Improving Your Game - Balance
Editor: unknown
Date: 2013-02-18
Posted: Feb 18, 2013
Contributed: Colin Sinclair
Balance - The Key Element
Balance is the key element of a sound curling delivery. If you’re shaky and unstable during your delivery, if you drop your delivery hand to the ice right after you release the rock, if you lean on the rock - then it’s time to help build up your balance skills. Try doing one or all of these exercises each day at home. It’s not a big commitment: 5 – 10 minutes is plenty. Think of keeping your core strong and your upper body straight throughout the exercises while at the same time staying somewhat relaxed
- Stand on one leg and keep your legs separated slightly. Focus on stability throughout your supporting leg – relax try not to be stiff. Hold this position for ten seconds, increase the length of time gradually until you’re able to hold it for 40 seconds. Try closing your eyes to make it more difficult or try standing on a pillow or couch cushion (be careful – maybe have a spotter). Repeat on each leg several times.
- Stand on one leg, find your balance. Now swing your other leg back and forth from the hip, start off low and gradually build up swinging your leg higher and higher. You can swing your arms also. Without putting your foot down, switch to swinging your leg back and forth across the front of your body. Start with swinging your leg back and forth five times and increase from there. Remember that these movements should be smooth and controlled not fast and choppy. Think about pulling up through your core to gain stability again try to remain relaxed.
- Building up your leg strength will also help with balance – so exercise regularly – it will also help you in other areas
- Something else that you can do at home to help - get down into your curling slide stretch position. Make sure your front knee is over your toe (never beyond) and approximately under your sternum. Place your trailing leg in a straight line behind your front foot. Try to get the shoelaces of your trailing foot flat on the floor. Your trailing foot should either be straight behind you or turned in. If your foot is turned out (away from your body) your hips will not be aligned properly. Think about pushing your hips slightly down towards the floor, ground down through your front foot. Now take your arms out to the side and try to balance there for several seconds. Your weight should not be on your back knee, your front foot should be what is holding you up. Repeat this positioning on both sides, not just the side your slide on.
Remember the feeling of stability that you find in these exercises and the next time you get on the ice use it. You can be stable and balanced you just need to work at it.
