Eight modules to work through off-ice — sweeping, delivery, weight calling, and strategy. Build the mental game so next season you're ready from the first end.
Sweeping is far more than just making the rock go farther. At the competitive level, it's a real-time physics tool — you can influence both distance and the direction of curl. The key is understanding what your broom actually does to the ice.
Where you stand relative to the rock fundamentally changes what you can do with it. These aren't interchangeable — each position serves a different purpose, and knowing when to use which is part of reading a shot.
Stay as upright as possible while sweeping. Leaning over shifts the inner-ear fluid and makes it harder to judge the rock's speed and trajectory. Keep an open stance facing the skip — your inside arm should be lower, which naturally turns your body forward so you can see the skip's calls even in a noisy club. Use shoulder-driven strokes — the top shoulder drives the brush head out (push), core pulls it back. The push stroke is more powerful than the pull, so the power side of your stroke should align with the sweep direction.
The optimal stroke spans up to 45° relative to the rock's path, covering the running surface width. Keep your top arm close to your body to maximize downward pressure. In a two-sweeper system, sweepers on opposite sides can keep their brush heads tight together over the running surface — this is more effective than both sweepers bunched on the same side.
2026 WCF Rule update: Techniques designed to slow a rock (single-stroke push methods, keeping the brush on ice during the return stroke) are now prohibited. All permitted sweeping must finish to either side of the stone. When in doubt, use full alternating strokes. The pressing technique (body weight + stationary brush head behind the stone, not ahead) remains legal.
Weight control is about momentum, not muscle. The most common mistake is thinking you "kick harder" for more weight. In reality, a proper balanced delivery uses a weight shift and foot delay to let gravity and body mass do the work — the arm is for aim, not power.
The primary energy source. Shift back to your hack foot, then forward onto your slider foot — that roll-forward generates momentum. Think of it as controlled falling.
Delay sliding the hack foot forward during the weight shift. This "stores" momentum and then releases it into the slide. Critical for repeatable weight — especially on fast ice.
A secondary contributor, not the primary. Leg muscles can't be tuned finely enough for subtle draw-weight adjustments. Use it to supplement, not lead.
Keeping weight too far back in setup causes the knee to block the throwing arm and forces you to muscle the rock with your arm instead of using body momentum. Shift forward first. Similarly, looking down during the setup alters balance and makes you raise your hips on the way back — the classic "drinking bird" fault that leads to inconsistent weight.
Simulate the weight-shift sequence in front of a mirror. Check that your hack-foot delay happens before the slide, and your arm swings straight, not across your body. 10 slow-motion reps per session.
Mentally walk through your delivery for three weights: guard, draw, hack weight. Visualize the different feel of the weight shift for each. Pair with stopwatch practice (see Module 3).
Weight calling is the language your team uses to describe how hard a rock needs to travel. As a sweeper, you're reading the rock's speed in real time and communicating that to the skip — who then makes line decisions. As a skip or vice, you're calling the weight before the shot and adjusting based on what you see and hear.
Developed by the Randy Ferbey team in the early 2000s and now widely used at competitive levels. Sweepers call out a number to communicate where they believe the rock will stop, allowing the skip to decide on line sweeping in real time.
| Number | Stopping Zone | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Short of the rings / near guard area | Light draw, likely needs heavy sweeping |
| 3–4 | Top of the 12-foot / front of house | Still light; sweep to carry |
| 5 | Top 8-foot (top of the button area) | Decent draw weight, may need some sweeping |
| 6–7 | Button / 4-foot | Good draw weight — the target zone for most draws |
| 8–9 | Back 8-foot / back of house | Slightly heavy for a draw; fine for hack weight hit |
| 10 | Back hack | Hack weight — light take-out |
| Board+ | Behind the house to backboards | Called verbally, not numerically |
Split times are player-specific — delivery style affects the number. A player with more deceleration in their slide may produce a 3.75 split on the same weight a fluid-slide player produces at 4.05. Establish your own numbers in warmup and calibrate. The ranges below are typical baselines on medium-speed club ice (~22–24 sec sheet time). On faster competitive ice (24–25 sec), these numbers will shift ~0.1–0.15 sec longer.
