Advice: No real development after 3 years

[FelixD]

Hi community,

I am 36 of age and started playing hockey just about 3 years ago so I know for sure that I will of course never reach the skill level of a professional hockey player and my progression just takes time.

I have worked a lot on skating technique over the last years in summer time on inline skates and have reached a fairly decent level when it comes to crossovers, mohawks, edge work, changing from forward to backward skating etc.
Besides that I try to do stickhandling excersises regularly in my basement with a puck, also off ice shooting drills etc.
Here in Munich, Ger, I only have the possibility to take part in regular practice sessions where you don't have the time and space to do skating or stickhandling drills. Usually we have 1 hour of practice 1-3 times a week but this is maybe 20-30 min. of drills and the rest is just a practice match where nobody really has a fixed position.
Rinks that offer a public skate with sticks and pucks allowed are very rare so a public skate is usually overcrowded with recreational and freestyle skaters so you don't have the space to really practice your technique (both skating and stickhandling)

So much for my backstory, now on to my problem:

I have experienced some progress for myself when I am practicing on my own or just together with a friend of mine in summer on inline skates. When I am practicing for myself I can also manage nice slap, snap or wrist shots, everything just works smoothly to the level that I am at.
But when I get onto the ice with the other players I am facing so many problems that I just can't get rid of.

When we're doing basic drills (2-0, 2-1 etc.) where I am receiving a longer pass it will slip below my blade easily 50% of the time. Once I controll the pass I can also pick up pace and finish with a nice wrist shot. But often times I don't get that far. I already thought that my stick might be somewhat too long but when I get down in a hockey stance on skates and lay down the blade onto the ice it looks almost perfect

Second is my basic puck handling. I have been doing puck handling drills in summer for quite some time now but once I get on the ice everything seems to be washed away and I lose the puck like a complete beginner, i.e. when we're doing cone drills etc. There are guys that just started this season and look way more insecure when they get on the ice but they don't seem to have these problems as much as I do...

And last but not least when it comes to the practice matches I haven't been able to get rid of getting hectic when I am being passed at or when a puck is sliding into my corner or the boards close to me and I am the first one to reach the puck. I usually play wing or center and sure, when I am skating close to the defender and receiving a build-up pass that works just fine. But when I receive a long pass from the back or I get pressure from a d man when receiving the pass I often can't control the puck or it just passes me and it will be a skating battle with the d man.

Maybe it's also in my mind now that I just can't understand why there is not as much progress as I believe there should be with the effort that I already put in?
But in general do you have any tips on how to improve?

I really don't know on how to develop any further at the moment...

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[Filthy Dangles]

Hi community,

I am 36 of age and started playing hockey just about 3 years ago so I know for sure that I will of course never reach the skill level of a professional hockey player and my progression just takes time.

I have worked a lot on skating technique over the last years in summer time on inline skates and have reached a fairly decent level when it comes to crossovers, mohawks, edge work, changing from forward to backward skating etc.
Besides that I try to do stickhandling excersises regularly in my basement with a puck, also off ice shooting drills etc.
Here in Munich, Ger, I only have the possibility to take part in regular practice sessions where you don't have the time and space to do skating or stickhandling drills. Usually we have 1 hour of practice 1-3 times a week but this is maybe 20-30 min. of drills and the rest is just a practice match where nobody really has a fixed position.
Rinks that offer a public skate with sticks and pucks allowed are very rare so a public skate is usually overcrowded with recreational and freestyle skaters so you don't have the space to really practice your technique (both skating and stickhandling)

So much for my backstory, now on to my problem:

I have experienced some progress for myself when I am practicing on my own or just together with a friend of mine in summer on inline skates. When I am practicing for myself I can also manage nice slap, snap or wrist shots, everything just works smoothly to the level that I am at.
But when I get onto the ice with the other players I am facing so many problems that I just can't get rid of.

When we're doing basic drills (2-0, 2-1 etc.) where I am receiving a longer pass it will slip below my blade easily 50% of the time. Once I controll the pass I can also pick up pace and finish with a nice wrist shot. But often times I don't get that far. I already thought that my stick might be somewhat too long but when I get down in a hockey stance on skates and lay down the blade onto the ice it looks almost perfect

Second is my basic puck handling. I have been doing puck handling drills in summer for quite some time now but once I get on the ice everything seems to be washed away and I lose the puck like a complete beginner, i.e. when we're doing cone drills etc. There are guys that just started this season and look way more insecure when they get on the ice but they don't seem to have these problems as much as I do...

