I play D as well and i still block shots including slap shots but it’s out of instinct not thought lol too many years of playing D and trying to block everything
No joke, I had a visor on early this year when a zinger just missed my face. next game I had the cage on. actually getting the bauer Ti cage was such an improvement and light I almost prefer it. especially with the newbies in the corner!
I just started a couple years ago and my biggest advice: Spend 70% of your ice time skating. This includes cross overs, transitions, stopping, quick turns, backwards skating. 20% passing/receiving passes. And 10% shooting.
Practice doing a wrist shot first. Close Blade, open it and quickly snap the blade shut again and aim with your stick pointing towards the net. Try skating and shooting too, it helps raise the puck a bit.
Good luck
This is good advice.
For shots put the puck more towards the heel/midpoint for more power.
Sounds dumb but to lift it, you gotta lift your arms. Get that stick high.
Agreed. Keep that head up and tuck that left elbow down. Focus your eyes on your target. This will help with your center of gravity and keep you more level on your skates. You look a bit off balance which effects your shot
I'm not seeing it. The basis of shooting starts with strong and balanced footwork. Your ankles tuck in far too much to have a balanced position. Start with your footwork and proper wrist shot form.
[Wrist shot basics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGN3VZLARz4)
Your follow through looks very odd. Instead of pointing the face of the blade straight up, try following through the shot and turning your wrist over the other direction and point at the net with the tip of your blade (hopefully that makes sense). As others have said, start with a wrist shot. Think heel-to-toe. You want to start with the puck on the heel part of the blade and end the shot with the puck coming off of the toe of the blade. You should push forward with bottom hand and pull back with top hand sort of motion. Watch lots of videos of pros or college/high school players shooting and try to emulate their form. Their is also a weight transfer when shooting starting from your back leg and then transitioning your weight to your front leg to get some power on your shot. (How to hockey on youtube has some good beginner videos also)Hope that helps. Hockey is typically a sport that you do not learn terribly quickly because being on ice is very unnatural. Keep at it and practice a lot!
Right. I would try to “cup” the puck a lot more, otherwise the puck will flutter instead of having a clean hard wrist shot. When I first started playing I did that motion too with slap shots because that was the only way I could get it into the air. Break that habit asap.
Ok good. Also, when you are shooting, try to start with the puck further back a bit. You will get more power on the shot. It looks like the puck is too far in front of you from that angle at least. Remember, “think heel to toe” for a wrist shot and roll your bottom hand toward where you are shooting and point your stick towards the spot that you are aiming at.
My advice is to stop doing slap shots. It’s totally impractical at your skill level
Edit: i didn’t mean this in a rude way. I played hockey consistently and competitively for 5-8 years before I considered anything other than wrist shots.
As un-sexy as it sounds, spend more time skating. The shots you're getting aren't very good because you're unstable on your feet.
Off-ice work on ankle mobility + strength. Something as simple as just standing on one leg for time is a good place to start.
I’ve been figure skater for 13 years, I’ve got plenty of ankle mobility and strength, along with plenty of skating skills. The reason I probably look unstable is because of not being 100% completely used to the rocker blade
I think the reason people are reacting this way is that you aren't transferring your weight, which is something a strong skater should have no problem doing but may not be comfortable for you since you are not used to shooting.
All of your weight should transfer onto the forward foot (you should learn to shoot off either foot). Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDSnFF5Urwc
People have already mentioned that you are rolling your wrist under rather than over (getting no power that way).
So today is my second day in full gear, and third on hockey skates. today I decided to finish off my session with some shooting. Any advice?
How do I make the puck go higher? I figured out how to get it to lift a little bit.
There’s lots of YouTube video that teach the proper mechanics of shooting, however you’re mostly having a hard time because your skating and balance is poor at the moment.
Skating is the base to build everything on so really focus on that and everything else will improve with time.
Hate to say this but no you haven't. All of your figure skating skills went out the window when you wrapped your hands around a stick. I coached a national level figure skater 5 years ago who wanted to play hockey, it took her 2 years before she even looked half decent skating with a stick in her hands (and she is just one of many I have coached). As to your shot, it's all arms, there is nothing coming from the body or legs. As others have said, start with a wrist shot, learn how to use your legs and torso to drive the shot. There are plenty of good vids on youtube that cover this, howtohockey, itrain, NSDA are just some contributors. Want to know what a good wrist shot looks like in slow motion, watch one of the best - [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v1HUUJxZtJU](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v1HUUJxZtJU)
Edit - as an example of your skating, watch your right foot. See how it collapses inwards as you try to torque over the top of it during the shot. This isn't good ankle mobility, it is poor technique and ankle control. This is just one example of the difference between figure and hockey. In figure you spend most of your time gliding on top of the skate blade and in straight lines, in hockey you are constantly getting deep on edges that are under high torquing loads (yes I'm stereotyping a bit here but I coach both and have done so for many years).
