Skills and Drills

The following drills are the compulsory Open House/Learn to Curl Drills that should be done with each group.

Remember, an Open House or Learn to Curl is designed to "introduce" new people to curling.  They are not training sessions.  Formal and proper training should be done at the the New Member or New Curler training scheduled after the open house.

Learn to Curl - Delivery

This drill is used at all Open House Learn to Curl sessions and is an introduction to the curling delivery.  With the new curlers watching, demonstrate the proper 1-2-3 delivery with a sliding device AND rock.  Now ask a new curler to stand in the hack, step on the slider, and squat to the setup position.  The instructor must be side by side with a sliding device and rock.  The two of you move through the 1-2-3 steps together.  The newest curlers should hold the rock (don't let go) AND sliding device until they are comfortable releasing the rock.   Do as many reps as time permits.

Learn To Curl - Sweeping

Line up the new curlers on each sideline.  Half of them on each line, facing the center of the sheet.  The instructor, will be in the middle of the sheet.  Ask the curlers to follow your lead.

1. Take a 45 degree position to the line of delivery.

2. Right hand underhand grip with the head on the ice.

3. Place bottom overhand grip about 18" from the head.

4. Demonstrate the static sweeping stroke - push pull.

5. Have them sweep down the sheet following your SLOW pace.

Don't switch sides.  Return using the opposite hands.

Practice makes us better at a given skill.  The repetition of doing something properly over and over engrains the behavior or mechanics into muscle and brain memory. Proper practice can make any skill instinctual. Most skills can be performed properly when you have the opportunity to think it through thoroughly. It’s when you’re “in the moment” that most skills are lost. When you can’t thoroughly think through the skill process, you revert back to whatever your body is comfortable with. Practice can change this. So, if you want to make the big shot to win the game under pressure, you’ll need to make the proper delivery instinctual.

Simply throwing proper practice rocks at the club will train your body to recognize a proper delivery and develop muscle memory. Throwing practice rocks can also be a trap where bad habits can be reinforced. Specific practice techniques will help you develop your skills properly.

There are two types of practice sessions.

1. Practice to make your team better

2. Practice to make your individual contribution to a team better

If you play on a regular team, the best practices are the ones with the entire team present.

If most of your curling is in leagues (on several different teams), then you may want to concentrate on the following practice drills. First, find someone to practice with. Try and find someone who can reasonably assess your skills and provide feedback to you. Practicing alone is only good for developing your balance and gives a good sense of the overall delivery. The mistake many people make is trying to practice hitting the broom alone. It is virtually impossible for you to determine precise accuracy and line of delivery from the throwing position. The only way to accurately practice line of delivery is to throw at a broom held by a person who can provide you feedback or at a laser.

Individual practice drills should focus on the three main areas of curling performance:

1. Delivery line control.

2. Delivery weight control.

3. Sweeping effectiveness.

Delivery Line Drills

Line Drill #1  Test for Balance

Purpose: To establish the proper sliding foot placement necessary for a balanced delivery with all energy down the line.

Skill Level:  All skill levels.

Since the fundamental component to a good delivery is balance (line), this drill is invaluable. Begin with your normal stretching routine. Take a few practice slides followed by throwing a few rocks. This will loosen up the body for the this drill. With your next delivery, raise the broom or device off the ice one inch as you cross the tee line. Release the rock and follow through until you stop. Keep your throwing hand at handle level without touching the ice. As you repeat the sliding drill, begin raising the broom earlier and earlier until you can slide without the use of the broom from the back line through the hog line.  Follow this sequence:

1. Slide

2. Test for balance

3. Release

4. Hold the delivery until you stop.

Test for balance with EVERY practice rock. 

Line Drill #2   Hitting the Broom (manual)

Purpose: Repetition throwing on the line of delivery.

Skill Level: All skill levels.

Have a competent person hold the broom for you. Agree on what weight you would like to throw. Your default draw or takeout weight will work well.  Throw the rock back and forth with the other person changing the broom with each shot. Provide feedback on the shot each time. If you throw hack or takeout weight, you can both use the same rock over and over. This is a great practice drill because you begin to feel and see what it’s like to “hit the broom”.  Use the CurlTech feedback system. Indicate broom accuracy AND line.

Line Drill #3   Hitting the Broom - Laser

Purpose: Train to the perfect line of delivery.

Skill Level: Advanced.

Using a laser pointer as the line of delivery, throw rocks, view and adjust. This drill can be done alone with some effort. Setup the laser at about half sheet. The beam should be set at the middle of the rock's striking band and on line to your Drawback Point. Visually (or use a string) establish the broom at the far end. The laser beam becomes the line of delivery. Throw at the broom and, if alone setup a camera just behind the laser and record each delivery. This back and forth can be tedious. If possible have another player or coach view and record each delivery. Make adjustments as necessary.

