Thank you for the tips David! Younger player here looking to stay competitive with the older folks in my family. Very helpful, I’m ready to kick their ass!
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I looked up “how to get better at horseshoes” and your video was at the top of the list. My girlfriend and her family are really good at shoes and I have to get better lmao. I’m going to try the hammer grip today and hopefully keep my shoes in the pit 😂 Thanks for the video!
You bet. The hammer grip isn’t for everyone but it’s a great way to slow the shoe down. If you want pinpoint tips just message me and I’ll work with you.
You are welcome. Good luck. It’s a fun game with awesome helpful people that play it. If you ever have any questions or would like a video done that shows something you are having difficulty with just ask
Great video, I throw the flip shoe as that is what I was taught. I use to have a great half turn but lately I can't get it back. Seeing it in slow motion really helps
I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old. 34 now. I think I’m going to try changing my shot from overhand flip to this style. Never looked up videos until now but it’s good to see that horseshoes is still relevant. Looking at the date this was uploaded I might be a little late to the show lol
I'm working on some things for future videos so stay tuned. I'm pitching in TEAM WORLD this Spring so I hope to professional players shown in split screen action.
Great !!! Advice I'm going to try and learn the run shoe after losing this year again at the fourth of July Tournament at Belair, Md a total of 65 players this year won my first 5 singles came needed 3 more to make it to the finals it was very challenging because at this tournament we play on grass, and I want satisfied with my overall pitching and allot of my shoes bounce off. So I decided I will try and learn the turn shoe for my next 2 Tournament next month and to join a Horshoe league this year to... Thanks again for you time and all your videos that you share. PS. Captainhook
Michael Thompson Joining a league will definitely help you become a better pitcher. When trying to learn a turn shoe, concentrate on not throwing across your body in the followthrough to make your shoe turn. Use the 1/4 twist of your wrist to create the turning motion. Followthrough straight to the stake and good luck. Two months is a long time if you practice every day. Try to get 25 minutes a day of practice in. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s tough. Winning 5 in a row is pretty good so don’t get down on yourself. A 65 person tournament is daunting to say the least.
Thanks, Alot for the Tips and encouragement , I will definitely practice to my best ability until I get it right. I was sorta disappointed at the tournament , but I did beat the people who introduced me to Horshoes which was awesome because they have been playing for over 20 years, I also noticed when I stand more straight to I'm saving alot of energy . PS. Thanks Again Michael Thompson
Great video my concern is can I pick the weight? What if I wanna throw a light shoe instead of a heavy one? How are they rated? Thank you so much I like the consistency that pattern and repetition can be consistent. This will definitely help me compete. Thank you.
I like that I can throw both but the turn is more enjoyable. I think the flip shoe is more affected by wind coming straight at you or from directly behind you. Because it’s flipping at such a slow motion. A double flipped shoe is thrown more aggressively and has less time in any one position to be affected by the wind. A turn shoe is spinning and being truly flat like a frisbee so it cuts the wind a bit better but still can be affected but at a less degree.
P Augie its landing on a rubber mat so the shoes hit and bounce back or straight up. I was concentrating on my rhythm and follow through while doing this and not on Ringers. I think they were all perfectly thrown ringers with none of them hitting the stake. Ha ha. I’ll be doing a ton of turn shoe videos this summer in slow motion just for my enjoyment. I love seeing those things fly through the air.
Bruce Drukker hope it helps. It’s fun doing videos like this because it makes me mentally go through my steps and helps me as well. I rarely see myself in slow motion from the rear and it’s always helpful to see that.
Do you have a video that shows this method of throwing step by step from why choose it, recommending 2 or 3 shoes that are built for this style of throwing (your favorite’s), holding the shoe, hand placement options, discuss grip pressure, the swing, release, getting the 11/4 turn Some possible problems and lastly how to avoid or fix them.
I will screen shot all of your requests and I need to definitely do a follow up video to this one. That will be a winter time project as I’m very busy pitching and recording during the summer. Thanks for watching.
I throw a flat shoe that's all I know been in league 11 years but no coaching just throwing I started tournaments last year at 30ft is it hard to change to what you throw versus straight flip? Thanks
Thank Mr. silver I appreciate it I do have one more question if you don’t mind when you release the horse shoe from your hand does it slide from your fingers or is a release pitch can you explain Thank you so much I really like your channel
I simply release it and it slides out of my hand. The upward motion of my followthrough is where I get my flipping power from. It’s much more consistent than putting down force on the thumb caulk to get the shoe to flip.
i throw a one flip 45 % ringer average , but really want to learn this turn shoe , and being slowed down , gives me a great idea on what ive been doing wrong
My best advice is to end every practice or even tournament with about 10 minutes of turn practice. Don’t overdue it to the point where you mess up your flip percentage but at least get it in your mind and look forward to those little 10 minute sessions. It took about 3 years of messing around with those short practice periods to really see a workable turn shoe fly through the air. I have one of my first successful turn shoe ringers on my TH-cam somewhere. It’s a short 4 second video. I also made it longer by playing it in a loop so I could really let it sink in as to what I was doing correctly. I basically throw the same way but I eliminated the followthrough extra step after my release. That was difficult to eliminate because that was a lot of extra power I was taking away from my shoe but it gave me more consistency in the long run by planting my foot and throwing off that foot. Walking through your throw is a very bad habit
I have been throwing shoes for several years. I got up to 20-25 percent using a single flip grip. Last year, I slightly tore (1/4”) one of the tendons in my right shoulder. The strength is coming back but, for the life of me, I can’t get the shoe to flip. I know it’s hard with just words to diagnose, but do you have any suggestions for things to try?
Use your rhythm and timing to help throw the shoe which will take a load off of your shoulders. Releasing the shoe a bit higher will allow you to hold onto it a bit longer and it might provide the flip you need. Height is key in horseshoes. If you throw a flat shoe you don’t allow the shoe to “work”. It needs time to “work” or flip in the air. I hope that gives you a place to start and try some things.
