Learning to shoot pucks on dryland

[GJB]

I want to develop a better shot this Summer by practicing with a puck. But ice is harder to come by and pretty expensive just to go out and practice shooting.

Problem is pucks do not glide well or at all on most pavement. Has anyone come up with a way to make a good shooting surface so that it's a similar feel to shooting off ice?

Just looking for ideas to improve my shot and I don't think using a street hockey ball is the answer at all.

Click to read more...

 

[kr580]

Thrifty White board + Silicone lube spray is a good, cheap option for an ice-like surface where you can use ice pucks. Around $12 for the board (which you can cut to smaller sizes) and $3 for the spray. Check your local hardware store that sells plywood sheets and the like and they should have the thrifty board.

Check my thread on it for more discussion.
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?p=25957851

 

[Jimmy Carter]

You could always shoot a street hockey puck to get the feel of shooting a puck, then maybe move up to a roller hockey puck to get the feel of shooting a puck with weight as well

 

[dbargaehr]

I bought a strip of plexiglass at the local home depot...it's 30" x 40" and cost about 30 bucks. Every time I take it out I use Pledge on the surface to make it feel more like sportcourt (I play roller, not ice), and use roller pucks.

Also, if you can find a flat and very smooth linoleum you'll have the same effect...

 

[SenzZen]

Yeah plexiglass ought to do the trick.

 

[customradius]

I've been using an old piece of wall paneling. It is quite smooth after spraying with furniture wax, probably not as good as a shooting mat but it was free

 

[Badger36]

Just buy a green biscuit. It slides on any smooth surface almost like its ice.

 

[kr580]

Just buy a green biscuit. It slides on any smooth surface almost like its ice.

Correct me if I'm wrong but those aren't made for shooting, are they? Do they have the same weight? Also, an ice-like surface means your stick slides as well as the puck.

 

[sherwood sniper]

Correct me if I'm wrong but those aren't made for shooting, are they? Do they have the same weight? Also, an ice-like surface means your stick slides as well as the puck.

Although they aren't made for shooting mine has held up pretty well and I have been beating the hell out of it, including slappers. I can't believe it has actually held up to be honest.

With that aside I HIGHLY recommend the green biscuit. For passing and stick handling , you cannot beat this puck. Haven't found much it wont slide on. Well worth the $10! Even started working them into a dryland training session for my players.

 

[dbargaehr]

@sherwood sniper,

the issue I had with the Green Biscuit is that if you used it "anywhere" (concrete, for instance), your stick blade would get chewed up really bad...

 

[Badger36]

@sherwood sniper,

the issue I had with the Green Biscuit is that if you used it "anywhere" (concrete, for instance), your stick blade would get chewed up really bad...

Use a roller hockey stick or a shooting pad. You can set up a shooting pad on your driveway and not chew up your stick.
You are right though that pavement will chew up a wood or composite stick in no time.

 

[Badger36]

Correct me if I'm wrong but those aren't made for shooting, are they? Do they have the same weight? Also, an ice-like surface means your stick slides as well as the puck.

Id say they are meant more for practicing passing and stick handling than doing shooting.
For shooting you might want to go with a roller hockey puck. The Green Biscuit is tough but Im not sure how well it would hold up to repeated slapshots or getting clanged off of the goal post.

 

[Skraut]

I was messing around on my dryland set up and you can sort of see it in this video.


I mounted a camera to my bottom glove, and it survived a few shots

Noticed that I'm not snapping my wrists, moving the puck from heel to toe, and well, my stickhandling sucks with a weighted camera hanging off one of my hands.

I'll get the mount sturdied up a bit more, and try putting more snap into the shots. Also just noticed that the camera has a high speed setting, will have give that a try as well.

 

[HowToHockey]

I was messing around on my dryland set up and you can sort of see it in this video.


I mounted a camera to my bottom glove, and it survived a few shots

Noticed that I'm not snapping my wrists, moving the puck from heel to toe, and well, my stickhandling sucks with a weighted camera hanging off one of my hands.

I'll get the mount sturdied up a bit more, and try putting more snap into the shots. Also just noticed that the camera has a high speed setting, will have give that a try as well.

Looks to me like you have the snap motion going, you get a nice burst of power right at the end of the shot which will help a lot with your power.

You don't always have to go heel to toe when shooting, it's just the receommended method for learning. You can develop your own style if you are comfortable shooting, alot of NHL'rs shoot with just the toe, especially with a snapshot, pull it in with the toe, then snap and hit it with the middle of the blade.

It's all about using the rigth type of shot at the right time

 

[noobman]

Just buy a green biscuit. It slides on any smooth surface almost like its ice.

Those are not built for shooting and will likely break if they hit anything other than twine or plastic posts.