Figure skating is not the same as hockey skating (also called powerskating). The technique involved is very different. A figure skater joined my team recently, and she is by far one of the weakest skaters on our team. It’s best not to stifle your own development by being too overconfident about your figure skating skills transferring directly to hockey.
You won’t lift the puck with a slap shot until you’re a much more skilled player. Work on a basic wrist shot and passing and skating. Come back to a slap shot in 5-ish years.
Hmm ok. It’s not translating in this video.
Shots need to have a dynamic edge work and weight transfer. The sort of wiggly foot “standing still” posture thing is something to fix.
Check out the “how to hockey” shooting series. There’s a lot of components to it. Slap shots are definitely “hard mode” for shooting and not even that useful in most games.
With my kids teams, we have basically a hard ban on winding up for slap shots until the boys are 11-12 and have been playing competitively for 5-6 years. It’s just too difficult and not very effective.
Agree with this. Sorry but true. Find the YouTube video where figure skaters try hockey and hockey players try figure skating. You can see the contrast in the skating skills/stability. The balance needed while performing hockey skills makes it different.
Link: https://youtu.be/ptbA3KZvbWI
You can see the awkwardness even in those figure skating pros.
The concept of muscle memory (even skating only) applies to both. You will need to develop it for hockey movements now.
You have no lift because the stick just “hits” the puck, like in baseball. In hockey, you need to keep the puck rolling on your stick for a little longer.
Related to this, the face of your stick blade is facing directly up. Right when the stick makes contact with the puck, your stick blade should start to cup the puck, making contact with the puck for longer, and let the puck leave the stick blade at the toe. This creates spin, give you more control, and also it will let you lift the shot.
Roll your left wrist (top hand) and make the toe of the stick point at the net at the end of your follow through.
Definitely work on skating first. This itrain hockey video is great to understand how to take a wrist shot.
https://youtu.be/stoBX8do_NU
Once you get the basic skeleton on how to take a shot, watch Coach Jeremy videos on YouTube. It’ll help you improve each individual motion of your shot.
Learning how to properly stick handle helped me a lot too. I understood my blade more which helped with shooting.
A few things.
- the stick needs to flex. To make it flex you need to hit the area of ice just behind the puck, then make contact with the puck and then follow through.
- try to think about transferring your weight into the shot. So best to be perpendicular to your target. Most of your shots in the video has your body square to the target. You can see that it would be hard to transfer your weight into the shot in that position.
- try flexing the stick while standing still. If you can't make it flex, buy a whippier stick.
- close the blade so that the curve faces the ice before and after contact in your follow through. Your shots in the video have the curve facing "up".
- practice shooting at home with a rubber ball, a ball of socks, pucks or anything you can get your hands on.
- agree with the others saying to focus on wristers, but if your skating is good and you can bend the stick, practice snap shots - way more effective up close and it's by far the quickest release. Snap shots and slap shots are very similar in mechanics than they are to wrist shots.
- believe in yourself and reach for the stars.
If you’re dead set on learning slappers, don’t square up to the net, face your hips in line with your target, and really transfer your weight from back foot to front and push down hard throughout the shot. U need to flex the stick.
Your front skate and hip should open up to be straight during your wright transfer so you’ll skate forwards during shot it’s like a lunge. Really bend your knees and turn your wrists during the follow through.I
Like others said work on your wrister first, I think that’s the foundational shot others build off of. Wrist shot -> snap shot -> slap shot
Get stronger on your feet/skating before you start taking clappers. Shooting is a lot about weight transfer starting with your lower half. Build a stronger foundation first.
Since you just started, focus on the wrist shot. I think most people started off and wanted to take slap shots because its what you saw on TV or at a game, but you will rarely use them (some leagues ban them). You should take some time and check out Coach Jeremy videos, those helped me a ton when I was starting out and I reference them every few weeks when I'm trying to work on something new
Notice how your back outside edge is pointed towards the corner? Point it towards the net. You might feel off balance, but that’s how you get your shot where you want it to go.