| Weight Called | Typical Split Range | H2H Equivalent | Sweep Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guard (tight) | 4.20 – 4.50+ | 16+ sec | Watch — likely too heavy; may need to let it go |
| Draw (tee line) | 3.85 – 4.05 | 13.5 – 14.5 sec | At target: medium sweep. Short of target (longer split): sweep hard |
| Hack Weight | 3.50 – 3.70 | 11.0 – 12.0 sec | Usually no sweeping needed; may hold line only |
| Board Weight | 3.30 – 3.50 | 10.0 – 11.0 sec | Sweep for line only — distance is handled |
| Normal Takeout | 3.00 – 3.30 | 9.5 – 10.5 sec | Sweep for line, not weight — let it run |
| Peel Weight | < 3.00 | < 9.5 sec | Stand back — sweep only if tracking off line |
Counter-intuitive reminder: A shorter (smaller) split time = faster rock = farther travel. A 3.80 split will carry further than a 3.95 split. On a draw where your target is 3.90, a 3.80 is heavy (don't sweep), a 4.00 is light (sweep). The number going up means you need to sweep.
On typical club ice, 0.1 seconds of split time difference ≈ 6 feet of carry. So a 4.00 split vs. a 3.90 split means the rock will stop about 6 feet shorter if unsswept. Use this to quickly estimate whether a rock will make the shot or need help:
| Your Split vs. Target | Approx. Carry Difference | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 0.05 sec over (slow) | ~3 feet short | Sweep moderately — borderline shot |
| 0.10 sec over (slow) | ~6 feet short | Sweep hard — it needs help |
| 0.20 sec over (slow) | ~12 feet short | Sweep as hard as possible; may still be short |
| On target (±0.03) | On pace | Medium sweep or hold for line |
| 0.10 sec under (fast) | ~6 feet heavy | Don't sweep — let it run |
| 0.20 sec under (fast) | ~12 feet heavy | No sweeping; call it heavy to the skip |
| H2H Time | Ice Type | Draw Split Approx. | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15.0+ sec | Very fast / keen | 4.00 – 4.20 | Competitive-level pebble; rare at club play |
| 14.0 – 14.5 sec | Fast club / competitive | 3.85 – 4.00 | Good competitive club ice; early-game typical |
| 13.0 – 14.0 sec | Medium club ice | 3.75 – 3.90 | Most club leagues; ice slows as game progresses |
| 11.5 – 13.0 sec | Slow / heavy ice | 3.60 – 3.80 | Outdoor events, older pebble, humid clubs |
| 9.5 – 11.5 sec | Takeout / hit weight | — | H2H in this range = take-out weight; not a draw |
Ice slows as the game progresses — pebble wears down and frost dissipates. A sheet running 14.2 H2H in the 1st end may be 13.6 by the 8th. Track H2H throughout the game and adjust your sweep calls accordingly. What was "just right" in the 3rd end may need a sweep in the 9th.
Even with a watch, always pair timing with visual judgment. Watch the release point, the rock's slide velocity, and the rotation count. Rocks with fewer rotations tend to fall sooner. Experienced sweepers develop a feel for rock speed relative to the pebble and know when the watch contradicts what their eyes see — that's when experience matters most. Assign one person as the "looker" alongside the timer.
Curling strategy is built on two variables above everything else: who has the hammer and what the score is. Every shot call flows from these two facts. As vice you're the skip's strategic partner — reading the house, confirming score, advising on shot selection, and holding the broom when the skip throws.
The five-rock rule states that for the first five stones of an end, you cannot remove an opposition stone from the free guard zone (between the hog line and tee line, excluding the house). If you do, the thrown stone is removed and the opponent's stone is returned.
This rule fundamentally shapes every end — the first four rocks (two per team) set the strategic stage for everything that follows.
Your goal is to score two or more points. Use the hammer to come around guards and draw into the house. "Splitting the house" — placing rocks on opposite sides — creates angles and makes it hard for the opposition to clean up. Blank the end (shoot through) to retain hammer if you can't score two.
Your goal is to either steal a point (score without hammer) or force the hammer team to score only one. Without hammer, placing center guards that survive through the FGZ gives you a pathway to the four-foot. The opposition can't remove them until rock 6 — use that window.
| Situation | With Hammer | Without Hammer |
|---|---|---|
| Up 2+ | Play conservatively / clean game. Minimize opponent's scoring chance. | Take everything out. Clean game = protect the lead. |
| Even / Up 1 | Aim for two. Blank if one is all that's available. | Try to steal. Centre guards, force the defence. |
| Down 1–2 | Score two. Take the end if possible. | Draw game — get rocks in play, try to steal. |
| Down 3+ | Force a multi-point end. Aggressive draw game. | Must score multiple. Fill house, use FGZ aggressively. |
| Last end, down 1 | Must score two. Don't blank. | Must steal. All hands on deck, fill the house. |
The skip (or vice when holding the broom) is the team's primary ice reader. Track every rock — yours and theirs — for line, weight, and release characteristics. Note which path is running straighter vs. curling more. Call for more ice on paths that are running straight; less ice on paths that are sweeping hard.
