There is no single answer, and that is the whole problem with the question. A shot put weighs anywhere from 2 kg to 7.26 kg depending on who is throwing it and which body wrote the rules. A 13-year-old boy at a USATF meet throws 4 kg. A 13-year-old boy in a British U14 meet throws 3 kg. The table below gives every legal weight in kilograms and pounds, with the governing body attached to each row so you can check it against the meet you are actually entering. For the same question one level at a time, the shot put weight by age chart lines the federations up side by side.
NFHS and World Athletics both write the spec as a minimum. A boys' high school shot that weighs 5.45 kg is legal. One that weighs 5.42 kg is not, and officials do weigh implements at championship meets. If you buy a shot that sits right on the line, expect it to fail inspection once the surface wears down.
Women throw 4 kg from high school all the way through the Olympics. Men step up twice on the way there, from 12 lb in American high school to 16 lb in college and open competition, then step back down through the masters age bands. That one difference explains most of the confusion around this question. The discus ladder has the same asymmetry, described in how much a discus weighs.
USATF youth divisions run in pounds for the younger groups and then jump straight to the 12 lb high school shot at age 15. World Athletics steps through 3 kg, 4 kg, 5 kg, and 6 kg before an athlete ever touches the senior implement. Same age, different ball. Check which rules your meet runs under before ordering anything. The U14 case is worked through in detail in under 14 shot put weight.
Move up a weight and your release velocity drops, your release angle flattens, and your distance goes with them before any of it comes back. Film a put with the new implement and AI compares your positions against throwers on that same weight rather than the one you just left.
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Each figure is the governing body stated weight for that division. Where a rule sets a minimum, the minimum is what is listed.
| Level / Division | Boys / Men | Girls / Women | Governing body |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age 8 and under | 2 kg / 4.4 lb | 2 kg / 4.4 lb | USATF youth |
| Age 9-12 | 6 lb / 2.72 kg | 6 lb / 2.72 kg | USATF youth |
| Age 13-14 | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | 6 lb / 2.72 kg | USATF youth |
| US middle school | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | 6 lb / 2.72 kg | NFHS recommendation |
| US high school | 12 lb / 5.44 kg | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | NFHS Rule 6-10-2 |
| Age 15-18 | 12 lb / 5.44 kg | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | USATF youth |
| U18 international | 5 kg / 11.0 lb | 3 kg / 6.6 lb | World Athletics |
| U20 international | 6 kg / 13.2 lb | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | World Athletics |
| NCAA college | 16 lb / 7.26 kg | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | NCAA |
| Senior / Olympic | 7.26 kg / 16 lb | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | World Athletics |
| Masters 50-59 | 6 kg / 13.2 lb | 3 kg / 6.6 lb | WMA and USATF |
| Masters 70-79 | 4 kg / 8.8 lb | 3 kg / 6.6 lb | WMA and USATF |
Common questions athletes and coaches ask about this topic.
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