Before a curler delivers a curling stone, they receive three pieces of information from the skip. They are:
After a curler receives this information, they can begin the delivery. First, the thrower will move the stone forward a few inches so that it is not stuck on the ice. Second, they will move the stone back to the hack, move their sliding foot and broom (or stabilizer) backwards, and bring their hips up. Finally, they push out of the hack and lunge, as they begin to glide down the ice towards the skip's broom.
Most curlers hold a broom when they are delivering a stone to provide them with balance when pushing out of the hack. In a curling delivery, you are constantly shifting your body weight. During a delivery, it is important that your body weight is evenly distributed between the left and right halves of your body. Holding a broom (or other stabilizing device) makes the delivery more balanced and precise. In reality, curlers should be able to perform a delivery without any stone or broom in hand and push out of the hack perfectly balanced.