Good for my stickhandling?

slightlystoopid

Registered User
May 22, 2007
33
0
I have a smooth-ground basement that I've always used to play hockey with. My friend told me a good way to practice stickhandling is to get a golfball and start handling it for 10 minutes a day. I'll only be able to go to the rink about once a week for a couple weeks, and I was wondering if stickhandling a golfball for 10 minutes a day will affect my stickhandling with the puck? Obviously, the golfball is smaller so the feel is a little different.

On a side note I've been handling with rollerblades on, moving, and using a Bauer Endure with a cracked blade (use it for my indoor practicing).
 

TBLfan

Registered User
Nov 25, 2005
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Tampa, FL
tblfan.wordpress.com
take at least 3 pucks and stickhandle around them, it will help a lot. Put them in a tirangle shape and go around all the pucks, it will force you to handle the puck and control it... Focus on one-touches.
 

Little Nilan

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
8,209
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Praha
The main attribute for good stickhandling is supple(sp?). All those great russian stickhandlers like Datsyuk and Kovalev learn to have no tension in their arms and hands even at high speeds and during games. It takes a lot of time to master, but after you do master thatm, you should be good for great moves, trust me. The only things I do well in hockey is stickhandle and skate forward. Also, always keep the puck/ball on a straight line in front of you when you practice.

As for practicing with a golf ball, doesn't really do good IMO. You play the game with a puck, then practice with a puck(if you can).
 

slightlystoopid

Registered User
May 22, 2007
33
0
I see what you're saying, but this is for when I can't go to the rink and practice there (which is practically 5-6 days a week). I'd love to use a puck, but it doesn't move well without ice--as in it wobbles all over the place uncontrollably :).

Also, what is supple suppose to mean? I've never heard of it, and what is a one-touch? Sorry, this is my first year playing competitively and I'm trying hard to learn in a year what my teammates learn in six :help:
 

Little Nilan

Registered User
Oct 29, 2006
8,209
0
Praha
I see what you're saying, but this is for when I can't go to the rink and practice there (which is practically 5-6 days a week). I'd love to use a puck, but it doesn't move well without ice--as in it wobbles all over the place uncontrollably :).

Also, what is supple suppose to mean? I've never heard of it, and what is a one-touch? Sorry, this is my first year playing competitively and I'm trying hard to learn in a year what my teammates learn in six :help:

I don't know the english word for "souple", google says it's flexible but what I mean is not having any tension in your arms. I don't know if you've ever done 100m racing but the first thing they tell you(me) was having no tension in your body. It applies to almost every sport (and musical instrument).
 

Backstrom #19

Trotz for president
May 12, 2007
13,562
5
Savannah Georgia
I see what you're saying, but this is for when I can't go to the rink and practice there (which is practically 5-6 days a week). I'd love to use a puck, but it doesn't move well without ice--as in it wobbles all over the place uncontrollably :).

Also, what is supple suppose to mean? I've never heard of it, and what is a one-touch? Sorry, this is my first year playing competitively and I'm trying hard to learn in a year what my teammates learn in six :help:


If it wobbles all over the place then learn to control it which should help you.
 

McNasty

Registered User
Jan 20, 2007
6,431
125
Rutgers
One thing that helped me is setting up 3 pucks in a triangle like TBLfan said and you hit one puck between the other 2 and then hit one of the other pucks between the other 2, start slow at first and then try to hit the puck through the other 2 while they are still moving.

Another good dril is to line up cones and just practice going back and forth while moving. Make sure you extend your stick all the way so that you maximize the reach of your stick.
 

Happy Pony

Registered User
Jan 17, 2006
2,659
0
Columbus
Supple.. soft hands. Using a golf ball will help improve your hands because it will help improve your feel. Don't forget, DO NOT STARE AT THE PUCK(ball). Use your peripheral vision to watch the puck(ball) but make sure you are keeping your head up.
 

TBLfan

Registered User
Nov 25, 2005
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Tampa, FL
tblfan.wordpress.com
I dont think some of you get that hes looking for off-ice help. It's not exactly easy to get a puck to slide well on a basement floor. A golf ball will do fine, similar to a wooden hockey training ball. But a smarthockey ball would be better, helps build strength.

One touch is basically just as it sounds you direct the ball/puck where you want it to go with one touch. Don't pull it and move it, just touch it once to get it to go where you want it to. Basically you angle your blade and just push where you want the ball to go.

Remember to keep your bottom hand loose and to use your top hand to control the blade face and stickhandling motion. The bottom hand is just a helper to help hold the weight of the stick in these drills.
 

