Great Practice

[Ryan Nielson]

I have been hoping for 30 foot in open stone this year. Last weekend I threw it at 29' 11 inches at portland games so I was ever so close to making it official. I am getting the most distance with a shuffle still.

[jgorley]

Ryan,

If you are going to do an actual glide, try this. Practice in your house without a stone. Just work on a small quick glide, landing balanced on both feet at the same time. Your back foot, the drive foot, should end parallel to the trig. This will put you right into the power position. Then it is just a Braemar. Another key is to be smooth. If you pause, the entire motion is wasted. Another excercise is to glide down a long line. Just glide into position, then glide into position again. By using the line, you will ensure maximum use of energy and balance.

James

[Alan H]

Ryan,

If you are going to do an actual glide, try this. Practice in your house without a stone. Just work on a small quick glide, landing balanced on both feet at the same time. Your back foot, the drive foot, should end parallel to the trig. This will put you right into the power position. Then it is just a Braemar. Another key is to be smooth. If you pause, the entire motion is wasted. Another excercise is to glide down a long line. Just glide into position, then glide into position again. By using the line, you will ensure maximum use of energy and balance.

James

This is exactly what I'm doing....none of this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfeD7...x=0&playnext=1

super-long stretch stuff, I'm just doing a quick, short movement straight forward. Clearly the main challenge is to land, balanced in the power position. In fact, ALL spins, South-Africans, glides...all of them are ways to hit the power position with the stone in motion, but HIT the power position. Anything that detracts from nailing that position, balanced is only going to mess you up.

....which is why I've spent so much time throwing from the power position, without bothering with getting there.............until now.

So my glide is small and quick like James says, and the goal is to land in the position balanced, at full potential, ready to torque and drive and hold on to the stone. For now, doing a big kick and monster glide is only going to mess me up.