Everything you need to know about javelins!

Javelin is one of the most recognisable athletics disciplines, but when you are starting out in javelin throwing, it is surprisingly more complicated than it seems.

Guide to Javelins

We have been selling javelins for decades and have been asked many many questions over the years.  Here we have compiled the most frequently asked questions to help you out.

Headwind vs Tailwind Javelin

More advanced javelins often come with 2 options, Headwind or Tailwind.  Here we explain the key differences.  

Headwind javelins have a streamlined tip to cut through the wind and reduce wind resistance.

Tailwind javelins have a blunter tip to increase the surface area at the front to achieve a floating flight.

But Headwind and Tailwind javelins also make a difference for different throwing styles.

Headwind javelins tend to be self-correcting when a thrower misses the point, adding valuable distance.  The headwind javelin is therefore ideal for 'power' based throwers who have fantastic strength and torque but perhaps an imperfect technique.

Tailwind javelins fly best when they hit the point, with a beautify floating arc generating greater distances.  Therefore these are best for 'technical' throwers who have excellent technique and finesse, yet lack the blasting power.

It is important to understand the difference in these javelins and be honest about your own technique.  If you are a good all-round thrower then investing in tailwind and headwind models for on-the-day wind conditions will help you throw your best every time. 

Click here to read UK #1 Bekah Walton's personal view on Headwind or Tailwind Javelins!

Which is the best brand of javelin?

There are some fantastic brands of javelin available and we cannot tell you which is best.  Different javelins fly in different ways and feel different, so are more suited to some throwers than others.  Ideally try to find a javelin club to try different types before buying your favourite. 

Nordic Javelins

Nordic javelins have been consistently excellent for more than 50 years, with more championship medals and world records than any other brand.  They have recently updated both their design and rating method, with new Advance Tip Control and an updated, streamlined range. 

OTE Javelins

OTE javelins are based on Dick Held's model.  Dick Held is regarded by some as the best javelin maker in history.  For 25 years after he started manufacturing javelins, every world record throw was made with a Dick Held javelin.  OTE javelins include a range from beginners to elite and the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion and Paralympic Record holder Dan Pembroke throws the OTE Competition. 

Nemeth Javelins

Nemeth Javelins were founded by Milkos Nemeth in 1987 and have been market leaders ever since.  With 16 World, Junior, Olympic and European Records, these are an excellent choice.  Easily recognisable with lilac bodies and different coloured tail paint, there is a style for every athlete - just make sure you choose the right javelin based on your throwing needs, not your favourite colour!

Polanik Javelins

Polanik Javelins are a longstanding brand, with a fantastic range from training javelins, excellent beginner javelins to the top class Polanik Space Master Javelin.

How Heavy is a Javelin?

There ae different weights for age categories and genders.

JAVELIN WEIGHTS FOR FEMALE ATHLETES

JAVELIN WEIGHTS FOR MALE ATHLETES

We weigh and measure each javelin before we send them to you, checking they are perfect to throw.  Keep your javelin in good condition and look after the grip, as there are also rules on the exact location and size of the grip cord.  

See our full range of competition javelins here.  To make it easier, we have also grouped our javelins by which ones are suitable for Elite National and International Athletes, Top Club and County-Level Athletes, Intermediate Athletes and Beginners. 

You can also see our range of World Athletics Certified Javelins here.

What is Javelin Rating?

When buying a javelin, you should consider its rating and choose one which suits your throwing ability.  Buying a too-highly rated javelin will reduce your distances and cause injury.  See our 'How to Choose a Javelin' blog for more info!

Javelin Distance Rating

Some brands of javelin rate their javelins by distance.  This is usually the optimum distance that the javelin will travel to land in the ground at 5 degrees.  The distance rating is broadly affected by the stiffness of the javelin and its construction, as well as changing the centre of gravity. 

If the centre of gravity of the javelin is optimised for 80m, it requires at least 70m to turn tip down.  If it is thrown 50m or 60m it will almost certainly land tip first and therefore be a no-throw.

Javelin Flex Rating

Some javelin brands have Flex ratings.  To find this rating, the tip and tail are placed on a surface and a weight is hung from the centre.  The flex rating is the number of centimetres that the javelin bends down. 

