Warming Up for Throws and Conditioning

A warm-up prepares your body and mind for the movements and effort required during training or competition. Athletics, often refences an acronym RAMP. RAMP stands for Raise, Activate, Mobilise and Potentiate: gradually raise your pulse, activate the working muscles, mobilise the relevant joints and rehearse increasingly powerful sport-specific movements.

Warm muscles and joints are better prepared for fast, powerful movements. However, warming up cannot prevent every injury. It should be combined with good technique, sensible training loads and appropriate recovery.

For throwers, warming up is particularly important because the event requires the whole kinetic chain to work together—from the feet and legs through the hips, core, shoulder and throwing arm.

The aim is simple: start the session ready to perform, rather than using the opening throws or exercises to become ready.

Allow approximately 10–15 minutes, or a little longer in cold weather.

1. Raise Your Pulse

Begin with 3–5 minutes of gentle continuous activity:

  • Brisk walking or marching.

  • Easy jogging.

  • Alternating step-ups.

  • Side steps.

  • Gentle heel flicks and high knees.

Start slowly and gradually increase the pace. You should feel warmer, but not tired or breathless.

2. Activate the Muscles

Wake up the muscles that will support the throwing movement:

  • Bodyweight squats.

  • Calf raises.

  • Shallow alternating lunges.

  • Resistance-band rows.

  • Light band external rotations.

  • Shoulder-blade squeezes.

Complete a small number of controlled repetitions. This is preparation, not a strength workout.

3. Mobilise the Joints

Use controlled movements to take the important joints through a comfortable range:

  • Ankle circles and ankle rocks.

  • Leg swings forwards and backwards.

  • Hip circles.

  • Walking lunges.

  • Controlled trunk rotations.

  • Arm circles in both directions.

  • Shoulder rotations.

Begin with small movements and gradually increase the range. Do not force a joint into an uncomfortable position.

4. Potentiate and Rehearse

The final stage should prepare you for the speed and movements of the main session.

Before Throws Training

  • Rehearse the throwing movement without an implement.

  • Practise turns, glides, crossover steps or delivery positions.

  • Begin with easy standing throws.

  • Gradually progress towards full throws.

  • Increase the speed and effort a little at a time.

Your first full throw should not be your hardest throw.

Before Competition

  • Use the same warm-up routine you have practised in training.

  • Gradually increase the speed of your drills.

  • Use practice throws to build towards competition effort.

  • Include a few moments of mental rehearsal and focus on one or two simple technical cues.

  • Keep moving and stay warm if the competition is delayed.

Do not use all your energy trying to produce your best throw during the warm-up.