The forecast in Wisconsin called for freezing temperatures and sporadic snow showers. As far as winters go, this had been an easy one, but for some reason I still had a pretty severe case of the winter blahs. To combat this state of mind, I tried a type of exercise I’d never done before. It involved a broom, a stone, and ice. You probably guessed from the title – I tried my hand at curling. No, this type of exercise didn’t give me a vigorous cardio workout, but it did help me to stretch muscles I haven’t taxed in a long while.
Why my sudden interest in curling? One reason – it is actually a fun sport to watch…especially at the national or Olympic level. In fact, as I’m writing this article, I’m listening to a live feed from the 2012 USA Curling Nationals taking place in Aston, PA (February 11 – 18). Another reason – there is an active curling club in the county where I live, and many of my co-workers participate in this unique sport. Finally, I had the opportunity for a free lesson from a national curling champion! What an honor it was to learn a new form of exercise from an expert.
First of all, let me better explain what curling entails. According to kccurling.com, “it is a winter sport played on an indoor ice surface about 142 feet long and 14 feet wide called a sheet. At each end of the ice surface there is a circular target area 12 feet in diameter called the house. The object for each 4 person team is to deliver (slide) 40 lb. curling stones from one end of the ice surface to the other. The team whose stone is closest to the center of the house (the tee) will score a point (or more if they have more than one stone that is closer to the tee).â€
As you can probably tell from the description above, curling is quite a bit like bowling or shuffleboard, but with the added twist of being played on ice. Also, as the stone meanders towards its target, those with brooms either try to speed up or slow down its movements. (I learned to sweep in fast motion!)
After spending two hours trying to learn how to curl, I did work up a sweat despite the cool conditions of the rink. And I definitely could tell that my balance and coordination skills were being tested. The next day, my legs, back, and arms ached from the workout; however, I probably would have been in even worse shape, but thankfully someone told me right away not to lift the 40 lb. granite stone.
Although I probably won’t become a star player at the local curling club, I am glad I jumped at the opportunity to try a form of exercise I’ve never done before. My curling experience gave me a new appreciation for those who excel at this strategic winter sport, and my winter blahs aren’t quite so bad anymore.
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