Hi, clear videos. Really nice. My problem is that the shoe slips out of my fingers before I want to let go. Started to hold it on one of the "legs" of the shoe instead of the middle. How do people/women with small hands hold the shoe? Get control of this? Thank you
Bernice Nuijten Good morning Bernice. One thing I like people to keep in mind when they are trying to grip the shoe correctly is that I ask them a question. If I walked up from behind you and tried to knock the shoe out of your hand just before you were going to swing it down, would I easily accomplish knocking it out of your hand? You want a firm grip on the shoe but not so firm that you’re creating blisters and causing callus’s. I use the first knuckles as the spot I use to hold my shoe. Consistency is key and holding it in the crease behind your first set of knuckles gives you a reference point that never changes and you can “feel” that you have the shoe in the correct “hold” every time. This also gives you enough grip on the shoe and allows you to easily release the shoe. Putting the shoe to deep into your hand creates a chance to snag on your fingers and accidentally throw it high because you released late. You still can accidentally release late using the first knuckles but you will do it a lot less. Thanks for watching and that was a great question. I appreciate it.
@@Qukslvr Thank you. Maybe the weight of the shoe is a bit the problem. Will use your tips and this example video and practice this weekend. And use gloves. Maybe sweaty hands is an issue. Thank you from a Dutch girl in Mexico enjoying this game.
Good to hear. We need more women playing the game in our area. There’s only 3 women in our league of about 100 people. Actually 4 but my daughter is only a sub on our team. She doesn’t practice but could be good if she put a little time into the game. Good luck and I hope your grip problem gets resolved. When my hands get sweaty I pick up some dirt of sand and rub it in my hands. That dries off my hands quickly. Gloves can be very inconsistent.
@@Qukslvr Where do you play. We are here in Mexico, Baja California. Am the only girl. And 2 guys. Almost every week we play. So I am playing the mens distance. (understood distance is a little less for women). Will try all your tips.
Always been a fan of the turn shoe but can't seem to slow it down. Like your style of grip and have a tried throwing a few shoes without much success. My question is how high do your shoes go on the way to the stake? Any tips on slowing the rotation. thanks
My arc is about 7-8 feet high max. To slow the shoe down you can start from the opposite approach. Try not to throw any spin in the shoe at all. Hold the shoe at the start of your throw that it ends in. Take all your spinning motion out of the shoe. Once you have a pretty dead shoe then add your wrist action into your delivery. I think one thing that new pitchers do is they try to hard to turn the shoe. It really doesn’t take much to get it to turn. Just look at Brandon T. He holds his shoe flat and delivers it flat and gets it to turn nicely for him.
The Challenger that I use is a great doubles shoe. It has all the right specs for any type of pitcher. Double heel caulks for flipping over and using in any configuration. I can throw a turn with it as easy as I can a flip. Almost our entire league has switched over to it because of its versatility.
Yes because i play on a team in leagues and we use it as our team shoe and when I play in a sanctioned singles tournament I continue to use it. It’s not good having different shoes in a game based on consistency. If I never pitched with a team and always played singles and if I was going to throw a turn shoe instead of a flip shoe I might consider changing to a shoe with a ringer break. The Challenger holds the stake better now since they redesigned it.
Absolutely NOT. However you can get it there doesn’t matter. Just so it finishes around the stake and counts for 3 points is all that matters. There are several ways that the shoe flies through the air. Single flip, double flip, multi-flip(more than 2), 1-1/4 turn, 1-3/4 turn and 3/4 reverse and on and on. Sometimes a shoe can do what I call a knuckle ball where it never flips and goes on. The end result is what’s important and being able to do it consistently.
@@Qukslvr Too many chicken wings David. You got a case of chicken-bok-bok; otherwise known as not getting any real exercise. Got to get some heart and lung exercise too brother. I think it is by the time you are 50, you lose like 40% lung capacity as far as stretchability unless you do some vigorous exercise aerobic type exercise. What stinks for me right now is stomach and back problems. I used to bike about 100 miles a week full tilt cranking but my chiropractor doesn't think I should do that anymore. Jogging is out too then. I am stuck in a basement with an exercise bike- boring but needed for heart and lung. Don't wait till your too old like my Dad and wish you started younger. He waited till he was 60 to 65 and had some health problems already. Just do 10 to 15 minutes a day. Are you upper 40's right now? Don't mean to preach health to you. I lost 3 friends over the last 3 years. One was only 60. Always ate fired foods, didn't exercise, smoked and for exercise fishing out of a boat. I miss my buddy. He didn't want to change anything.
@@Qukslvr So was I right on the chicken wings? Hmm. Start small. I tried doing a half marathon after jogging for 6 months and paid the price. Baby steps Dave. Baby steps. You can do it.
@@Qukslvr threw my worst shoes tonight with the ground less muddy Got 5 ringers and just missed about 10 or so. I am getting pretty confident that I can be class D by end of next year or maybe earlier depending on how much I can play through winter and play on a better pit area. The shoes I used tonight are brand named RINGERS. Yeah right. These things are about 2 # 4 ounce and love to bounce when they hit the ground. Should have called them BOINGERS. I'm doing the thumb cleat on the bottom. I think it might work for me. Ever hear of T.J. Octigan official? I have two of those. They are two of my better heavier front cleat shoes. My two Franklins are my other two okay ones. All still picnic shoes though. Only difference is some are potato salad shoes and some are cole slaw. I need to stay at least 2 pound 8 ounce. I have some ROYALS too. I don't throw them as straight as the Ringers but they don't bounce near as much. Good to use when muddy.
