How does screaming help Olympic “throwers”?

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I notice that “throwers” of the shot put, discus, hammer throw etc. let out a big scream as they finish their throw. How much does it help, is it “necessary”, and would there be a big difference in result if they didn’t scream?

In: Physics

5 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Everything I know is purely anecdotal from years of running track. When throwers throw, they essentially contract a bunch of muscles in their body to propel the object they are throwing forward. This might cause some air to escape their lungs and create the scream sound. Though, some throwers will scream immediately after their throw and I don’t really have any explanation for this other than superstition or habit.

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