Youri's technique is divided into 6 basic elements. Each element is described using simple physics, biomechanics, and physiology with videos and text. Many of the segments are in Youri's own words.

Youri's technique is simple in its nature.  It's based on basic principles of physics and biomechanics.  His timing during his rotations are like walking. As he explained, his hands moved the ball and his lower body reacted like a car suspension.

When he set a new WR by 2.20m at Cork, Ireland in 1984, he said it felt easy.  "Felt like a 5 kg."

Each movement that Youri made was important in incrementally and progressively increasing the velocity of the hammer ball.  With each active swing the ball accelerated step by step allowing Youri's body to adapt to the increasing forces of the hammer ball.  There were no wasted movements.

The hammer handle is gripped with a traditional "hook grip," not squeezed.

The first wind is easy, started from the ground with the narrowest hammer ball orbit.  Second wind is wider to the left. The entry swing is enormously powerful using elements of Ben Hogan’s baseball bat golf swing. The ball is swung long left through 90⁰.

The hammer ball's low point starts behind and to the right on the surface of the circle.  Next the low point is moved to off the right foot. Finally, the low point is moved to about 0⁰ when powerfully swinging into the entry.  The high point should be opposite at about 180⁰. 

Looking at the hammer ball like sighting it through a movie camera lens helps in timing the hammer during Passive Phases.  It's leaving the hammer behind and not trying to outrun it.  It's not necessary to focus on the hammer ball.

The upper and lower bodies are separated from the shoulders down. The upper body moves and adapts with the hammer ball within its orbital plane.  During Active Phases the upper and lower bodies are realigned before entering the Passive Phases.

 The thrower rotates opposite the hammer ball around a common axis of rotation which Youri called his Vertical Pole. The Pole moves across the circle with the center of gravity of the throw-and-hammer system [not the left heel]. The upper and lower bodies begin their rotation together and separate during the Passive Phases. 

The upper body slows with the hammer ball's deceleration caused by gravity, about 98.m/s/s.  The lower body with it's much larger mass is not affected by gravity continues with its rotational momentum [like a gyroscope].  The catch is timed with the acceleration of the hammer ball by gravity after it passes over its high point.

Well-timed and balanced power positions are key to accelerating the hammer ball in long acceleration paths.  The first movement at the catch is swinging the hammer ball like  a one-way pendulum with the hands [not turning the right foot]. The longest path by far was during the delivery and release.  

Swing into the release while leaning back to increase the body's torque.  Arms are loose, shoulders relaxed, and supported on the back of the foot, not the toes.  Maintaining the circular properties of the hammer ball's orbit and the thrower's turns gives greater stability than lifting onto the balls of the feet.

The ability to do this begins during the powerful entry swing with 0 torque on the lower legs.

Youri summed up the hammer throw with just two elements: Long radius and Move the hammer ball speedily.  At the time, this was different from the way of throwing the hammer by "dragging it like a discus."

Youri strongly believed that anyone can throw the hammer.  He strove to help develop everyone in his hammer throwing family.  For many reasons, Youri decided that teaching 4-turns during clinics was better than teaching his technique.  However, I was able to talk to him about ways to teach his technique so that anyone who wants to can "Throw like Youri."  

We're keeping his legacy alive.