Stopping Arm Boost:
Note above, the rock being delivered with the one hand/arm method (I
use the more efficient two handed delivery). The device on the arm of the curler restricts
him from bending the elbow on slide out and release so he can not arm boost the rock. The
device is simply a shin guard used to play street hockey. It also makes you look down your
nose at a straight target line -- your arm with the rock attached to the end AND on the
line of site to the brush. Arm boost is now solved. Right?
Note the rock
is being delivered in the 12:00 O'clock "aim" position and not
the 10 and 2 position. Turn will be applied at release.
Later, I will review how to hit
the brush within a 3" window of error at least 60%. The pros hit the brush
under 70%. Review last week's tapes from the GMC cash spiel (Feb.5-6'th, 2000.
What do I do if I'm coming out too slowly?
1. Release early.
The moment your foot leaves the hack, you are in a slowing mode.
You do not have to be Macho and slide to and beyond the hogline. Observe a very successful
curler, Sandra Schmirler, now deceased. She released above the top 12 foot. If she was
coming out slow, she would release earlier and tell the brushers. Good brushers will
already know and start to brush at release.
2. What else? Finger boost. Finger boost allows you to control the boost. You can not
control "arm" boost. Make a point to watch a pro game with arm boost in mind.
Almost always will the rock be too heavy and or off line when arm boosted. Many times, it
would be better to be real light and let the brushers carry the rock. Depending on your
hand strength and the method of grip, it is possible to finger boost up to 8 feet while
imparting the turn. If you use tail end of the rock release like many, many pros, you
will not be able to finger boost without "pushing out" the rock which of course
-- throws it wide/x-fire. I often use 3-4 feet of finger boost with my high over the
rock bolt release. Any more boost is not consistent and you will invariably throw the rock
off line ("start" the rock). Remember, fair brushers can extend the rock's travel
distance by more than 8 feet so you have to mess up greatly to be 16 feet short. |
What do I do if
I'm coming out too fast?
1. You need to slow the body and rock.
You do not want to "pull-back" the rock at release because you will lose control
of weight and line.
This is where, if you learn to release at 6-8 feet back of the hogline, you can slide out
further while in the slowing mode and release at a slower body speed.
2. The other method of slowing body and rock is to drag the anchor, your trailing toe. If
you do not twist your foot over, you can effectively use the toe as a brake while not
changing the "rudder" alignment setting which can cause you to miss the
brush target line. Usually, coming out radically fast or slow is caused by "arm
boosting" because you never really learned to draw curl (imbedded into the mind the
slide out speed for the ice conditions). Sorry, and you thought you had years of curling
experience and what you really had was part of one year's experience many times over. Just
because of arm boost!!
Target Line of Site:
What does the cocked arm do to alignment?
It does not give you a consistent repeatable delivery as with the rock coming out directly
under the nose. Have someone check your alignment slide out. Some Japanese National Team
women slide out with the rock parallel to the body.
Update 2002 Olympics.
The delivery mechanics of this year's team has greatly
improved under the coaching of Mr. Fuji Miki and as a matter of fact
their delivery mechanics is much better than the Kelly Law Olympic
team in that the Law team arm boosts every rock. The Japanese lack
strategy skills due to not playing the 150+ games the Canadian team
curls. Canadian men play 200+ games a year and against
the best curlers in the world.
The Japanese still bring the rock back to the hack
on centerline instead of under the nose so they each must negotiate
the "s" merge rock with body delivery to get the rock under
the nose at release.
Both teams use the 10:00 O'clock and 2:00 O'clock release instead of
the 12:00 O'clock release. Kelly is hitting 46% with the
out-turn because each release is different with different forces up
the arm. On the out-turn, the thumb applies the turn and any finger or
arm boost puts a non-uniform load on the thumb. The in-turn release is
done with the 4 fingers providing better stability in the release.
This is 1 reason I no longer throw out-turns but throw left handed and
right handed only throwing in-turns. A major, major advantage in burying
rocks on straight ice.
This problem is caused by bringing the
rock back to the hack instead of under the nose. To hit the brush, the curler must learn
the "s" delivery as you bring the rock in from the side resulting in the
decaying sine wave as the rock is brought in over the line of site and the body has to
move to slow and counteract the "s" wave. This scenario is the single (besides
weight control) problem with using the lift delivery for draw weight.
The Japanese have not improved on brushing technique and will always
be at a disadvantage with their diminutive size. They nearly lay down
on the ice when brushing. They must learn to
brush vertically and perpendicular with the rock travel to effect edge
brushing and apply maximum pressure on the brush. It is possible to
apply 80% of body weight on the brush with vertical brushing and with no
body strain/pain.
The
Russian ladies have excellent delivery mechanics but simply do not
have enough strategy experience.
What else does arm boost do to destroy my game?
Your brushers can not use a timer to time your slide /release rock draw speed. If you boost or
pull back, the brushers have a hard time "timing"/making your shot for you. They
have to rely solely on "look" "walk the rock" rock speed
judgment and can not brush till mid-ice losing important brushing
time.
This is one major reason many pro teams only use the watch for H-H or H-T line.
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