Curling | How They Train | TIME

TIME's Sean Gregory learns how to hurl some Scottish stone down a sheet of ice with the U.S. Olympic Curling Team.
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Curling | How They Train | TIME
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[@janelin6083]

To all the people talking crap about curling, the Olympics, or _marbles:_ *They're called the Olympic **_Games,_** not the Olympic "Sports."* _Shooting_ was one of just nine "sports" contested at _very first_ modern Olympic Games in 1896. *Since when does it take an **_athlete_** to pull a trigger?* In 2012, there were 15 medal events in shooting. Including 4 _air-gun_ events. The Olympics has never been about athleticism alone. It is an _international_ competition of _skill_ at a popular activity. Skill. As in the _skill_ it takes to slide a 40 pound rock 120'+ to within an accuracy of a centimeter. _International_ as in the *45* countries that curl in international competition. And there are millions of people who want to watch curling on television. Because great curling is an amazing display of pinpoint accuracy, flawless judgment and chess-like strategy - on _ice._ And it's _much_ more athletic an activity than you think (except maybe for the skip.) When millions of people from 40 countries want to watch marbles on TV, the IOC probably _will_ put marbles in the Games. Either way, maybe you guys could just stop hating what you don't even _understand._

[@288theabe]

I play goalie in hockey and I’ve tried curling. Curling is hundreds of times harder than being a goalie

[@emmarau3438]

I love how they said it can't change direction 3:55 , yet later in the 2015-16 season there was the whole broomgate thing.

[@karatechap555]

what happened

[@megimetal]

i love curling. i wish i could play. i love the strategy and the physical ability it takes. its a wonderful sport. i stayed up many late nights watching it...very tired during school the next day, but well worth it :)

[@ale848]

This is the golf of the winter sports

[@bakilacat1]

Loved this! So nice to see a bit what goes on behind the scenes.

[@Ceneviva]

Hey, I'm from Brazil and enjoy curling games at the Olympics and some championships I watch. At some places here in Brazil, we play "Bocha" a sport very similar to Curling, but instead of a terget, you have a little ball thrown by a player at the beginning of the game.

[@25fret]

I played curling for the first time today :) Very fun sport :)

[@94ejackAYTUser]

This is a great sport.

[@gmcq27]

I live near the Aisla Craig at 1:48 You can see New Luce on the map! Love a bit of curling!

[@evanjones5105]

Curling is a great sport. Its fine that you may not find it interesting but you people really can't bash it. Millions of people LOVE the game. Have you haters ever played the game or even taken a couple of minutes to understand it? Try coming up to Canada and you will find out it is a really cool sport. The people who play it are really awesome too.

[@ZachYoung131]

@Nongamblerpokerfan I'm a lead and I along with the second sweep a lot. In laymens terms making a rock go farther requires so much athletic ability, the stronger and more in shape you are in the farther the rock goes. I am in very good shape and at the end of a long game i'm sweating a storm.

[@Neopulse00]

@Bobcat2hat Looks like a fun "team game." Looks fun to play. Kinda like shuffleboard or something, but harder obviously.

[@rustydj]

Litlemidget:, I must respectfully request that you read my post again, as I was responding to nongamblerpokerfan's comment. He said that most sport defeat curling, and I responded that the definition of "sport" connotates skill and precision. If there's anyone that thinks that curling take skill, i do think it takes much skill. I'm a Tai chi instructor that hears too many comments about how its not a "real" martial art, but it IS. which is why I respect curling for its precision

[@magikman38]

@Traconiz makes the stone travel further. They say up to 20ft further than without sweeping. It also reduces the curl (keeps the stones line much straighter)

[@roughslapper5352]

hahaha ... lol ... you made my day!

[@VegetableHero]

this looks fun

[@rustydj]

@scorpioninpink My point was NOT about American, Canadian, or any other country's sport. My point was about the definition of "sport" and to not judge something before experiencing it.

[@Nongamblerpokerfan]

I agree that curling isn't easy at all because obviously it takes a lot of strategy and precision AT THE VERY LEAST. But you guys can't deny that intensity-sweat wise, most sports beat curling. And don't worry about people hating on your sport...i know what it feels like. I play badminton.

[@sabinelove2]

i like it so much

[@megimetal]

@snowbrdr200 God it was just the best. This is gonna sound lame, but i cried when the olympics were over because curling isn't on any sports shows or on direcTV's sports line up thing. it's so amazing and nothing covers it.

[@JATR1X]

cool sport

[@Vilestorm]

@xJG91x That sweeping is actually a lot harder than it looks. You have to put a fair amount of force to create friction with the ice and have to move it quickly for it to work.

[@scorpioninpink]

@mcaddicts actually the scots created curling but yes it cannot be excluded because it's a sports and many people love it...

[@mikeallen4242]

Its a sport that requires core strength. The guys at the Olympic level do crunches with 40 llbs on their chest.

