[Ball Hockey] Advice for slap shot needed! - Iginla curve

[BHDefensiveForward]

I’m running into some issues with shooting due to my new stick. I’ve moved over to the Iginla curve from Sakic/Hall and my wrist shots are low, along with my snaps! This is perfect because I’m not roofing every shot due to the closed curve, and my backhands are better, plus passing and stick handling. The sad part is my slap shots are all ground level! This is horrible because regardless of the speed of the shot, it can easily be picked up.

As a defensive forward, I use a longer stick so I’m able to get some good wrist shots off at the point, but my slap shots are now out of my arsenal. Are there any tricks to get some lift on the ball on a slap shot? I’ve noticed on different floors I can get a moderate lift, but normally it’s just ground level. I need no more than 6 inches or so.

I could go back to using a Sakic/Hall curve, however I have to have the blade facing the floor on release to keep the shot low, due to the ease in lifting the ball.

Note: We play with a weighted ball.

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[AIREAYE]

More often than not, it's the shooter, not the stick, Practise your shot more, try different approaches and follow through techniques.

 

[Jarick]

Try shooting with the ball closer to your front foot or even slightly ahead of you. The blade will be more open at that part of the swing.

 

[ponder]

Try connecting with the ground a decent amount before you connect with the ball, so that you get some flex in the stick, and really power through the shot. My guess is you might be just slapping at the ball, generally people don't have trouble raising the ball on slappers, regardless of the curve you'll find that most people have trouble keeping them down (when playing with a ball).

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

Try connecting with the ground a decent amount before you connect with the ball, so that you get some flex in the stick, and really power through the shot. My guess is you might be just slapping at the ball, generally people don't have trouble raising the ball on slappers, regardless of the curve you'll find that most people have trouble keeping them down (when playing with a ball).

I normally hit 6 inches behind to load the stick. This is not an issue with any other stick, as I can shoot a very hard slap shot. I still do with this stick, but it's 100% ground level. Maybe I'm tilting the blade too much on impact.

 

[ponder]

Is the stick really stiff? Also, just try what Jarick suggested, shooting with the ball a little bit forward. And when you set up the shot, dip your leading shoulder just before you shoot, then really rotate through the shot. On a slap shot you shouldn't really be messing with opening up your blade more or less, as this will negatively affect your power, the height on the shot should come from the stick whip on the follow through. You should always roll your wrists on the follow through, but for high shots in general you want a high follow through, and you want to shoot with the ball/puck a bit further forward. On your follow through, a rule of thumb is to point your stick where you're aiming, and of course to look at where you're aiming.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

The stick is around 85/90 flex with the cut, 15 more than my other sticks. On floors with more friction, I can raise it a bit.

 

[Guffaw]

I swear I hit the crossbar 60% of the time with m wrist shot. Sakic/Hall curve. It was funny at first but now it's getting annoying.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

I swear I hit the crossbar 60% of the time with m wrist shot. Sakic/Hall curve. It was funny at first but now it's getting annoying.

This is why I'm using the new curve. I've yet to roof any shots yet.

I'll test out some things on Friday. I never roll my wrists on slap shots, just push/push. I'll try rolling my wrists in the same motion and see what happens. I know my snap shots have no issue getting top shelf, still cannot see why my slaps struggle.

 

[Stickmata]

I use the Iginla curve as well (on ice) and I agree that, with no adjustment and a typical release, the puck will typically stay between 4 and 12 inches off the ice. That said, it is very easy to adjust my release to get the puck up to crossbar height. I do it by feel, but I think I'm taking the puck up a little more on the toe and loading the stick a little closer to the puck and a little more on the toe as well. A little more of a snap.

 

[Jarick]

I swear I hit the crossbar 60% of the time with m wrist shot. Sakic/Hall curve. It was funny at first but now it's getting annoying.

I did that when I busted out the Drury earlier this year. I had two crossbars, one of which was so hard/loud that the ref after the whistle started complimenting me on my shot But two missed goals in a 2-1 loss...I went back to Sakic. And last game was a goal that just barely skirted under the crossbar and popped the bottle

I still would REALLY love to have a custom blade made...a Sakic with a bit of a rockered toe and a bit less loft that started at the heel. Like a 6 lie P106 with the profile of the P92. The flat blade of the Drury gets SO much spin on the puck but the loft just gets them too high for snap shots from further out.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

So I went out and tried some slap shots today, sadly the floor has a lot of friction, unlike the wood ones for basketball. Due to the floor and the friction, I could get some hard shots because the stick would stop before impact and flex. I'm able to get lift due to the whip, plus push/pull & rolling my wrists.

Sadly, on the court floors, my stick doesn't have the same effect, or maybe it's just me???

Does anyone have a good video on push/pull with rolling your wrists. I need to get muscle memory occurring here, so my shots produce better. I found this video, but is it accurate? Mind you I shoot with my bottom hand half way down for wrist shots because my stick is pretty long.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wHrDJybht-Q

Do this concept apply to all shots on impact?

 

[Jarick]

I like that vid, and check out these as well in this post. Honestly after I watched that Matt Ellis vid I got rid of both my "wrist" and "snap" shot and started doing whatever it is that he's doing (I call it a snap shot still).

With slappers I think there's some of that concept, but the bigger thing is driving your bottom hand through instead of the push-pull. But I'm so awful at those it's not worth my advice

Check the link in the sticky up top re: slappers and feel free to bump it or come back with questions.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

Thanks for the reply! Yea, I've only really used the push/pull and roll my wrists in follow through on wrist shots. Most snap shots I hit at a sharp angle, and on impact I do push/pull while keeping my blade always closed... Maybe this is bad???

