The Balearic Federation of Sling-Shooting.
Back in 1998 their address was
Federacio Balear de Tir de Fona, c/
Olmos, 31, 07003 Palma de
Mallorca: tel/fax: (1) 72 62 50,
Wednesdays, 7-10:30pm
That was back then. Maybe it stills the same maybe not. But to me it's all jibberish and I don't speak Spanish.
Their website
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Field/6404/It seems pretty run down. There is an email for anyone who can speak Spanish. Give it a try. I'm up, can't sleep, hoping someone will jump on this information. Jim Burdine must know more than I do. He was in contact with Jesus Vega Hernandez back in 1998 too. It was on a thrower list. Back at that time I sent Jesus the article in Scientific American for help with his book. But it seems in his Spanish libraries he had a lot of information we don't have. Especially being in contact with the association too. I'll put some of the posts I've saved of his back from 1998 below. I believe he was responding to questions from James Burdine and a Phil West who lived in the UK. I know James is on this forum but I don't know about Phil?
I just wrote Jesus tonight, so I hope he replies. His email is likely changed. Because he knows English he is a good go between. Here are some of his posts. Hope you enjoy. This one is on the Federation.
>Asunto: FEDERACION DE TIRO CON HONDA
>Fecha: jueves 5 de febrero de 1998 10:43
>Hello, slingers,
>here is more information about the "Federación
>Balear de Tiro con Honda". It is 20 years old and is a local, insular
>Federation. It has three Delegations in the islands of "Palma de
Mayorca",
>"Menorca" e "Ibiza". The bigest one is of the Palma. The federation
gather
>about 2,500 slingers (woman an children included). The children(scholars)
>activities are very importan and they summ the 80% of the slingers. In
>that, actual Balearic imitates old ones who gave grait importance to
>children training.
>There are not Delegations in the rest of the country. I´m tryin to do
>something about in Madrid.
>Adult activities consists in 12 insular competitions a year(in each
island)
>and the general Balear competition each year.
>The only publication avalaible, at the moment, is the Official Reglament.
>I´ll try to resume some interesting points of it for you:
>SLING MATERIALS: All kinds of organic materials. Artificial fibers,
>plastics, metals, etc. are not allowed. There are not restictions in the
>shape and building of the sling, but the maximun length(folded) must be 1
>meter.
>PROJECTILS: Natural stones, without any kind of artificial working or
>manufactoring.
>(Lead projectils are nor considered in officil competitions because of
its
>risk. They are really a lethal gun. As you know they were comunly
employied
>by balearic troops in the Romans wors. It´s not dificult to find this odl
>projectils, with an metal detector, in diferents places of our country.
>I´ve got some. The use of lead projectils is "another thing", very
>interesting).
>TARGETS: A wood square of 1,20 meters and in the center a metal circle of
>0.5 mts. (You can easy distinguish the sound of the hits).
>DISTANCES: 20, 30,40 and 60 mts. And LONG DISTANCE (maximun lenth
reached).
>RECKORDS: Complicate to explain here, as there as diferents distance
>modalities and combinations of themm. An general idea of records might
be:
>-20 mts: all shots hit the metal circle. -40 mts: all shots hit the wood square
>- LONG DISTANCE: 160 mts. (with lead projectils you can reach much more
>length).
>HANDS: It´s not allowed security gloves and other protections. Hand must
be
>completly andressed.
>THROWING STYLES: All styles are allowed(overhand, underhand, lateral,
>diagonal, etc.), but is obligatoty to make at least two turns before
>throwing.
>Finally and most important, they are working on a Web Page and an
>interesting Video, showing sling braiding, throwing technics,
competitions,
>etc.
>As soon as posible, when finished, I´ll send to you te Page address and
how
>to get the video.
>Enjoy it, amigos
>TONKASILA, compadre, es un placer escribir en español. En inglés tengo
que
>consultar continuamente el diccionario. Saludos.
And a second post from him....
