Bouncing rocks from the surface of the water is a skill that requires mastery of speed, spin and angle of throw. This you can do while playing in a lake or anywhere there is a calm water surface; and it can also be a bonding activity for you and your friends or family. Even if you didn't beat the Guinness World Records record of 51 bounces in a single throw, chances are the kids there will be impressed to see you bouncing rocks off the water like a pro. The most important things to remember are; It takes a lot of practice to bounce rocks across the water's surface, but your hard work will pay off.
Step
Step 1. Find a calm water surface with lots of rocks around
Along the shore of a lake or a quiet area by the river are the best places to do this activity. Places like the beach are not a good choice, unless that day the waves are very calm. However, a quiet bay area of a beach, such as part of Florida's Gulg Coast bay, is an area where the water level is good enough for rocks to bounce off of, much like a lake. If you want to bounce a rock out of rough waters, you'll need to adapt your throwing technique and start using a slightly heavier rock, which will be more stable in its course. It should also be remembered that the heavier the stone used, the harder it will be to bounce off the stone.
If you can't find a level water surface with an adequate supply of stones, bring your own stones. It will be more difficult to master your throwing technique if you have to spend five minutes looking for a new stone each time you finish throwing
Step 2. Choose your stone
Look for a flat, round stone the size of the palm of your hand, heavy enough so that it is unaffected by wind and air turbulence, but still light enough to be thrown with sufficient accuracy. The smoother and flatter the stone you choose, the better the reflection it will produce without breaking the density of the water's surface.
- However, the world record holder in this regard admits that a stone that is perfectly round and smooth is too slippery to be difficult to grip; he prefers to use a stone that is slightly cracked or slightly swollen so that the stone can be grasped, and thus the resulting rotation can be maximized.
- Rocks with small holes in their surface may also reduce the attraction of water in the same way that small holes in a golf ball reduce the attraction of air. Try different types of stones and see which one works best for you.
- If your palm is rough, it may be easier to grip a smooth stone. But if your palms are smooth like baby skin, it will be more difficult to grip the rock properly before you throw it.
Step 3. Position your index finger on the tip of the stone
Hold the flat part of the stone with your thumb and middle finger on each side of the stone. This is one way of grasping the stone; what matters is the goal; that is so that the stone can rotate in a straight line with the flat part of the stone moving parallel to the water. Make sure you position the edge of the stone in line with your index finger while placing your thumb on the stone to maintain control of the stone.
You should also look at your hand size when practicing this technique. If you have small hands, it's best to use a smaller stone so you can grip the stone more easily
Step 4. Stand slightly sideways from the water, extending the distance between your legs until they are in line with your shoulders
Stand with your non-dominant side closer to the edge of the water, with your shoulders facing the water. Squat near the water so that when you throw a stone, it will be more parallel to the surface of the water. Research from scientists shows that the ideal angle between rock and water is 20 degrees; just a little less than that friction will hold the stone; and also if it's even less, the rock will hit the water and sink.
If you're tall, you're likely to be throwing at too wide an angle, in which case you can compensate by throwing rocks faster. Practice throwing stones at a 20-degree angle, keep at it even if you may not succeed at first
Step 5. Bend your wrists backwards and slam them forward to hurl the rock across the surface of the water
Don't overhand (swing at a high angle) like throwing a Frisbee, but more like throwing a ball in a game of softball. You can also imagine that you are whipping with a whip in a sideways motion. What's important is that you bend your wrists carefully backwards to generate ejection, and then kick them forward quickly and at the right angle to allow the stone to rotate counterclockwise. Throw as fast as you can “without losing momentum”. Angle and rotation are more important than speed.
It is known that the world record holder applied the technique of the ball thrower to the game of baseball, he used the technique of throwing the ball from the side followed by a powerful throw
Step 6. Also use your legs
At first, think about how to work your hand movements, but once you feel you've mastered your desired speed, spin and angle, then you can move on to working both legs so you can make even more powerful throws and really master the technique.. Practicing footwork can help you master the rhythm and skills needed to really master it. Here's how you can try:
- Bend your knees slightly (lower body at least 15 cm). Furthermore, when you throw the rock into the water, you will increase the ejection power.
- For added momentum, if you want to be like our world record holder, then raise your foot closest to the water about 15 cm from the ground, lean more on the back leg as you take a stance, then throw a rock and follow with the movement of the body until You put your front foot on the ground. This will also help you and will provide additional ejection power. This technique is also almost the same as the stance of a ball thrower in a softball game.
- When you go to a less choppy sea or to a lake, you may be barefoot or in sandals; if you really want to do this, wear sneakers. This will help increase grip and keep you from slipping.
Step 7. Make sure you follow the movement of the body
Don't just throw a rock and then stop moving your arm. If it's like this then the distance to throw stones will be reduced. On the other hand, when you bend your wrists back, make sure you bring your hands all the way across your chest and stop near the shoulder you're not throwing. By following the movement of your body like this, you will use all your power and momentum into the throw, and the stone will be thrown the farthest distance and will bounce off the surface of the water with the longest bounce.
Think of it like throwing a baseball (sideways) or hitting a tennis ball. Following the stroke (in this case the throw) with full movement will maximize the results obtained
Step 8. Keep practicing
If the rock bounces too high from the water, you may be throwing it too close to you (this results in too much angle between the rock and the water); try throwing so that the first bounce is farther from where you are. This is caused by the force of the water pushing the stone up, with too much ejection force, the stone will bounce too high and will fall back down at a sharp angle and then the stone will sink. But if you throw it too far, the rock will cross the surface of the water (it won't bounce) and friction (friction) will slow down the rock's momentum and the rock will sink.
- You can also practice bouncing rocks off the surface of the water using stones of different sizes and weights. You may prefer to use a lighter, smaller stone, or perhaps you will choose a larger, heavier stone.
- If summer comes and you have little time to spare, practice bouncing at least 20 stones off the surface of the water per day until you get the hang of it. Remember that here your goal is not to become a world record holder, your goal is to do this purely for fun.
Tips
- Lighter, smaller stones will bounce more often and will fly farther, but slightly heavier stones are generally better suited for beginners.
- Some people use the throwing method by doing a backhand movement (a movement that starts from the initial position of the hand on the waist on the opposite side). Stand sideways from the surface of the water, but this time keep your dominant side facing the water. Throw the rock with your dominant hand in a motion similar to that of sprinkling bird food.
- Rocks with concave angles will bounce in different directions, like a boomerang.
- Some large stones can also be used by throwing them backhand with both hands, but they will not bounce too far.
