About

ARETE®

THROWS NATION

BUILT ON SCIENCE, PROVEN IN THE RING

Arete (air-a-tay) Throws Nation- Check out our story of how the Arete Nation was founded and why it is your #1 online Shot Put, Glide Shot & Discus throws resource for learning how to train, throw & most importantly... HOW TO THROW FAR!

Founder & Head COACH OF ARETE THROWS NATION / ARCHITECT OF THE THROWING CHAIN REACTION SYSTEM (TCR SYSTEM)

Coach Erik Johnson

When it comes to elite-level throws coaching, Coach Erik Johnson has proven himself as an elite coach at all levels. Since 2013, his athletes have racked up hundreds of championships titles and thousands of medals at league, district, state, regional, national competitions from around the world, (from Jr. Olympics to Pro). In his home state of Arizona, he developed shot putter Tyson Jones who broke a 60 year old state record with a massive throw of 71' 8 3/4" ( 195-5 DT PR too!) Like many coaches, he has a passion for the Shot Put and the Discus throw. He was driven and determined to help address the shortage of coaches at the youth and high school levels.

In 2011 he created the Throwing Chain Reaction® System with the mission to help coaches and throwers around the world transform their training and throwing potential. Today Coach Johnson has helped over 10,683+ coaches and throwers around the world unlock their potential and in doing so developed a reputation as the go-to coach for anyone serious about taking their throws to the next level.

My Story

I’m Coach Erik Johnson. For 30+ years I’ve lived this sport—as a hungry kid who fell in love with the throws, a top-10 U.S. discus thrower chasing every inch, and now as a coach obsessed with turning confusion into distance.

My journey started in Phoenix, AZ. I did a little of everything—relay anchor, high jump, shot—until I found the discus and it found me. I wasn’t the biggest or the most recruited. I earned it. Junior college at Mt. SAC, a growth spurt, real weightlifting, and real coaching opened the door to UCLA, where I trained and learned what elite development actually looks like. I finished at the University of Colorado as an NCAA All-American, made multiple U.S. Championship finals, hit the Olympic Trials final in ’96…and years later, jumped back in to win World Masters bronze—because the competitive fire never really leaves.

My passion - actually my OBSESSION- with the science of the throw became a framework for the Throwing Chain Reaction® System (TCR).... the ultimate throws training blueprint I wish I’d had as a young thrower and the system our athletes and coaches now use to produce consistent PRs, championships, and college scholarships. It turns “try harder” into train smarter—clear positions, cause-and-effect mechanics, and drills that actually transfer to the ring.

Today, I split my time between coaching & developing throwers and coaches around the world through our online throws coaching programs- the TCR System Academy ( for coaches) & the Method Program ( for athletes), while also training local throwers here in Phoenix inside the Arete Throws Club, to leading TCR Camps across America, and teaching the same principles I learned from world-class mentors and years throwing in the ring.

Why I Created the TCR System

👉 Throwing is technical. Hard work without the right sequence just hardwires bad habits.

👉 Simple beats complicated. The right drill at the right time is worth 1,000 random reps.

👉 Systems win. Athletes and coaches need a repeatable process to get results under pressure = that's what the TCR system is all about!

What We Do at Arete Throws Nation®

TCR System | Academy – The complete online coaching framework for discus, rotational shot, and glide.
Method Program – Ongoing throws training with live coaching and structured progressions.
TCR Throws Camps – Hands-on training that fixes the cause, not just the symptom.
Other Throws Coaching Services – Private Coaching, Video Analysis and live clinics to build winning programs.

shot put and discus throws technical coaching

Personal Throwing Achievements

You could say I've done a few things.....

2011 World Masters Bronze Medalist – Discus
1996 U.S. Olympic Trials Finalist – Discus
Top-10 U.S. Ranking – Discus
Olympic Games “A” Standard Qualifier
3× USATF U.S. Championships Finalist
USATF Olympic Development Program (1995–1997)
Olympic Festival West Team Member (1995)
NCAA All-American – University of Colorado
Big Eight Conference Runner-Up

Coaching & Training Credentials:

USAW Level 1 Club Coach

NSCA Certified

ISSA Certified

Poliquin International Certification Program

Extensive study in Olympic lifting, sports medicine, biomechanics, and international throws systems

Why TCR Works

Because it’s built on physics and field-tested under pressure.
The TCR System breaks the throw into six core pillars, maps how each position creates the next, and gives athletes and coaches performance-enhancing drills that transfer to competition.

It’s not theory—it’s a process that scales from first-year throwers to pros.

Here's Your Personal Invite...

If you’re a coach who wants a program that produces results year after year—or an athlete who’s done guessing and ready to throw farther with consistency—plug into the TCR system.

This sport is unforgiving. Your plan doesn’t have to be.
Let’s build throws that hold up when it counts.

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