Hi David, Since I am new to horseshoes and using junk shoes right now after a month fo throwing, I wnat to make an informed decision on what pro shoes to buy. Why do some pros like the flat back shoes over the ones with the two-sided toe cleats? What benefit is there in that? Also, does that thumb grip indent on the thumb grip on some shoes help keep the shoe floating straighter? I recently went from throwing a turn shoe method to flip shoe and tripled my ringers in 50 throws so I want to make that my main throw. So many different thumb cleats though to pick from. You seem to like the Mustangs a lot. Why did you choose those? Thanks, Sacred Cowtipper
Sacred Cowtipper I hope you don’t live in India with a name like that. Ha Ha. But seriously.... some pros prefer the single sided heel cleats because of the speed at which they flip for them and if they turn their shoes, it might mean more weight in the heels and that affects the balance of the shoe depending on the center of gravity. You can check our my horseshoe reviews where I talk about QBR or Qukslvr Balance Rating and how that corresponds to a shoe turning in the pit or more often how it flips. I pitch Challengers and not Mustangs and the reason I chose them is because of the large flat gripping area they possess. I also like their smaller toe caulk. I don’t use my thumb to make a shoe flip so I wanted a small toe caulk so it wouldn’t get in my way when I flip the shoe over. And last but not least...... the toe caulk or thumb caulk has zero affect on guiding the shoe in air. Another great shoe you can check out is the “M&M Flip” I like to refer junk shoes as “Picnic” shoes but I guess you’re right too. Thanks for the great questions.
@@Qukslvr Haha. Good one. No one has ever giving me that one before. I debunk false doctrines, false cults, and fake news as part of my extra-curricular activity. Flipping Sacred Cows that people hold to be true who don't fact-check anything. I do a lot of writing. What is the purpose of the thumb caulk then? How do you flip without it as I seem to do best with a half to 1 1/2 turns? Can you do more videos on hold and release methods with close up pictures as it looks like you have thrown a million shoes by now? That would be great for me. I'm finally after a month and a half getting a good rotation going to flip style but sometimes I get an unpleasant turn to the left or right which makes me miss the stake or hit it wrong. What is causing that? I finally got that two ringers in a row with a good feel thing you told me about a week ago but need to get more consistent. My best shoes only have about 1/2-inch cleats. Nowhere near 1-inch. I finally hit 10 ringers out of a 100 throws which is a milestone for me after my first 100 throws going to flip-style . I've thrown about 3,500 shoes total in 6 weeks now with junk shoes. I've tried about 6 different kind of throws so far since I started. It's time to get some decent shoes. I have many "just-misses". Does it sound like I have potential for Class D tournament play if I keep practicing? How good do you have to get to get into tournament play? Sorry for all the questions.
You can never have to many questions. I don’t use the thumb cleat. I throw with it down. The reason I throw with it down is consistency. I could never push down with the same force to flip my shoe so I took it completely out of my delivery. My flip comes from the speed of my arm swing and the point of my release. If I release low then I don’t complete my flip. Release to high and I get an extra 1/2 rotation. I can definitely do more videos on grip and release. I talk about why the shoe flops over to one side but do you don’t have to go find that video I’ll summarize it for you here. Your hand isn’t staying flat upon release. When you see me pitch I hold my arm outstretched and my elbow hyperextended and locked. That hyperextension allows my tendons and ligaments to stretch and makes it easier to flip the shoe without it flopping over. I’ll throw 500 shoes and I’ll only get one that flops left because I threw that shoe a little lazy. 90% of the time my flopped shoe actually goes on because I did everything else correctly and just let my elbow get lazy. I think that if you get “professional” shoes it will help increase your average because you won’t be fighting the weight of the shoe or poor manufacturing of said shoe. Professional shoes are made to a higher tolerance of being a consistent weighted pair. I think you can compete in tournaments right away. I know a lot of guys who are around 10% and join tourneys. It will only make you better and allow you to see your better potential. Tournaments are nothing but positive experiences. They reward you for your hard practices and reward you in defeat by showing you that you need to practice MORE. HA HA. The question you have about being good enough for D class all depends on who signs up for the tournament. On average from my area sanctioned tournaments you might just make it into D class.
@@Qukslvr You know your stuff. I will try your thumb cleat down for a while and see if I do better. And focus on keeping my arm extended and hand flat. I just want to get good enough so no one is laughing at my ability or becoming the last kid in class to get picked for dodgeball. LOL. I used to be the guy that blew you off your feet. Is throwing 100 shoes a day too little or a good minimum? I'm sure I won't get rich playing horseshoes. I just want to get competitive as a social thing to do now that I live out in the country. So many are playing cornhole but that is way too easy for me. First time I played that was at a 4th of July event. My buddy and I took on two guys that win money all the time and almost beat them the first time we ever played. Horseshoes seems to be a lot more challenging and wouldn't get boring. I used to pitch in hardball baseball which I am sure is helping me although I haven't done anything in about 35 to 40 years. I do have back problems which isn't helping me (past work I did) but it just may take a few extra trips to the chiropractor to take care of that. I'm sure my picnic shoes are off balance too and I have a real crappy temporary pit in place with uneven ground till I figure out where I would want to put it permanently. Just trying to get the basics down first. I would be happy throwing 20% ringers by end of next year. I'm not one that likes getting unearned points by bad throws and get a bunch of 1-pointers because of my lack of getting ringers. Thanks for your help!!!! Will keep working at it.
I hope you have good luck with the toe cleat down. It works for many of us. It’s not just the way I throw but many others. Cornhole is for guys that gave up just trying to be average at horseshoes. Horseshoes isn’t way more difficult with less payout so I can see why people flock to Cornhole. Pitching 100 shoes a day is a good minimum indeed. I look at it like this. You practice to build the muscles needed for aiming. If you overtrain those muscles it builds more and you get stronger. I practice sometimes with Bobby C for up to 3 1/2 hours which makes my arm feel like a noodle in the Spring. When you get your arm feeling like a noodle, at that moment is when you bear down and hyper concentrate on putting ringers on. It is so difficult to do and makes that practice so beneficial because your training to failure almost. If you’re sore the next day then you know you are gaining strength. The next day when you’re sore it will be a little hard to throw but once your arm warms up the pain will go away and you’ll be pitching and growing again. I always say I’m not league ready until my first 4 hour session. A proper pit is essential because consistency is key in every little thing you do. Placing your feet in the exact same spot and stepping to the exact same spot to release is all part of the game. If you have back problems do you have a huge stride? Do you use a grabber? Practice with a partner? These are a few things that make things easier on the back. If you have a long stride, try reducing the length of the step you take. By shortening your stride you are keeping your shoulders more at the same height throughout your delivery. A shorter stride gives your shoe a better chance to stay still in your backswing. How fast you bring your shoe back forward is a huge deal on keeping your shoe centered on the stake. If you are twisting your wrist or wiggling your shoe behind you, that can translate into your shoe going left or right of the stake.
