https://www.wired.com/story/meet-the-elite-shot-putter-chasing-a-world-record/

If you’ve ever tried your hand at shot put, you know it’s tougher than it looks. The metal ball, called a shot, is deceptively heavy for its size. At 16 pounds, it’s the weight of a bowling ball crammed into a package about the size of a softball. To throw it effectively you have to heave it from between your neck and shoulders while rotating your entire body. A novice might get lucky and put one 30 feet. Elite shot putters, however, can launch it twice that distance with ease.

So what does it take to put a shot that far? Brute strength for one. Take Olympic record holder Ryan Crouser. He’s 6 foot 7 inches, weighs 315 pounds, and could easily be mistaken for a powerlifter or an NFL lineman. In 2016 the Indianapolis Colts even invited him to try out. But Crouser prefers the individuality of the shot put. “If you throw a lifetime best, you can say that you are better today than you have ever been,” Crouser says. “There aren’t many things that let you make a definitive statement like that.”