Throwing
Throwing is a physical action which consists of
To overcome the biophysical limitations of throwing by hand, humans also designed tools to improve the efficiency of their throwing techniques. The
.With the advent of
Evolutionary history
Throwing dates back 2 million years to Homo erectus.[1] Development of the offensive throwing of projectiles is mostly a development of the human lineage, although the aimed throwing of sticks and rocks by male chimpanzees during agonistic displays has been observed, first described by Jane Goodall in 1964.[2] "Accumulative throwing", that is, the targeted throwing of rocks at a specific target, leading to the gradual accumulation of a stone pile, has also been described for chimpanzees.[3] Wooden
Human athletes can achieve throwing speeds close to 145 km/h (90 mph), far in excess of the maximal speed attainable by chimpanzees, at about 30 km/h (19 mph).[1] This ability reflects the ability of the human shoulder muscles and tendons to store elasticity until it is needed to propel an object.[1]
Types
Types of throws include overhand throws, underhand throws and using both hands. Overhand throws are thrown predominantly above the shoulder, underhand throws below. Overhand throws are usually significantly faster, and ball speeds of 105 miles per hour (169 km/h) have been recorded in baseball.[4] Thrown objects can often be intentionally spun for stability or aerodynamic effects.
The notion of throwing typically refers to an action performed without mechanical assistance, but mechanical assistance, as long as it does not involve the release of
Overhand throwing motion
The overhand throwing motion is a complex motor skill that involves the entire body in a series of linked movements starting from the legs, progressing up through the pelvis and trunk, and culminating in a ballistic motion in the arm that propels a projectile forward. It is used almost exclusively in athletic events. The throwing motion can be broken down into three basic steps: cocking, accelerating, and releasing.
Desired qualities in the action produce a fast, accurate throw. These qualities are affected by the physical attributes of the thrower like height, strength, and flexibility. However it is mainly the throwing motion mechanics and the thrower's ability to coordinate them that determines the quality of the throw. Determining the desired qualities of the throwing motion is difficult to assess due to the extremely short amount of time that it takes professionals to perform the motion.
Throwing mechanisms
Throwing mechanisms, along with projectiles themselves, rank amongst the oldest technological artefacts in the archaeological records. They vary greatly in size and complexity, from the hand-held and extremely simple sling, to the very heavy and complex catapults. These two types of devices have in common with hand-throwing the fact that the only requirements for their projectiles are size and weight. In that sense they differ from more specialized throwing techniques such as those developed in archery, where the projectiles have very strong requirements for their shape.
Uses
Thrown weapons
Throwing is used for propelling weapons such as stones or spears at enemies, predators, or prey.
- Knife throwing, the art of throwing a knife at a target
- Spear throwing was used and until relatively recent times was the predominant mode of weaponry used in warfare
- Throwing axes are thrown, usually overhand
- Boomerangs (throwing sticks) are used by Aboriginals for hunting purposes.
- Shurikenjutsu are traditional Japanese thrown weapons
- Hand grenadesare thrown explosives
Sports and games
- Pitching or bowling in bat-and-ball games, e.g. cricket, baseball, softball
- Throwing of balls and clubs is used in juggling
- Bowling
- Darts
- Flying disc games
- Stone skipping
Track and field contains four major throwing events: discus throw, hammer throw, javelin throw and shot put. The weight throw is the fifth most common field throwing event, while the club throw is unique to disability athletics.
Distant exchange and disposal of artifacts
Throwing can be performed in a non-agonistic way, when the target is a cooperating agent who will perform a somewhat opposite action called
Such use is so common that it is a common metaphor for figuratively sending something to someone (e.g. to throw a bone).
An other very common use of the behavior is for disposal. The employed term is then typically throwing away, and it too is very commonly used figuratively.
Sexual differences
Research by MythBusters found that men and women throw almost equally well with their non-dominant hand, suggesting that the sexual differences were probably due to differences in training.[5]
Non primates
Throwing is rare among non-primates but, provided the definition is relaxed to entail for instance
Elephants have been observed throwing rocks and logs, using their trunk to grab and flick items, although they lack the accuracy that primates can achieve, and it is more commonly used as a warning to aggressors.
If one is willing to consider dropping as a special case of throwing, then one can include birds, most notably vultures, as some species are known to drop stones in order to break shells or other hard food sources on the ground.
Orcas are often observed throwing seals in the air, usually by hitting them with their caudal fin. This behavior is speculated to be purely recreational.
See also
References
- ^ a b c Melissa Hogenboom, "Origins of human throwing unlocked", BBC News (26 June 2013).
- ^ Goodall, J. Tool-using and aimed throwing in a community of free-living chimpanzees. Nature 201, 1264–1266 (1964).
- .
- ^ Pepin, Matt (2010-08-26). "Aroldis Chapman hits 105 mph". Boston.com. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ "'MythBusters' Tests 'Throwing Like A Girl' Stereotype (VIDEO)". Huffington Post. 30 May 2013. Retrieved 2016-10-27.
External links
Media related to Throwing at Wikimedia Commons