And last but not least when it comes to the practice matches I haven't been able to get rid of getting hectic when I am being passed at or when a puck is sliding into my corner or the boards close to me and I am the first one to reach the puck. I usually play wing or center and sure, when I am skating close to the defender and receiving a build-up pass that works just fine. But when I receive a long pass from the back or I get pressure from a d man when receiving the pass I often can't control the puck or it just passes me and it will be a skating battle with the d man.

Maybe it's also in my mind now that I just can't understand why there is not as much progress as I believe there should be with the effort that I already put in?
But in general do you have any tips on how to improve?

I really don't know on how to develop any further at the moment...

There's no general tips other than getting out on the ice and playing against people as often as you can, as long as you enjoy it. Only way you will get better. Just find the right level of competition.

For starters sounds like you need to relax a bit. If you're comfortable in practice sessions but not against competition you might be too tense and anxious. Tension will cause you to flub passes and lose control of the pucks. Honestly, some people get so nervous and anxious they forget how to breathe properly on the ice and then their decisionmaking and physical skill suffer. I know it's happened to me before.

Other than that, if you continue to struggle with those specific things (catching passes, controlling puck along the boards) hammer out those things specifically if you can.

For passes, have a buddy throw you hard passes so you can work on catching them. You wanna move your stick back away from the pass to cushion it. Also have your friend throw you passes on your backhand, in your feet and ones that handcuff you in between backhand/forehand, it will make yo a lot better at overall puck control. If you don't have a buddy use the boards or a passing device.

For the issue with the boards, you could do puck retrieval drills. Throw the puck into the corner and try and skate into it quickly and dig it out on both your forehand and backhand and control it. You could then work on making a move one way and cutting back the other.

 

[FelixD]

Thanks for your reply!
I know that getting on the ice as often as possible is probably the only thing that really helps.
However I notice the wear and tear of my body when being on the ice 4 times a week. I really give it everything when I'm on the ice and you gonna notice that at some point when you are not 16 anymore...

I don't really have breathing problems or the like, so it seems like there is definitely a level above my nervosity. But again I believe that this will only go away by getting as much ice time as possible (which damn covid makes super hard again as of today in our area... we need to provide a certified or selftest under watch for every practice session ). Have you been able to kick this anxiety in the meantime?

As for the other tips: thanks, I will try them for sure

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Thanks for your reply!
I know that getting on the ice as often as possible is probably the only thing that really helps.
However I notice the wear and tear of my body when being on the ice 4 times a week. I really give it everything when I'm on the ice and you gonna notice that at some point when you are not 16 anymore...

I don't really have breathing problems or the like, so it seems like there is definitely a level above my nervosity. But again I believe that this will only go away by getting as much ice time as possible (which damn covid makes super hard again as of today in our area... we need to provide a certified or selftest under watch for every practice session ). Have you been able to kick this anxiety in the meantime?

As for the other tips: thanks, I will try them for sure

It doesn't happen so much anymore, but when i was a little younger and playing against good people or a tough/dirty team, it did. Just reminded myself to breathe deeply and in through my nose and out my mouth and that would help

 

[BruinDust]

If I could offer any suggestions I would suggest trying to find ways to improve your balance on your skates. Whether that be through practice/training or a combination of practice/training and equipment changes.

For example, you might want to look at changing the profile of your skate blades to a longer profile. You will lose a bit of agility and pivoting, but the added balance should help in some other areas. You'll find yourself skating more with your head up. You'll also find that your overall skating form and technique will improve with better balance. This will make puck pick-ups and receiving passes easier. Better balance should help keep your blade more square to the ice so pucks go underneath less.

You may also feel more confident with better balance on your skates, and confidence is half the battle of this sport, maybe even more.

My other suggestion.....just have fun. Enjoy your ice sessions as much as possible. The more you enjoy it, the better you will play.

 

[puckpilot]

First, even if you have ice to practice on, there's a big difference between doing something during practice and doing it during a game. It's a completely different environment. Best you can do is try to simulate a true game environment, but even then, incorporating things so they come naturally during a game can take a lot of time. You're trying to change your default instincts, and that's head thing not necessarily a physical skill thing.


Second, there's practising things the proper way and there's practising things the improper way. Have you looked up what the proper technique is to do some of the things you're struggling with? At the rink, I see people practising away for hours and hours, and well, they're just practising the improper way to do things. A lot of times it's because they want to go from 0 to 100mph, instead of starting slow and understanding what it takes to do something the proper way and slowly build up to it.

