Xy747: post a video. Love to see what I can learn from how you do the throw.

Figure 8 is still the style I am most inconsistent with.

bandit111964 wrote on May 5^th, 2026 at 5:03pm:


I believe the answer is yes for the bent elbow.    I bring my release hand as close to my ear as I can, and make the back swing strong enough so I can feel the tension of sling in line with my forearm pulling at my elbow.  By keeping the sling and forearm in line, I initiate the release by leading with my shoulder, then elbow, and punching my release hand straight toward my target  for the release.  All the while I am shifting my weight to my lead foot and driving my head towards the target as I release the sling.

IronGoober wrote on May 16^th, 2026 at 11:39am:


You are so right!

I didn’t even realize I was rushing my shots until I got so frustrated that I stopped.  Then I decided to throw at a farther target just to vent off steam.  For some reason, throwing at the farther target slowed me down enough to execute a very nice throw.  I tried again at my main target with slower execution, and my throws felt satisfying once again.  I still missed, but within two feet.   The shots were straight and level. 

I should add standing at 90 degrees to the target helps get me out of the path of the sling as it goes behind my back.

I keep wanting to face the target more and the front of my front shoulder facing the target twists my body into the swing path of the sling as it goes behind me.

In other words been trying to baseball pitch from full windup when I need to pitch only from the stretch.

Swift, I think “becoming more relaxed” is the solution.

Honestly at first there were many errors in my technique (body positioning, hand positioning, sling path, short arming the windup, disconnect/timing between arm motion vs stepping forward).   On the one hand I was learning by discovering and working thru the errors which is good. But also all this was very bad as I was thinking too much and not being relaxed.

Today at the beach was the first day I actually threw rocks relaxed using the figure 8 style. And everything clicked.

I could fire long distances and I could angle the throw up 45 degrees to get that distance.  I could throw horizontal immediately after to try to hit a knee-high target. I could vary the throw from hard to easy with similar accuracy (don’t mean to show off, but I did have a 100% successful hit rate on all throws when the ocean was the target!!  Literally can’t do better than that!)

Repeated the success in the front yard tonight too.  Just be relaxed and throw.  That has got me a huge step improvement.

bandit111964 wrote on May 16^th, 2026 at 5:17pm:

bandit111964 wrote on May 17^th, 2026 at 9:37pm:

Those two things were the key points for me to get powerful shots and at the same time to avoid scratching my back with the stones.

First, I think it's worth distinguishing between two similar throws: the Figure 8 and the Comanche style.

The main difference is that the Comanche style is a specialized horizontal-lateral variation (modification) of the classic Figure 8 style.
"Figure 8" is the general name for a family of throws in which the sling describes a loop in the air in the shape of an infinity sign.
The Comanche style takes this biomechanical basis but radically alters the plane of rotation and body position.

The difference between them is determined by three main factors:
1. Plane of Rotation (Tilt)
Classic "Figure 8": Performed in a strictly vertical plane (overhand). The sling moves downwards along the body, reminiscent of a baseball pitcher's arm or a tennis serve.
Comanche Style: Performed in a diagonal-horizontal plane (sidearm). The "figure 8" leans heavily to the side. The spin and final release are from the side, parallel to the ground or at a slight angle to it.
2. Stance and Body Position
Classic "Figure 8": Requires a half-turn of the body. At the moment of the throw, the thrower steps forward (as when throwing a spear), actively engaging the vertical lean of the body.
Comanche Style: The thrower stands directly facing the target (frontal stance). All energy is transferred through a powerful twist of the hips and body around the axis (left to right and back again), rather than by leaning forward.
3. Combat and Tactical Purpose
Classic "Figure 8": Ideal for shooting from behind cover, from trenches, or in close formation, as the vertical swing requires no lateral space. Provides excellent vertical accuracy.
Comanche Style: Developed for mounted warriors and hunters of the Great Plains. The side swing allows for easy throwing walking, running, or sitting, without hitting the horse's rump. It provides a wider horizontal strike zone.

And it seems to me that one of the key aspects of throwing is the position of the elbow, which determines the sling's trajectory.
A misalignment of the elbow completely ruins the aim. In each of these styles, the elbow serves opposite purposes.

1. Classic Figure 8 (Vertical Style)
In the vertical Figure 8, the elbow acts as a directional vector and should move strictly in a straight line.
Correct Position: The elbow is high above the shoulder (as in a tennis serve) and moves straight forward in a vertical plane, aimed at the target. In the final phase of the throw, the elbow "leads"—it moves ahead of the hand, pulling the entire arm with it.
Impact on Accuracy: If the elbow is strictly vertical, the shot will never go left or right. Release errors can only move the stone vertically (higher/lower), which is much easier to correct.
Typical Error: Elbow "flipping" to the side. If the elbow goes right or left during the final thrust, the vertical plane is broken, and the shot will fly unpredictably to the side.
2. Comanche Style (Side/Diagonal Style)
In the Comanche style, the elbow acts as the axis of rotation and should be firmly locked relative to the body.
Correct Position: The elbow is lower (approximately at or slightly above ribcage level) and at a fixed distance from the body. It moves in an arc parallel to the ground due to the rotation of the body.
Effect on Accuracy: The elbow maintains a tight radius of the throw. Since the throw is from the side, accuracy depends on the synchronization of the body rotation and the opening of the arm. A tucked and controlled elbow ensures that the sling describes a perfect horizontal arc.
Typical Error: A "wandering" elbow or one that is too far away from the body. If the elbow begins to extend or rise erratically during the side swing, the radius of rotation constantly changes. The brain doesn't have time to calculate the release point, and the stones fly in a wide horizontal arc (the throw can spread several meters left and right).