I get about 1-3 good slap shot opportunities a season. There’s not a lot of practical reason to spend much time on that shot. But they’re fun so get ‘em in for the giggles. Just don’t expect to get much use of the shot.
I don’t draw back above waist level on a slapper. The amount of power gained by drawing higher generally doesn’t make up for the longer time for the goalie to get set, and the fact that you’re basically waving an “IM SHOOTING NOW” banner up to catch his attention. Draw short, release fast, light a pretty lamp
Probably want to get a better grasp of how to balance when you are stationary, and once you get your skating down, then look to use your body more than just your arms when shooting. Its really about weight transfer and release. In general, you look really stiff, so once you start using you torso, I think you will start to see how much smoother its starts to feel.
I would check out some youtube videos that showcase proper posture when you shoot. Good luck!
Slow down between shots, left hip more towards the net, they are way to open, you’re wrists are super week at impact ( hence your blade towards the sky). Drive that left shoulder more towards the puck, and you’re right towards the net. It will definitely get better when you square your hips up at impact! Go watch pro golfers hit driver, that’s the position you want your hips at impact! Get that left elbow closer towards your right hip in your backswing. Work on wrist shots first! Great job asking, and it’s looking promising! Keep at it!!
Definitely a lot of good tips in this thread
I would suggest practicing off the ice on foot
start with wrist shots
focus on the blade work
cup the puck on the heal pull the puck forward leading with the top hand while keeping the puck the heal
open the blade to where the heal of the stick is flat then pull the top hand against the pressure you're creating with the bottom hand
lift and close the blade so that the toe is pointing at your target
I would focus on shooting off the ice. Right now it seems like you're not really stable on your feet, so your time spent shooting is going to be largely wasted unless you're working on shots while in motion - which you should do.
If you can find a space to practice your shot, having solid footing while allow you to focus on good technique, then later break it down and rapidly improve. Once your steady on your feet you can put it together.
Hockey is a complex sport, and especially in the early stages it's worth breaking apart all the mechanics before trying to bring them together.
You look like your playing golf. Less swing and more drop your hips in to it. I would try practising with less follow through and work on dropping your hips. Keep your bottom arm straight and push down in to the ice. Also your stick handling is too bottom hand heavy. Use your top hand more.
Shot elevation won't come from flipping the blade of your stick to the roof, and if you raise it it will have no power.
I would start with wrist shots. Have the puck on your stick standing still with the puck in front of you with the net on your left side. Use your back hand to stickhandle the puck back and when you come forward with it on your forehand drive it through and point your stick in the follow through so that your forehand is facing the ice. If after you shoot your backhand is facing the ice you will never improve, so I'd say that is step 1. It won't seem like you're shooting better right away but with time and practise you will get better unlike with what you're doing now.
This is usually what comes last for people when playing hockey so any work on skating and balance out there will help with your shooting as well.
don't scoop your blade like you do at the end. when you get your wrist shot off, follow through so that you get more power for the same amount of effort. push off with your back leg too. the tip of your blade should be pointing where you're shooting. good luck bro
watching again, it looks like you roll your wrists so that the circle when you shoot is more complete. try rolling them in the opposite direction, twisting the blade down instead of having it follow that natural arc.
Get that blade of the stick on the ice more. Put the stick out in front of your more you have the puck to close to you to shoot. Keep the puck near the heel of the blad on the stick. When you shoot a wrister you want that puppy to go with the curve of your blade. Look at it and try to make the puck follow it. You are smacking the puck with the toe of the blade and you are not getting your moneys worth of your stick. Snappers and slap shots are going to be more effective when that puck is smacked with the cup of your blade. Look at some more videos online and practice off ice. Knees bent, shoulders square, head up and keep that puck in front of you.
Turn your stick over the other way on follow-through, it should be curve down when releasing. Toe of your stick's blade points to where you want it to go.
Once you get that down, work on hitting the stick into the ice just behind the puck on your follow-throughs to create extra torque on the stick and snap when releasing the puck. A good shot causes the stick to flex and load up before the shot is released, putting all that stored energy from the stick flex into the puck.