Slap shots I've always just lined the puck/ball in the center, and about 1 foot max away from me, then really drive into the ice/floor a few inches behind while keeping my bottom hand straight, then rolling my wrists on follow through, never push/pull.

This could be a stick size issue too because my older stick I used was shoulder height, and for ball hockey I'm always hunched over. My team gave me some grief over it, but my slap shots were rockets because I could shoot much closer, and under my body. I suffered in reach, and ability to get around players being 5ft 6. Regardless of protecting the puck/ball under my, or near my body, my weight is too low which results in getting shoved. The longer stick allows me to reach away from big guys and keep going.

I went back to my "old" style of play with a stick that comes right to my eye brows, and my wrist shots work alright, but now my slap shot isn't as great. However, as a forechecker with speed and reach, I can really play aggressive! I've always had quick hands, so I can even stick handle past players with that length in tight zones.

Should I go back to being a hunch back regardless of my teams opinions?

-- Good post by the way! Jarick, your points are head on with slap shots.

 

[Jarick]

I have a (probably incorrect) theory that slappers come more natural to guys who have their dominant hand on the bottom. There's exceptions and what not, but if my theory's correct and the bottom hand drives the slapper, it would make sense. Meanwhile wristers and snappers seem more push-pull and top hand driven, like passing and puck handling, so it comes more natural to guys with the dominant hand on top.

My gut says if you're an aggressive forechecking forward and you can handle a longer stick, don't worry about the slappers so much and just get off quick shots when you get a chance.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

I have a (probably incorrect) theory that slappers come more natural to guys who have their dominant hand on the bottom. There's exceptions and what not, but if my theory's correct and the bottom hand drives the slapper, it would make sense. Meanwhile wristers and snappers seem more push-pull and top hand driven, like passing and puck handling, so it comes more natural to guys with the dominant hand on top.

My gut says if you're an aggressive forechecking forward and you can handle a longer stick, don't worry about the slappers so much and just get off quick shots when you get a chance.

I did a test this morning, and my shot release is roughly 60% faster including setup with a stick at shoulder height than a longer stick.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

So I played a game tonight, and it turns out it has nothing to do with the curve! I cut the super long eyebrow height stick to my collarbone, and I'm ripping shots with ease. I even picked up a Sakic curve for the game, which makes my shots 20% faster and harder for some reason. So I guess it was just having an overly long stick.

Sadly I'm paying the price because as a forechecker I cannot be as effective without the reach, but when I have possession, I can rip shots, and stick handle with ease.

Glad that problem is fixed! My Sakic curve shots are not much higher than Iginla as I really cup the ball, however I can deke much easier with Sakic, and rip shots off faster. Iginla helps with plays, and back hands for me though.

 

[IDuck]

I like that vid, and check out these as well in this post. Honestly after I watched that Matt Ellis vid I got rid of both my "wrist" and "snap" shot and started doing whatever it is that he's doing (I call it a snap shot still).

With slappers I think there's some of that concept, but the bigger thing is driving your bottom hand through instead of the push-pull. But I'm so awful at those it's not worth my advice

Check the link in the sticky up top re: slappers and feel free to bump it or come back with questions.

those are some great video's...thanks for posting

 

[RandV]

Try connecting with the ground a decent amount before you connect with the ball, so that you get some flex in the stick, and really power through the shot. My guess is you might be just slapping at the ball, generally people don't have trouble raising the ball on slappers, regardless of the curve you'll find that most people have trouble keeping them down (when playing with a ball).

I've always wondered, is this even necessary with ball hockey? You'll get more friction on a solid floor than on the ice, and the ball is lighter and softer than a puck. It doesn't work on the ice with a puck but on the floor with a ball you can get a good slapshot off with a good quick/high golf club like swing, where the stick blade just skims the floor.

 

[BHDefensiveForward]

It does help to hit it around 2"-4", anymore back and I feel like my shots are much weaker. We use weighted hard balls, anything else would wobble away unless you hit the ball on contact. I cannot slap shot plastic pucks at all with ice hockey sticks, it just glides along the floor.

I find the weighted balls almost equal if not a bit less than a puck. That's just me though...

 

[jazzykat]

I have a (probably incorrect) theory that slappers come more natural to guys who have their dominant hand on the bottom. There's exceptions and what not, but if my theory's correct and the bottom hand drives the slapper, it would make sense. Meanwhile wristers and snappers seem more push-pull and top hand driven, like passing and puck handling, so it comes more natural to guys with the dominant hand on top.

I am a beginner and don't shoot much. I went to my friends house to shoot today and try wrist shots and slapshots. I got both of them going OK but my slapshots felt like howitzers once I got the hang of it. My dominant hand is on the bottom (I also played a lot of baseball growing up so the swing and trunk rotation felt natural). My accuracy is random but at least my slapshot is not something people want to get in front of. I have no idea what hand is supposed to be on top or not but it works for me

 

[17of26]

I've always wondered, is this even necessary with ball hockey? You'll get more friction on a solid floor than on the ice, and the ball is lighter and softer than a puck. It doesn't work on the ice with a puck but on the floor with a ball you can get a good slapshot off with a good quick/high golf club like swing, where the stick blade just skims the floor.

This is correct. I played Dek hockey for 15+ years and with slapshots it's better if your stick touches the floor as little as possible. Some of the surfaces are really rough and just steal all of your stick's momentum.

The ball is so light that you really don't need stick flex to assist you. I think it's better to just transfer all of the energy directly from the stick swing to the ball rather than trying to get the stick to flex by hitting the ground.