The women's shot put weight stops moving at 4 kg and then never changes again. A high school sophomore, an NCAA champion, and an Olympic medalist all put the same implement. That is not true on the men's side, where the weight climbs twice more, and it is the single most useful thing to know about the female ladder. What does change is everything below high school, and everything after 50. The full federation chart, men and women together, is in shot put weight by age.
NFHS sets the girls' shot at a minimum of 4.0 kg, or 8.818 lb. The NCAA uses 4 kg. World Athletics uses 4 kg for senior women and for U20 women. A girl who reaches the varsity circle as a freshman is already throwing the Olympic implement, so every mark she sets afterwards is directly comparable to the one before it. The women's discus behaves the same way, as how much a discus weighs sets out.
USATF keeps youth girls on a 6 lb shot, 2.72 kg, all the way through the 13-14 division, and the NFHS middle school recommendation is the same 6 lb. Internationally the U14 girls' shot is 2.72 kg while the U16 and U18 girls' shot is 3 kg, so British girls get an intermediate step that American girls never see. Both youth systems are compared directly in under 14 shot put weight.
Women stay on 4 kg through age 49. At 50 the implement drops to 3 kg and stays there for 25 years. At 75 it drops again to 2 kg, a change World Masters Athletics brought in during 2010. Compare masters marks only inside a band, because a 3 kg put and a 4 kg put are effectively different events.
Because the implement does not change between high school and the NCAA, video from one season is directly comparable to the next. Upload a put and AI grades your positions against women throwing the same 4 kg shot at the level you want to reach.
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One implement covers everything from high school to the Olympics. All of the steps sit at the two ends of the ladder.
| Level / Age | Weight (kg) | Weight (lb) | Governing body |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 8 and under | 2 kg | 4.4 lb | USATF youth |
| Age 9-14 | 2.72 kg | 6 lb | USATF youth |
| US middle school | 2.72 kg | 6 lb | NFHS recommendation |
| U14, UK and international | 2.72 kg | 6.0 lb | World Athletics |
| U16 and U18 international | 3 kg | 6.6 lb | World Athletics |
| US high school | 4 kg | 8.818 lb | NFHS Rule 6-10-2 |
| USATF age 15-18 | 4 kg | 8.8 lb | USATF youth |
| NCAA, all divisions | 4 kg | 8.8 lb | NCAA |
| Senior and Olympic | 4 kg | 8.8 lb | World Athletics |
| Masters W35-49 | 4 kg | 8.8 lb | WMA and USATF |
| Masters W50-74 | 3 kg | 6.6 lb | WMA and USATF |
| Masters W75 and over | 2 kg | 4.4 lb | WMA and USATF |
Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.
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