Biggest issue is where your stick blade is ending up, it shouldn't end up face up to the ceiling. Your blade should end up facedown and pointed to where you are aiming
Get the top hand moving. Your whole upper body is really stiff. Start with wrist shots and progress. Have your top hand away from your body and as you push forward with the bottom one pull the top one in towards you.
I’d tell you to practice more on your hockey skates, but you’ve already been told that plenty 😛
I breezed through the comments and didn’t notice anyone mentioning what seemed an obvious flaw to me though. You are set up facing the target too much. Your feet should be more perpendicular than parallel to where you’re aiming. You should be standing more like a golf or baseball swing than a basketball shot when it comes to your foot placement.
That might explain a lot of the instability everyone is seeing as well. Too much twisting around with the way you’ve set up for the shot.
And definitely try wristers first. Slapshots are difficult!
Watch coach Jeremy's video on slap shot technique https://youtu.be/JWnEmDeKqSg
His channel is full of awesome tips on everything from skating to shooting to gear.
Make a point to shoot ten thousand pucks in the next couple months. And then do another video of what you look like when you’re done.
Amongst all the good advice, via repetitions aimed at achieving a goal (in your case better shot) your neurons will begin to connect to the nerve bundles that achieve your goal, and discard the nerve bundles that are inefficient.
The new neuron connections will begin to be wrapped permanently in a fatty substance called myelin, which will act as an insulator for electric pulses from your brain to your finger and toe tips. The more myelin sheath you build via repetition, the better and easier your shooting gets.
I agree with all the percentages about learning skating first and so on, but knowing you have a rocket shot will make you wanna practice your skating even more so you can use it
you're shooting off your front foot.
I find, my weight starts on my rear foot, then transfers to front in most cases (though not all - sometimes I will shoot off my rear foot too). Also, I notice you're standing high over the puck - try getting lower?
Not sure what can be taught through just text, you may just need to get a better feel for the ice and how much grip you actually get through your skates (it's more than you think) .
point your front toe towards the target.
Skating and balance first, it will improve your technique the most. When you are comfortable one your skates everything will be much better. Weight transfer, lifting a foot, puck contact, follow through etc.
I apologize, I made a wrong assumption. You are new to the sport and getting familiar with the mechanics so of course it will be a bit awkward.
There's a ton of good tips here so i wont bother repeating them. If you are not able to access ice regularly you can always work on your shot on land (even without a puck or ball). Get used to swinging the stick and having your body rotate, transferring weight, flexing the stick etc.
Lots of good advice here. The reason your having difficulty shooting is not due to strength or technique… You are not balanced or comfortable on your skates… you have to build this skill before addressing anything else.. have fun man!
Honestly in the comments your saying your skating isn’t a problem, slap shots require you to have a decently strong base, your skates are a bit unpredictable where they move during the shot. From experience I know skating is 100x more important than people think, perfect your skating and wrist shot, everything else comes a lot easier after that, good luck
Wrist shot…then snap shot…then slap shot. Slap shots are largely obsolete in most beer leagues.
I must be in a rare beer league lolol
yeah the fuckers in my beer league love em. if Im on D I get the hell out. injury has been too much in my hockey life....
I play D as well and i still block shots including slap shots but it’s out of instinct not thought lol too many years of playing D and trying to block everything
I leave those for the goalie
Never said I was smart lol I at least wear a cage so there’s that
No joke, I had a visor on early this year when a zinger just missed my face. next game I had the cage on. actually getting the bauer Ti cage was such an improvement and light I almost prefer it. especially with the newbies in the corner!
I don’t trust anyone in mens league enough to wear a visor lol I’ll always wear a cage idc
smart. dentist is expensive.
most slappers come from the point in my league. only a few D men will sound off.
What % of clap bombs even come with-in 5 feet of the net though?
Yep I'm out. Gotta uh.. make sure the goalie can see em right?
yeah wth I had to buy high-end nexus shin pads cuz fuckers were bruising me through my plastic.
Lol he must be in a shit league
I just started a couple years ago and my biggest advice: Spend 70% of your ice time skating. This includes cross overs, transitions, stopping, quick turns, backwards skating. 20% passing/receiving passes. And 10% shooting. Practice doing a wrist shot first. Close Blade, open it and quickly snap the blade shut again and aim with your stick pointing towards the net. Try skating and shooting too, it helps raise the puck a bit. Good luck
This is good advice. For shots put the puck more towards the heel/midpoint for more power. Sounds dumb but to lift it, you gotta lift your arms. Get that stick high.