Standing on the tee line gives you a natural ruler. You can judge exactly how much the rock is curling by watching it relative to the tee and the center line. Ice that runs straight favors freezes and runbacks. Swingy ice favors come-arounds.
When an end goes sideways — the opposition is sitting three and you're buried — know when to call the bailout. An up-weight shot to clear multiple guards and open the center limits the damage. Abandoning a failing strategy mid-end and switching to damage control is a skill, not a failure.
Curling is loud. Multiple games run simultaneously, rocks collide, sweepers shout — a skip yelling from 130 feet away is hard to hear clearly. Every team needs an agreed vocabulary before the game so calls land instantly with no ambiguity. Hesitation costs shots.
Every shot should be communicated in a consistent order: turn → target → weight. The thrower should be able to get in the hack knowing exactly what to throw without asking questions. If a call needs clarification, it's sorted before the hack, not during the slide.
When the skip is throwing, the vice takes over all sweeping direction from inside the house. This is one of the most critical communication moments in curling — you're reading the rock from 100+ feet away and making split-second calls the sweepers must trust completely.
| Call | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| "Yes" / "Sweep" / "Hard" | Sweep — carry the rock | Most common. Add "hard" for urgency. |
| "Hurry!" / "Hurry hard!" | Sweep as fast and hard as possible | Emergency carry — rock is very light |
| "No" / "Off" / "Whoa" | Stop sweeping completely | Rock is heavy or on line — let it run |
| "Clean" / "Just clean" | Light sweeping only — clear debris, no pressure | Used when you want the rock to curl but don't want picks |
| "One!" (+ side) | One sweeper only, on the called side | Directional sweeping — hold the line or steer |
| "Straight!" / "Line!" | Sweep to hold the straight path | Rock is curling too much; both sweepers flatten the path |
| "Let it curl" / "Off curl side" | Release the inside sweeper | Rock is running too straight; let natural curl take it |
Communication isn't just skip to sweepers. The thrower should immediately tell the sweepers if their delivery felt off — "I pushed it," "I pulled it," "felt heavy," "felt light." This gives the sweepers a head start to react before the split time comes back. A thrower who says nothing and lets the sweepers figure it out is wasting a critical second of reaction time.
The vice is the communication hub of the team. You're relaying ice information back to the skip, passing strategy down to the front end, calling sweeping during the skip's shots, and agreeing on the score — all within the same end. Developing crisp, clear communication habits off-ice will pay enormous dividends when you're on the ice and the game is on the line.
Ice reading is the skill that separates good curlers from great ones. No two sheets behave identically — pebble wear, humidity, sheet prep, frost, and foot traffic all change how rocks travel. As vice you'll spend significant time in the house watching shots; learning to build a mental map of the ice in real time is one of the highest-leverage things you can study off-ice.
The baseline. A rock curls in the direction of its rotation as it slows. In-turn (clockwise for right-handers) curls right; out-turn curls left. Amount of curl depends on weight, pebble condition, and stone type. Heavier shots curl less; lighter shots curl more.
A section of ice that is physically sloped, causing the rock to drift in the opposite direction than the turn would normally produce — or drift further than expected. Common near sheet edges and older ice. A rock "falling" means it's tracking off the expected curl path due to gravity on a slope.
A dip or trough in the ice that a rock can get "stuck in," preventing normal curl or causing it to track straight. Rocks on a run often look like they've died — flat and unresponsive. Typically found in high-traffic center-line zones as pebble flattens.
Ice that causes more curl than expected — beyond normal draw. Usually the result of fresh pebble, cold ice, or specific sheet preparation. On swingy ice, guards must be placed lower (closer to the house) to allow the come-around to work, and more ice is given on broom placement.
You cannot read ice by watching just your own team's shots. You need to watch every rock — yours, theirs, on both turns. Here's how to build your mental map systematically:
When your opponents deliver, position yourself where the opposing skip stands. Watch the rock's path relative to the broom — not where the broom was placed, but where the rock actually went. This gives you the same sight line you'll use when holding your own broom.