BRONX_MADNESS*

Guest
Basically buddy, you should just get a smarthockey ball, they're supposed to mimic (somewhat) what pucks do on ice, for off-ice training. Just get a feel for it then once you're proficient enough with the basics start workin on some game-situation moves, then progress to the point where you can execute them in practice drills, so that you have the moves in your arsenal during a game...if you want to be get some sick moves buy a Sean Skinner stickhandling video, they show nasty dangles that work in games, takes some practice to get em though
 

MacBeatsPang

Registered User
Oct 25, 2006
486
0
I agree about the smarthockey ball. I have one of those and a swedish wood stickhandling ball and alternate between them in my basement and for a few minutes before games and it's a big help. The smarthockey ball helps build strength and the lighter wood ball helps you lock in the wrist rolls to your muscle memory. Practice with your gloves on and try to go through a series of moves you want in your arsenal -- for each one start by looking at the puck until you get it down and gradually move your head up through the repetitions until you reach a point where you don't need to look down anymore. Good luck!
 

Whiplash27

Quattro!!
Jan 25, 2007
17,343
66
Westchester, NY
I agree about the smarthockey ball. I have one of those and a swedish wood stickhandling ball and alternate between them in my basement and for a few minutes before games and it's a big help. The smarthockey ball helps build strength and the lighter wood ball helps you lock in the wrist rolls to your muscle memory. Practice with your gloves on and try to go through a series of moves you want in your arsenal -- for each one start by looking at the puck until you get it down and gradually move your head up through the repetitions until you reach a point where you don't need to look down anymore. Good luck!

This is the most important. I've been practicing a bit without my gloves on. It doesn't make a difference for regular stickhandling. However, when you try to practice little trick moves, when you try to actually do it on ice it's much different.

Everyone knows the little move where you put the puck behind you then use kind of a toe drag to knock it off your skate and back to your stick... It's a fairly simple move, but I've been trying to practice a bit. Well I can do it perfectly with shoes on and with my golf/wood ball. However, when I put skates & gloves on and try it with a puck, I can't do it for crap, not even standing still. It's a huge difference.

I also think that if you want to try to practice that kind of stuff, it's best to either do it on ice or on rollerblades at the very least. The height difference makes a difference and using something that's shaped like a puck will help you out much better than a ball. Also if you're on rollerblades you can practice while moving which when you play hockey you don't usually stickhandle all that much while standing still.


However, for just getting comfortable stickhandling and for stickhandling agility, using a ball and just practicing dribbling, faking, toe drags, etc. will help you immensely
 
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Backstrom #19

Trotz for president
May 12, 2007
13,562
5
Savannah Georgia
This is the most important. I've been practicing a bit without my gloves on. It doesn't make a difference for regular stickhandling. However, when you try to practice little trick moves, when you try to actually do it on ice it's much different.

Everyone knows the little move where you put the puck behind you then use kind of a toe drag to knock it off your skate and back to your stick... It's a fairly simple move, but I've been trying to practice a bit. Well I can do it perfectly with shoes on and with my golf/wood ball. However, when I put skates & gloves on and try it with a puck, I can't do it for crap, not even standing still. It's a huge difference.

I also think that if you want to try to practice that kind of stuff, it's best to either do it on ice or on rollerblades at the very least. The height difference makes a difference and using something that's shaped like a puck will help you out much better than a ball. Also if you're on rollerblades you can practice while moving which when you play hockey you don't usually stickhandle all that much while standing still.


However, for just getting comfortable stickhandling and for stickhandling agility, using a ball and just practicing dribbling, faking, toe drags, etc. will help you immensely


Is this the move you are talking about. You might have to watch a commercial 1st.

http://www.nhl.com/video/app?compon...10_save.wmv&sp=20062007&sp=211&sp=3&sp=SSaves
 

Whiplash27

Quattro!!
Jan 25, 2007
17,343
66
Westchester, NY
Yeah, like that, but the simpler version, lol

I think there's three ways of doing that move.
1. Bank it off your skate back to your stick - Easiest
You don't have to put the puck so far behind you. With this you can kind of pass it back behind your leg and drag it back against your skate and to your leg. Since it's much wider, this requires less skill.

2. Straight through your legs to your stick (which is what Connelly did)
This version requires that you drop the puck basically directly behind you and then you drag it straight through your legs. It requires much more skill and speed.

3. Toe Drag to backhand and through your legs to your stick - Hardest
This version requires the most hand speed because you are pushing the puck behind you, then you start to drag it, and then turn to your backhand and push it through.

