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Message started by mgreenfield on Feb 2nd, 2004 at 3:43pm

Title: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by mgreenfield on Feb 2nd, 2004 at 3:43pm
Friends, ....please see the photo referred to by JeffH in his posting "Pic of Slinger".  This photo is at www.fifth-essence.com/archive/bestpix2003/index.htm.  See also the drawing posted by Hondero as Reply #5 to the same posting.

Suddenly I'm getting GREAT improvement in accuracy & consistency with heavier (to 120gram) rocks using the pictured technique as follows:

1/ Load up with a rock & take the stance of the Palestinian kid, ....note back of sling hand toward the target.  Also, retained cord on ring finger of sling hand.  Other hand gently pinching the pocket-with-stone, and holding it up so the sling cords are tight and about pointed at the target.   Knees bent slightly.

2/ With a "little lift-from-the-knees" start the sling rotating by pulling the pocket-with-stone from between the pinching fingers.   Accelerate the rotation through 630deg of rotation (1-3/4 turn total) to launch the stone when the sling just passes your legs near the bottom of it's circle of rotation.

This technique seems to get the rotation off to  a "snappy start".    It doesn't feel like you're winding up with almost 2 full turns, instead of just 1-and-launch.   The back of sling hand toward target start may keep the cords from twisting as much.  

AND THE BEST PART, ....I'm getting some "whip cracks" off the end of the release cord at launch.

I'd be most interested in other folks' experiences with this technique, ....and improvement suggestions.

This is startin' to be REALLY fun!    mgreenfield

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by David_T on Feb 2nd, 2004 at 11:29pm
MGreenfield,

Could you please look up on, I believe, page 4 of the 9 pages of topics, a post I made called "More Pics" on Oct 10th

It has pictures and a step by step discription of what we use and I would really like to know if it is like your     od. Thanks

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by nwmanitou on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 12:16am
those of us with access to digital video cameras should make some small .avi's of our respective swings. I'm sure it'd be eye openening. Do you think that there would be enough band width to host them here?

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Chris on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 12:27am
Yep.  I actually host the movies and images on another server.  

Chris

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by David_T on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 8:33am
Lets do it.

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by mgreenfield on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 10:13am
David_T, .....what your boy shows in "More Pics" is similar to what I went FROM to get where I am now.  Differences are these:

1/ I start out with the sling, etc more to the side of my head, ....much like the position you'd use in drawing a bow, if you took the bow string somewhat past your ear.  I stand with my side toward the target, and a line thru my toes running thru the target.

2/ I put in 1 FULL additional rotation before launch.   This is what made the huge difference from where I was to where I am.    Total rotation is 1-3/4turns.   It looks like your boy is putting in between 3/4 and 1 turn.

3/ All rotation is in a vertical plane, with (for now) almost all arm motion in the forearm and wrist only.   Maybe I'll figure out how to get some shoulder power into the launch later.   For now, anything other than forearm & wrist lofts the rock and puts a bad "hook into the drive".   Standing like I do, all (most?) rotation is in front of my body, not off to the side, though I think I twist my body a little on launch.    Once I get the rock moving, I think my elbow is pretty much "parked" near my hip.

4/ Start of the rotation is relatively gentle, with (I think) some "whipping" acceleration right before launch.   I wish I could describe this better.   But for sure!, if I try to "force" the acceleration, I mess up accuracy big time, AND take a LOT of launch velocity off the rock.   The whole spin-up has to feel "natural" and un-forced to work right for me.    I figured this out when I noticed that gentle warm up shots were flying a lot faster, straighter, longer, lower than later "muscle" shots.

So, slinging is starting (for me) to feel a lot like golf with importance of proper setup and form, easy swing, let the club do the work, etc.

I've used x2 slings, ....one of Ben's Peruvian models which measures 33" center-of-pocket to center-of-finger-loop of the retained cord, and a homebrew item just under 37" measured the same.   For now, the Peruvian is working much better, and I think it's because the retained cord is relatively fat and rough, and has a "more secure feel".   The homebrew sling cords are slick hard 1/8" braided nylon, and have a lousey feel.

The movie idea is a great one, especially if we could run them in slo-mo.    I'd like to see if I'm really doing what I described above. :D

mgreenfield

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by nwmanitou on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 11:09am
What format would you like those movies in? I'm sure some of us don't have much experience with compression formats (luckily I have friends that do).

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Chris on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 3:28pm
The best is a mpeg file (.mpg).  I can convert that to lots of other formats.  Quicktime is also good (.mov).  WMA is not so good.  Maybe someone can convert those into mpegs for me.


BTW, there are already a few movies for download in the articles section.  Look for the camera icon next to the article name.  


Chris

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by David_T on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 9:00pm
Thanks for the Reply,

Just to be sure I understand--say your sling is hanging staight down---when you start the rotation, the pouch goes forward and up and around--correct?Clockwise as you are looking to your right side where the sling is rotating?

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by mgreenfield on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 9:20pm
David_T, .....correct.   Forward, up, and around.   I'm a lefty, so dont know what's clockwise and what's not  :D.     mgreenfield

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by mgreenfield on Feb 4th, 2004 at 5:46pm
Friends, ....if any of you are trying this technique, and not seeing the promised snappy action, it may be because your sling is too long.   Conventional sling-wisdom is "the longer the better", but maybe not so here.