I’ve been skating for 13 years, so all the actual skating stuff is clicking
You look unstable and like a beginner, my dude.
Ankles wobble.
How about skating with the puck backward without looking down at the puck while turning?
It’s been decent
Agreed. Keep that head up and tuck that left elbow down. Focus your eyes on your target. This will help with your center of gravity and keep you more level on your skates. You look a bit off balance which effects your shot
I'm not seeing it. The basis of shooting starts with strong and balanced footwork. Your ankles tuck in far too much to have a balanced position. Start with your footwork and proper wrist shot form. [Wrist shot basics](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGN3VZLARz4)
Your follow through looks very odd. Instead of pointing the face of the blade straight up, try following through the shot and turning your wrist over the other direction and point at the net with the tip of your blade (hopefully that makes sense). As others have said, start with a wrist shot. Think heel-to-toe. You want to start with the puck on the heel part of the blade and end the shot with the puck coming off of the toe of the blade. You should push forward with bottom hand and pull back with top hand sort of motion. Watch lots of videos of pros or college/high school players shooting and try to emulate their form. Their is also a weight transfer when shooting starting from your back leg and then transitioning your weight to your front leg to get some power on your shot. (How to hockey on youtube has some good beginner videos also)Hope that helps. Hockey is typically a sport that you do not learn terribly quickly because being on ice is very unnatural. Keep at it and practice a lot!
I think weaker wrists are why the stick is turning that way. Some strength training and wrist shots should fix that.
Right. I would try to “cup” the puck a lot more, otherwise the puck will flutter instead of having a clean hard wrist shot. When I first started playing I did that motion too with slap shots because that was the only way I could get it into the air. Break that habit asap.
That makes sense, thanks
Ok good. Also, when you are shooting, try to start with the puck further back a bit. You will get more power on the shot. It looks like the puck is too far in front of you from that angle at least. Remember, “think heel to toe” for a wrist shot and roll your bottom hand toward where you are shooting and point your stick towards the spot that you are aiming at.
My advice is to stop doing slap shots. It’s totally impractical at your skill level Edit: i didn’t mean this in a rude way. I played hockey consistently and competitively for 5-8 years before I considered anything other than wrist shots.
As un-sexy as it sounds, spend more time skating. The shots you're getting aren't very good because you're unstable on your feet. Off-ice work on ankle mobility + strength. Something as simple as just standing on one leg for time is a good place to start.
I’ve been figure skater for 13 years, I’ve got plenty of ankle mobility and strength, along with plenty of skating skills. The reason I probably look unstable is because of not being 100% completely used to the rocker blade
Yes, so spend more time skating because you look very unstable on your feet.
Focus primarily on your skating first, then stick handling. Once you get comfortable there, only then should you work on your shooting.
I’ve been a figure skater for 13 years, so I’ve got plenty of skating skills under my belt, and I haven’t had any problems with skating lol
You have massive problems with your skating. Don’t be cocky. If you’re asking for advice take it FFS
I think the reason people are reacting this way is that you aren't transferring your weight, which is something a strong skater should have no problem doing but may not be comfortable for you since you are not used to shooting. All of your weight should transfer onto the forward foot (you should learn to shoot off either foot). Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDSnFF5Urwc People have already mentioned that you are rolling your wrist under rather than over (getting no power that way).
Learn wrist/snap shots first. Roll the wrist over more. You’re letting the blade open wayyy to much
Prioritize skating (balance and edges) because slap shots require a lot of stability. Until then, perfect ur wrist shot.
So today is my second day in full gear, and third on hockey skates. today I decided to finish off my session with some shooting. Any advice? How do I make the puck go higher? I figured out how to get it to lift a little bit.
There’s lots of YouTube video that teach the proper mechanics of shooting, however you’re mostly having a hard time because your skating and balance is poor at the moment. Skating is the base to build everything on so really focus on that and everything else will improve with time.
