Keeping the head up

[LeifUK]

I did a lot of training that taught me to keep my head up, and I now find it harder to stick handle round cones while looking at the puck as I lose situational awareness. I was taught by three coaches to use averted vision, so my gaze is some meters/yards ahead of the puck ie not horizontal, not staring at the puck, and the puck is in the periphery of my visual field. I also like to keep the puck a bit in front rather than close in, and keep lower, it’s easier to see the puck and easier to recover if I miss it. Someone recently started telling me that was nonsense, you should look straight ahead with your neck upright, and pull the puck in. Thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[cannucky]

If you have been playing more than a 1st year you should know where the puck is without watching it , most of the serious hits to the head happen to guys like you skating with their heads down looking at the puck . It's like a boxer leading with his face and then wondering why he keeps getting beat up .

 

[Filthy Dangles]

it's fine to glance down at the puck when you make a tight turn or some quick stickhandles, pro's do. it's not okay to keep your head down for extended periods, espeically if you're cutting to the middle or front of the net. in general you keep your head up and the puck cupped on your blade, no overstickhandling, the cupping keeps the puck in control, which you should feel.

there's times where the puck position realtive to your body changes. if you're skating straight ahead with lots of ice in front of you, puck way out it front almost just being pushed with your stick which lets you maximize your stride length and speed.

when entering the zone the puck is ideally clsoer to your body to shield stick checks and make a quick play like shot or pass with puck loaded on the forehand of your stick.

 

[LeifUK]

If you have been playing more than a 1st year you should know where the puck is without watching it , most of the serious hits to the head happen to guys like you skating with their heads down looking at the puck . It's like a boxer leading with his face and then wondering why he keeps getting beat up .

I’d appreciate it if you read the original post before replying. Thanks.

 

[LeifUK]

it's fine to glance down at the puck when you make a tight turn or some quick stickhandles, pro's do. it's not okay to keep your head down for extended periods, espeically if you're cutting to the middle or front of the net. in general you keep your head up and the puck cupped on your blade, no overstickhandling, the cupping keeps the puck in control, which you should feel.

there's times where the puck position realtive to your body changes. if you're skating straight ahead with lots of ice in front of you, puck way out it front almost just being pushed with your stick which lets you maximize your stride length and speed.

when entering the zone the puck is ideally clsoer to your body to shield stick checks and make a quick play like shot or pass with puck loaded on the forehand of your stick.

I didn’t suggest keeping the head down, though yes of course there are times for a quick glance down. As I said I was taught by several people, one of whom played professionally, not to look down, and not to look horizontally ahead either, but to look slightly down from horizontal so as to keep the puck in the periphery of vision. I’ve seen quite a few people doing that. Someone (who can’t stickhandle or play at all well) said that was nonsense, you look with a horizontal gaze. I was looking for feedback on that.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I didn’t suggest keeping the head down, though yes of course there are times for a quick glance down. As I said I was taught by several people, one of whom played professionally, not to look down, and not to look horizontally ahead either, but to look slightly down from horizontal so as to keep the puck in the periphery of vision. I’ve seen quite a few people doing that. Someone (who can’t stickhandle or play at all well) said that was nonsense, you look with a horizontal gaze. I was looking for feedback on that.

I think I'm slowly starting to get what you're saying/asking.

So you are talking about 'tilting' your vision slightly more down to the ice versus looking straight ahead if you were standing up straight, like along an imaginary line parallel to the ice but at your eyeline?

My take is this. With a proper hockey stance and skating stride with kneebend and the forward pitch provided in a hockey skate, you will automatically have a little bit of forward tilt in the upperbody, head and thus vision, looking ever-so-slightly down.

So my opinion is you shouldn't really have to adjust or even think about what your eyes are doing. you should be able to keep your head 'up' (again slightly tilted forward though which points your vision slightly down) just see the puck in your peripheral vision most times when carrying it, unless you pull it in really tight.

 

[LeifUK]

I think I'm slowly starting to get what you're saying/asking.

So you are talking about 'tilting' your vision slightly more down to the ice versus looking straight ahead if you were standing up straight, like along an imaginary line parallel to the ice but at your eyeline?

My take is this. With a proper hockey stance and skating stride with kneebend and the forward pitch provided in a hockey skate, you will automatically have a little bit of forward tilt in the upperbody, head and thus vision, looking ever-so-slightly down.

So my opinion is you shouldn't really have to adjust or even think about what your eyes are doing. you should be able to keep your head 'up' (again slightly tilted forward though which points your vision slightly down) just see the puck in your peripheral vision most times when carrying it, unless you pull it in really tight.

