Lifting back hand? Roofing it?

[NYRSinceBirth]

Well I just started back into shooting the puck around (roller hockey) after finally getting a stick (Sakic bend) and pretty much found my slap/snap shot. I even developed a decent wrister, after learning how to do it correctly.

Now the thing that has always boggled my mind, was how players lift the back hand, on say a shootout/break away/penalty shot.What's the trick I'm missing here? I never really develped much as a forward, as the majority of my life I was a goalie or d-man, but I always liked developing as a forward.

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[CaptBrannigan]

A good trick I was taught when first starting with a puck was to slightly draw the puck backwards before backhanding it. For example, on a breakaway against the goalie if I wanted to shoot high on a backhand I would have the puck out in front of me and to the right (I shoot right). When I drew it to my left to shoot, I wouldn't simply pull it laterally across, but also a couple inches closer to me. After a while you won't need to draw the puck back as much, if at all.

The best way I can think to see what I'm describing is the move Lecavalier does on the shootout a lot.

 

[Wachovia Center]

put the puck on the back of the blade, and push. don't flick, push.

it's really easy after you figure it out.

 

[sc37]

It's like shooting normally...all in the wrist, gotta get the upward motion on it when you shoot if that makes any sense to you.

 

[TheMistyStranger]

I didn't start really "playing" until college, and I had a horrible time of it. Drawing the puck away from the target immediately before shooting does wonders. Then follow through high, like sc37 said. After working on it for maybe...5 hours over the course of a month, I was able to pop that sucker into the top of the cage from right outside the crease.

I still prefer the Chris Drury power play special though. Forehand shot from the goal line. I practiced that so much it was ridiculous. And wow, is that a gratifying shot to pull off in a game

 

[EmptyNetter]

One thing I'd add is to bend your knees before shooting. As you shoot, push up shifting your weight to your front leg. It's very much like shoveling snow. If you don't there's a tendency to push the puck forward, not up.

 

[slade]

roofing a backhand isnt too tough. the sakic blade doesnt have too deep a curve so its a little easier.


take the puck on your backhand and angle the blade a little bit closer to the ground. now really try to get under it...dont tap at it lightly...and it should lift right up.

 

[Sportacus]

roofing a backhand isnt too tough. the sakic blade doesnt have too deep a curve so its a little easier.


take the puck on your backhand and angle the blade a little bit closer to the ground. now really try to get under it...dont tap at it lightly...and it should lift right up.

This is pretty good advice, but one thing I'd ilso reccomend is when learning it, never try it (this is while learning) with a stationary puck. If you are using a ball its the same sort of thing, but the angling becomes that much easier.

When trying to raise backhands, t is usually as effectve, if not better, to try to time your release so that it comes almost from the toe of the blade(whereas a slapshot, or even wrist shot should have it more or less at the middle of the blade {more or less})

Also, as was said earlier, draw it away from the net just before you shoot it.

 

[HSHS]

Should add that you should show you palm of your bottom hand to the sky on the follow through. If you concentrate on that, it will be easier.

It's kind of opposite of the snap or wrist shots, where you point at your target and the palm faces the floor/ice.

 

[MacBeatsPang]

I'd say the most important thing is to get down low -- bend your knees, as one other poster said -- and almost push down on the puck, using your whole body behind your stick blade, before following through high. It's hard to lift something up unless you get underneath it first.

 

[NYRSinceBirth]

I can't actually test it out until get home (Hockey stuff home, I'm at school), but I just wanted to clear things up. I shoot lefty, I understand pulling it away from my body, and bending my knees, but I run into a little problem with the palm, follow through part. Like I said I'm lefty, so when I come across my body and pull the puck away from the net, how should the stick/puck be situated? What about finishing high? From the hockey experience I have, I'm guessing you mean:
Pull puck across the body (back a little), put pressure on my stick (with the puck underneath? Wouldn't that make it come up on it's side?) and push? OR kind of pull the stick upward? I'm sure I'm over complicating things, and I'll get it once i have the stick in hand, but I'm just trying to visualize.

 

[Impact]

One of the few things I'm actually decent at shooting wise is lifting the backhand. I actually sometimes get so much lift that I very often sail shots several feet of the crossbar. My secret: If you've ever pitch forked hay, the motion is exactly the same.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

As has been mentioned in previous posts, it is all about technique.

The biggest secret is to start at the back of the blade.. this gives you more leverage on the shot and lets the puck rise up the blade as you follow through on your shot.

So bascially you want to...