Best line drill. The laser doesn't lie.

Delivery Weight Control Drills

Weight Drill #1   Drop Drill - Foot Delay               

Purpose: To establish a proper Step (2) position, sliding foot delay and early rock movement.

Skill Level: All skill levels.

This drill isolates the Step (2) delivery position and sliding foot delay, allowing your body mass to become a key part of the delivery.  It is beneficial because it helps isolate the Step position with the hips back and shows how to move the rock down the line first before the sliding foot moves.  It is not a full-delivery drill. Setup in the Step (2) position, “hips up and back”. This is the “loaded” position ready for your energy to move forward.  From this position, WITHOUT moving your sliding foot, move the rock toward the skip's broom and roll your body forward. Pick a point in front of the hack that the rock must touch before the sliding foot moves. Start with a spot one foot from the hack. Remember, don’t move your sliding foot until the rock reaches that point. Once you feel comfortable, move the point out farther. You’ll notice your slide will become longer and more powerful (efficient) with each adjustment. It is not necessary to stretch farther than about halfway to the back line.

Instructor Note: Establish a proper Step position first with the hips up and back and the weight on the slider foot. The slider foot movement between steps #2 and #3 should be in a straight line, in a single, quick movement.

Weight Drill #2   Default Weight                  All Levels

Purpose: To establish a default delivery from which you will make weight adjustments.

Skill Level: All skill levels.

Try to practice weight on a sheet that is in your normal game condition, let's say 14.5 seconds HTH. All draws should be calibrated to the HTH speed. This practice should be done by position to create your “default weight”. Leads should throw all eight rocks six feet short of the house as the sweepers can bring them closer if desired. Seconds, thirds and skips should practice a default weight in the top twelve or just short.

If conditions are substandard, usually slower, split-time the draws. The split time from back line to nearer hog line should be directly correlated to the HTH speed.  For example a 14.5 HTH sheet would split between 3.80 and 3.90 seconds, depending on club ice conditions. Ignore the result of the shot.  Your draw may not make the house or even be in play.

Take-out weight can be practiced by setting up a few rocks in the house and removing them.  Again, split timing can help.  The split on normal weight (9.5 HTH) take out should be between 2.90 and 3.10 seconds.  Avoid throwing any complete shot without sweepers.

Once the default delivery is established, small increases or decreases in weight can adjust to the different weight calls.

Sweeping Effectiveness Drills

Sweeping Drill #1  SmartBroom

Purpose: To "baseline" your brush head pressure for future improvement.

Skill Level: All skill levels.

If your club has a SmartBroom, measure your head pressure.  What ever your baseline pressure is, try to improve.  See the Sweeping page for proper stance, grip and stroke.

Sweeping Drill #2 Anaerobic Suicides All Levels

Purpose: Build endurance for a long weekend or week.

Skill Level: All skill levels.

Best done with a heart rate monitor, this drill measures your fitness level and helps prepare you to perform during games.

Start at the back line. Start moving toward the near hog line as if you were about to sweep a real shot. Sweep full-speed to the next hog line. Stop and measure your heart rate while returning to the home end. Sixty (60) seconds from the stop of the previous sweep, begin sweeping again. Repeat, The goal is get back to a throwable heart rate in 60 seconds. For many people, the heart needed to throw a finesse curling shot is 100 bpm or lower. Don't be too concerned about you initial numbers. Focus on improvement over time.

Another method is to measure how long it takes to get back to 100 bpm. This time should coincide with the time between shot at your position. Over time, the recovery time should shorten.

Minimum reps - 6.

Other Useful Drills

Slider Comfort

Purpose: Sliding comfort and repetition.

Skill Level: All skill levels.

Gone are the days when players wore their sliders the entire game.  Today, for the most part, players only slide during the delivery so the opportunity to get comfortable on the slider has diminished.  Of course, slider proficiency is the foundation to a balanced delivery.

Goal: Slide upright 10-15 feet without stepping.

This drill will give you the repetition needed for sliding comfort and stability.  Using a full, 1/4 inch slider on a firm shoe will help.

1. Start at the home end with a broom in your hand.

2. Remove your gripper.

3. Slide the length of the sheet with as much pressure as possible on the sliding foot.

4. Measure the distance you can slide without putting the other foot down.

5. Repeat as necessary.

Full-Sheet Reps: 5-10

Over time, you will feel more and more comfortable on the slider which will translate into a more stable delivery.  You may start with a "hippity-hop" motion that will change to a smooth effortless slide.

