Improve your throwing in Petanque

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Throwing the boule is one of the most important aspect of the game, and every player should aim to improve the way they throw the boule as much as possible. Here are some ways that you can improve your throwing technique in order to have a better game.

Holding the Boule

The proper way to hold a boule is with your fingers tightly packed together. The boule should be resting comfortably in the palm, with your fingers around over the boule. The palm should be facing downwards, with the thumb being barely used to grip the boule. Properly done, the hand should not be gripping the boule, but instead, the boule should simply be resting in the hand.

Stance

The stance of the player is not as important, with different players favouring different stances, all based on the way they play. However, it is essential for the stance to be balanced and stable, as an unsteady stance can affect the throw. A weak stance will cause the boule to go off course, thus causing the player a valuable opportunity to have a point.

The player should also remember to always have both his feet on the ground when throwing. If the player prefers a squatting stance, the soles of the feet can be lifted, but part of the feet still has to be on the ground.

Aiming

It is important for the player to aim properly before a throw is even attempted. To aim, the player should extend his arm – with the boule in his hand – towards the target, with the intentions of aligning his arm with the target or jack. The player should remember the position of his arm when aiming, as it will be involved in the later stages of throwing.

Throwing

Once the player has established his aim by extending his arm, the player should then begin his throw by swinging the arm with the boule backwards, keeping the elbow next to the body. While bringing the arm forward in a swing, the player has to keep his arm as straight as possible in order to have a better throw. The wrist of the hand holding the ball should be cocked throughout the entire backswing and forward swing action, and should only relax when the arm passes by the leg of the player and begins the upwards swing.

The upward swing should reach the point where the arm was extended previously in the aiming position. At this point, the player should release the ball, with the ball rolling off his fingertips instead of in a dropping motion.

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