Good job on the turn shoe. But I throw a flip. After about eight shoes, my shoes start fallen a foot short . But it feels good leaving my hand. Any advice
Hard to say without seeing you pitch. Do you start out your first 8 or so shoes with a fairly high arc? As you throw you might be gradually lowering that arc. Try keeping your arc at a consistent height. Speed of your swing might also play a factor. As you get warmed up you stop throwing as hard. I use the weight of the shoe and the weight of my own arm to help propel the shoe to the other pit by holding my arm straight out in front of me and dropping it to start my swing while using my step at the correct moment to bring the shoe out of my backswing. If you use muscle to throw the shoe, your distance will be affected as you grow tired. If it feels good leaving your hand that could be simply that your timing was on point and the shoe was centered. But once you see it land short you realized something wasn’t right.
Just take a few practice sessions just focusing on hitting the same arc over and over. Most people practice trying to put ringers on the stake. I look at it as, that should be the last step in your practice. Before you do that, try simply putting each shoe in the pit without hitting concrete or wood as many times in a row as you can. Then progress to simply hitting the stake as many times in a row as you can. Even if you miss in the end, hitting the stake 10 times in a row is a huge accomplishment in your goal to get better. Once you hit the stake 10 or 20 times in a row is when you can start fine tuning the shoe AROUND the stake. It’s like a person that throws darts for the first time. You have to practice to keep the darts out of the wall and all in the dartboard. Then the next step would be keeping all the darts inside the treble ring before actually trying to focus on hitting the bulls.
Hubert Sweet Good luck. 20 minutes of practice a day (every day) will increase your average a lot. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s tough getting out there without missing a session.
mSquared By aggressive I think you mean with Muscles? I use little muscles as possible for greater consistency. Thanks for watching. Are you gonna take up pitching Horseshoes now? Ha ha.
@@Qukslvr Yes with a lot of power behind the throw , we have a little set up at our community place, we use it during the Summer when everyone goes back up north! I will use some of your advice :D
Less power in my delivery has given me more control of the shoe and yields higher averages. You can’t duplicate how much muscle you use consistently but what is consistent is the weight of your arm and the weight of the shoe. I hold them up and drop them and that gives me enough momentum (combined with a properly timed step) to throw the shoe 40 feet. Since if started doing this I very rarely throw long. A high majority of my shoes are perfect 40 feet.
Yes, it’s hard to control consistently by flicking it. You might get lucky once in a while doing it that way but in a game that’s all about consistency..........
Yes I have seen and even played on pea gravel. The gravel shoots out of the pit a lot and creates a mess. The shoes also dig a while faster with only a few throws that has to be refilled constantly. Sand shoots a bit less than the gravel and when you water down sand a little it is very playable and doesn’t shoot everywhere as much as gravel does. I would say that it is a possible material that can be used but only in a last resort.
Thank you for the tips David! Younger player here looking to stay competitive with the older folks in my family. Very helpful, I’m ready to kick their ass!
Cody Kilgore Glad to hear from a younger player. Good pitching to you. I will keep the video tips coming.
Right the same with me. The older folks always take the trophy every year at my family reunion. I'm turning this around after watching this video lol.
Teach those elders as lesson. Ha ha. Take that trophy and never give it back.
My wife and I are joining our first horseshoe league tonight. Thanks for this video I'm going to kick horsesass tonight!
Good luck.
Thank you very much! The slow motion really helped!!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I looked up “how to get better at horseshoes” and your video was at the top of the list. My girlfriend and her family are really good at shoes and I have to get better lmao. I’m going to try the hammer grip today and hopefully keep my shoes in the pit 😂 Thanks for the video!
You bet. The hammer grip isn’t for everyone but it’s a great way to slow the shoe down. If you want pinpoint tips just message me and I’ll work with you.
Just starting in the game of horseshoes, and enjoyed the informative video. Thank you!
You are welcome. Good luck. It’s a fun game with awesome helpful people that play it. If you ever have any questions or would like a video done that shows something you are having difficulty with just ask
Great video, I throw the flip shoe as that is what I was taught. I use to have a great half turn but lately I can't get it back. Seeing it in slow motion really helps
Kelvin Rouse Throwing a half turn must be difficult to slow it down. I’ve never seen anyone throw a shoe that way. Glad my video helped out a little.
I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old. 34 now. I think I’m going to try changing my shot from overhand flip to this style. Never looked up videos until now but it’s good to see that horseshoes is still relevant. Looking at the date this was uploaded I might be a little late to the show lol
Good luck. Just keep at it and it’ll happen with consistent practice.
Excellent video and good technique!!!. Feel free to get other pitchers the “best you can get “to demonstrate there different styles this is awesome
I'm working on some things for future videos so stay tuned. I'm pitching in TEAM WORLD this Spring so I hope to professional players shown in split screen action.
I am brand new to throwing shoes, there isn't much of it here in Australia. Keep up the tips.
I will.
Glad to see Australian pitchers. How is it pitching upside down? Or are we upside down? Contact me on Facebook, I’d love to talk to you.