Always anchor broom placement at the tee line. When a rock is thrown at a broom set 3 feet off the tee line and ends up 1 foot past center, you now know that path is curling 4 feet total. Building this map is impossible if the skip keeps moving the broom to different depths.
Note which paths have been heavily traveled (center line wears quickly) vs. fresh (wings stay pebbled longer). As games progress, expect the center to run straighter and the wings to require more ice and weight — pebble on the edges is fresher and provides more curl and resistance.
Some ice breaks (curls dramatically) early in the path; other ice breaks late near the house. If the curl is happening late, you must call for sweeping before the break — not after. By the time you see the rock biting, it's usually too late to stop it with sweeping.
| Time / Condition | Ice Behavior | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| First 1–2 ends | Slower, less curl — frost and cold pebble | More weight; less ice on draws |
| Ends 3–6 | Pebble wearing, ice warming slightly — faster and more consistent | Calibrate in warmup; this is your baseline |
| Later ends (7–10) | Center runs straighter; wings curlier and heavier | More ice on wings; less ice on center paths. Watch for fresh pebble at edges. |
| High traffic paths | Flatten quickly → straighter, faster | Give less ice; expect less break |
| Low traffic paths (wings) | More curl, more resistance | Give more ice; add weight |
| Humidity spike | Frost forms → slower, picks more likely | More weight across the board; sweep aggressively to clear debris |
Calling the right shot isn't just about what's strategically ideal — it's about what your team can actually make. The Degree of Difficulty (DOD) framework gives you a way to evaluate shot options against your team's realistic execution percentage. The best skips and vices don't call the perfect shot; they call the best shot their team can execute reliably.
DOD is rated 1–10. As a general guideline, new and developing curlers should not be called for shots above DOD 5. It may take several seasons before a player can consistently execute DOD 6+ shots.
| Shot Type | DOD | Why It's That Difficult | Rookie-Friendly? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hit & stay (open) | 1–2 | Large margin of error; no precision needed on roll | ✅ Yes |
| Straight draw to house (open) | 2 | No navigation required; weight is only variable | ✅ Yes |
| Peel (open guard) | 2–3 | High weight, wide margin; just hit it hard and straight | ✅ Yes |
| Hit & roll to side | 3–4 | Precise angle needed for roll placement | ⚠️ With practice |
| Draw around centre guard | 5–6 | Must navigate the guard and land on target; small margin | ⚠️ Challenging |
| Come-around to button | 6 | Requires precise weight + line around cover | ❌ Too hard for rookies |
| Raise (promote a stone) | 5–6 | Contact angle must be precise; small target | ⚠️ Situational |
| Double takeout | 6–7 | Second stone must be in the right position; high weight variation | ❌ Usually |
| Freeze | 7–8 | Must stop touching opponent's stone without moving it — tiny margin | ❌ Advanced |
| Draw behind rock in house | 8 | Micro-precision on weight + line; impossible on straight ice | ❌ Advanced |
| Runback double | 8–9 | Must hit guard at precise angle to promote into two stones | ❌ Advanced |
| Hit on an angle port (wick) | 9–10 | Tiny opening, precise contact angle, unpredictable roll | ❌ Expert only |
A shot designed to stop in or near the house. The fundamental scoring shot. Requires accurate weight and line. All draws become harder when cover is involved.
A draw that stops short of the house, in the free guard zone. Placed to protect a stone in the house or block the opposition's access. Centre guards and corner guards serve different purposes.
A shot that removes an opposition (or own) stone from play by striking it. Weight ranges from hack weight (stays near the hack) through peel weight (maximum). The most reliable shot type for most players.
A takeout where the shooter deliberately rolls to a new position after contact. Used to remove a threat and occupy a scoring or protecting position. Roll direction is controlled by hitting the target stone off-center.
A draw that curls around a guard and comes to rest in the house behind it. Requires precise weight and line. The amount of curl must be enough to navigate the guard but not overshoot the target.
A draw that stops touching an opponent's stone. The opponent can't remove the frozen stone without removing their own. One of the most defensively powerful shots but requires pinpoint weight control.
Hitting your own guard stone to promote it into the house (or further into the house). Used when your stone is already well-positioned but needs to move deeper. Contact angle controls where the raised stone goes.
Hitting a guard stone to drive it back into one or more stones in the house. Often called for a double or triple when open draws aren't available. High difficulty — contact must be precise.
