Odd experience!   I was slinging tennis balls across our church gym last eve, ....great indoor practice ammo & place, when my favorite sling started to "go mushy" in my hand again.    Launch velocity felt slow, & accuracy was lousey.    This morning, I shortened it from 35" to 32", ....a big jump!  But it feels "snappy" again.    I slammed a few tennis balls into the garage door to see.

What's going on here??   I was "raised" to think longer is always better.    Jurek & others are swinging near 50" slings.  This sling started out about 41", and "went mushy" 1-2 times before to get down to 35".    Will I ultimately be swinging a 12" mini-sling???

My inquiring mind wants to know.    mgreenfield

Mgreenfield
      It may have something to do with the ligth weight of the tennis balls. If you normally use the sling with rocks the tennis balls may not provide sufficent resistance to allow really putting some whip into the cast at the last second. Don't know, but I hope this helps.


WalkingBird

And I thought, it has to do with how long your arm is.
My sling is about 28" ( 70 cm)
I have tested longer and shorter, but didn´t come to any conclusion. I feel, when you want to sling long but with no great accuracy, a longer sling is better.
When you want to control the throw and gain more accuracy, a shorter is better. Therefore I have tested a several slings. But as I can not practice as much as I want to, I haven´t come to any greater conclusions.
Then, with a longer sling, you also can handle bigger stones. - I think.

/Ulrica..... who don´t know so much yet.

mgreenfield, remember the law for accuracy: the sling from the elbow to the finger  

Quote:


Johnny,

It has two meanings for me. Both make sense.

1. Lenght
2. The elbow throws first and next forearm and at the end the fingers

Jurek

The saying is about the length of the sling, though it may have a meaning how you say in point 2, Yurek.

In spanish the saying is in verse. I´ll try to put it in english for not to forget it  :

From the elbow to the finger
is the accuracy weapon of slinger

Ha ha

mgreenfield,

As soon as you described it feeling like the "pocket was behind where it is supposed to be" it connected with what I have felt when throwing light weight objects.  My guess is that's the main issue in why it felt different.  Try throwing ping-pong balls and you will see what I mean.  If there is not enought weight in the pocket, it doesn't swing around like it should.  The longer the sling, the more mass you need in the pouch for it's inertia to pull the strings taught and spin like it should.

I have always been much more consistent, both in accuracy and distance with shorter slings.  Distance wise I mean I can throw, say, 400 yards every time with a 35 in. sling.  With a 50 in. sling there are some "buzzers" and poor throws but also some real zingers that take off like rockets.

Larry

Johnny,

Latety I mainly throw the snaw-balls for my dog and for accuracy. For these games I use the 37" sling. But I really like throwing for distance very much and when I have got an occasion I do it willingly. I like a power of a sling.

mgreenfield,

It was easier for me to make the draft than explain it. That one is a big simplification, doesn't consider a lot factors (inertial forces related with a mass and acceleration, for example). Anyway, I hope that one shows esence of the matter.



Generally, a shorter sling, easier doing "snappy" throw. I don't use a vertical underhand spin before release, but I suppose that for that technique a limit of sling lenght is smaller than for a horizontal or diagonal release. The socond ways let us to do more spacious throw. To get a good snap (whip) with a long sling it's neccessary to use a bit different way. You must use your etire body for efficient pulling a stone. Of course, a mass of stone and our rapidity are the factors too.

Larry,

Quote:


Wow! It is adorable very very much! I'm curious what projectiles you use, for these shots. Really impressive! Congratulations.

Jurek