Great !!! Advice I'm going to try and learn the run shoe after losing this year again at the fourth of July Tournament at Belair, Md a total of 65 players this year won my first 5 singles came needed 3 more to make it to the finals it was very challenging because at this tournament we play on grass, and I want satisfied with my overall pitching and allot of my shoes bounce off. So I decided I will try and learn the turn shoe for my next 2 Tournament next month and to join a Horshoe league this year to... Thanks again for you time and all your videos that you share. PS. Captainhook
Michael Thompson Joining a league will definitely help you become a better pitcher. When trying to learn a turn shoe, concentrate on not throwing across your body in the followthrough to make your shoe turn. Use the 1/4 twist of your wrist to create the turning motion. Followthrough straight to the stake and good luck. Two months is a long time if you practice every day. Try to get 25 minutes a day of practice in. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s tough. Winning 5 in a row is pretty good so don’t get down on yourself. A 65 person tournament is daunting to say the least.
Thanks, Alot for the Tips and encouragement , I will definitely practice to my best ability until I get it right. I was sorta disappointed at the tournament , but I did beat the people who introduced me to Horshoes which was awesome because they have been playing for over 20 years, I also noticed when I stand more straight to I'm saving alot of energy . PS. Thanks Again Michael Thompson
Always great content! Keep it up man!
Thank you. I will. I love what I do so it’s easy to keep busy at it.
Great instructions. Thanks
Great video my concern is can I pick the weight? What if I wanna throw a light shoe instead of a heavy one? How are they rated? Thank you so much I like the consistency that pattern and repetition can be consistent. This will definitely help me compete. Thank you.
Which method do you prefer?
Flip or Turn. Can wind effect your throw?
I like that I can throw both but the turn is more enjoyable. I think the flip shoe is more affected by wind coming straight at you or from directly behind you. Because it’s flipping at such a slow motion. A double flipped shoe is thrown more aggressively and has less time in any one position to be affected by the wind. A turn shoe is spinning and being truly flat like a frisbee so it cuts the wind a bit better but still can be affected but at a less degree.
Good job!
Didnt sound like any ringers were pitched in the making of this🤣
P Augie its landing on a rubber mat so the shoes hit and bounce back or straight up. I was concentrating on my rhythm and follow through while doing this and not on Ringers. I think they were all perfectly thrown ringers with none of them hitting the stake. Ha ha.
I’ll be doing a ton of turn shoe videos this summer in slow motion just for my enjoyment. I love seeing those things fly through the air.
I laughed out loud, but they were good shoes
Please don’t encourage him. Ha ha.
Thank you . Good points .
Great job bro, thanks!
Bruce Drukker hope it helps. It’s fun doing videos like this because it makes me mentally go through my steps and helps me as well. I rarely see myself in slow motion from the rear and it’s always helpful to see that.
Do you have a video that shows this method of throwing step by step from why choose it, recommending 2 or 3 shoes that are built for this style of throwing (your favorite’s), holding the shoe, hand placement options, discuss grip pressure, the swing, release, getting the 11/4 turn
Some possible problems and lastly how to avoid or fix them.
I will screen shot all of your requests and I need to definitely do a follow up video to this one. That will be a winter time project as I’m very busy pitching and recording during the summer. Thanks for watching.
I throw a flat shoe that's all I know been in league 11 years but no coaching just throwing I started tournaments last year at 30ft is it hard to change to what you throw versus straight flip? Thanks
I have found that my turn shoe “fix’s” or helps me throw a nice flip shoes.
Very helpful! Thank you
Real America great to hear. Thank you for taking the time to watch it.
When you pitch do guide your elbow to the pole or your hand?
When I pitch I aim whith my elbow is that good? I can pitch more straight
I lock out my elbow so I actually focus my hand onto the stake.
It’s the final thing that I center as I release
Thank Mr. silver I appreciate it I do have one more question if you don’t mind when you release the horse shoe from your hand does it slide from your fingers or is a release pitch can you explain Thank you so much I really like your channel
I simply release it and it slides out of my hand. The upward motion of my followthrough is where I get my flipping power from. It’s much more consistent than putting down force on the thumb caulk to get the shoe to flip.
Helpful video , Thanks ! - the turn seems completely unnatural to me and is perplexing
The more you try and figure it out, the more it will make sense.
i throw a one flip 45 % ringer average , but really want to learn this turn shoe , and being slowed down , gives me a great idea on what ive been doing wrong
My best advice is to end every practice or even tournament with about 10 minutes of turn practice. Don’t overdue it to the point where you mess up your flip percentage but at least get it in your mind and look forward to those little 10 minute sessions. It took about 3 years of messing around with those short practice periods to really see a workable turn shoe fly through the air. I have one of my first successful turn shoe ringers on my TH-cam somewhere. It’s a short 4 second video. I also made it longer by playing it in a loop so I could really let it sink in as to what I was doing correctly. I basically throw the same way but I eliminated the followthrough extra step after my release. That was difficult to eliminate because that was a lot of extra power I was taking away from my shoe but it gave me more consistency in the long run by planting my foot and throwing off that foot. Walking through your throw is a very bad habit
I have been throwing shoes for several years. I got up to 20-25 percent using a single flip grip. Last year, I slightly tore (1/4”) one of the tendons in my right shoulder. The strength is coming back but, for the life of me, I can’t get the shoe to flip. I know it’s hard with just words to diagnose, but do you have any suggestions for things to try?
Use your rhythm and timing to help throw the shoe which will take a load off of your shoulders. Releasing the shoe a bit higher will allow you to hold onto it a bit longer and it might provide the flip you need. Height is key in horseshoes. If you throw a flat shoe you don’t allow the shoe to “work”. It needs time to “work” or flip in the air. I hope that gives you a place to start and try some things.
Hi, clear videos. Really nice. My problem is that the shoe slips out of my fingers before I want to let go. Started to hold it on one of the "legs" of the shoe instead of the middle. How do people/women with small hands hold the shoe? Get control of this?