> Unfortunatelly there is no a handbook about sling throwing technics in
> Federacion Balear de Tiro con Honda. Learning is a practical matter,even
> children learn the technique playing. They are teaching using tenis
balls,
> that are not dangerous, easy to recover and throwing easy controlable
whit
> an apropiate sling. Of cause is a play and a fun for them.
>
> Months ago I started writing a handbook on the matter, trying to be
> systematic and based on the tips of experimented slingers(this will take
> much time), the clasic texts and my own experience and self observation.
I
> merely begun it and by now is resting. Here are some fragments and ideas
> than could be helpfull for someone:
>
> Of all posible throwing styles, and after have experimented with them,
I´ve
> found that the most efficient is the "Iberic" style, mention for Roman
> authors: Overhead and making three turns before release. Even the number
of
> turns, that seems to be a personal matter, looks to be something
decanted
> along the times, and in fact is the most eficient way of fiting together
> the speed, power and precision of the throw.
>
> The start position may be diferent:
>
> Natural: The sling resting along the body.
> Hunting: The sling streched betwen both hands at waist level.
> Greek: The name is because is recorded in greek coins. The right hand is
> over the head, the elbow pointing to the right; Left arm is stretched
> horizontaly to the left. The head turning and looking to the left, that
is
> the direction of throwing. It´s a very nice position that can be used for
> brusque throwing(without turns).
>
> Never matter the initial position, the first turn is to fix the turning
> plane.
> The second turn is for add some speed and to "feel" the mass(centrifuge
> force) of
> the projectil - something realy important for the final "pull from
> backward".
> The third turn is the effective pull, that give the real and eficient
speed
> to the projectil.
> Spining frantically the sling serves for nothing, only to get an
> uncontrolled shot. The only reason of spining is to get the tension, the
> inertia force that permits and efective clutch from backward and the
> absorption of whole impulse.
>
> The third turn begin when the hand pass in front of you and consist in an
> helicoidal movement that carry the projectil from an horizontal turning
to
> an vertical and forward
> one. This is the esential movement, that gives the final aceleration and
> direction. It´s
> a vigorous stroke that makes the sling whistling like a wip.
>
> When one have got a lot of practice the three turns links one to another
> in an only and unconscious movement that goes automatically from initial
> position.
>
> Nevertherles to be the best style, there are anothers very eficients for
> diferents purposes, as hunting, projectils rain, brusque thowing, etc.
>
> The analysis in detail of diferent stiles exceed the extension of this
> mesage. If someone is interested we can follow other day.
>
> The learning can be estructured in four stages:
>
> 1- Position technics
> 2-Plentiful throwings with medium power and heavy projectil- esential for
> "mass feeling"-
> 3- Normal projetil throwing and maximun power.
> 4- Precision training.
>
> The last stage is essentialy sicological, and consists in forgeting the
> technics, the stages, and to get an unconcious habit of throwing that
> develop from the decision of shooting. Adding more and more speed to the
> technique, is posible to get the automatisme. Once you have got it, the
> precision is a sicological cuestion, a matter of want to hit, of imagine
to
> hit, of feeling the pleisure of hit, and let the unconscious to do its
> work. There is no posibilities of precision consious control in such a
> dynamic exercice as sling throwing.
>
> Fynally, as it is obvious, is necessary a lot of practice to get the
skill.
> I calculate that for a beginner is necessary one or two thousands
throwings
> before get the apropiate technique of "Iberic" throwing. But...... How to
> get it in a few days, and without having to store 300 Kg. of stones?
> Here is a trick, that at least in my case has worked:
> Take an egg shaped stone and carve a groove around it. Tie a nylon string
> with a running knot.At the other end of string make the tipical finger
> subjection. You have built an indoor sling, and can practice without risk
> the necessary time. Use it even in a vigorous way, simulating authentics
> throwings. The only care you have to do is to give a free way to the
> trajectory after throwing. If not you can hit such a parts of you, and it
> hurts a lot, realy.
>
I believe I have one more post of his at my other email. I'll go get it and post it right after this one if I have it.
Ben
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Federacio Balear de Tir de Fona (Read 12432 times)