Every shot call should account for all of these simultaneously. As vice, this is the framework you run through when advising the skip:
The single biggest factor. With hammer you can afford riskier offensive plays. Without hammer, conservative shots that force the opponent into difficulty are usually correct.
Behind by two in end 8? Take risks. Up by three in end 5? Play conservatively. Early ends establish patterns; late ends require precision based on what score you need.
Know each player's real execution percentage on each shot type. Your lead might be great at draws but unreliable on wick shots. Call to their strengths and away from their weaknesses.
Straight ice eliminates many come-around options. Swingy ice makes precise hits harder (rock may over-curl through). Match the shot type to what the ice is actually doing.
If the opposing skip struggles with draw weight, force them to draw. If they're better hitters than drawers, keep rocks in play. Read their weaknesses early and exploit them strategically.
A shot with a 50% chance of a great result and 50% chance of a disaster is usually worse than a shot with 90% chance of an acceptable result. Especially true in later ends. Conservative play builds leads; aggressive play chases them.
Rookie skip mistake: Calling draws behind rocks in the house for new players. This is DOD 8 — a very low-percentage shot that also has a small margin of error. When in doubt, keep calls to general areas ("anywhere in the four-foot, protected side") rather than specific spots. Vague successful calls beat precise misses.
The broom is the skip's primary communication tool — it tells the thrower where to aim and carries all the ice-reading information the skip has gathered. Consistent, well-placed broom work is a skill as important as any shot. Bad broom placement creates inconsistent data and confuses your throwers. Good broom placement creates a reliable reference point and builds team confidence.
For all draw shots and guards, always place the broom on the tee line. This is non-negotiable for good reason: the tee line acts as a tape measure. When you consistently call from the tee line, you accumulate precise data about how much a path is curling — and your throwers always aim at a target the same distance away, which makes their alignment repeatable.
Every draw shot is a data point. When a rock is thrown at your broom and it ends up crossing the center line by one foot, you now know that path is curling four total feet. When a rock thrown at the same broom falls short of the line, the path is curling three feet. Build this map end over end — it's how experienced skips give confident, consistent ice.
A common error is standing parallel to the center line while holding the broom — your body becomes a distraction rather than an aid. Instead, position yourself so your body is an extension of the line of delivery: the invisible line running from the shooter's hack foot through the head of your broom. When the thrower looks down the sheet, they should see your broom on the line they need to aim on, with your body behind it confirming that line.
After placing your broom, check: if you drew a line from the hack, through your broom head, and kept going — would it line up with where you want the rock to go? If not, adjust your position, not just the broom head angle.
Once the rock is released, the skip's broom job switches to a sweeping direction role. From the house end, you're watching the rock's curl and weight and making the call. The key timing challenge is the late break — if you know the ice breaks late, you must call sweeping before you see the curl start. If you wait until the rock is visibly biting, the sweepers can't respond in time.
Before the thrower gets in the hack, the skip communicates the full shot: turn (in or out), target (tap the stone to hit or spot to draw to), and weight (hand signal or verbal). For draws, tap the spot in the house where you want the rock to land. For takeouts, tap the stone to remove, then move the broom to show the roll. For turn, hold up your arm in the direction of the intended handle rotation.
| Signal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tap stone + swing broom back | Takeout — remove that stone |
| Tap spot in house | Draw to that location |
| Tap stone + point to roll spot | Hit and roll — remove stone, land here |
| Arm out toward in-turn direction | Throw in-turn |
| Arm out toward out-turn direction | Throw out-turn |
| Tap ankle | Hack weight |
| Cross hand across stomach | Board/barrier weight |
| Tap shoulder | Normal takeout weight |
| Raised fist / arm up | Heavy / peel weight |
Agree on vocabulary before the game. "Hard," "hurry," "yes," "sweep," and "clean" mean different things to different teams. Establish your team's sweep commands in warmup. A sweeper who hesitates because they're not sure if "yeah" means sweep or just encouragement costs you shots.
Curling looks deceptively casual, but a full game — sweeping up to a mile, holding low delivery positions, sustained mental focus for two hours — places real demands on your body. The off-season is the perfect window to build the physical foundation and mental habits that translate directly onto the ice next season.
The most physically demanding part. Hard sweeping for 20 seconds generates an average heart rate of ~170bpm. Lead and second can sweep up to 60 stones per game. Requires shoulder and upper-back endurance, core stability to press down without collapsing, and cardiovascular capacity to recover between bursts.