[@puck973]

mike allen that's what they don't mention

[@freeBOOTshine]

Funny intro! At first I was wondering if this was serious or not! lol

[@airjordan345]

trust me guys its not as easy as it looks, this sport involves alot of strategy. im 16 and have been curling for 7 years and just got back from the provincials (came 4th)

[@melovetorun]

@redmaker5 I thought curling would be easy but I fell alot due to poor balance and had a hard time keeping up with the stone.

[@rustydj]

Litlemidget: And my comment was also to let omglooteater know to not judge before knowing what something is......since curling is considered a bonafide sport, and since it does take skill, precision, and strategy, then it is a "real" sport. I was commenting infavor of curling, so please try not to assume that everyone here is bashing curling. I'd love to learn curling, as it appears that the incredible balance is needed.

[@freakyllounge]

I bet these guys have a very clean house!!

[@amazingabby25]

SO crazy, they just won gold. EIGHT years later.

[@melovetorun]

@Traconiz By sweeping you make the stone advance faster. You heartrate goes up unlike golf and even golf is a sport.

[@ABCdawggg]

mexico needs to discover this sport

[@CalebWandering]

Oh, Sean Gregory. I'm so sorry they put you through all these embarrassments. However, it does make for some great and informative videos.

[@melovetorun]

@haku4ever My curling club had an open house for newbies and they thought it wasnt a sport at first. They left with a new respect for this discipline.

[@kiomarv]

This must be the most ridiculous sport in the world, but I sure do love it!

[@mirengirl]

@Twixittles...oohh!!! they always mention that in Anime! what is Bocce Ball???

[@94ejackAYTUser]

@haku4ever Great comment.

[@pdubs7069]

Its a cool game of it were in a really cold bar...i thunk you could be "pretty good" at this in 25 minutes

[@rustydj]

let's define "sport"..... "an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc"

[@tuuZhao]

Category n: Snooker, bowling, curling. Category n+1: DOTA, LOL, CS, Starcraft.

[@borihenna2014]

i’m watching this because i talk such mad shit about curling i figured i owed it to them to understand the training they do

[@moman007]

@jacknyc2199 i agree

[@melovetorun]

@CBH621 because they are athletes.

[@BLANKNOTING]

@jamaicagleaner Jamaica Memory.... Winter Olympics (Russia) 2014 *Men/Women "Ice Hockey"!!! *Men/Women "Short Track"!!! *Men/Women "Curling"!!! *Men/Women "Speed Skate"!!! *Men/Women "Ski Speed"!!! Very Hardest!!!

[@melovetorun]

@CBH621 Some athletes like wrestelers, football players and weight lifters are plus size too! Not all curlers are fat, you know.

[@JonasClark]

It looks pretty odd, but... From what I've read and seen, the actual details that are happening are difficult if not impossible to see and understand, like how the sweep is changing the ice. Whereas, with most other sports, absolutely everything is obvious.

[@melovetorun]

@mcaddicts You tell them. Curling requires cardio for sweeping and balance for delivery. Alot of hockey players tried it and they sucked,lol

[@skycub99]

one of those sports i just don't comprehend... this helped though. I guess i just don't get how you can get better at this sport, i think it's a lot of natural intuition or something. or just a degree from MIT in linear physics lol.

[@sciencefixion]

I want to try curling but there is no where in my state to do so. Lol.

[@SanthoshkumarLM]

It looks very easy, But when we go there pretty hard to balance. I tried thrice, everytime I fell down:)

[@mikey77771]

@moman007 Very well said :)

[@mcaddicts]

it is hard, it just looks easy but trust me its not, but this is team usa who finished second last

[@melovetorun]

@samuraigraffix Curling is a sport, it requires walking fast and sweeping to make the stone move faster and balance which not many people have. The Ancient Greeks are dead and can't roll in their grave,lol.

[@mcaddicts]

@vladimir2277 the american teams are not athletic but they only have won the bronze, team canada is athletic and are the gold medal champions.

[@mcaddicts]

sliding is easier to do when sweeping.

[@samuraigraffix]

i understand it its like a combo of chess and baseball, strategy and innings but i still dont think it should be in the Olympics, think anout it from the perspective of Apollo Ohno who trained for the majority oh his life to reach the pinnacle of his career, and then for some guy that can slide a rock and sweep fast and hard, to be in the same category...naw i dont think so

[@litlemidget]

@rustydj you think it doesnt take skill to accurately push the stone exactly where u want it? No difference than a pitcher training for baseball, a quarterback training to throw a football...

[@melovetorun]

@gigilikewhoa They just want to bashing curling so they can seem more macho and tough. Curling is a sport.period. It's like complaining about golf not being a sport.

[@scorpioninpink]

@rustydj lol... those are AMERICAN SPORTS...

[@ssjAnnaPaquin]

@nexivdr you can't curl for a living, I curl and I still have an extremly busy life.

[@telephilia]

If you're talking about American football, it can't because that football doesn't have enough countries that play it at an organized level. The USA would almost have to play itself.

[@melovetorun]

@newenglandchick95 It is an olympic sport. Sorry that curling is hurting your manley football and nascar sports.