Thank you
Bernice Nuijten Good morning Bernice. One thing I like people to keep in mind when they are trying to grip the shoe correctly is that I ask them a question. If I walked up from behind you and tried to knock the shoe out of your hand just before you were going to swing it down, would I easily accomplish knocking it out of your hand? You want a firm grip on the shoe but not so firm that you’re creating blisters and causing callus’s. I use the first knuckles as the spot I use to hold my shoe. Consistency is key and holding it in the crease behind your first set of knuckles gives you a reference point that never changes and you can “feel” that you have the shoe in the correct “hold” every time. This also gives you enough grip on the shoe and allows you to easily release the shoe. Putting the shoe to deep into your hand creates a chance to snag on your fingers and accidentally throw it high because you released late. You still can accidentally release late using the first knuckles but you will do it a lot less. Thanks for watching and that was a great question. I appreciate it.
@@Qukslvr Thank you. Maybe the weight of the shoe is a bit the problem. Will use your tips and this example video and practice this weekend. And use gloves. Maybe sweaty hands is an issue. Thank you from a Dutch girl in Mexico enjoying this game.
Good to hear. We need more women playing the game in our area. There’s only 3 women in our league of about 100 people. Actually 4 but my daughter is only a sub on our team. She doesn’t practice but could be good if she put a little time into the game. Good luck and I hope your grip problem gets resolved. When my hands get sweaty I pick up some dirt of sand and rub it in my hands. That dries off my hands quickly. Gloves can be very inconsistent.
@@Qukslvr Where do you play. We are here in Mexico, Baja California. Am the only girl. And 2 guys. Almost every week we play. So I am playing the mens distance. (understood distance is a little less for women).
Will try all your tips.
I’m in Illinois. I hope you’re teaching those gentlemen a lesson or two on how to pitch, especially at 40 feet.
Thks for the lesson
No problem. It’s totally worth it if you watch my videos and are able to take away just one little tidbit that helps you pitch a little better.
I'm going to try this
Let me know how it works for you. Thanks for watching.
Always been a fan of the turn shoe but can't seem to slow it down. Like your style of grip and have a tried throwing a few shoes without much success. My question is how high do your shoes go on the way to the stake? Any tips on slowing the rotation. thanks
My arc is about 7-8 feet high max. To slow the shoe down you can start from the opposite approach. Try not to throw any spin in the shoe at all. Hold the shoe at the start of your throw that it ends in. Take all your spinning motion out of the shoe. Once you have a pretty dead shoe then add your wrist action into your delivery. I think one thing that new pitchers do is they try to hard to turn the shoe. It really doesn’t take much to get it to turn. Just look at Brandon T. He holds his shoe flat and delivers it flat and gets it to turn nicely for him.
@@Qukslvr thanks, do have a link for video for Brandon?
You can watch him on Facebook.
Brandon Tenijieth Sr.
What’s the best shoe for singles and doubles, I don’t quit understand the single heel caulk or double heel caulk.
The Challenger that I use is a great doubles shoe. It has all the right specs for any type of pitcher. Double heel caulks for flipping over and using in any configuration. I can throw a turn with it as easy as I can a flip. Almost our entire league has switched over to it because of its versatility.
@@Qukslvr so if you were playing just one person the challenger would be your pick
Yes because i play on a team in leagues and we use it as our team shoe and when I play in a sanctioned singles tournament I continue to use it.
It’s not good having different shoes in a game based on consistency.
If I never pitched with a team and always played singles and if I was going to throw a turn shoe instead of a flip shoe I might consider changing to a shoe with a ringer break. The Challenger holds the stake better now since they redesigned it.
Does the shoe have to complete a flip in the air to count.
Absolutely NOT. However you can get it there doesn’t matter. Just so it finishes around the stake and counts for 3 points is all that matters. There are several ways that the shoe flies through the air.
Single flip, double flip, multi-flip(more than 2), 1-1/4 turn, 1-3/4 turn and 3/4 reverse and on and on. Sometimes a shoe can do what I call a knuckle ball where it never flips and goes on. The end result is what’s important and being able to do it consistently.
Nice ill try that.
Nice throw
Thanks. You play much?
Again what is the size of the pit box and what is considered a foul and what is the penalty
Pits are 3 feet by 6 feet. Walkways are 18 inches wide and 6 feet long. 3 feet in front of the stake is the could line.
Stepping on the line is a foul and the penalty would be a pulled shoe every time you foul.
i thought holding 3 extra horseshoes in my left hand was a bad idea and then here comes David with 20.
Sacred Cowtipper ha ha. I’m not to bright. Maybe that’s why I’m breathing heavy.
@@Qukslvr Too many chicken wings David. You got a case of chicken-bok-bok; otherwise known as not getting any real exercise. Got to get some heart and lung exercise too brother. I think it is by the time you are 50, you lose like 40% lung capacity as far as stretchability unless you do some vigorous exercise aerobic type exercise. What stinks for me right now is stomach and back problems. I used to bike about 100 miles a week full tilt cranking but my chiropractor doesn't think I should do that anymore. Jogging is out too then. I am stuck in a basement with an exercise bike- boring but needed for heart and lung. Don't wait till your too old like my Dad and wish you started younger. He waited till he was 60 to 65 and had some health problems already. Just do 10 to 15 minutes a day. Are you upper 40's right now? Don't mean to preach health to you. I lost 3 friends over the last 3 years. One was only 60. Always ate fired foods, didn't exercise, smoked and for exercise fishing out of a boat. I miss my buddy. He didn't want to change anything.
I’m 51 and I’ve been telling myself I gotta get back on the health kick. When I do something I go overboard with it.
Chicken-bok-bok. Ha ha.
@@Qukslvr So was I right on the chicken wings? Hmm. Start small. I tried doing a half marathon after jogging for 6 months and paid the price. Baby steps Dave. Baby steps. You can do it.