Thanks, yes you’ve got it. I’ve been looking at how I play, and if I’m stickhandling across open ice, my line of sight is near horizontal, a bit tilted down. If I stick handle round a line of cones, I have to tilt my head down a bit more, maybe 20 degrees, otherwise I lose the puck. Do you think this is typical, or more practice is needed?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Thanks, yes you’ve got it. I’ve been looking at how I play, and if I’m stickhandling across open ice, my line of sight is near horizontal, a bit tilted down. If I stick handle round a line of cones, I have to tilt my head down a bit more, maybe 20 degrees, otherwise I lose the puck. Do you think this is typical, or more practice is needed?

To me it sounds like more practice. It's okay to glance down at times if you need but you shouldn't need to keep your head/eyes down more than you normally do. You should be able to feel the puck and the cupping on the forehand/backhand as you weave in and out should keep it in control while your head stays 'up'.

 

[LeifUK]

To me it sounds like more practice. It's okay to glance down at times if you need but you shouldn't need to keep your head/eyes down more than you normally do. You should be able to feel the puck and the cupping on the forehand/backhand as you weave in and out should keep it in control while your head stays 'up'.

Thanks. More practice it is then.

 

[Yukon Joe]

I did a lot of training that taught me to keep my head up, and I now find it harder to stick handle round cones while looking at the puck as I lose situational awareness. I was taught by three coaches to use averted vision, so my gaze is some meters/yards ahead of the puck ie not horizontal, not staring at the puck, and the puck is in the periphery of my visual field. I also like to keep the puck a bit in front rather than close in, and keep lower, it’s easier to see the puck and easier to recover if I miss it. Someone recently started telling me that was nonsense, you should look straight ahead with your neck upright, and pull the puck in. Thoughts?

I've been playing for 3 years as an adult, never as a kid.

I'm with you: you look out but maybe tilted down a bit - enough so that you can see the puck out of your peripheral vision.

I'm sure if I was a much better player I could know where the puck is by feel alone, but I'm just not that good. Even in a no contact league I know it's important to keep my head up to keep situational awareness, but I need at least a little bit of an eye on the puck too.

 

[BruinDust]

My advice, work on improving your balance and the rest will likely fall into place. Better balance and you will find your hands, head and neck in the right place and form more often. You will skate more with your head up if your balance on your skates is improved.

 

[LeifUK]

My advice, work on improving your balance and the rest will likely fall into place. Better balance and you will find your hands, head and neck in the right place and form more often. You will skate more with your head up if your balance on your skates is improved.

For the past two years I’ve had a weekly half hour lesson with a figure skater, albeit with long breaks over the last year due to lockdown. It has made a huge difference. Better edge control, better posture, better stability, less effort. If only she had an antidote for age. Some people can learn good technique on their own, I’m not one of those people.

 

[BruinDust]

For the past two years I’ve had a weekly half hour lesson with a figure skater, albeit with long breaks over the last year due to lockdown. It has made a huge difference. Better edge control, better posture, better stability, less effort. If only she had an antidote for age. Some people can learn good technique on their own, I’m not one of those people.

One thing you might want to consider is your skate blade profile. Going to a larger profile (so for example 9 ft to 10.5 ft) should help improve balance. There would likely be a small trade-off in terms of edgework (pivoting, turns, backwards crossovers) but you would adjust to that fairly quickly IMO. That was my findings when I recently changed steel and the new stock steel came with a larger profile. I enjoyed the balance improvement and it was noticeable right away.

 

[LeifUK]

One thing you might want to consider is your skate blade profile. Going to a larger profile (so for example 9 ft to 10.5 ft) should help improve balance. There would likely be a small trade-off in terms of edgework (pivoting, turns, backwards crossovers) but you would adjust to that fairly quickly IMO. That was my findings when I recently changed steel and the new stock steel came with a larger profile. I enjoyed the balance improvement and it was noticeable right away.

I’m on stock Bauer LS5 runners with a 10 ft radius. I guess it’s just a case of practice more.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The averted-vision technique you're describing is a reasonable solution for an amateur player who's learning to see the ice better. Peripheral vision is extremely important in hockey, and what you're doing is basically an intermediate step to gradually shed reliance on looking directly at the puck. Like almost any other manual task, you'll find yourself getting more and more comfortable handling the puck slightly outside your field of vision as time goes on.

If you feel like it's holding you back, that's a sign that you're ready to move up to the next skill level. But if this technique has worked for you so far, I wouldn't try to make a radical adjustment too quickly. Just keep working on handling the puck at the edge of your field of vision, gradually moving more of your attention to the front and sides.

Think of it like trying to learn to pour your morning coffee with your eyes closed. It's totally achievable, but there are intermediate stages involved, and getting past those stages will be messy unless the skill is built gradually.

