How the newly installed KTG machines will help Indian javelin throwers | More sports News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian javelin stars, including Olympic-bound Shivpal Singh, have got a big boost ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. The Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has installed two special strength-building German machines for their training. The machines, called the Kraft Training Gerat or KTG (German for Strength Training Device) will help the javelin throwers in developing their strength, technique and speed.
These machines were installed at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala on Friday (May 28) and will be available for Olympic-bound athletes to use in a couple of days.
AFI had been trying to get these machines from China since early 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the process was delayed. India became the world’s third nation after Germany and China to secure these special machines.

Image credit: AFI
“This has been used by Germany. Now, it will be used by us. This is going to benefit our athletes a lot. This will develop their strength and speed. The KTG allows athletes to train with little risk of injury.” chief coach of Indian athletics, Radhakrishnan Nair told Timesofindia.com in an exclusive interview.
The machines will be used for training by elite javelin throwers, who throw the javelin in excess of 80 metres.
“The device sled weighs 3.8kg and can be loaded with as much as 10k for a maximum weight of 13.8k. The sled is thrown for maximum velocity, measured between two preset points, and captured after each throw.

“It will be very beneficial. This is a great step. It is not for every javelin throw. It is for the training of elite athletes only under the supervision of a proper, qualified, and experienced coach. Because it can cause bad (side) effects (if used incorrectly). It requires different techniques altogether. It is for athletes who are throwing above 80 metres. Apart from Shivpal and Neeraj, we have Anu Rani in the female section. We have Rohit and Tejinder. These are our elite athletes. They are throwing above 80 metres. This has sensors that will show the speed and force,” Nair further said.
“The athletes won’t be training every day with this machine. There is a particular schedule for this. We have a particular strength schedule for the players and we will be focussing on it. It will help the athletes maintain the trajectory. They will also be able to know the force and speed (of the throws),” Nair further told TimesofIndia.com.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the javelin throwers struggled to practice outdoors. But this initiative by the AFI will make life easier for the Olympic-bound javelin throwers. They can train indoors now and get prepared for the Games, which is two months away from now.

Image credit: AFI
Neeraj Chopra is expected to fly to France on Tuesday. His visa was processed recently and he is scheduled to train in France and then compete in Sweden, Czech Republic and Finland, so he won’t be using these machines for now. Shivpal is at NIS and will make full use of these new installations.
“The training will resume this week itself. First, we will brief our athletes and then introduce them practically. It can be installed in an indoor facility. This will not hamper a player’s training in any weather conditions. The athletes can come, train and go. They won’t miss out on any training. Due to the lockdown, our javelin throwers couldn’t go out and train outside since March 2020. This facility will help them a lot. They won’t miss out on training,” Nair signed off.