Registered: Apr 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 19

Sweeping foot-work

I've been curling for about 10-12 weeks now. I'm the front end of my newbie team and want to get better at my foot work. Right now I kind of shuffle next to the rock as it travels and I've got a pretty good combination of speed and pressure (so I think).

I went to a bonspiel a couple months ago and someone there let me try one of the slider-slip-ons for my left foot (I am a right handed sweeper and use the open stance). While it felt like I was getting good pressure on the broom that way, my new skateboard style push method seemed a little awkward.

I recently read a how-to on curling to try and figure out the best way to travel next to the rock while you sweep (I know there is no such thing a "best way!") It said to use 2 grippers while sweeping, but i know this would not allow very good sliding with my front foot in order to glide next to the rock. I thought maybe this was for beginners safety but thought to get the opinion of you all anyway.

I'm going to look up videos of some pro matches when i get home from work, but i'm curious what people's opinion on foot-work technique are.
Thanks

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Registered: Apr 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 19

also, I realized that even with a gripper you can get your feet to slide a little bit. Maybe I'm supposed to just drive my feet harder to achieve the glide im looking for?

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Registered: Jan 2006
Location:
Posts: 54

This will sound like a cliche answer - but do whatever feels right for you. I know when I learned to curl years ago (20 plus years), I started out sliding beside the rock, on the right side of the rock. WHen I got to be more competitive, I started using a gripper, becuase it was easier to sweep on both sides of the rock. I don't think I could go back to sliding and sweeping at the same time!

Your skip may have a preference as well - I remember hearing that Kevin Martin told/wanted Ben and Mark to relearn to sweep with the slider because it was easier to keep up with the hard and heavy take outs they so often through.

Anyways, hope that helps a tad bit at least!

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Registered: Jun 2007
Location:
Posts: 89

This sort of thing can't really be taught as much as learned through trial and error. You should've seen the goofy hop-sidesteps I was doing when I was only a few months into my curling career. I eventually figured out a nice balance between footwork and brushing effectiveness.

I'm what I call "left-arm dominant", meaning my left arm is always lower on the brush, so I'll walk with two grippers on the thrower's right side, but I prefer to slide (I'm right handed) on the thrower's left since I'm not really facing the house on that side. It works for me.

I'd suggest sticking with two grippers at all times for now until you're more comfortable with it. Make sure your head is mostly directly centered over the brushhead; this will allow you to put a lot of weight on the brush, and will make sliding your feet around easier while you sweep.

Trial and error!

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Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 62

In my opinion the best position for sweeping is the closed position. Whether or not you use two grippers or a gripper and a slider doesn't matter too much. That is more of a preference.

If you're using two grippers the best footwork is to do a bit of a shuffle/walk sort of thing. It's hard to explain just by typing. I'd suggest watching Saville and Laing sweep to see pretty good technique for using two grippers.

As for a slider and a gripper, watch "the horses" sweep, i.e. Kennedy and Hebert. Best sweepers in the game in my opinion.

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Registered: Sep 2002
Location: vernon bc
Posts: 1417

I learned how to sweep with a corn broom. Which meant sliding beside the stone with a slider/griper combination. Using two grippers with corn was unheard of-if not damn near impossible.

Then the brush came along in the late 70's (thank you Paul Gowsell). I tried two grippers but found it difficult to judge the weight of a draw shot. However, the double gripper is definitely more simple to learn. I can see how it is a confidence booster for the beginner to not do a face plant when your slider sends you ass over tea kettle.

IMO, when you are gliding along on your slider you are better able to pick up on subtle changes in the speed of a stone. You, like the rock are sliding along together in tandem as opposed to 'jogging' along the side of the rock. This is because the slider foot stays still and actually provides you with a somewhat more stable platform (presuming your balance is good) than the jog does.

If you can, try to learn how to use the slider/gripper combo as well as the double gripper. Slider/gripper may take a little more time and effort to perfect, but its worth it.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary
Posts: 601

Footwork is important, but it's not the most important. You can find examples of great sweepers using two grippers (Howard's front end, Gould, etc.) and great sweepers using the slider method (Martin's front end). More people use the two gripper method in part because the CCA has backed that method for a long time and also it is slightly easier to be good at and and you're more in control when you get to the house.

More important to your sweeping effectiveness are things like an effecient brush stroke (3 to 6 inches and always in front of the rock), sweeping as close as possible to the rock without losing power, speed, etc. Footwork is only important in the fact that it lets you accomplish the other things. Most rookie sweepers I watch are not effective for the simple fact that they're not even sweeping in front of the rock most of the time and are more than a foot or two away from the rock. Ask your skip and sweeping partner to give you feedback if they notice you're not accomplishing these things.

I will say that if you use the two gripper method it should be more of a cross over step with a bit of a slide than a shuffle as you'll tend to bob up and down that way and lose power.

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Registered: Apr 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 19

thanks for the input everyone.

Right now I sweep with one gripper on my hind foot and just my sneaker on my lead foot in order to slide only a little bit. I'm going to try and get more of a cross-over step going and see where that gets me.

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Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 62

A cross-over step? I would not recommend that because it can lead to a lot of complications if you're sweeping a fast moving rock or trying to navigate the playing area with a bunch of rocks.

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Registered: Feb 2006
Location: Ayr, Scotland
Posts: 373

I am no Expert, but that has never held me back!

My recommendation is that you learn several different methods that will allow you to sweep either side of the Rock at any number of different speeds.

You will play with many other Curlers in your career and an ability to fit into an existing team will get more invitations than a perfect, but limited, technique that requires them to work around you.

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Registered: Apr 2010
Location: Oregon
Posts: 19

quote:

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Originally posted by brtlrt
A cross-over step? I would not recommend that because it can lead to a lot of complications if you're sweeping a fast moving rock or trying to navigate the playing area with a bunch of rocks.

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