Advice on puckhandling
- Thread starter The Benchwarmer
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One of the biggest things you can do it improve your puckhandling is to slightly roll the shaft of the stick as you handle the puck back and forth. This sounds like common sense, but a lot of people end up handling the puck too stiffly by not doing so.
I use a 1' wooden ball that I picked up at a hobby shop and practice in my basement with rollerblades. The wooden ball on the concrete floor handles almost exactly like a puck on ice. There's a couple of drills I use.
The first is called three-puck. Put three pucks (or balls) on the ice in a triangle about 16 inches apart. Push one puck between the other two and stop the puck. That puck is now at the top of the triangle. Push the second puck between the other two and stop the puck. Push the third puck between the other two and stop the puck. Repeat. This drill works both forward and backward. The faster you can move the pucks the better.
The second is called eight. Put two pucks on the ice about two feet apart. Take a third puck and stick handle it around the other two pucks in a figure eight motion. Use both the heel and the toe of the blade using just your hands (don't move your feet). After a few minutes, switch directions.
Enjoy....
The first is called three-puck. Put three pucks (or balls) on the ice in a triangle about 16 inches apart. Push one puck between the other two and stop the puck. That puck is now at the top of the triangle. Push the second puck between the other two and stop the puck. Push the third puck between the other two and stop the puck. Repeat. This drill works both forward and backward. The faster you can move the pucks the better.
The second is called eight. Put two pucks on the ice about two feet apart. Take a third puck and stick handle it around the other two pucks in a figure eight motion. Use both the heel and the toe of the blade using just your hands (don't move your feet). After a few minutes, switch directions.
Enjoy....
It helps build soft hands. A golf ball is tough to control. Its a pretty common drill.Large_Farva said:
The Benchwarmer
Registered User
RedAce
Registered User
One of the best ways you can improve your stickhandling is by practising with a tennis ball or golf ball. The Russians have used tennis balls over the summer months for many many years. Also make sure your stick is not to long a shorter stick will give you much better control. I've also found for me a stiffer shaft helps me to feel the puck better.
ALF AmericanLionsFan
Registered User
Steelhead16
Registered User
Another piece of advice that goes along with the stick too long suggestion before. If you are practicing at home with shoes (not rollerblades) don't use the same stick you use on the ice because it will be too long. Cut one off shorter and just use it off the ice. Also the golf ball works better than the tennis ball because it is the same height as a puck and you don't lift your stick any higher than it needs to to clear the puck. But maybe start with the tennis ball and work toward the golf ball? It's just like anything else...............practice. Good luck!
WOrking off ice with a tennis ball is a classic...shooting the tennis ball in your driveway/against a wall or just stickhandling it will get you big improvements,and best of all you don't need ice time to do it.
For anyone who is just starting to learn the game,obvioiusly your most important focal point has to be skating. Before you even bother to work with a puck,practice your skating,with a stick in your hands,and simulate puck handling (but without a puck)this will help you to focus on altering your body positions and balance points/skating direction,without the added distraction of trying to control the puck.
Trying to develope puck handling too soon in the learning process will stunt your skating skills.
But,the basics of stickhandling are as follows: centre the puck in the middle of your stickblade. Tilt the stickblade,so that it is slightly "over the top" of the puck,by rolling your wrists over.With your head up(not looking at the puck)begin with a slow speed and a long sweep with your stick(standing in one spot)shift the puck back and forth backhand/forehand,and learn the feel of the puck. Don't worry about maintaining a continuous motion,instead...stop the puck every time you sweep it from one side of your body to the other. AS you get more comfortable with the feel and timing...you can speed up the intensity in which your sliding the puck from side to side...your body weight should transfer from foot to foot(in accordance to which side of your body the puck is on).If your having difficulty...look at how close to your body the puck is...you SHOULD be handling the puck with your arms 3/4 extended.
For anyone who is just starting to learn the game,obvioiusly your most important focal point has to be skating. Before you even bother to work with a puck,practice your skating,with a stick in your hands,and simulate puck handling (but without a puck)this will help you to focus on altering your body positions and balance points/skating direction,without the added distraction of trying to control the puck.
Trying to develope puck handling too soon in the learning process will stunt your skating skills.
But,the basics of stickhandling are as follows: centre the puck in the middle of your stickblade. Tilt the stickblade,so that it is slightly "over the top" of the puck,by rolling your wrists over.With your head up(not looking at the puck)begin with a slow speed and a long sweep with your stick(standing in one spot)shift the puck back and forth backhand/forehand,and learn the feel of the puck. Don't worry about maintaining a continuous motion,instead...stop the puck every time you sweep it from one side of your body to the other. AS you get more comfortable with the feel and timing...you can speed up the intensity in which your sliding the puck from side to side...your body weight should transfer from foot to foot(in accordance to which side of your body the puck is on).If your having difficulty...look at how close to your body the puck is...you SHOULD be handling the puck with your arms 3/4 extended.
USA Hockey also has some nice online tutorial videos you can check out.
http://www.usahockey.com/ntdp/ntdp_features/main/ntdp/off_ice_drills_home//
http://www.usahockey.com/ntdp/ntdp_features/main/ntdp/off_ice_drills_home//
I like using a golfball on my wood floor when I am watching TV. I focus on the TV and don't look down on the puck. Start out with some basic moves and then get more advanced.
BuppY
xGoodwillx
I play ball hockey and we use Orange ball. Everyday for a hour I go out on my driveway and stickhandle. I've learned some crazy tricks. When you stickhandle it is very important to roll your wrist. the faster you roll your wrist the better you'll get. I suggest you stickhandle back and forth going from your right side to the lesft to the top and than slowly roll your wrist back and forth. You will need to practice this until you get the hang of it.
Habsfan 32
Registered User
The 1" wooden ball mentioned above works really well, if you have room in a garage or basement i'd also recomend picking up a roller hockey puck. It's lighter than an ice puck but can help you get the feel.
The Benchwarmer
Registered User
dcsmrgun said:
WOW this is an awesome site, and these kids are just unreal, I would never had imagined the stuff they do is possible, but I guess I know what I'm aiming for now.
Can anyone tell me what sort of ball they're using in the video's? It looks like a squash ball to me.
Last edited:
BuppY said:
What exactly do you mean when you say "roll your wrist"? I think i understand, but i don't want to be practicing the wrong way
I also use a golf ball. When I go to the rink I usually spend about a half hour skating around stickhandling and shooting the golf ball.
Draws some interesting reactions from other skaters too...
Draws some interesting reactions from other skaters too...
chooch said:
You are the Ray Finkle of these boards, except replace Dan Marino with Wayne Gretzky...
Get help...
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