Javelins with higher flex ratings are softer and are more forgiving of beginner athletes and will reduce the risk of injury when the javelin is not released perfectly on point. 

Javelins with lower flex ratings are stiffer and will vibrate less in the air, reducing drag and optimising energy transfer.   The makes them fly further.

Nordic Javelin Ratings

Nordic introduced a new rating system in 2022.  This is based on the Stiffness, Skill Level, Aerodynamics and Balance for each javelin.  They present this information in a circle which shows what kind of thrower the javelin suits.  They do not directly correlate to distance or flex ratings.

Choose the right javelin rating

Choose a distance rating that is no more than 10m above your current throwing level.  This will increase your chances of good solid throws, help improve technique and reduce the risk of injury. 

This is a very rough guide to distance vs. Flex ratings:

Teaching Javelin to Beginners

To teach javelin to beginners, it is useful to start with a standing throw.  Even in accomplished athletes, the standing element of the throw (the final release) is contributes around 65% of the distance, so it is important to get this part right.

Stages in teaching javelin to beginners

Here are 7 basic stages of teaching a beginner to throw javelin.

1. Standing javelin throw at a ground target,
1. holding javelin above head in a 'V' grip
2. keep the javelin pointing straight at the ground target
3. withdraw the javelin to arms length behind head
4. throw in a straight line at target
2. Standing javelin throw at the ground target
1. holding javelin above head in a 'V'Grip
2. aim, withdraw and aim as above
3. follow through step with the rear leg
3. 4-stride approach then throw the javelin at the ground target,
1. holding javelin above head in a 'V'-grip
2. withdraw the javelin to arms length behind head
3. keep the javelin pointed at the ground target
4. jog 4 strides - right, left, right left and throw
5. making the throw with the final stride
6. one follow-through step after release
4. 4-stride approach, withdrawing as you make the first step
1. same as before, but withdraw the javelin to arms length as you take your first step
5. Throw the javelin onto an imaginary shelf from a 4 or 6 stride approach
1. holding javelin above head in a 'V'-grip
2. point the javelin at the top of a distant tree or imaginary shelf in the sky
3. withdraw the javelin as you take your first step, keeping it pointing to the high target
4. jog 4 or 6 strides as chosen
5. release the javelin so it flies out to 'sit' on the tree/building/shelf.  If it lands flat it does not matter
6. Throw the javelin onto an imaginary shelf from a 10 stride approach
1. As in 5 above, but:
2. Run 4 steps right - left - right - left carrying the javelin overhead and pointing it at the high target
3. withdraw the javelin as you take the 5th step, continuing with the rest of the steps
4. release the javelin to 'sit' on the tree / high shelf.  If it lands flat it doesn't matter.

 For more details on teaching beginner javelin and other beginner athletics, see our 'Beginning Athletics' publication, written for PE teachers including step-by-step training session plans.

What equipment do I need for javelin training

The equipment needed for javelin training depends on how specific you want to be!  Here is a list of the most common items.

Javelin

See above for more information on javelin weights and ratings.  As a beginner you will probably be able to borrow a club javelin to start out.  Save your money to buy your own javelin once you know you love the sport and will continue.

Training javelin

Training javelins are a great idea to save your competition implement in great condition for when you need it.  You can either go for a standard weight/length javelin such as the Polanik Training Javelin, or an overweight javelin such as the Nemeth Women's training javelin.  This is a 700g of the same length and diameter as a 600g javelin, so you can maintain your technique whilst throwing heavy.  

Javelin bag

A proper javelin bag is essential to keep your expensive kit safe and in top condition.  You can buy soft bags or hard cases, but soft cases will not protect the javelin on its own.  When you purchase a javelin from Neuff, it comes in a hard tube for protection.  Always keep the tube and slide it into the soft javelin bag to keep it safe.  If you do this, a javelin bag for 5-6 javelins will fit 2-3 javelins in tubes. 

We have heard horrible stories of athletes placing their javelin carefully on the ground in a soft carry bag, then another athletes accidentally drops their own kit bag on top, bending the javelin inside!  It just isn't worth the risk!  If you do not have a cardboard tube, buy a section of drainpipe from your local DIY store - it will be just as effective as a hard javelin case.

