Competitors take their throw from inside a circle with a diameter of 2.1 metres (7 feet). They must cradle the put in between the neck and shoulder, and push their arm straight on throwing. They must not leave the circle until the shot lands, whereupon the distance from the centre of the throwing circle to where the shot landed. Each competitor gets a certain number of throws (a minimum of three in elite competition, with the best competitors having an additional three attempts), and the competitor with the furthest legal put is declared the winner. In men's competition, the shot weighs approximately 7.3 kilograms (16 pounds). The women's shot weighs 4 kilograms. There are currently two putting styles in use by elite shot put competitors. The first involves sidestepping to the front of the circle and releasing the shot, whereas a newer technique involves rotating like a discus thrower. In both cases, the key is to gain maximum forward velocity to help speed the shot on its way.
Shot put competitions have been held at the Summer Olympic Games since their inception, and whilst the event is popular, competitors probably do not gain the recognition of track athletes, probably partly due to their bulky muscled bodies lacking the sex appeal of tall, lithe runners (particularly in the case of women's shotput).
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