Essentially a controlled single-leg squat into a forward lunge — held for the duration of the slide. Demands hip flexor flexibility (deep lunge position), quad and glute strength (controlled push-off and balance), and core stability to stay square through the slide and release.
Two hours of continuous strategic decision-making, ice reading, communication, and execution under pressure. Mental fatigue in later ends causes missed calls and poor shot selection. Off-ice mental training directly improves late-game performance.
The single most directly transferable exercise. Forward lunges, reverse lunges, and walking lunges all mimic the delivery position. Focus on a slow, controlled descent — the ability to hold the low position is what matters, not speed.
3 sets × 12 each leg
Build the quad and glute strength needed for push-off power and the ability to stand stable on the slider. Single-leg squat variations are ideal for balance training that directly transfers to the delivery slide.
3 sets × 15 reps
Tight hip flexors are the #1 limiter for getting into a deep, comfortable delivery position. Daily hip flexor stretches off-ice (kneeling lunge stretch, pigeon pose) will directly improve your slide depth and comfort next season.
Daily — 60 sec each side
The back (trailing) leg in delivery drags on the ice and requires significant hamstring length to not pull the body off balance. Regular hamstring stretching — standing, seated, or yoga-based — is essential maintenance.
Daily — hold 30–45 sec
Standard planks, side planks, and plank-with-reach all build the core stability needed to press your body weight down through the broom handle without collapsing. Think of the plank as simulating the pressing position in sweeping.
3 × 30–60 sec holds
Plank position, alternating dumbbell rows. Directly trains the push/pull sweeping motion while stabilizing the core — one of the most specific off-ice exercises for sweeping power and endurance.
3 × 10 each arm
The pull phase of sweeping is powered by the upper back and lats. Seated rows or resistance band pull-aparts build the pulling endurance you need when sweeping multiple ends in a row without fading.
3 × 15 reps
The push phase of sweeping loads shoulders and chest. Wide-grip push-ups most closely replicate the shoulder-drive push stroke. Build to 3 sets of 20+ with good form for solid sweeping endurance late in games.
3 × 15–20 reps
Sweeping is interval-based — 15–25 second all-out bursts, then recovery while the next rock is thrown. The best cardio training mirrors this pattern rather than steady-state endurance. That said, general aerobic base fitness (for the 2-hour game duration) also matters.
20 seconds all-out effort, 40 seconds rest — repeated 8–10 rounds. Use rowing, cycling, or burpees. This directly replicates the energy demand of hard sweeping followed by recovery. Builds the cardiovascular capacity to sweep hard in the 9th end as well as the 1st.
Simultaneously trains cardiovascular fitness, upper-back pulling power, and core engagement. Highly transferable to sweeping mechanics. 20 minutes of rowing — mixing steady pace with hard sprint intervals — is one of the best general curling fitness investments.
| Day | Focus | Key Exercises |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Lower body + delivery mobility | Lunges, goblet squats, hip flexor stretch, hamstring stretch |
| Tuesday | Cardio intervals | HIIT (rowing/bike) — 8 × 20 sec hard / 40 sec rest |
| Wednesday | Core + sweeping power | Plank variations, renegade rows, push-ups, band rows |
| Thursday | Active recovery / flexibility | Yoga or Pilates — hip, hamstring, shoulder mobility focus |
| Friday | Full body + balance | Single-leg squats, deadlifts, shoulder press, plank-with-reach |
| Weekend | Rest or light activity | Walk, swim, stretch — no structured training |
Yoga and Pilates are particularly well-suited for curlers — they simultaneously address hip flexibility, core engagement, and body awareness. Even one session per week through the off-season will show measurable improvement in delivery position and slide balance when you return to ice.
Curling is as much a mental game as a physical one. The decisions made in the 9th end of a tight game are only as good as the mental habits practiced in the off-season. These aren't abstract concepts — they're trainable skills.
Spend 5–10 minutes a few times a week visualizing specific shots. See the rock leaving your hand, curling around the guard, stopping on the button. Include the physical sensations — the feel of the hack, the slide, the release. Visualization activates the same neural pathways as physical practice and directly improves execution consistency.
Develop a consistent pre-shot routine now, off-ice. A routine — same breath, same setup sequence, same focal point — creates a reliable mental anchor that filters out noise and pressure. The routine is the same whether it's a club game or a tight bonspiel final. Write yours down and rehearse it mentally.
