position and hinge forward to the D Position (throwing hand above/beyond the block foot. Hold the position for 3 seconds. 

• A to C - Reset the amount of cord slack, then assume the A Position and step forward into the C Position

3.  Sockball Slams:

• 3 Step Slam - Left Step Impulse, heel click, and waist hinge to skate plus two step finish.

4.  Snaps with Rope:  

• 3 Step snap (if available, add above head target to hit.

5.  Towel Toss - 8 Step Towel Throw

6.  Full Approach & Throw (sockball)

In order to do the various javelin learning drills, you need to have certain training equipment items!  

• Spiked athletic shoes (preferably javelin shoes with short and long spikes that can be used on grass or synthetic runway;  for grass only, baseball/soccer/softball/football spikes will work).

• PVC pipe or broom stick for Styx Drills.

• Surgical tubing for Stretch Cord Drills.

• Med balls for Medball Practice.

• Large diameter rope for Rope Drills.

• Hand towel for Towel Drills.

• Appropriate Distance/Flex rated javelins