My Peruvian sling is about 33" pocket-center to finger-loop-center.   My homebrew was closer to 37", and I just couldnt get the "right snap" with it.  It just felt sluggish.  So, I trimmed it down to 33", and bingo, the snap started to come back.   I may try just a little shorter to see what happens.

I have no clue what the arm/sling geometry is that made the difference.    ???

For a reference, with my arm fully stretched out horizontally, and the cord loop on my "bird" finger, the sling pocket-center will reach right to the center of my breastbone, with the cord pulled straight, but not real tight.

mgreenfield

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Ulrica on Feb 8th, 2004 at 10:09am
Hi!
earlier in this tread it was mentioned that we could send a short movie to show our technic..
It seems like I´m first out..
I just want to add, as I don´t have any digital camera only a web camera I recorded mine indoors with the stone tight up so it wouldn´t fly away... It was a really strange and odd feeling to do it indoors and infront of a camera ;-) But at least one could see how I want to sling and with more practise hopefully will do better...


http://users.bestweb.net/~hesham/slingingGalleryImages/UlricaSlinging.wmv

/Ulrica

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Dan_Bollinger on Feb 8th, 2004 at 10:15am
LOL!  I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that. Thanks for breaking the ice. I think digital movies will be a great way to share technique. Now, about that helicopter whirl! I think it is time for you to move to the underhand or overhand throw.  :)  Dan

PS:  Knock on Jen's door and tell her its time to get up!

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Hondero on Feb 8th, 2004 at 11:29am
Good style Ulrica, for the limitations of indoors. Outdoors, you have to open more the arm bacwards in the final whirl to get a good momentum in the throwing.
You are an advanced beginner ;)

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Ulrica on Feb 8th, 2004 at 12:51pm

wrote on Feb 8th, 2004 at 10:15am:
LOL!  I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that. Thanks for breaking the ice. I think digital movies will be a great way to share technique. Now, about that helicopter whirl! I think it is time for you to move to the underhand or overhand throw.  :)  Dan

PS:  Knock on Jen's door and tell her its time to get up!


Thank you Dan. Yeah, someone has to break the ice :-)
When I´m out I try to sling with different techniques, but somehow I like this way to do it.

And it´s my son´s door there in the Background, his name is Jens :-)

Ulrica

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Ulrica on Feb 8th, 2004 at 12:55pm

wrote on Feb 8th, 2004 at 11:29am:
Good style Ulrica, for the limitations of indoors. Outdoors, you have to open more the arm bacwards in the final whirl to get a good momentum in the throwing.
You are an advanced beginner ;)


Hallo Hondero!

Yeah, I was afraid of hitting something here, I don´t have enough space. And just the final throw makes me problems sometimes. I know in my head how I want to do it; When the stone is right back, I want to move my hand straight ahead against the "target" and when I´m finisched my arm shall point right ahead. That is not so easy to do..... yet  ;D

Thanks for the nice word, they makes me grow!

Ulrica

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by magnumslinger on Feb 9th, 2004 at 12:49am
Ulrica,

Your wind-up looked GREAT!  Did you ever throw a baseball?  If so, I'd like to suggest that you try to wind up in just the same way as you did in the video, but instead or bringing it around and forward naturally and sideways on the release stroke, to rather to step forward whenh the pouch is exactly behind you and pitch the stone overhanded with full force of your weight going forward into the power stroke of your shot, just like sithcing a baseball, passing an american football or throwing a spear or paper aeroplane.  It's the same motion, and will ad even more power and consistency to your release stroke, while not changing your windup until the release stroke.

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Chris on Feb 9th, 2004 at 12:53am
Looking good Ulrica!

-----

Some of you might have to right click the link (control click on Mac with single button mouse) and select something along the lines of "Save link as" or "Save target as" or "Download link to disk".   Save it some where convinient.  You need Windows Media Player to run the movie.  Mac users, you will probably need to download it.

http://www.microsoft.com/mac/otherproducts/otherproducts.aspx?pid=windowsmedia

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by magnumslinger on Feb 9th, 2004 at 12:58am
Dear Ulrica,

I also noticed another thing you might want to try, which helped me that also might give you more comfort and power/accuracy potential when throwing.  If you treat both cords as one, pinching them boith together, bringing the anchoring cord crossing naturally up from the anchoring finger in FRONT of your palm straight up across the index finger to the pinching thumb, just like the release cord, it will prevent fouling and take the release pressure off of the back/sides of your middle finger, making it easier and safer to sling harder and harder.  I also prefer a wrist loop which makes this sort of habit more natural, neccesary and automatic, and the wirst can absorb mor pull and punishment than any single finger can!  A mistake that would merely skin, or jerk the wrist hard could snap a finger completely broken!

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Ulrica on Feb 9th, 2004 at 9:04am
Hallo Magnumslinger,

Thank you so much for your advice! I will copy them so I really can memorize and try it outdoors when the weather allows it.

No, I have never trown a baseball, at least I can not remeber it. Maybe I touch one in School loooong time ago. I can understand how you mean, and I will try it!

by your second post; you mention another way to hold the Cords; it was some new words for me, but I will translate it at home.

Thank you again for all your advice!!!

Ulrica

Title: Re: Slinging Technique #1 - Underhand
Post by Ulrica on Feb 9th, 2004 at 9:07am

wrote on Feb 9th, 2004 at 12:53am:
Looking good Ulrica!


Thank you so much, Chris!!

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