@@Qukslvr threw my worst shoes tonight with the ground less muddy Got 5 ringers and just missed about 10 or so. I am getting pretty confident that I can be class D by end of next year or maybe earlier depending on how much I can play through winter and play on a better pit area. The shoes I used tonight are brand named RINGERS. Yeah right. These things are about 2 # 4 ounce and love to bounce when they hit the ground. Should have called them BOINGERS. I'm doing the thumb cleat on the bottom. I think it might work for me.
Ever hear of T.J. Octigan official? I have two of those. They are two of my better heavier front cleat shoes. My two Franklins are my other two okay ones. All still picnic shoes though. Only difference is some are potato salad shoes and some are cole slaw. I need to stay at least 2 pound 8 ounce. I have some ROYALS too. I don't throw them as straight as the Ringers but they don't bounce near as much. Good to use when muddy.
Hi David,
Since I am new to horseshoes and using junk shoes right now after a month fo throwing, I wnat to make an informed decision on what pro shoes to buy. Why do some pros like the flat back shoes over the ones with the two-sided toe cleats? What benefit is there in that?
Also, does that thumb grip indent on the thumb grip on some shoes help keep the shoe floating straighter?
I recently went from throwing a turn shoe method to flip shoe and tripled my ringers in 50 throws so I want to make that my main throw. So many different thumb cleats though to pick from. You seem to like the Mustangs a lot. Why did you choose those?
Thanks,
Sacred Cowtipper
Sacred Cowtipper I hope you don’t live in India with a name like that. Ha Ha.
But seriously.... some pros prefer the single sided heel cleats because of the speed at which they flip for them and if they turn their shoes, it might mean more weight in the heels and that affects the balance of the shoe depending on the center of gravity. You can check our my horseshoe reviews where I talk about QBR or Qukslvr Balance Rating and how that corresponds to a shoe turning in the pit or more often how it flips.
I pitch Challengers and not Mustangs and the reason I chose them is because of the large flat gripping area they possess. I also like their smaller toe caulk. I don’t use my thumb to make a shoe flip so I wanted a small toe caulk so it wouldn’t get in my way when I flip the shoe over.
And last but not least...... the toe caulk or thumb caulk has zero affect on guiding the shoe in air.
Another great shoe you can check out is the “M&M Flip”
I like to refer junk shoes as “Picnic” shoes but I guess you’re right too.
Thanks for the great questions.
@@Qukslvr Haha. Good one. No one has ever giving me that one before. I debunk false doctrines, false cults, and fake news as part of my extra-curricular activity. Flipping Sacred Cows that people hold to be true who don't fact-check anything. I do a lot of writing.
What is the purpose of the thumb caulk then?
How do you flip without it as I seem to do best with a half to 1 1/2 turns?
Can you do more videos on hold and release methods with close up pictures as it looks like you have thrown a million shoes by now?
That would be great for me.
I'm finally after a month and a half getting a good rotation going to flip style but sometimes I get an unpleasant turn to the left or right which makes me miss the stake or hit it wrong.
What is causing that?
I finally got that two ringers in a row with a good feel thing you told me about a week ago but need to get more consistent. My best shoes only have about 1/2-inch cleats. Nowhere near 1-inch. I finally hit 10 ringers out of a 100 throws which is a milestone for me after my first 100 throws going to flip-style . I've thrown about 3,500 shoes total in 6 weeks now with junk shoes. I've tried about 6 different kind of throws so far since I started. It's time to get some decent shoes. I have many "just-misses".
Does it sound like I have potential for Class D tournament play if I keep practicing?
How good do you have to get to get into tournament play?
Sorry for all the questions.
You can never have to many questions.
I don’t use the thumb cleat. I throw with it down. The reason I throw with it down is consistency. I could never push down with the same force to flip my shoe so I took it completely out of my delivery. My flip comes from the speed of my arm swing and the point of my release.
If I release low then I don’t complete my flip. Release to high and I get an extra 1/2 rotation.
I can definitely do more videos on grip and release. I talk about why the shoe flops over to one side but do you don’t have to go find that video I’ll summarize it for you here. Your hand isn’t staying flat upon release. When you see me pitch I hold my arm outstretched and my elbow hyperextended and locked. That hyperextension allows my tendons and ligaments to stretch and makes it easier to flip the shoe without it flopping over.
I’ll throw 500 shoes and I’ll only get one that flops left because I threw that shoe a little lazy. 90% of the time my flopped shoe actually goes on because I did everything else correctly and just let my elbow get lazy.
I think that if you get “professional” shoes it will help increase your average because you won’t be fighting the weight of the shoe or poor manufacturing of said shoe. Professional shoes are made to a higher tolerance of being a consistent weighted pair. I think you can compete in tournaments right away. I know a lot of guys who are around 10% and join tourneys. It will only make you better and allow you to see your better potential. Tournaments are nothing but positive experiences. They reward you for your hard practices and reward you in defeat by showing you that you need to practice MORE. HA HA.
The question you have about being good enough for D class all depends on who signs up for the tournament. On average from my area sanctioned tournaments you might just make it into D class.
@@Qukslvr You know your stuff. I will try your thumb cleat down for a while and see if I do better. And focus on keeping my arm extended and hand flat. I just want to get good enough so no one is laughing at my ability or becoming the last kid in class to get picked for dodgeball. LOL. I used to be the guy that blew you off your feet.
Is throwing 100 shoes a day too little or a good minimum?
I'm sure I won't get rich playing horseshoes. I just want to get competitive as a social thing to do now that I live out in the country. So many are playing cornhole but that is way too easy for me. First time I played that was at a 4th of July event. My buddy and I took on two guys that win money all the time and almost beat them the first time we ever played. Horseshoes seems to be a lot more challenging and wouldn't get boring. I used to pitch in hardball baseball which I am sure is helping me although I haven't done anything in about 35 to 40 years. I do have back problems which isn't helping me (past work I did) but it just may take a few extra trips to the chiropractor to take care of that.