Third, IMHO, in order to improve, you need a plan. You have to identify your specific weaknesses and then formulate a plan on what to work on specifically in order to address those weaknesses. This will allow you to make the best of the time you have on the ice. You don't need a lot of space. You just have to find a way to make the best of what ice you have.

For example, during the second shut-down around my area, all hockey was cancelled, but they still had limited public skating. So I did that once a week for an hour for about six months. Because I didn't have a stick or puck, my focus was 100% on my skating. I'd find roughly a 10'x10' space and execute the plan I'd come up with to improve. After that 6 months, I'd made huge leaps in my skating along with huge leaps in my understanding of skating technique and the flaws in my technique.

Even now, with things opened back up again, to practice stickhandling and stuff on the ice, all I need is roughly a 10' x 10' space on the ice. A big part of hockey is about being able to operate in a small space. After all, defense is about taking away time and space. One of my favorite drills is to drop a few pucks into that 10' x 10' space and stickhandle around them while cutting back and forth.

It's not about what you don't have. It's about finding away to make the best of what you do have. Do you remember Al MacInnis? One of the hardest shots in the history of the NHL. He got that shot by shooting off a sheet of plywood against the family barn.

Anyways, my two cents.

 

[Cams]

I too think that you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself when it comes to games, getting to anxious....that kind of thing. So just learn to have fun with it, and most of all relax. Doing this will maybe even slow the game down for you.

I don't know if you have adult power skating lessons available to you in your area. But if so, I suggest looking into it as it will help you a lot. As for puckhandling/shooting - just keep working at it, but again proper technique is important, but doing this off ice is easy and will do nothing but help. Can even do passing drills on your own, although it's hard to mimic an actual ice surface.

Another thing I would mention is that in my opinion, inline skating can create bad habits that can hamper actual skating on ice.

Most importantly....have fun with it. Starting at your age isn't easy, but keep at it and you'll be fine especially once you take pressure off yourself.

 

[Perennial]

Don't blame the long stick!

There are so many advantages to using a longer stick...

I've always been a creative player offensively, and my stick fits perfectly under my nose when I'm on skates

There are certain aspects of hockey that are demonstrated primarily through physical giftedness... like skating and shooting

Everything else, however, is mental...

Anybody with 2 arms and a working spine can be a competent stick-handler, it's just a matter of sending the right signals from your brain to your limbs to make it happen

Practice helps, but unless you're able to slow things down in your mind and approach the game with a "I can do" attitude, your progress will continue to be frustratingly slow

 

[Marotte Marauder]

1. Bend your knees more. gets you closer to the ice with better balance.

2. Practice receiving passes and stickhandling with a weighted puck.

Enjoy your time on the ice, it should be therapeutic not frazzling.

 

[TheBluePenguin]

One thing I have been trying to explain to the players I coach.

If you practice a skill, practice at 100% full speed. Most people if the work at it can stand still or walk around while stick handling. BUT in the game you will be having to do that same move while sprinting full speed and it is different. I grew up where ice was VERY limited. The one summer I got pretty good was when i walked to some tennis courts that no one ever used YES there were signs that said no skating but I literally go back and forth for hours as fast as I could while still controlling the puck or setting up targets to pass to while going full speed.

Have to practice at the exact speed you want to play.

 

[tarheelhockey]

A couple of things:

1) If you really don't have the opportunity for more practice time (understandable for most of us), one thing you can do is get in better shape. I notice a huge difference in how I play hockey when I have been exercising regularly. It's little things like having a bit more strength on the puck, being a step ahead so you have more time to think. Cardio helps a lot, and core strength is huge. You know how pucks keep sliding under your stick? That might be a matter of needing to build a little more muscle strength.

2) In the meantime, it might help to slide your bottom hand a bit lower on the shaft when receiving passes or picking up the puck off the boards. This will cost you a split-second of puck handling, but it will mean you actually have the puck.

3) I wonder if perhaps you are experiencing an issue common in American football, where a player loses focus on the ball because he's already thinking about what he's going to do after the catch:

See how the player's head turns so that he's no longer looking at the ball? This is extremely easy to do in hockey when you're trying to pick up a pass/loose puck with the defense nearby. Beginning to move as though you already have the puck, you actually move your stick out of position to receive it. The solution is kind of old-fashioned but simple: don't take your eyes off the puck until you really have it. Look at the D beforehand, look at the D afterward, but for that split second you want to focus on the puck until it's actually on your stick. As a rule, you always have a little more time than you think you do -- and you're a good enough player that if the D takes away your space, you will still make a good play. But you can't afford to let the puck go for free.