Watch Brier, Scotties, or World Championships on YouTube. Focus not on the shots — focus on the strategy. When does the skip blank? Why did they call that weight? What ice are they giving and why? Watching elite teams with these questions in mind builds a much deeper strategic vocabulary than just watching for entertainment.
The ability to reset after a bad shot without carrying it into the next is one of the most underrated skills in curling. Practice this mentally: after a missed visualization shot, consciously reset — take a breath, let go, move to the next one. Build the habit of a short memory for misses and a long memory for good shots.
Apple Fitness+ (available in the Fitness app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV) has 12 workout types and 8,000+ sessions ranging from 5 to 45 minutes. No gym required for most. Sessions pair with Apple Watch for real-time heart rate, calories, and ring progress. Below is how each relevant type maps directly to curling skills.
Curling benefit: Replicates the burst-and-recover pattern of hard sweeping. Builds the cardiovascular capacity to sweep all-out in end 9 as effectively as end 1.
Look for: Back-to-Back Strength & HIIT (20 min, no rest between strength and cardio blocks) or the 4-week Make Your Fitness Comeback program (HIIT track). Use the Burn Bar to track intensity.
Curling benefit: The single best all-around off-ice modality for curlers. Simultaneously improves hip flexor depth (delivery position), hamstring length (trailing leg), shoulder mobility (sweeping reach), and balance — while adding a mental reset.
Look for: Build a Yoga Habit in 4 Weeks (two 10-min flows/week, progressive). Filter by "hip" or "flexibility" focus. Even 10 minutes twice a week will show measurable delivery improvement.
Curling benefit: Core stability is what keeps you square through the delivery slide and lets you press body weight down through the broom without collapsing. Dedicated core sessions build the foundation for both delivery and sweeping.
Look for: Sessions that include plank variations, dead bugs, and Pallof presses. 10–20 min sessions 2–3x per week is enough. No equipment needed.
Curling benefit: Lower-body strength (squats, lunges) for delivery power and balance; upper-body pulling strength (rows) for sweeping endurance; shoulder press for broom overhead reach. The 4-week Strength Basics program is a perfect off-season starting point.
Look for: The Strength Basics or Make Your Fitness Comeback (Strength track). Filter for sessions including lunges and rows. Dumbbells needed for most sessions.
Curling benefit: Trains upper-back pulling power, core engagement, and cardiovascular fitness simultaneously — the trifecta for sweeping. The drive phase of a rowing stroke closely mirrors the body mechanics of the broom pull-through.
Requires a rowing machine. 20-min sessions mixing steady pace with sprint intervals are ideal. The Burn Bar is available for Rowing — good for tracking effort across sessions.
Curling benefit: Deep core stability, hip mobility, and body awareness — all critical for delivery consistency. Pilates also trains proprioception (knowing where your body is in space) which directly improves slide balance on the ice.
No equipment needed for mat Pilates sessions. Filter for "core" or "lower body" focus. Great complement to yoga on rest days — lower intensity but high skill-transfer.
Curling benefit: Builds the mental focus, breathing control, and reset habits that translate to better performance under pressure — particularly in late ends. Regular short meditation sessions develop the same mental skills as a good pre-shot routine.
5–10 min audio or video sessions. Filter by "Focus" or "Stress" themes. Even 3 sessions per week through the off-season builds measurable attention control.
Curling benefit: Structured post-workout mobility and breathing — ideal for finishing any training session. Helps maintain hip, shoulder, and hamstring flexibility when stacked after HIIT or Strength sessions.
5–10 min. Stack after HIIT or Strength instead of skipping the cool-down entirely. Builds the flexibility habit that prevents off-season stiffness from undoing your work.
| Day | Fitness+ Type | Duration | Curling Skill Targeted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Strength (lunges + rows focus) | 20–30 min | Delivery power, sweeping pull endurance |
| Tuesday | Yoga (hip / flexibility) | 10–20 min | Delivery depth, trailing leg, slide balance |
| Wednesday | HIIT + Mindful Cooldown | 20 min + 10 min | Sweeping cardiovascular capacity + flexibility |
| Thursday | Core | 10–20 min | Delivery stability, broom press, slide control |
| Friday | Rowing or Strength | 20–30 min | Sweeping power, upper-back endurance |
| Weekend | Yoga or Meditation | 10–15 min | Recovery, mental reset, pre-shot routine habit |