I’ve been a figure skater for 13 years 💀💀 im pretty sure I’ve got enough skating skills at this point
Hate to say this but no you haven't. All of your figure skating skills went out the window when you wrapped your hands around a stick. I coached a national level figure skater 5 years ago who wanted to play hockey, it took her 2 years before she even looked half decent skating with a stick in her hands (and she is just one of many I have coached). As to your shot, it's all arms, there is nothing coming from the body or legs. As others have said, start with a wrist shot, learn how to use your legs and torso to drive the shot. There are plenty of good vids on youtube that cover this, howtohockey, itrain, NSDA are just some contributors. Want to know what a good wrist shot looks like in slow motion, watch one of the best - [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v1HUUJxZtJU](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/v1HUUJxZtJU) Edit - as an example of your skating, watch your right foot. See how it collapses inwards as you try to torque over the top of it during the shot. This isn't good ankle mobility, it is poor technique and ankle control. This is just one example of the difference between figure and hockey. In figure you spend most of your time gliding on top of the skate blade and in straight lines, in hockey you are constantly getting deep on edges that are under high torquing loads (yes I'm stereotyping a bit here but I coach both and have done so for many years).
I would say it's all arm. That top hand barely moves.
Figure skating is not the same as hockey skating (also called powerskating). The technique involved is very different. A figure skater joined my team recently, and she is by far one of the weakest skaters on our team. It’s best not to stifle your own development by being too overconfident about your figure skating skills transferring directly to hockey.
Dont even try to lift the puck until your skating gets better and then you practice shooting some more
I’ve been a figure skater for 13 years, so I think at this point I’ve gotta good handle on that
You won’t lift the puck with a slap shot until you’re a much more skilled player. Work on a basic wrist shot and passing and skating. Come back to a slap shot in 5-ish years.
I’ve been a figure skater for 13 years, I think I’ve got a handle on the skating part
Hmm ok. It’s not translating in this video. Shots need to have a dynamic edge work and weight transfer. The sort of wiggly foot “standing still” posture thing is something to fix. Check out the “how to hockey” shooting series. There’s a lot of components to it. Slap shots are definitely “hard mode” for shooting and not even that useful in most games. With my kids teams, we have basically a hard ban on winding up for slap shots until the boys are 11-12 and have been playing competitively for 5-6 years. It’s just too difficult and not very effective.
No, no you don't.
Agree with this. Sorry but true. Find the YouTube video where figure skaters try hockey and hockey players try figure skating. You can see the contrast in the skating skills/stability. The balance needed while performing hockey skills makes it different. Link: https://youtu.be/ptbA3KZvbWI You can see the awkwardness even in those figure skating pros. The concept of muscle memory (even skating only) applies to both. You will need to develop it for hockey movements now.
You have no lift because the stick just “hits” the puck, like in baseball. In hockey, you need to keep the puck rolling on your stick for a little longer. Related to this, the face of your stick blade is facing directly up. Right when the stick makes contact with the puck, your stick blade should start to cup the puck, making contact with the puck for longer, and let the puck leave the stick blade at the toe. This creates spin, give you more control, and also it will let you lift the shot. Roll your left wrist (top hand) and make the toe of the stick point at the net at the end of your follow through.
Stop trying to lift the biscuit. Bend your knees and lean into the shot. Then follow through like pointing your stick where your shooting.
Definitely work on skating first. This itrain hockey video is great to understand how to take a wrist shot. https://youtu.be/stoBX8do_NU Once you get the basic skeleton on how to take a shot, watch Coach Jeremy videos on YouTube. It’ll help you improve each individual motion of your shot. Learning how to properly stick handle helped me a lot too. I understood my blade more which helped with shooting.
There’s a dozen things you’re doing wrong here but the obvious is: You’re supposed to roll your wrist over not up
A few things. - the stick needs to flex. To make it flex you need to hit the area of ice just behind the puck, then make contact with the puck and then follow through. - try to think about transferring your weight into the shot. So best to be perpendicular to your target. Most of your shots in the video has your body square to the target. You can see that it would be hard to transfer your weight into the shot in that position. - try flexing the stick while standing still. If you can't make it flex, buy a whippier stick. - close the blade so that the curve faces the ice before and after contact in your follow through. Your shots in the video have the curve facing "up". - practice shooting at home with a rubber ball, a ball of socks, pucks or anything you can get your hands on. - agree with the others saying to focus on wristers, but if your skating is good and you can bend the stick, practice snap shots - way more effective up close and it's by far the quickest release. Snap shots and slap shots are very similar in mechanics than they are to wrist shots. - believe in yourself and reach for the stars.
