Maybe you haven't seen a shot put since high school track and field or gym glass. It might not be something you'd think of as a good workout, but you might change your mind when you learn that throwing a shot put burns hundreds of calories. It also helps tone and define many of the muscles in your body. Incorporating shot put into your regular routine mixes things up a little and keeps you from getting bored with the same old workout.
Muscles Worked
Most of the exercises done with a shot put work the muscles in your upper body, including your arms, shoulders, back and core. For those that require stepping motions, you also activate your legs and hips, though not to the same degree as your upper body. Building these muscles makes many of your day-to-day activities like carrying groceries or pushing a stroller so much easier. As your muscles get stronger, other forms of exercise become easier too.
Calories Burned
You already know that exercise is a vital part of weight loss. If you want to include shot put exercises into your routine for weight loss, consider how many calories it burns then use that info to balance your diet with your routine. In general, a 150-pound woman burns about 400 calories per hour doing shot put throws. While this is a pretty good number, you're probably not going to want to throw a shot put for an entire hour. Balance it with other types of exercise to ensure that you're burning enough calories to lose weight.
Benefits
Beside the potential weight loss benefits of throwing a shot put, it also helps increase lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass boosts your metabolism, helping you burn more calories. Staying at a healthy weight helps protect against many health problems. Throwing a shot put also increase core strength, which can help improve balance. Combine a shot put workout with other forms of exercise for the most benefit.
Creating a Routine
To get the most benefit from a shot put routine, include a variety of exercises. This challenges your muscles in new and different ways. Incorporate moves that use both arms at the same time as well as those that require only one arm at a time. Throw the shot put overhand, underhand and from either side of your body. Try throwing the shot put while kneeling, sitting or lying too. McKendree University suggests doing three sets of eight repetitions of each shot put exercise, several times per week.
References
Writer Bio
Eliza Martinez has written for print and online publications. She covers a variety of topics, including parenting, nutrition, mental health, gardening, food and crafts. Martinez holds a master's degree in psychology.