- get your blade as flat to the ice as possible so you can really get under the puck

- start at the back of the blade

- follow through on your shot.. your follow through should go well above your shoulders at first until you learn the motion, then you will be able to do it without such an exagerated motion.

 

[Green Giant]

And don't forget your weight transfer. You'll find it easier to lift it and give it some power. If you have the opportunity, look at Sidney Crosby's technique. He's got one of the best backhander in the NHL (and the technique that comes with it).

 

[arcticwinter]

the straighter the curve the better,but yes start at the heel.i had a crazy one the other night that smoked the top off the water bottle from just outside the goal line.(i almost did the splits i cut back so hard).

 

[Whiplash27]

put the puck on the heal of your blade and it will work fine.

 

[RJ8812*]

use the old "back hand slap shot" ala NHLPA '93!

 

[CoupeStanley]

Thats why my dad teach me how to play with a straight blade.. I played my first 2 years with no curve.

You need to learn the wrister and the backand before you go to the slapper.

 

[Grave77digger]

I find backhanders alot tougher with the Sakic than with a Drury. However slapshots and one timers are better with the Sakic.

 

[bleedgreen]

as others have said, start on the heel. heel to toe motion, when you get good at it you can feel the puck roll down the blade. you can just stand a few feet away from the net, practicing forehands and backhands, just letting the puck spin down the blade heel to toe shooting more slowly and getting the motion down.

it also helps i find when you pull to the backhand to move the lower hand on the stick a few inches lower. i used the sakic for a long time, and to be honest i never really liked the backhand on it, it never felt quite right - but you can definitely do it. another person talked about how you bring it across your body, with the sakic i think its important to bring it closer to your body when coming across instead of further away.

 

[TBLfan]

I find that backhanders are easier with heel curves. Here's a trick to learning how to get "the stroke" for a backhand. Lower your lower hand, it makes it easier to lift the puck. Soon you should be able to lift the puck with your hands in a normal shooting position. Don't forget to roll your wrists, the blade should point to where you want the puck to go... same as a forehand shot.

 

[sc37]

Really? You like heel curves for it? I've been thinking about permanently going to a mid curve, like a Sakic or something since I can't do backhands with my Lidstroms and Drurys.

 

[TBLfan]

Yeah, I can roof it with a backhand using just about any curve after doing my "lower the bottom hand" trick. But I find with heel curves(Drury is my curve of choice for backhands) it's easier to get it up and more accurate. I think it's because of the constant curve instead of a flat spot and a curve. This was not the case just a few months ago but since my backhander has gotten better it has become the case. Also, blade length plays a factor, so it might also be that the Drury is longer than most other curves I've used since my Eklund pro stock(it's a goalie stick ).

 

[Boy Hedican]

I've been playing for a year now, and I just barely figured this out (although I just recently gave myself the time to figure it out). Its not going to come over night, but if you practice enough this will all start to make sense. Much like any other shooting/passing suggestions, little will make sense until YOU can figure it out physically.

Anyway, I figured it out in my backyard. I took a plastic workstation computer chair mat and used it as my surface (if you want to simulate ice a bit better, you can use any form of water-based lubrication (slightly muddy water works well, but its messy). So just like these guys all said, you really need to get your body low and your weight on your right leg (I'm a lefty shooter too). Angle your stick about 45 degrees to the ground, and the idea of getting under the puck is to get it to roll on the blade. Since you can't use your core muscles for the backhand nearly as much as you can with your forehand shots, your best bet for power and accuracy is using the blade as leverage. You'll get a good spin on it too.

Oh, and the mention to get your palms up - You know when your just coasting along the ice with both hands on the stick, with your blade pointing up? Now just rotate your wrists until the blade is pointing backwards, thats the idea behind the palms up on the follow through - just keep in mind the directing of your toe blade is where the puck is going.

Once you figure out how to get some power, you'll figure out how to get it higher and higher, with the same power. By the end of my messing around in the yard I was putting holes in the wood paneling I was using as my target.

ONE MORE THING TO KEEP IN MIND! practicing off ice can be deceiving - always keep in mind there is much less friction on the ice so you'll have to make some adjustments once your on it. Don't get disgruntled, you've already figured out the muscle movement portion, you'll just have to make subtle adjustments.

Hope all this helps!

 

[adurn]

My secret: If you've ever pitch forked hay, the motion is exactly the same.

I figured out the same thing. I can lift the puck on the backhand relatively well, and it started clicking when I first pushed through the puck and then follow through upwards - just like pitching hay.