Halteres (ancient Greece)

Halteres (ancient Greece)

:"This article concerns an ancient sports object. For halteres as used in insect anatomy, see Halteres."

The term Hualteres comes from the Greek word for "dumbbells" (ἁλτῆρες). In ancient Greek sports, "halteres" were used as lifting weights, and also as weights in their version of the long jump, which was probably a set of three jumps. "Halteres" were held in both hands to allow an athlete to jump a greater distance; they may have been dropped after the first or second jump. According to archaeological evidence, the athlete would swing the weights backwards and forwards just before take-off, thrust them forwards during take-off, and swing them backwards just before releasing them and landing. Halteres were made of stone or metal, and weighed between two and nine kilograms.

Writing in "Nature", biophysicist Alberto E. Minetti of Manchester Metropolitan University calculates that halteres added about 17cm to a 3m long jump. [Minetti, Alberto E. "Nature", 420, pp. 141-142 (14 November 2002).]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Outline of ancient Greece — The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to ancient Greece: Ancient Greece – period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman conquest of Greece… …   Wikipedia

  • Halteres — This article concerns insect anatomy. For halteres as used in ancient sports, see Halteres (ancient Greece) Halteres (pronEng|hælˈtɪəriːz; singular halter or haltere ) are small knobbed structures found as a pair in some insects. They function as …   Wikipedia

  • Chionis of Sparta — (Χιόνις) was an athlete of ancient Greece who was most notable for his jumping records in the ancient Olympics. Records suggest that in the 656 BC Olympics Chionis jumped a then record of 7 meters and 5 centimetres. If accurate, such a record… …   Wikipedia

  • Outline of exercise — The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to exercise: Exercise – any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. It is performed for various reasons including… …   Wikipedia

  • Pentathlon — The pentathlon was first documented in Ancient Greece, and included the discus and javelin throw. A pentathlon is a contest featuring five different events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words pente (five) and athlon (competition) …   Wikipedia

  • Dumbbell — For other uses, see Dumbbell (disambiguation). A pair of adjustable dumbbells with 2 kg plates. The dumbbell, a type of free weight, is a piece of equipment used in weight training. It can be used individually or in pairs (one for each hand).… …   Wikipedia

  • Track and field — For the video game, see Track Field (video game). Track and field The track and field stadium is at the heart of the sport Nickname(s) Track Characteristics Team mem …   Wikipedia

  • Long jump — The long jump is an athletics (track and field) event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far from the take off point as possible.Competitors sprint down a runway (usually coated with the same… …   Wikipedia

  • Agon — (Classical Greek Polytonic|ἀγών ) is an ancient Greek word with several meanings: *In one sense, it meant a contest, competition, or challenge that was held in connection with religious festivals. [Trapido (1949)] [… …   Wikipedia

  • Weight training — This article is about strength training using weight (gravity) to generate resistance to contraction. For basic principles on increasing the strength of muscles, see strength training. A complete weight training workout can be performed with a… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”