Here is what Dale wrote to me when I asked him for help with Apache style. It helped a lot for me, so I just wanted others to get to read it.
Quote:Gard,
God dag! Hvordan har du det?
And that entirely exhausts what I have learned of norsk...
I had to read Forsyth several times, in between slinging sessions, before I got it right. It would have been easier had I been able to get some pictures of that old Mescalero gentleman. I probably am not doing it just like he did, but I believe I am close.
You have the stance correct: about a 45-degree angle to the target, sling arm behind you so the prey cannot see it. I hold my other arm in front of me, across my belly, not in back of me. Your arm does not have to be out of sight; it seems sufficient that it not be visibly sticking out. Prey animals apparently watch your eyes (which is why Forsyth advises not to stare at the animal) but are not good at picking out other details of your body. But if you arm is sticking out to the side, that is enough to identify you as human/hunter/hungry/let's-get-out-of-here!
I tried putting my left arm behind me. It put me off balance. Also, I use my left arm to contribute to the twisting force as I throw. Were it behind me, it would just hang there and contribute nothing. Keeping your left arm behind you, is probably part of your difficulty.
When I throw, I lift my sling arm up behind me, and twist my body to the left as my arm comes up and over my shoulder. I'm keeping my arm straight (not rigid, but not bent). My body, as it twists, transmits force to the stone just by pulling my arm (and the sling) around. My arm moves just enough to transform my twisting motion, to a straight-ahead motion of the stone. It is easier to do this than to describe it, so if it sounds confusing, do not worry: your body will do it naturally.
Returning to the matter of your arm: When I throw a stone, I naturally bend my arm as I bring it up; but when I start bringing my arm forward, I straighten it again. This may be due to how I was taught to pitch a baseball. With the Apache slinging style, there is no need to bend your arm and straighten it again. Just keep it straight (but not stiff!). In this style, your arm is just a part of your sling: you are throwing from the shoulder. You will not get any greater speed or power by bending your arm.
After the release, my arm continues on down and across my body; I end up with my sling hand at my left hip. I frequently slap the back of my head with the release knot, because the sling keeps on swinging around and up in back of me.
While I am doing what I so verbosely described above, my feet naturally twist on the ground, like a golfer (if you play golf). I start with my weight balanced on both feet. I end with my weight on my left foot, and my right foot has just the toes touching the ground. Forsyth did not say anything about this, probably because he thought the right thing would happen naturally. I could probably do the Apache style with a step forward, like a baseball pitcher, but Forsyth is right: doing so does slow me down.
Well, I hope some of this helps. Good luck!
Adjø. (Or is that too formal?)
Thanks, Dale!
Gard