Types of Javelin Throwing Ball

These are great for practicing technique with a lower stress on the body.  Javelin balls are either gripped or plain balls and are available in weights from 400g to 1kg.

Gripped Javelin balls are slightly larger and are ideal for beginners as they can be held in the 'V' Grip with the grip between index and middle finger.  Gripped javelin balls are also called Nocken Balls or Knocken Balls after the German translation.

Plain Javelin Balls can be cast iron, pvc or rubber coated and have a smaller diameter so they can be held in the correct javelin grip.  

Cast Javelin Balls are solid iron, so they have the smallest diameter and are very easy to hold in the correct javelin hand-hold for realistic training. Available up to 1.5kg.

PVC Javelin Balls are filled with loose lead or iron pellets.  Their softer shell and the slight 'give' of the pellets when they land make these ideal for indoor training.  

Rubber Coated Javelin Balls have a solid iron core with a rubber casing.  They are not suitable for throwing against a wall.

Javelin shoes

Javelin shoes are very important as they have longer spikes on the heel area to help grip the ground during run-up and release.  They are normally boot-shaped for additional support around the ankle.  However, javelin shoes can be expensive and particularly for young athletes or multi-event athletes they are an unnecessary purchase. 

J-Heels are a great alternative.  Strap one over the heel of your normal running spike shoe on the plant foot to turn them into instant javelin shoes.  All at a fraction of the price!

Indoor javelin

You don't need a specific indoor javelin for training.  For winter indoor training, you can use javelin balls.  PVC javelin balls can be thrown against walls, but they can mark the wall, so please check with the facilities manager first before using them indoors. 

If you have access to indoor facilities with a throwing net, you can add a javelin head disc to a standard training javelin. This will catch the javelin in the net, allowing 'real' javelin training in indoor facilities.  Make sure there is suitable matting on the floor to protect the javelin when it lands - and don't use your favourite competition javelin!

Turbo Javelin

Turbojavelins are a great way to introduce javelin to young athletes.  The Turbojavelin was developed over 40 years ago by two-time world record holder Tom Petranoff.  In order to achieve a decent distance, the Turbo Javelin must be lined up in all aspects of the throw, which makes it an ideal implement to teach youngsters to throw correctly, without the fatigue caused by throwing a metal javelin multiple times.

How did Javelin throwing begin?

Javelin throw originated from spear hunting and warfare and was therefore widely practiced in ancient societies.  It was incorporated into the modern Olympics for men in 1908, just 12 years after they began, then in 1932 was included for the women's Olympics. 

How has Javelin changed over the years?

There have been various changes to javelin competitions over the years, including two-handed javelin throw in 1912 where the competitors (all male) had to throw three times with their left hand and three times with their right.  The best throw with each hand was added together and the athlete with the highest aggregate score won.  There was also a 2-handed standing throw for women in the early 1900s.

Perhaps more important is the development of the modern javelin itself.  Over the years, the aerodynamics of javelins developed to a point where it was starting to become dangerous to spectators and other competitors.  When Uwe Hohn set a World Record of 104.8m in 1984 the IAAF worked with Dick Held and others to modify javelin specifications to reduce the length of the throws.  The centre of gravity was moved backwards by 10cm, which reduced the length of throws by 10-15 metres and increased the chances of the javelin sticking downwards into the ground.

Miklos Nemeth, (World Record of 94.58 in 1976) was another innovator in javelin development.  He developed a javelin with a rough finish to the tail in 1990, but as this increased the distance of throws it was also made illegal the following year, which resulted in three World Records by Steve Backley, Jan Zelezny and Seppo Raty being disallowed. 

The distances thrown with modern 800g javelins increased from 85.74 in 1986  to 98.48 in 1996, but have since settled to the early 90m (93.07 is the longest throw so far in 2022 by Anderson Peters), it seems likely that the current specification will remain the same for the time being.

The centre of gravity in women's 600g javelins was similarly redesigned in 1999 and Barbara Spotokova's WR currently stands at 72.28.

Javelin Information

We hope you found this useful.  If you have more questions, please do get in touch.  We are happy to chat and we also work with experienced javelin coaches to offer tailored advice if you need more specific help.

Enjoy your throwing!