FWIW, having started playing in my 20s, I've struggled with these exact same issues. The amount of coordination that it takes to be a good hockey player is incredible.

 

[Solmors]

A couple of things:

1) If you really don't have the opportunity for more practice time (understandable for most of us), one thing you can do is get in better shape. I notice a huge difference in how I play hockey when I have been exercising regularly. It's little things like having a bit more strength on the puck, being a step ahead so you have more time to think. Cardio helps a lot, and core strength is huge. You know how pucks keep sliding under your stick? That might be a matter of needing to build a little more muscle strength.

2) In the meantime, it might help to slide your bottom hand a bit lower on the shaft when receiving passes or picking up the puck off the boards. This will cost you a split-second of puck handling, but it will mean you actually have the puck.

3) I wonder if perhaps you are experiencing an issue common in American football, where a player loses focus on the ball because he's already thinking about what he's going to do after the catch:

See how the player's head turns so that he's no longer looking at the ball? This is extremely easy to do in hockey when you're trying to pick up a pass/loose puck with the defense nearby. Beginning to move as though you already have the puck, you actually move your stick out of position to receive it. The solution is kind of old-fashioned but simple: don't take your eyes off the puck until you really have it. Look at the D beforehand, look at the D afterward, but for that split second you want to focus on the puck until it's actually on your stick. As a rule, you always have a little more time than you think you do -- and you're a good enough player that if the D takes away your space, you will still make a good play. But you can't afford to let the puck go for free.

FWIW, having started playing in my 20s, I've struggled with these exact same issues. The amount of coordination that it takes to be a good hockey player is incredible.

This is all excellent advice, that I think can help most newer players, myself included.

And I will add emphasis on point 1. I haven't been playing ice hockey long and in my league I am in the bottom half as for as skating technique goes. However, because I lift weights 3x a week, roll jiu jitsu 3-4x a week, and played soccer 2-3x a week in the summer, I am probably the most fit person on the ice most nights. The first two help especially when protecting the puck, board battles, stick lifts, etc. The soccer has improved my cardio so that in the 3rd period I have the more energy and can get a step on most people despite having worse skating.

 

[Smirnov2Chistov]

It IS cliche, but practice, practice, practice goes a long way. I remember when I graduated high school back in 2010, I didn’t play any type of hockey for about two years. Not sure about anyone else, but I ‘lost’ my abilities drastically.

one thing that helped me getting into the swing of things was getting into Public Hockey sessions during the week our local rink had. Some days we would have 20+ people, other days I would be the only one.

Having newer equipment would help too. I’ve been on the same skates since 2010 and I’m looking to get newer ones.

 

[SaltNPeca]

Get out more & expand your network. Search outside of your village or area for other hockey possibilities. Say perhaps a Hockey camp or tournament in Germany, Czech, or Switzerland. Maybe once a month you drive an hour to scrimmage with a cool beginner team.

About the passing: Get someone to record you in a game situation. I guess you're too upright too often. Work on your skating position. Bear down on your stick. I see lots of rec players here in Germany standing too upright and holding the stick weak af.
Practice being in the correct skating position at all times, present your blade for the puck square, strong, and with confidence. Both hands on the stick in proper position, even choking down with the front hand a bit.

If there's only 2 of you play keep-away drills. If there's a net play a touch up style keep-away (with the blue line or goal line marker on the boards). Play to 3 or 5. You wanna get more used to that pressure and pace with a guy on you and having a nose for the net.

When you practice something you should be doing it thousands of times, not 10's of times. None of us pulled off a booming slapshot on the 1st try trust me.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

1) relax and have fun! Seriously, comparing yourself to others, worrying about progression- I get it, but I also feel like you need to just “feel” the game without worry in order to play well.

2) For stickhandling, I’d recommend one of those little wooden balls. I grew up playing ball hockey, and stickhandling was easily the best part of my game. You don’t need ice, just a stick you don’t mind using on cement, and pretend you’re on your skates- knees bent, shift from foot to foot as you practice moving the ball about on your left, middle, right. Should help with confidence. You gotta put it all together on the ice, but just feeling out on that aspect should help. Think of your balance as you do it, what’d work on ice and what wouldn’t- don’t reach, stay within a certain zone, and that should help tremendously.