 

[LeifUK]

The averted-vision technique you're describing is a reasonable solution for an amateur player who's learning to see the ice better. Peripheral vision is extremely important in hockey, and what you're doing is basically an intermediate step to gradually shed reliance on looking directly at the puck. Like almost any other manual task, you'll find yourself getting more and more comfortable handling the puck slightly outside your field of vision as time goes on.

If you feel like it's holding you back, that's a sign that you're ready to move up to the next skill level. But if this technique has worked for you so far, I wouldn't try to make a radical adjustment too quickly. Just keep working on handling the puck at the edge of your field of vision, gradually moving more of your attention to the front and sides.

Think of it like trying to learn to pour your morning coffee with your eyes closed. It's totally achievable, but there are intermediate stages involved, and getting past those stages will be messy unless the skill is built gradually.

Thanks, that’s an excellent explanation.

 

[I am toxic]

I did a lot of training that taught me to keep my head up, and I now find it harder to stick handle round cones while looking at the puck as I lose situational awareness. I was taught by three coaches to use averted vision, so my gaze is some meters/yards ahead of the puck ie not horizontal, not staring at the puck, and the puck is in the periphery of my visual field. I also like to keep the puck a bit in front rather than close in, and keep lower, it’s easier to see the puck and easier to recover if I miss it. Someone recently started telling me that was nonsense, you should look straight ahead with your neck upright, and pull the puck in. Thoughts?

Late to the party, so I guess that makes me better.

Who am I kidding, no guessing involved.

Here is something you may find interesting.

You may also want to consider looking into stroboscopic visual training. No, I did not make that up. It's real, and some pros have found it improves their skills.

Finally, not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread, but you don't just see a puck (whether peripherally, or occasionally glancing right at it), but you also have another (sporadic) connection to the puck - through the blade/shaft of your stick. So practice off-ice stickhandling (can use this or that but not the other thing, it sucks compared to that) with your eyes closed, concentrating on the feel in your hands. Ok, ok, the other thing is really good for off-ice practicing passes and more particularly saucer passes, which should be done a helluva lot more, contrary to what some NHL clubs say (looking especially at you, Bruins). Do it all on rollerblades when you can, unused tennis courts are great, just don't get caught, they hate us doing this), just open your eyes when not stationary.

Finally, know when not to (exactly) stickhandle - learn the open ice carry for when you can move through the neutral zone unchecked. You know why beginners screw it up every time? Two things, one they don't place the puck/stickblade at the 10:30 o'clock (right handed) or 1:30 o'clock (left handed) position - iow not straight ahead, not straight to the side, halfway between the two just like Goldilocks likes - and two, get the back side of the stickblade facing up towards the ceiling of the rink in front of you. If you can't do that, then just push the puck. But open ice carry is better - can you see why? Well, no of course because we aren't looking at the puck. Can you feel why? There is a very important reason, but I will let people agonize over what it might be, first.

Or don't believe me. What do I know? I am not a doctor, I am just . . . well . . . you know . . .

 

[Petey But Really Jim]

Late to the party, so I guess that makes me better.

Who am I kidding, no guessing involved.

Here is something you may find interesting.

You may also want to consider looking into stroboscopic visual training. No, I did not make that up. It's real, and some pros have found it improves their skills.

Finally, not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread, but you don't just see a puck (whether peripherally, or occasionally glancing right at it), but you also have another (sporadic) connection to the puck - through the blade/shaft of your stick. So practice off-ice stickhandling (can use this or that but not the other thing, it sucks compared to that) with your eyes closed, concentrating on the feel in your hands. Ok, ok, the other thing is really good for passes and more particularly saucer passes, which should be done a helluva lot more, contrary to what some NHL clubs say (looking especially at you, Bruins).

Finally, know when not to (exactly) stickhandle - learn the open ice carry for when you can move through the neutral zone unchecked. You know why beginners screw it up every time? Two things, one they don't place the puck/stickblade at the 10:30 o'clock (right handed) or 1:30 o'clock (left handed) - iow not straight ahead, not straight to the side, halfway between the two just like Goldilocks likes - and two, get the back side of the stickblade facing up towards the ceiling of the rink in front of you. If you can't do that, then just push the puck.

Or don't believe me. What do I know? I am not a doctor, I am just . . . well . . . you know . . .

You’re everything we keep locked up under the kitchen and laundry room sinks

 

[I am toxic]

You’re everything we keep locked up under the kitchen and laundry room sinks

Exactly.

Also, did you know that half of all redditors are of below average intelligence - of redditors? How is that even possible?

What can I say, I am . . . well . . . you know . . . just look under the locked sink.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

@I am toxic

I actually love the Green Biscuit, the light-green one meant for stickhandling and passing, not the dark-green snipe one, that one is trash. If you don't roll it pretty precisely from heel-to-toe when saucering it, it will knuckle-ball badly. Really improved my touch and sauce ability.

And really good point about over-stickhandling, that plagues a lot of rec level players.