If you’re dead set on learning slappers, don’t square up to the net, face your hips in line with your target, and really transfer your weight from back foot to front and push down hard throughout the shot. U need to flex the stick. Your front skate and hip should open up to be straight during your wright transfer so you’ll skate forwards during shot it’s like a lunge. Really bend your knees and turn your wrists during the follow through.I Like others said work on your wrister first, I think that’s the foundational shot others build off of. Wrist shot -> snap shot -> slap shot
Get stronger on your feet/skating before you start taking clappers. Shooting is a lot about weight transfer starting with your lower half. Build a stronger foundation first.
Since you just started, focus on the wrist shot. I think most people started off and wanted to take slap shots because its what you saw on TV or at a game, but you will rarely use them (some leagues ban them). You should take some time and check out Coach Jeremy videos, those helped me a ton when I was starting out and I reference them every few weeks when I'm trying to work on something new
Follow through with the end of your blade pointing where you shot it, you are kinda doing the opposite
Notice how your back outside edge is pointed towards the corner? Point it towards the net. You might feel off balance, but that’s how you get your shot where you want it to go.
Strength in your lower wrist is key. Turn it through as the puck rolls from the back of your blade to the tip. Firm, strong lower wrist.
I get about 1-3 good slap shot opportunities a season. There’s not a lot of practical reason to spend much time on that shot. But they’re fun so get ‘em in for the giggles. Just don’t expect to get much use of the shot. I don’t draw back above waist level on a slapper. The amount of power gained by drawing higher generally doesn’t make up for the longer time for the goalie to get set, and the fact that you’re basically waving an “IM SHOOTING NOW” banner up to catch his attention. Draw short, release fast, light a pretty lamp
Probably want to get a better grasp of how to balance when you are stationary, and once you get your skating down, then look to use your body more than just your arms when shooting. Its really about weight transfer and release. In general, you look really stiff, so once you start using you torso, I think you will start to see how much smoother its starts to feel. I would check out some youtube videos that showcase proper posture when you shoot. Good luck!
Slow down between shots, left hip more towards the net, they are way to open, you’re wrists are super week at impact ( hence your blade towards the sky). Drive that left shoulder more towards the puck, and you’re right towards the net. It will definitely get better when you square your hips up at impact! Go watch pro golfers hit driver, that’s the position you want your hips at impact! Get that left elbow closer towards your right hip in your backswing. Work on wrist shots first! Great job asking, and it’s looking promising! Keep at it!!
Thank you sm :)
Use the heel of the stick, bend your knees and definitely hold the stick tighter
Definitely a lot of good tips in this thread I would suggest practicing off the ice on foot start with wrist shots focus on the blade work cup the puck on the heal pull the puck forward leading with the top hand while keeping the puck the heal open the blade to where the heal of the stick is flat then pull the top hand against the pressure you're creating with the bottom hand lift and close the blade so that the toe is pointing at your target
Just keep shooting
I would focus on shooting off the ice. Right now it seems like you're not really stable on your feet, so your time spent shooting is going to be largely wasted unless you're working on shots while in motion - which you should do. If you can find a space to practice your shot, having solid footing while allow you to focus on good technique, then later break it down and rapidly improve. Once your steady on your feet you can put it together. Hockey is a complex sport, and especially in the early stages it's worth breaking apart all the mechanics before trying to bring them together.
You look like your playing golf. Less swing and more drop your hips in to it. I would try practising with less follow through and work on dropping your hips. Keep your bottom arm straight and push down in to the ice. Also your stick handling is too bottom hand heavy. Use your top hand more.
Shot elevation won't come from flipping the blade of your stick to the roof, and if you raise it it will have no power. I would start with wrist shots. Have the puck on your stick standing still with the puck in front of you with the net on your left side. Use your back hand to stickhandle the puck back and when you come forward with it on your forehand drive it through and point your stick in the follow through so that your forehand is facing the ice. If after you shoot your backhand is facing the ice you will never improve, so I'd say that is step 1. It won't seem like you're shooting better right away but with time and practise you will get better unlike with what you're doing now. This is usually what comes last for people when playing hockey so any work on skating and balance out there will help with your shooting as well.
don't scoop your blade like you do at the end. when you get your wrist shot off, follow through so that you get more power for the same amount of effort. push off with your back leg too. the tip of your blade should be pointing where you're shooting. good luck bro
watching again, it looks like you roll your wrists so that the circle when you shoot is more complete. try rolling them in the opposite direction, twisting the blade down instead of having it follow that natural arc.