[@mrdandrea]

I hear next that they're adding marbles to the summer Olympics

[@janelin6083]

LOL...! That's _so_ funny. Because marbles is a _game_ not a SPORT. You're _so_ clever. And only "sports" should be in the Olympics... Except... shooting has been in the Olympics since the first modern Olympic Games. How athletic do you have to be to pull a trigger? The Olympics are about _skill,_ not athleticism. They're called "The Olympic Games." Not "The Olympic Sports." High jumping is a skill. Running is a skill. Curling is a _skill._

[@mikeallen4242]

Can you do crunches with 40 llbs on your chest? That's what the guys at the Olympic level do.

[@halfhumanhalfzombie]

Rolling the rock is harder than it looks.

[@LightLink00]

have you seen any nba players in your life?

[@AKtoTok]

is Mr. Sean Gregory good at any sport?

[@MisterPinstripe]

Women must be really good at this sport.

[@StrandhOfficial]

thrice is like a combination of twice and three >:D

[@Axerfly]

If this is in the olympics, foozball should be in the olympics too.

[@megimetal]

Best sport in the world! Except Softball.

[@melovetorun]

@vladimir2277 Guess what dude, it is a sport and it does not bother you.

[@ssjAnnaPaquin]

@bumsebienefresh your saying these guys aren't athletes? It requries tons of skill and yes they do sweat. BTW the usa winning medals in curling, LOL.

[@timothymorris3601]

They're literally adding golf next, in response......yes, they will be adding marbles next. I like curling.

[@Pray4h101]

your complaining about golf when there's shit like table tennis and speed walking

[@mcaddicts]

@scorpioninpink I know that and at no point did I ever say who invented curling anyways. Plus these post are over a year old why are u even replying to them?

[@redmaker5]

I heard this is harder than it looks. Right out of the mouth of someone whose done it.

[@telephilia]

You folks who knock this sport probably have never played it or watched an entire game. Not every sport requires a body bulging with muscles (for instance, golf.)

[@Majoofi]

I good reporting you don't raise questions and not answer them. You should have explained what he was talking about, not joke about how esoteric Curling is.

[@gianpaolos4068]

thx dad

[@telephilia]

Then why are you here? Some people apparently don't find it so.

[@gianpaolos4068]

people who r not good enough to enter a real sport but want the attention-if u want someone to sweep ur ice ill do it :]

[@sportsguy3107]

why are you watching this if ur just gonna trash it? try it, acctually i dont think that they have curling ice in mexico.

[@UNSTABLE111]

Sure buddy sure..go ahead and eat shit on the ice while sweeping, wanna see you try this

[@timothymorris3601]

People, just learn what it is.

[@SanthoshkumarLM]

:) no, it's old word!!

[@samuraigraffix]

you've certainly done your research and thats great it really is , i can see your passion for the sport that some don't like, and i commend you further discussion of this is not necessary have a good one mcaddicts

[@telephilia]

I don't understand the animosity towards curling (and whether you call it a sport or a game, I don't care). Sure, you don't have to be muscle bound and 7 ft. tall. But it's good clean fun and requires skill, teamwork and strategy. If there is a sport they want to criticize, let me suggest boxing. By the way. I'm from the USA.

[@StrandhOfficial]

is thrice a new word now?...

[@ubcts]

I have no animosity towards curling but just out of curiosity why criticize boxing?

[@puck973]

Curling is just as much a sport as hockey or football and requires just as much dedication and skill. With any sport, you need to know how to say shoot a puck, throw a football, and it's the same with curling if not more detailed. Olympic curlers are in the gym weekly working on their sweeping which I feel is not properly demonstrated in this video. Anyone who says curling is not a sport is an idiot.

[@Toracube]

If Curlers want their Sport to be taken seriously they shouldn't leave it till the last minuite before cleaning the rink.

[@carniejung1634]

America and Canada are the only countries that seriously play it. thats also why rugby is not a sport in the olympics

[@amazingabby25]

Carnie Jung rugby is a sport in Olympics

[@bennevis21]

They are stones, not bloody rocks.

[@SanthoshkumarLM]

hahaha :)

[@markispolish]

Chess isn't easy either, but it's not an Olympic sport.

[@newenglandchick95]

it looks difficult... but i still don't think it should be an olympic sport...

[@mcaddicts]

yeah thats right they created this sport 500 years ago because they were picked last for football, hit the books again buddy

[@IJBallantyne]

They may not look like Olympians...but they are...

[@sniperdude12a]

except it's more interesting than baseball

[@BDonpwrlifter]

FOOSBALL, not FOOTBALL lol

[@nc_yh]

squid game song

[@Traconiz]

umm i didnt get what the purpose of sweeping is. The dude talks a lil too fast in that part and english is not my native language. So i ask... whats the point of sweeping?

[@juliomrrr]

Lmao. It looks like Geek Squad has a "Sport" to play now. These are the guys that got pick last in real Sports have made a game for themselves lol.