Curling, particularly the sweeping positions, requires a lot of the physical abilities and the extreme discipline of biathlon. One of the biggest problems curling has is that it looks easy, certainly not physically demanding.
Let’s dispel any idea that curling is a game only for old people. Curling can be played by people of all ages. Played at its highest level, curling requires extreme physical fitness, particularly on the part of the front end of the curling team, those who sweep.
A curling game lasts for two hours or more. During that time the sweeping positions could potentially be asked to sweep a total of 48 rocks from end to end. Realistically, those sweepers work about 10 to 12 minutes of very intense sweeping per game at the top levels of curling. Put into perspective, a lot of professional hockey players don’t play that many minutes in a game.
Biathlon sees super athletes cross-country ski for an extended period of time, bringing their heart rate and breathing to their peak; then quickly getting that under control, they have to precisely shoot a rifle at a small target. It’s an amazing physical and mental feat.
That’s what sweepers do at the front end of a curling team. Each time they sweep a rock from one end to the other, they perform an extreme physical and athletic feat. They too are bringing their heart rates and breathing to the maximum. When it’s their turn to throw a rock, they are expected to immediately execute a perfect shot. Like the biathlete, they are expected to hit a minute target at the other end of the ice, a target that changes with every shot depending on the game situation.
The best are able to bring their heart rate and breathing down to normal levels quickly. Then they are immediately back to the sweeping for the remainder of the end, again bringing their heart rate and breathing to their maximum. It is best described as two hours of intense interval training.
When a curler sweeps properly they’ll lean over that broom with 90 per cent of their body weight on the lower hand. That is an athletic feat that takes a lot of time and practice to perfect, all done on very hard, slippery ice while travelling down the ice following a moving curling rock. Pushing with all their might, they sweep the ice in short fast strokes mere millimetres across and in front of that sliding rock. Sweeping minutely melts, cleans and polishes the ice, allowing the rock to finish exactly where it’s supposed to. They are using all of their core and big leg muscles. Young hockey players have come out to try the game of curling only to find that they have to develop new muscles, fitness levels and breathing techniques to sweep properly.
The next time you see televised curling, watch the hard work done by sweepers. I think you might look at our game in a different light. These are muscled, fit and elite athletes.
If you fancy yourself a fit person, come on out and take a sweeping lesson at the Gibsons Curling Club. See just how fit you are. The next time you watch a curling game on television, take note of those athletes at the sweeping positions. One thing for sure – once you’ve tried it, there’ll be no more jokes about sweeping the kitchen floor for us curlers.
To book your free sweeping lesson, call the Gibsons Curling Club at 604-886-7512.
– By Ed Hill
