I've been slinging off and on for about 10 years, but just found this message board the other day.  It's really awesome to have a place to discuss the sling now.  So thank-you Chris! 

I've observed a sad compromise with slinging.  Long slings have power, short slings have accuracy.  I guess I want my cake and eat it too.  I like having both in one package.

I've used leather slings and also braided my own out of string or yarn, being a whipmaker.  The whole time I've been slinging, I've been trying to understand how to gain the accuracy I believe is possible, while not sacrificing power.  Power has never been a problem with me.  I started out with 50"-55" slings with a side arm throw and I could achieve very good range.  I believe just under 200 yards is my best guess.  But no accuracy, just rough direction.  It used to be fun to cut branches right out of the walnut trees 50 yards into a field of weeds behind my house.  I would go down to the local concrete dealer and purchase big buckets of rocks to quickly loose out into the distance. 

More recently (last couple years)  I've been making shorter split pouch slings, about 33" for improved accuracy.  While power has been sacrificed some, I don't believe it has that much.  I typically have used a 3 swing wind up over head and then a diagnal baseball throw for the final in the past.  I've gotten great power this way and good directional accuracy but difficulty hitting small targets.

A few years back I saw an Hebrew man on tv, who could hit a small watermelon from about 20 yards.  He used a sling about 25" long I'd say, and a single rotation with no wind up.  Just sling resting at side, up around over his head horizontally, and final release in a vertical or diagnal throw.  I appreciated his accuracy, but I was too power hungry to go to that short a sling after experimenting and finding it's seeming limits. 

So lately I've been experimenting more with techniques and so on.  I've been using this Hebrew man's technique with my 33" slings and found it to be pretty good.  I'm not hitting watermelon's yet but I can hit a 8' by 6' tarp from 20 yards.  Still not what I'm after as far as accuracy but better than earlier in my career.  Power seems to be about 80% with his technique.  With wind up I can get better power but, accuracy suffers. 

I've observed that longer slings are less accurate though typically more powerful.

I'm wondering if anyone on this board has done any work with shorter slings under 28"?

I've also wondered if there is some secret to this whole thing.  If so I hope that we can discover it on this board. 

Possible ideas....

Is there is a perfect length sling for every individual, that parallels a baseball throw and a sling throw to the same timing in release for that individual?

Or is the secret that to obtain accuracy, one must use a short sling and give up his craving for power?

Or if the secret is just consistent repetition over and over again for hours on end?

Technique is another factor considered.  The techniques are all different. 

What length slings have our members tried?  And what have they noticed about them as far as power and accuracy are concerned?

And anyone who has good power with accuracy to consistently hit a watermelon at say 25 yards.  Tell us how you do it.   

                                        Ben

Welcome Ben!

The overhead technique you and Leon (and many others) use is good for short-range accuracy.  I recommend reading Bill Blohm's “Slinging advice for beginners” in the articles section.  Lots of people email me saying that there was little tidbits of advice they found helpful. 

It’s pretty obvious that longer slings are trickier because the extra length causes the pouch to rotate faster (and provide additional power).  This in turn makes it harder to hit the right spot + or - a few degrees, because the ideal window of time is compressed.  There's really no way to avoid this unless your rotate slower, which would defeat the purpose.

In order to take real advantage of extra cord length, you really need to become a slinging master, which is no easy task.  And really, to be a true master, you need to have been slinging from birth.  Slings are still a part of growing up in several cultures in Africa, many pacific islands, and others.  If you've been exposed to slings from birth, it becomes second nature; a true extension of your own arm.  It's like throwing a ball, something most of us do from very young.  If you first started throwing a ball when you were 25, you wouldn't be nearly as proficient, even with years of practice.  But to most of us, it's a piece of cake.  Now, that’s not to say you can’t become very skilled.  You still can with practice and patience. 

It’s all about consistency with slinging.  Forget about hitting a tin can for now.  The key is to miss in the same place every time .  Once you’ve gotten the consistency, then it’s just a matter of tweaking your release so that you shift your misses onto the target.   If you are firing all over the place, don’t invest the time in getting it on the target every time, it just won’t happen and you’ll get frustrated.  It’s your release that’s letting you down.   Focus on getting a consistent release and then getting pinpoint accuracy is attainable.

Keep up posted on how you do.  And as always, we’d love to see some pictures of those slings!

Chris

how to make one tht is
jack

Once the site has generated enough pictures, I'll set a up a dedicated gallery page.  So far I think four people have put pictures up of their slings.  I think once we get to ten, we'll do it. 

Chris

P.S.  Pictures received.

David,

Sounds like you and your son are having quite a bit of fun together!  Sounds great.  My pastor preached on David and Goliath today!!  Yet hardly talked about slings at all.  I felt jipped!  I love that passage so I had high expectations I suppose!  Check out Judges 20:16 (I think that's the right passage).  That's good accuracy!  The whole art must have been highly cultivated in cultures like the Hebrew one. 

I'm new to the forum too.  One in a million people has ever seen a sling used, let alone used one.  And so it's great to share and learn information with the others who love the sport too.  We are rediscovering a lost art.  Slinging is addictive because it's such a skill and challenge.  There is always room for improvement and it's such a unique and awesome sport.  Never know when you'll run into a giant with a big head that needs to be split open either.

Your technique sounds interesting.  On the History Channel a few years back they had a program called "Arms in Action."  They had one episode called "Slings and Spears"  And while not spectacular, I was happy the sling was covered at all.  The English dudes who did the show used a technique similar to what I think you're describing.  They didn't drop the pouch from their left hands, if that's what you mean, but they did do a back and forward underhand swing without a single full rotation, only a swing.  It seemed to work well for them, they were getting good range.  The sling they were using looked like the old woven one that Chris put posted on the board recently.  It was possibly larger though.

Another opposite technique I've experimented with is pouch in left hand extended in front, cords behind head, held taught- then drop the pouch behind the back directly to an overhand pitch resulting in 3/4 rotation before release overhead.  It was accurate but seemed to lack power.  The key seems to be to stick with what you like best.  I suppose in the highest cultivation of the art, we may find one day, if we keep experimenting, that there is one superior technique for this or that application.  For now we all need to do our best with the technique we are using and find out what results we have after we become proficient.   

Look at me, I'm becoming a philosopher of slings.  And I'm afraid I'm not very good at it, forgive me! 

                                   Ben    

Jealous........hmmmm.....yes we are.   

I know those egg things you are talking about.  You can actually purchase those empty.  They sell them in bags for events like easter (to put candies or little toys in).  You could probably get a big bag for a few bucks.  You could then mix up the concrete, like you suggest, and just scoop up the concrete into the shells and seal them for a few hours.  The process would be pretty quick I think.  You could also paint / spray paint them for easier location (silver would make them look like the real thing!). 

I really encourage you to try this.  Please report back and take pictures of the process!  It's would also make a great article.

Chris

As far as I know, concrete dries as the moisture evaporates and the mixture sets.  In a sealed plastic container, it's hard for that moisture to escape.  However, putting tiny pin holes all over it should improve the drying time considerably.  Because the concrete mixture is so thick, it wouldn't leak out or affect the shape (you can always sand it down a bit too). 

For maximal color effect, find some neon paint!  Day glow orange my man!!  If you want to be really freaky, get some glow in the dark paint and head out one night. 

Chris