Depending on your competitive model, team practices may be a key part of your team’s performance plan. During team practices, a combination of mechanics and team related drills should dominate.  If the entire team is present, they have the opportunity to practice actual shots. This can be done by either setting up a particular shot and throwing it over and over, or by playing the "perfect team".

The Designated Shot

 Pick a shot that the team throws a lot. Execute the shot with full sweeping and line calling. Agree on a standard for each shot. For example, three come arounds in a row or three peels in a row or two freezes. This drill allows the players to practice a common shot when the pressure is off. This goes a long way when the pressure is on.

The "Perfect Team"

 This refers to playing an imaginary team that does not miss any shots. It begins with the skip gathering a few opponent’s rocks at the house end. After your team throws a rock, the skip then determines what the perfect shot would be in return and executes it by placing the opponent’s rock in the perfect spot.  The skip must play for both teams. This drill is very valuable because it can simulate actual game conditions without the need for an opponent.

A word of caution when playing the perfect team. They’re very good. Expect to give up multiple points. In fact, the goal of this drill is to try and limit the perfect team to one (force) or two points in each end.

One-On-One, Two-On-Two, Etc.

 Playing small games breaks up the monotony of any practice. As part of practice, play a two-end game of two-on-two (or one-on-one if you have another sheet available). To make the game even more interesting, do not allow any takeouts. This forces the team to concentrate on finesse shots rather than "blasting". If a player takes a rock out by mistake, it must be replaced. Once the rocks build up, it provides a good opportunity to practice raises.

Four in the Four (best team drill ever)

This could be the best overall team drill since it requires ALL of the team’s skills to be successful. It is also a great communication drill. The coach should monitor the drill to ensure proper execution of the system of Play.

With this drill, the goal for the team is to draw the four-foot, four times in a row. Start with the normal team line-up at the beginning of an end. The lead throws a draw to the four-foot with the skip in position and the second and vice sweeping. After the lead throws, the second throws and so on. Continue this until you have drawn the four-foot four consecutive times. If one person misses, you must start over. The purpose of this drill is two-fold, to see and understand each delivery for sweeping purposes, and to simply practice drawing to the four-foot (LSD). It develops a good sense of draw weight, what your sweepers are capable of, and good practice for the sweepers making weight judgment calls.

This drill is harder than it sounds. Create a rule that does not allow the team to move to the next drill until four are in the four. Pressure builds up with each four-foot draw.

To add variety, have the team rotate positions so all team members play all positions. After each shot, move up one position. This helps the entire team understand the System of Play and other team responsibilities.

Simulated Game

Have your coach simulate a game from beginning to end. Start with a real opponent. Choose a team that you will play in competition. The coach should discuss the game plan before the game just as if you were about to play them for real.

In the warm room, with your magnet board, have the team sit at a table with the skip facing the incoming shots. Have the vice, second and third sit opposite the skip. This allows the players to visualize the game as it sets up from their positions (skips see the game coming at them, the rest see it going away). The coach will act as the opponent. The value of this drill is not individual shot calling, it’s how the skip is thinking and making decisions. The vice should be part of the decision process on skip’s rocks and should be available for consultation if the skip needs it. Practice your communication system. The front end should discuss the shots like they were at the other end.

It is not necessary to throw all shots. The most important part of this drill is:

• The skip’s thinking in the early, middle and late ends

• The skips rock in all ends

• The sixth end strategy (right after the break)

• The closing strategy in ends eight through ten

This drill helps prepare your team for the thinking process in a real game. 

Sweeping Anaerobics

Throw a rock with two sweepers. Sweep hard from hog to tee. After sweeping, immediately measure the heart rates of the sweepers. This should drop quickly so the sweeper can throw a rock. Chart your progress. See the Sweeping section for more information.

Play “Skip’s Call” (off-ice)

Skip’s Call is a curling board game of strategy and tactics developed exclusively by CurlTech. Teams of any number plan and execute a simulated game against each other. Whether it’s one-on-one, two teams of four or a large group setting, Skip’s Call is an engaging way to learn strategy and tactics (shot calling) while in the comfort of your home or club. The value of playing Skip’s Call is working through shot-calling scenarios in the comfort of the warm room or at home. Any number of people can play the game. The fun part is discussing the options with the group and pointing out key advantages and disadvantages with certain shots. The game requires a knowledgeable Game Administrator to truly learn strategy but even without the GA, the discussions are valuable.

1.  Skip’s Call Basics

2.  Split the group into two teams.

3.  Assign a coach to each team.

4.  Choose a shot deck,

5.  Choose a scenario.

6.  Roll for hammer.

7.  Call a shot.

8.  Draw from the deck.

9.  Game Administrator places the rock according to the call and shot score.

10.  The GA decision is FINAL.