Why Gaining Muscle Mass Is Essential For Javelin Throwers
- Dan Labbadia
- Apr 9
- 5 min read
At Jacked Javelin we are firm believers in physical preparation for javelin throwers. A large part of that is getting stronger and adding muscle mass, as it has a tremendous return on investment for the durability of your body, longevity of your career, and power that you can put into the javelin. Which all will result in you being able to train more intensely, for a longer period of time, and throw MUCH further.
By adding muscle mass, you will have much more force behind the throw. For example, Force = Mass x Acceleration which means that if you travel down the runway at 15 mph and weigh 180 lbs your throw would be much further if you traveled down the runway at 15 mph at 200 lbs with the same exact throw, given the extra weight behind the throw.
However, the reason we stress the importance of gaining muscle mass rather than just overall weight is because if you add low quality weight in the form of body fat, it will slow you down and the equation would equal out to relatively the same distance.
Example: if you gained 20lbs and were at 200lbs body weight but because of gaining body fat your speed dropped to 12 mph down the runway with the same exact throw, you would not gain any extra distance. You need to be sure you are putting on high quality weight in terms of muscle mass which will allow you to get stronger, which then translates to you getting more explosive, which in return allows you to become even faster than you were at the lighter body weight. When mastering this combination of a low body fat percentage and higher body weight due to increased muscle mass, you are asking for a serious increase in your throws
and even more potential for distance down the road. You can only throw as far as your body is physically capable of throwing.
Watch Jordans squat transformation and check out how much muscle his legs gained as a result of it.
When you are stronger you increase throwing velocity
When you are stronger you are more stable
Gaining strength in your chest means more acceleration / stretch reflex in the chest out of the layback position
Increased muscle mass will allow for more consistency in your throws which allows your ceiling to be much higher for an overall further PR.
Jordan PR 2023- 74.37m
Jordan PR 2024 - 84.45m
(Season average was 78.45m) - All 9 competitions over 75m
Nevan Burke has now improved from 47m to 67m in his 4 seasons of college
For in person & Online Coaching inquiries email info@jackedjavelin.com
WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS
More strength = more power output
The stronger you are, the more powerful you become and more force you can put into something. Practicing specific techniques to harness your athleticism in medicine ball throws, plyometrics, and olympic lifts is key, but your potential will be much higher in the end with more muscle mass, and strength.
“‘Because stronger athletes are better able to express higher power outputs under loaded conditions, it is evident that focusing on strength development is a key component of any strength training interventions that are preparing athletes in sports...’”(Haff and Nimphius, 2012). Much of the research we have available regarding power training shows strength training to be beneficial in improving power.” (Ryan Nosak MS, CSCS. “Strength versus Power: What Is the Difference?”)
More muscle & less body fat = lower body fat percentageLower body fat percentage = more mobile & faster down the runway
The more muscle you gain, the lower your body fat percentage will be. The lower your body fat percentage is, the faster and more mobile you will become.
(as long as you do a lot of mobility and sprint work and don’t become a full on powerlifter / bodybuilder, which is very hard to do, and won’t happen overnight, you would have to go down the wrong path for a very long time to get to the point of gaining “too much muscle”)
“Reduced nonessential body fat contributes to muscular and cardiorespiratory endurance, speed, and agility development. Additional weight (in the form of nonessential fat) provides greater resistance to athletic motion thereby forcing the athlete to increase the muscle force of contraction per given workload.” (Guide to Tests and Assessments. “Sport Performance and Body Composition.” National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA),)
“The additional body fat can limit endurance, balance, coordination, and movement capacity. Joint range of motion can be negatively affected by excessive body mass and fat as well, and mass can form a physical barrier to joint movement in a complete range of motion. Thus, athletes competing in sports that require high levels of flexibility benefit from having low levels of body fat.” (Guide to Tests and Assessments. “Sport Performance and Body Composition.” National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA),)
And we all know by now how important speed and mobility is in javelin throwing.
More strength = less injury
The stronger you are, the more stability you have, the more you can absorb force and handle the aggressive demands that the sport will give you.
“Research findings have consistently underlined the correlation between muscular strengthand injury risk mitigation. Adequate strength levels in the shoulder and elbow musculature contribute to the stability and resilience of these vulnerable joints. Specifically, well- developed rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers in the shoulder, coupled with a robust forearm and wrist musculature, play a pivotal role in absorbing the substantial forces encountered during the throwing motion, thereby reducing the incidence of injury. (HongBo Zhang, “The Impact of Resistance-Based Training Programs on Throwing Performance and Throwing-Related Injuries in Baseball Players: A Systematic Review.”)
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CITATIONS
HongBo Zhang, and AbstractThe aim of this systematic review is to assess the effects of structured resistance training programs on the throwing performance and injury risk of baseball players. “The Impact of Resistance- Based Training Programs on Throwing Performance and Throwing-Related Injuries in Baseball Players: A Systematic Review.” Heliyon, Elsevier, 29 Nov. 2023, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023100053#sec3.
NSCA's Guide to Tests and Assessments. “Sport Performance andBody Composition.” National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), NSCA, 1 June 2017, www.nsca.com/education/articles/kinetic-select/sport- performance-and-body-composition/#:~:text=The%20additional%20body%20 fat%20can,a%20complete%20range%20of%20motion.
Ryan Nosak MS, CSCS. “Strength versus Power: What Is the Difference?” [P] Rehab, 8 Sept. 2022, theprehabguys.com/strength-versus-power-what-is-the- difference/#:~:text=Much%20of%20the%20research%20we,qualities%20in%20 order%20to%20improve.
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