I'm sure my picnic shoes are off balance too and I have a real crappy temporary pit in place with uneven ground till I figure out where I would want to put it permanently. Just trying to get the basics down first. I would be happy throwing 20% ringers by end of next year. I'm not one that likes getting unearned points by bad throws and get a bunch of 1-pointers because of my lack of getting ringers. Thanks for your help!!!! Will keep working at it.
I hope you have good luck with the toe cleat down. It works for many of us. It’s not just the way I throw but many others.
Cornhole is for guys that gave up just trying to be average at horseshoes. Horseshoes isn’t way more difficult with less payout so I can see why people flock to Cornhole.
Pitching 100 shoes a day is a good minimum indeed. I look at it like this. You practice to build the muscles needed for aiming. If you overtrain those muscles it builds more and you get stronger. I practice sometimes with Bobby C for up to 3 1/2 hours which makes my arm feel like a noodle in the Spring. When you get your arm feeling like a noodle, at that moment is when you bear down and hyper concentrate on putting ringers on. It is so difficult to do and makes that practice so beneficial because your training to failure almost. If you’re sore the next day then you know you are gaining strength. The next day when you’re sore it will be a little hard to throw but once your arm warms up the pain will go away and you’ll be pitching and growing again. I always say I’m not league ready until my first 4 hour session.
A proper pit is essential because consistency is key in every little thing you do. Placing your feet in the exact same spot and stepping to the exact same spot to release is all part of the game.
If you have back problems do you have a huge stride? Do you use a grabber? Practice with a partner? These are a few things that make things easier on the back. If you have a long stride, try reducing the length of the step you take. By shortening your stride you are keeping your shoulders more at the same height throughout your delivery. A shorter stride gives your shoe a better chance to stay still in your backswing.
How fast you bring your shoe back forward is a huge deal on keeping your shoe centered on the stake. If you are twisting your wrist or wiggling your shoe behind you, that can translate into your shoe going left or right of the stake.
Good job on the turn shoe. But I throw a flip. After about eight shoes, my shoes start fallen a foot short . But it feels good leaving my hand. Any advice
Hard to say without seeing you pitch.
Do you start out your first 8 or so shoes with a fairly high arc? As you throw you might be gradually lowering that arc. Try keeping your arc at a consistent height. Speed of your swing might also play a factor. As you get warmed up you stop throwing as hard. I use the weight of the shoe and the weight of my own arm to help propel the shoe to the other pit by holding my arm straight out in front of me and dropping it to start my swing while using my step at the correct moment to bring the shoe out of my backswing. If you use muscle to throw the shoe, your distance will be affected as you grow tired. If it feels good leaving your hand that could be simply that your timing was on point and the shoe was centered. But once you see it land short you realized something wasn’t right.
@@Qukslvr i think thats what i do. I can't keep the same arch then I loose focus.
Just take a few practice sessions just focusing on hitting the same arc over and over. Most people practice trying to put ringers on the stake. I look at it as, that should be the last step in your practice. Before you do that, try simply putting each shoe in the pit without hitting concrete or wood as many times in a row as you can. Then progress to simply hitting the stake as many times in a row as you can. Even if you miss in the end, hitting the stake 10 times in a row is a huge accomplishment in your goal to get better. Once you hit the stake 10 or 20 times in a row is when you can start fine tuning the shoe AROUND the stake. It’s like a person that throws darts for the first time. You have to practice to keep the darts out of the wall and all in the dartboard. Then the next step would be keeping all the darts inside the treble ring before actually trying to focus on hitting the bulls.
Ok thanks!!! I have the fl state tournament coming up and I'm a 21% thrower trying to be the best i can be
Hubert Sweet Good luck. 20 minutes of practice a day (every day) will increase your average a lot. It doesn’t sound like much but it’s tough getting out there without missing a session.
This is neat! i usually just throw it aggressively! LOL
mSquared
By aggressive I think you mean with Muscles? I use little muscles as possible for greater consistency. Thanks for watching. Are you gonna take up pitching Horseshoes now? Ha ha.
@@Qukslvr Yes with a lot of power behind the throw , we have a little set up at our community place, we use it during the Summer when everyone goes back up north! I will use some of your advice :D
Less power in my delivery has given me more control of the shoe and yields higher averages. You can’t duplicate how much muscle you use consistently but what is consistent is the weight of your arm and the weight of the shoe. I hold them up and drop them and that gives me enough momentum (combined with a properly timed step) to throw the shoe 40 feet. Since if started doing this I very rarely throw long. A high majority of my shoes are perfect 40 feet.
Good luck this summer.
Thanks! Now off to win against my son!
Jenn Definitely good luck. I hope you won against your son and my video was helpful.
Just watched this guy on Curse of Oak Island. I had no idea he was on TH-cam...
Ha ha. I’ve never heard that one before. I’ve been called David Koresh and Steven King but I’ll have to look into the one you’re mentioning.
How did you get exhausted before you threw a show
Tyler Wood I’m fat, old and out of shape. Plus the mic is really sensitive and picks up normal breathing really good making it sound a little labored.
I was doing it all wrong. I always hold the tip and twist my wrist with a finger flick before release.
Yes, it’s hard to control consistently by flicking it. You might get lucky once in a while doing it that way but in a game that’s all about consistency..........
Does any body ever youse pea gravel just curious
Yes I have seen and even played on pea gravel. The gravel shoots out of the pit a lot and creates a mess. The shoes also dig a while faster with only a few throws that has to be refilled constantly. Sand shoots a bit less than the gravel and when you water down sand a little it is very playable and doesn’t shoot everywhere as much as gravel does. I would say that it is a possible material that can be used but only in a last resort.
Can you show the flight of the turn shoe? Mine has a 1 end flop and a turn.
He’s on 500 ping the whole video
Luke Luke I don’t understand.
Are you saying I’m lagging hard?
Qukslvr it was a joke bc it looked like you were lagging but it was slow mo
My whole life seems to be in slow motion. Maybe it would speed up if I wasn’t so fat.