▁weight . ▁In ▁both ▁cases , ▁the ▁implement ▁consists ▁of ▁a ▁steel ▁or ▁lead ▁weight ▁( us ually ▁spher ical ▁or ▁cyl ind rical ) ▁attached ▁by ▁a ▁short ▁chain ▁to ▁a ▁metal ▁handle . ▁The ▁handle ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁d - ring , ▁a ▁triangle ▁or ▁a ▁ring . ▁The ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁weight ▁depends ▁on ▁the ▁class ▁of ▁the ▁competition . ▁ ▁For ▁advanced ▁male ▁athlet es , ▁the ▁light ▁weight ▁is ▁ 2 8   lb , ▁or ▁two ▁stone ▁( 1 2 . 7   kg ). ▁The ▁heavy ▁weight ▁is ▁ 5 6   lb , ▁or ▁four ▁stone ▁( 2 5 . 4   kg ). ▁For ▁all ▁female ▁athlet es , ▁the ▁weights ▁are ▁ 1 4 ▁and ▁ 2 8   lb ▁( 6 . 3 5 ▁and ▁ 1 2 . 7   kg ). ▁For ▁male ▁master ▁class ▁or ▁senior ▁athlet es , ▁the ▁weights ▁are ▁ 2 8 ▁and ▁ 4 2   lb ▁( 1 2 . 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 . 0 5   kg ). ▁ ▁The ▁weight ▁is ▁thrown ▁one - hand ed ▁from ▁a ▁rect angular ▁( 4 . 5 ▁feet ▁by ▁ 9 ▁feet ) ▁area ▁behind ▁a ▁toe ▁board ▁or ▁trig . ▁The ▁ath lete ▁must ▁stay ▁behind ▁the ▁trig ▁at ▁all ▁times ▁during ▁the ▁throw . ▁The ▁techniques ▁vary , ▁but ▁usually ▁involve ▁a ▁turning ▁or ▁spin ning ▁motion ▁to ▁increase ▁momentum ▁before ▁the ▁release . ▁Each ▁ath lete ▁gets ▁three ▁attempts ,