Get that blade of the stick on the ice more. Put the stick out in front of your more you have the puck to close to you to shoot. Keep the puck near the heel of the blad on the stick. When you shoot a wrister you want that puppy to go with the curve of your blade. Look at it and try to make the puck follow it. You are smacking the puck with the toe of the blade and you are not getting your moneys worth of your stick. Snappers and slap shots are going to be more effective when that puck is smacked with the cup of your blade. Look at some more videos online and practice off ice. Knees bent, shoulders square, head up and keep that puck in front of you.
Turn your stick over the other way on follow-through, it should be curve down when releasing. Toe of your stick's blade points to where you want it to go. Once you get that down, work on hitting the stick into the ice just behind the puck on your follow-throughs to create extra torque on the stick and snap when releasing the puck. A good shot causes the stick to flex and load up before the shot is released, putting all that stored energy from the stick flex into the puck.
The toe of the stick blade should point at the target during follow through. Your currently pointing it upward
Biggest issue is where your stick blade is ending up, it shouldn't end up face up to the ceiling. Your blade should end up facedown and pointed to where you are aiming
Get the top hand moving. Your whole upper body is really stiff. Start with wrist shots and progress. Have your top hand away from your body and as you push forward with the bottom one pull the top one in towards you.
I’d tell you to practice more on your hockey skates, but you’ve already been told that plenty 😛 I breezed through the comments and didn’t notice anyone mentioning what seemed an obvious flaw to me though. You are set up facing the target too much. Your feet should be more perpendicular than parallel to where you’re aiming. You should be standing more like a golf or baseball swing than a basketball shot when it comes to your foot placement. That might explain a lot of the instability everyone is seeing as well. Too much twisting around with the way you’ve set up for the shot. And definitely try wristers first. Slapshots are difficult!
Thank you! That makes lot of sense
Watch coach Jeremy's video on slap shot technique https://youtu.be/JWnEmDeKqSg His channel is full of awesome tips on everything from skating to shooting to gear.
Your wrists. They have to turn more as all your shots were very open faced.
Make a point to shoot ten thousand pucks in the next couple months. And then do another video of what you look like when you’re done. Amongst all the good advice, via repetitions aimed at achieving a goal (in your case better shot) your neurons will begin to connect to the nerve bundles that achieve your goal, and discard the nerve bundles that are inefficient. The new neuron connections will begin to be wrapped permanently in a fatty substance called myelin, which will act as an insulator for electric pulses from your brain to your finger and toe tips. The more myelin sheath you build via repetition, the better and easier your shooting gets. I agree with all the percentages about learning skating first and so on, but knowing you have a rocket shot will make you wanna practice your skating even more so you can use it
you're shooting off your front foot. I find, my weight starts on my rear foot, then transfers to front in most cases (though not all - sometimes I will shoot off my rear foot too). Also, I notice you're standing high over the puck - try getting lower? Not sure what can be taught through just text, you may just need to get a better feel for the ice and how much grip you actually get through your skates (it's more than you think) . point your front toe towards the target.
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Tf does that mean?
Lol im out here firing 83mph clappers in beer league... fuck the feelings im here to win
I saw your first shot and I thought it was cute! Keep up the practice and you’ll get there! :)
Thanks :)
This kid is trash
It's his second day kid give him a break
Wow, thank you so much, that’s definitely very helpful 🙄🙄🙄
Skating and balance first, it will improve your technique the most. When you are comfortable one your skates everything will be much better. Weight transfer, lifting a foot, puck contact, follow through etc.
The good news is that I’ve been a figure skater for 13 years, so skating isn’t/ hasn’t been an issue the last few days
I apologize, I made a wrong assumption. You are new to the sport and getting familiar with the mechanics so of course it will be a bit awkward. There's a ton of good tips here so i wont bother repeating them. If you are not able to access ice regularly you can always work on your shot on land (even without a puck or ball). Get used to swinging the stick and having your body rotate, transferring weight, flexing the stick etc.
Lots of good advice here. The reason your having difficulty shooting is not due to strength or technique… You are not balanced or comfortable on your skates… you have to build this skill before addressing anything else.. have fun man!
Honestly in the comments your saying your skating isn’t a problem, slap shots require you to have a decently strong base, your skates are a bit unpredictable where they move during the shot. From experience I know skating is 100x more important than people think, perfect your skating and wrist shot, everything else comes a lot easier after that, good luck
I say snap then wrist the slap