I watched Sean Skinner's Stickhandling videos and he explains how to do them all. Of course for him they look so easy :biglaugh:
The guy takes two sticks and scoops up two pucks with no effort. Then me, I'm lucky if I can scoop it up normally once every 5 tries, lol.
He does like every move you can possibily think of without any effort, it's amazing to watch really.

I mean I know for guys who have been playing for years and in higher divisions, some of this stuff is easy for them to do, but I'm a beer league player who never played competatively until I played in beer leagues :D.
 
Last edited:

Backstrom #19

Trotz for president
May 12, 2007
13,562
5
Savannah Georgia
Yeah, like that, but the simpler version, lol

I think there's three ways of doing that move.
1. Bank it off your skate back to your stick - Easiest
You don't have to put the puck so far behind you. With this you can kind of pass it back behind your leg and drag it back against your skate and to your leg. Since it's much wider, this requires less skill.

2. Straight through your legs to your stick (which is what Connelly did)
This version requires that you drop the puck basically directly behind you and then you drag it straight through your legs. It requires much more skill and speed.

3. Toe Drag to backhand and through your legs to your stick - Hardest
This version requires the most hand speed because you are pushing the puck behind you, then you start to drag it, and then turn to your backhand and push it through.


I watched Sean Skinner's Stickhandling videos and he explains how to do them all. Of course for him they look so easy :biglaugh:
The guy takes two sticks and scoops up two pucks with no effort. Then me, I'm lucky if I can scoop it up normally once every 5 tries, lol.
He does like every move you can possibily think of without any effort, it's amazing to watch really.

I mean I know for guys who have been playing for years and in higher divisions, some of this stuff is easy for them to do, but I'm a beer league player who never played competatively until I played in beer leagues :D.

It took me 2 years to do the move connely did, i'm working on move number 3 right now i hope it don't take me 2 years.
 

Boy Hedican

Homer Jr, friends call me Ho-Ju
Jul 12, 2006
5,084
1,166
Earff
Another option if you want to actually practice with pucks is to invest a little money into an artificial ice pad. There are a number of them out there, ranging from $40-$500, depending on your needs.

Here are a few of them that I've been looking in to.

Tape 2 Tape Hockey pad /w Return passing band. $175 + Shipping

Super-Glide Pad. ($499 shipping in US). This one is great because you actually use your skates on it

The cheaper ones are all over the internet. Just google synthetic or artificial ice pad. If I can afford to, I'm gonna get the Super-Glide since you can be on your skates so you don't have to make any height adjustments. Plus you can move around while you practice puck control.
 

Backstrom #19

Trotz for president
May 12, 2007
13,562
5
Savannah Georgia
Another option if you want to actually practice with pucks is to invest a little money into an artificial ice pad. There are a number of them out there, ranging from $40-$500, depending on your needs.

Here are a few of them that I've been looking in to.

Tape 2 Tape Hockey pad /w Return passing band. $175 + Shipping

Super-Glide Pad. ($499 shipping in US). This one is great because you actually use your skates on it

The cheaper ones are all over the internet. Just google synthetic or artificial ice pad. If I can afford to, I'm gonna get the Super-Glide since you can be on your skates so you don't have to make any height adjustments. Plus you can move around while you practice puck control.


That's cool, but it's expensive.
 

TBLfan

Registered User
Nov 25, 2005
1,148
0
Tampa, FL
tblfan.wordpress.com
if the stick length is an issue, use a shorter stick and remember to bend your knees like you would in a game... more muscle memory.

Or you can use the same stick and not bend your knees but you lose the leg muscle memory.
 

Boy Hedican

Homer Jr, friends call me Ho-Ju
Jul 12, 2006
5,084
1,166
Earff
That's cool, but it's expensive.

Yeah the super-glide is pricey, but if you consider the advantages of having a surface that is more like ice than anything else you can get, with the added option of being on your skates, you can't beat it. For people like me who live in sunny SJ, CA - ice time is either A) Expensive or B) Completely inconvenient for 9-5 working folk.

For something that can last up to 8 years, I think its a worth while investment.
 

slightlystoopid

Registered User
May 22, 2007
33
0
Thanks for all the feedback everyone, I've been practicing going through pucks today and it felt more natural than it used to. I'm going to buy a smartpuck this weekend as well.
 

apg96

Registered User
May 23, 2007
3
0
I went to a home improvment store and bough something called Tile Board, I have it in my garage and i use it to shoot ice hockey pucks off of and also to practice stick-handling. Its very close to the friction of ice. Its been working well. Its a 4 x 8 sheet of polished white surface on a thin flexible wood. You could try and use something like that to help, but if you move around a lot while doing it you may want to get a few of them. It was like 12 bucks.
 

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